You Can't Keep A Good Noriaki Kinoshita Down

by Dave the Falconer on Jul 15, 2008 1:00 PM EDT in Falcons News

Sometimes all it takes is a little thing for me to remember why I'm such a fan of rooting for the underdog. It's the stories of those who claw and snarl their way from the bottom of the barrel to daylight that make training camps so interesting, and here's another one that's worth checking out.

Anyone remember Noriaki Kinoshita, who signed with the Falcons in hopes of becoming the first Japanese wide receiver ever to make the NFL? Well, his journey seemed to have ended after the team cut him last year, but Kinoshita has no interest in disappearing:

Japanese wide receiver/kick returner Noriaki Kinoshita decided to join the Atlanta Falcons as an International Practice Squad (IPS) player for this upcoming season, the NFL Japan announced Thursday.

Kinoshita, 25, was selected by the NFL club last month for the IPS spot after participating in the IPS training camps in Europe, but has been waiting for an offer for a spring training camp as a free agent, seeking to become the first Japanese-born player to play in the league this fall.

IPS players are guaranteed to be at the club for the entire season but are not allowed to be promoted to active rosters. Kinoshita's challenge to make an NFL roster will resume in 2009.

Basically, Kinoshita will spend the entire season toiling on a glorified practice squad with absolutely no hope of making an NFL roster. After that, he'll try to make a team out of training camp the next year. I don't know about you, but I admire the heck out of the guy. He's not going to be dissuaded from his goal even if he has to set it aside for a year, something that even I'll admit I'd be hesitant to do.

The Falcons are pretty deep at receiver these days, but here's hoping they find a spot for Kinoshita in 2009. I find it impossible not to root for him to make history with a team that's in need of some pleasant pages in its biography.

0 recs | Comment 11 comments

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Look at what hines Ward has been able to do and you can’t tell me he is much bigger that this guy. No, I am not saying the talent is equal so don’t go there. I’m just saying the size thing is not an issue. Hell, half the corners these days are barely over 6’ anyways.

Otherwise I will root for him, if for no other reason than to be our next long term kick returner. The numbers from NFL Europa are good enough to warrant it, plus it alleviates us from making that decision to put a key skill position player back there, i.e. Norwood or heaven forbid Turner. If one of them gets hurt returning a kick, we will have lost a major load of talent. If this guy gets hurt, well, we throw some other fifth string DB back there and we won’t have lost much.

by Jesse28 on Jul 15, 2008 1:48 PM EDT 0 recs

I feel you

But he isn’t our long term solution at kick/punt returner. The talent he went up against in NFL Europa wasn’t even comparable. It’s like saying that a single A baseball player will do well in the majors because he posted some decent numbers (at the A ball level).

"You never know what I'm going to do..."
- Michael Vick (Palm Beach Post 11/6/2005)

by jamesrael on Jul 15, 2008 2:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

NFL Japan & NFL Europe. Where champions are bred.

If he had the innate talent to compete, wouldn’t he have already been on an American NFL roster by age 25? Realistically, his NFL USA prospects have got to be next to nothing.

You’ve got to like the kid though. I wish him well, but hope he has Career Plan B ready.

"There's no such word as 'quit' in swamp buggy racing, Marigold"

by tom slick on Jul 15, 2008 2:28 PM EDT 0 recs

Do practice guys get paid?

"You never know what I'm going to do..."
- Michael Vick (Palm Beach Post 11/6/2005)

by jamesrael on Jul 15, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'll be rooting for him.

This guy should go onto impress an NFL team with his work habits and effort. Anyone who is still trying has to be a hard worker and I am sure he will be able to find a way onto an NFL team’s final roster.

Also, Practice Squad players do get paid.

The minimum salary from 2008 to 2010 is $5,200 per week.

by Kevin71 on Jul 15, 2008 4:19 PM EDT 0 recs

Damn

That’s more than 20 K a month. Someone sign me up!

"You never know what I'm going to do..."
- Michael Vick (Palm Beach Post 11/6/2005)

by jamesrael on Jul 15, 2008 5:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

Best of luck

You’ll be competing with some 6’6” 320 pound freaks of nature for that money. :P

by Kevin71 on Jul 15, 2008 5:38 PM EDT up 0 recs

hey guys, i am living in japan and playing semi-pro football here, and i know a thing or two about what is going on with noriaki. one thing you have got to take into consideration, is that until he played in NFL europe he played all of his ball in japan, where the coaching isnt at the level that he is now being exposed to in america. so though he is already 25, he is still trying to catch up in a sense technically, and combine that with his already apparent physical abilities. in an article here in japan, he expressed just that. he said he knows he is talented enough, but he needs to improve his skills as a receiver, and being a practice squad player will give him a chance to do that. sure, he had american coaches in europe, but that isnt the NFL. he also needs to improve his english as well, because unlike baseball where ichiro and matsui have gotten by with limited english, as a football player kinoshita needs to communicate at a much higher level. most of what i am saying is coming from coaches and kinoshita himself, and when considering it, it is understandable why taking 2008 just to practice will do him a lot of good to prepare for next year rather than try out this year before he is really ready to make a good run at making a team.

i hope he does well also. he has made it his goal in life to play in the NFL since the age of 5. gotta admire that.

by purpletiger on Jul 16, 2008 11:26 PM EDT 0 recs

Thanks for visiting

I tend to agree with you. Kinoshita’s best shot seems to be to figure out exactly what coaches want from him, get to that point and shoot for playing next year. He’s got a few hurdles to go over, but there’s certainly going to be some team that will consider him for a kick returner job.

by Dave the Falconer on Jul 16, 2008 11:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

i also just read on the espn site that kinoshita along with all IPS (international practice squad) players will be able to play with the falcons during the preseason games, so that is really good news. i wonder if that means he still could have a shot at making the team this year… that would be cool to look forward to.

by purpletiger on Jul 17, 2008 12:44 AM EDT 0 recs

I liked him

I saw him at camp wearing the #1 jersey. Can’t say that I thought he looked outstanding but I do recall liking the fact that it seemed like he really wanted to be there and hustled every chance he got.

In a way, each of us has an El Guapo to face.

by runningback on Jul 17, 2008 9:35 AM EDT 0 recs