EPISODE · Aug 10, 2026 · 19 MIN
No SDSU in Adam Vinatieri's Hall of Fame speech (but plenty of comedy) & why Chuck Foreman now *really* belongs in Canton
from Happy Hour with John Gaskins · host John Gaskins
South Dakota native and SDSU alumnus Adam Vinatieri sure packed a lot into his nearly 19-minute Pro Football Hall of Fame speech on Saturday: * The common "thank you's" to people who helped get him there— parents, siblings, children, wife, NFL coaches and teammates * Common Hall of Fame speech messages about character, humility, dedication, determination, character, teamwork, and never giving up * His incredible resume of accomplishments (NFL all-time scoring leader, record for most career field goals, four Super Bowl titles, NFL's "All 100 team" of best 100 players in the first 100 years of the league) * Most famously, now-viral jokes directed at Vinatieri's Patriots coach Bill Bellichick (well, the 74-year-old North Carolina coach's 25-year-old girlfriend), Pats quarterback Tom Brady, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning (specifically Manning's massive forehead), and sports talking head Pat McAfee ("who enjoyed holding my balls more than my wife") In a speech that ran nearly nine minutes over the requested 10-minute limit, the Rapid City native never mentioned his high school alma mater, Rapid City Central. More shockingly, there was no mention of his time at SDSU (1991-94), despite the presence in Canton, Ohio, of Vinatieri's SDSU head coach Mike Daly and then-defensive coordinator John Stiegelmeier, who took over for Daly in 1997 and spent 26 seasons transforming SDSU from a middling Div. II program to an FCS national champion. Why did Vinatieri omit his entire high school and college career during the biggest moment of his life, in front of thousands in Canton and millions on live national television? That is unknown to the Happy Hour host, who sheds light on how Vinatieri's time as a Jackrabbit wasn't completely decorated in glory... and how Vinatieri missed a golden opportunity to send a powerful message by including his low point at SDSU.
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No SDSU in Adam Vinatieri's Hall of Fame speech (but plenty of comedy) & why Chuck Foreman now *really* belongs in Canton
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