Sebastian Janikowski

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Sebastian Janikowski
Date of birth March 3, 1978
Place of birth Wałbrzych, Poland
Position(s) Placekicker
College Florida State University
NFL Draft 2000 / Round 1/ Pick 17
Awards 1999 Lou Groza Award
1998 Lou Groza Award
Statistics
Team(s)
2000-present Oakland Raiders

Sebastian Janikowski (born March 3, 1978 in Wałbrzych, Poland) is a placekicker who currently plays for the NFL's Oakland Raiders. His nicknames are the "Polish Powderkeg", the "Polish Cannon", "Sea Bass" and "Lightning Feet". He currently lives in Castro Valley, California

Contents

[edit] Early years

Sebastian Janikowski was born to Henryk Janikowski and Halina Janikowska in Walbrzych, located in Lower Silesia in southwest Poland. Henryk was a professional soccer player, and moved to the United States in the early 1980s in the hopes of reviving his career. Years after emigrating, Henryk divorced Halina and married an American. Left at home with just his mother, Sebastian began to excel at soccer himself. In 1993, 15-year-old Sebastian earned a spot on the Polish under-17 team.

Henryk's marriage to an American meant that Sebastian could legally emigrate to America. He did so at the urging of his mother, even though the two were very close and it was emotionally painful for Sebastian. The teenager spoke very little English, but learned quickly by taking a three-week night class and by watching television.

Now living in Orlando, Florida with his father and stepmother, Janikowski joined the Orlando Lions, an under-19 soccer club coached by Angelo Rossi. Rossi was also the soccer coach at Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, and he convinced Henryk that his son would be better off there. Henryk agreed but was unwilling to move, so Sebastian moved in with Rossi's family.

During his senior year at Seabreeze, Janikowski switched from soccer to football after being recruited by the school's football coach. As the team's placekicker, he quickly earned a reputation by kicking four field goals of 50+ yards. One of them was for 60 yards, third-best in Florida prep school history. USA Today named Janikowski to its 1996 All-American team.

After being heavily recruited by some of the top collegiate football programs, Janikowski decided on Florida State University.

[edit] Florida State and legal troubles

Janikowski played three seasons for the Seminoles, where he amassed a career scoring total of 324 points (3rd all-time for the school). In 1999 he became the first kicker to twice win the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation's top collegiate kicker. While he excelled on the field, it was at Florida State that Janikowski's lifestyle started causing problems.

In August 1998, he got into a fight outside of a Tallahassee bar. Janikowski was charged with failure to leave the premises and pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor offense. Despite the incident, he was not punished by head coach Bobby Bowden. Janikowski had a breakout season in 1998, and the Seminoles were in contention for a national championship. The night after a season-ending win over rival Florida, Janikowski got into another fight at a local bar. This time he was charged with battery.

Janikowski stayed out of trouble for most of the 1999 season, which again found FSU in contention for a national title. Prior to the team's appearance in the national championship game (the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana), Janikowski declared his intentions to declare himself eligible for the 2000 NFL draft. On New Year's Eve he was caught breaking the team's curfew, but again was not disciplined by head coach Bowden.

Although Janikowski's skill as a kicker was unquestioned by NFL scouts, his off-the-field behavior was a great cause of concern. In January 2000, Janikowski was partying with a group of friends when his roommate was arrested at a nightclub. Janikowski approached the arresting officer and asked how much it would take to let his friend go. He was arrested for attempting to bribe an officer, a charge that carried a $5,000 fine, up to five years in prison, and possible deportation. Janikowski claimed that he thought he could pay a fine to have his friend released, the officer interpreted the action as an attempted bribe.[1].

[edit] Oakland Raiders and more legal troubles

Despite the threat of criminal charges and deportation, Janikowski was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft - only the fifth time a kicker had been taken in the first round in NFL history.

Janikowski was acquitted of his bribery charge in June 2000. He had testified on his own behalf, stating that he was simply trying to pay his friend's fine and not bribe the arresting officer. Just eight days after his acquittal, Janikowski and two friends were arrested in Tallahassee on suspicion of felony possession of the designer drug GHB, also known as the date rape drug. Once again, he faced prison time or deportation if convicted. He was acquitted of all charges in April 2001[2].

Janikowski, who earned a reputation for partying at Florida State, was charged with DUI on October 2, 2002 and given three years' probation after pleading no contest. Less than a year later, he was arrested after a fight at a Walnut Creek, California restaurant. The case was later dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Despite his troubles since entering the NFL, Janikowski has annually performed at a high level. After the 2004 season he was given a five-year contract extension reportedly with $10.5 million, making him the highest paid kicker in NFL history [3] [4].

[edit] Awards

[edit] Records

  • Oakland Raiders franchise record for longest field goal (55 yards twice: November 2, 2003 and November 12, 2006)
  • Oakland Raiders franchise record for highest field goal completion percentage (79% entering 2006)

[edit] External links

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