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Rookie continues to impress

By DAVID J. NEAL
Miami Herald

A possibly irrelevant fact about rookie Dan Carpenter: He has an arm -- he threw the javelin in high school.

A very relevant fact about Carpenter: He has a foot -- he's kicking his way into roster contention.

On Tuesday, again, Carpenter not only was perfect on field-goal attempts in practice drills but each one cleared the crossbar by an emphatic margin. He also placed his kickoffs well: deep and to the sides. When Carpenter outkicked last year's Dolphins kicker, Jay Feely, during the first few days of training camp, it could have been dismissed as a fluke. Now, it has become a pattern.

''I think I've been kicking well,'' Carpenter said.

He won in a walkover Tuesday. Feely spent practice on the exercise bike or on the sidelines. Questions about any ailments were unusually rebuffed.

''You'll have to ask [coach Tony Sparano] about injuries. You'll have to ask Coach,'' Feely repeated with a smile as he briskly walked toward the locker room, reporters walking alongside him as if he were a political candidate.

GAME ON SATURDAY

Feely might be a politician someday. Right now, he's the trailing incumbent in a campaign that will have its first primary in this Saturday's preseason opener against Tampa Bay. Even more so than other positions, kickers' jobs are won and lost in full dress in front of thousands of fans and a television audience.

That's where Feely kicked up the most accurate season in Dolphins history in 2007, going 21 of 23 (91.3 percent) on field goals and hitting all 26 extra points. Meanwhile, Carpenter was going 19 of 23 on field goals while making All-Big Sky for Montana and finishing his college career with a school record 413 kicking points and 75 field goals.

''I played soccer until I was 18,'' Carpenter said. ``I didn't start kicking footballs until my sophomore year in high school. I pretty much taught myself from playing soccer.''

DIFFERENCES

Anyone who finds it unbelievable that the Dolphins might cut their most consistent player, one of the few excelling elements, from last season doesn't realize that only Hall of Famers or the overpaid get job security off a 1-15 record. Nor do they realize that most NFL teams find kickers not named Adam Vinatieri to be as disposable as light bulbs. Once kickers stop working, go get another because there's plenty of them out there. Dolphins boss Bill Parcells declared months ago there would be competition for the kicking job.

In several ways, Carpenter and Feely couldn't be more opposite. Carpenter's a 6-2, blond rookie. Feely is a 5-10, dark-haired veteran in his eighth NFL training camp. Carpenter's economic with his words. Feely's loquacious (not a point in his favor with the current Dolphins regime). Carpenter is from Montana's state capital, Helena, and went to the University of Montana. Feely grew up in Tampa and went to the University of Michigan, playing home games in front of more than 100,000 fans or about four Helenas proper.

And, a month from now, one will have a job kicking with the Dolphins. The other will be waiting for another kicker's slump or injury.

Jay Feely..... pack your bags baby!!!!!!!!!!!

It's too early to make a determination.  It's one thing to boom kicks in practice, but entirely another to do it in the pressure of a real game.