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© St. Petersburg Times, published July 31, 2002
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- There will be no more jumping for joy after field goals for Bill Gramatica.
Happiness, yes. Some sign of elation, certainly. But none of the wild exuberance that resulted in a torn knee ligament that ended Gramatica's rookie season after 13 games last year.
"The feeling that I have after kicking a field goal, I'm not going to lose," Gramatica said after booting a few soaring field goals in Arizona's morning workout Tuesday. "But the way I express it is something that's going to change.
"I couldn't tell you right now what I'm going to do, but I know it's not going to be jumping around."
Coach Dave McGinnis was not amused when the injury occurred, but he can joke about it now.
"It was freak. It freaked me out," McGinnis said. "The next big game-winner he kicks, he can come jump on me. If I blow my ACL out, I can coach from a golf cart. We don't need that in the first quarter. I need both ACLs at least until the fourth quarter."
Gramatica had just kicked a routine 42-yard field goal in the first quarter of a Dec. 15 game against the Giants in New York, when he began jumping around in elation as he always did.
But he landed awkwardly on his right knee, and hobbled off the field.
GIBBS RETURNS: Joe Gibbs stood under a blazing sun, watching his first football practice in almost a decade. It quickly became apparent how long he has been away.
The Hall of Fame coach spent more time trying to keep up with his grandkids than breaking down tedious training camp drills. Sure, he's back in the game as a minority owner of the Falcons, but he's not about to take on a full-time role.
Coaching again? That's out of the question.
"Once I got out of football, I kind of became the average fan," Gibbs said after watching a two-hour practice at Furman University.
STADIUM WORKER DIES: Gjon Gojcaj, a 42-year-old painter at the Lions' new stadium was killed Tuesday when he fell 150 feet into the first tier of seats, after his hydraulic lift tipped over.
Other details were not immediately released, but police Lt. Janice Butler confirmed the death of the worker at Ford Field.
Consumer & Industry Services spokeswoman Maura Campbell said the man worked for Akron-based Thomarios Painting. She said the state inspected Thomarios at Ford Field this summer and issued two citations.
Campbell said it's not yet known whether those citations -- which had to do with the way the company set up scaffolding -- were related to Tuesday's accident. The citations were mailed to the company on July 23.
PARTY TIME: New York will help start the season with a party in Times Square featuring Bon Jovi and other stars. The celebration will take place Sept. 5, about five hours before the Giants and 49ers play the first game of the 2002 season 10 miles away in the New Jersey Meadowlands.