Raúl Allegre: Difference between revisions

|caption = Raul Allegre HomenajeTribute in Torreon

Allegre began playing football in 1977, while attending [[Shelton High School (Washington)|Shelton High School]] as an exchange student. Originally a [[Association football|soccer]] player, he had never played American football before his exchangesenior student yearseason at Shelton. Head Coach Jack Stark asked him to try kicking footballs one day before the season began. He had great distance, but each ball went below the crossbar. Coach Stark asked him if he could kick it above the crossbar and Allegre remarked that he could, but thought it was like a soccer goal and was aiming below.<ref>I was ballboy for Shelton High School and my Father was the head coach during his high school season.</ref>

Allegre kickedwas allnamed extrathe points,starter at [[placekicker]] to handle field goals, extra points and kickoffs. HeThe broketeam allonly thewon previous3 schoolgames recordsduring thatthe season, and regularlyAllegre kickedonly offhad into,a andchance outto ofkick the3 endfield zone.<ref>Igoal wasattempts ballboyand for9 Sheltonextra Highpoint Schoolattempts, andalthough myhe Fatherregularly waskicked theoff headwith coachgreat during his high school seasondistance.</ref>

Because he did not get much exposure, Stark filmed him kicking from long distance and sent the tape to different colleges. He received interest from the [[University of Montana]], who initially offered Allegre a partial football scholarship, that did not include expenses for lodging, books and meals. Allegre declined the offer and the school countered with a full scholarship, although it didn't have an engineering program as he wanted.

After two years, he opted to transfer to the [[University of Texas at Austin]] because of its engineeringreputation programin engineering.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://missoulian.com/web/websports/kicks-just-keep-coming-for-former-griz-raul-allegre/article_daf0ce25-567c-502d-b0b0-8a6a14c38d2b.html | title=Kicks just keep coming for former Griz Raul Allegre | accessdate=April 21, 2018}}</ref>

HeAllegre was signed as an [[undrafted free agent]] by the [[Dallas Cowboys]] after the [[1983 NFL Draft]], where he had to go through a try out session. On August 2923, he was traded to the [[Baltimore Colts]] in exchange for a ninth round draft choice (#232-[[John Hunt (American football)|John Hunt]]).<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/07/14/sports/sports-people-kicker-seeks-a-raise.html | title=Kicker Seeks a Raise | accessdate=April 21, 2018}}</ref>

AsIn a[[1985 rookieNFL season|1985]], he made 30 out 16-of 3526 field goalsgoal andattempts, 22for outa low 61.5% average and was 36-of-39 24on extra points. forOn aSeptember total4, of[[1986 112NFL points.season|1986]], Hehe was waived by the by-then Indianapolis Colts, on September 4,after [[1986Dean NFL season|1986Biasucci]] passed him on the depth chart.<ref name="DN">{{cite news|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-09-18/sports/27075755_1_raul-allegre-espn-deportes-hispanic-heritage-month|title=Former Giants/Jets kicker Raul Allegre helps NFL celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month|author=Gola, Hank|date=September 18, 2010|accessdate=February 18, 2018|work=New York Daily News|publisher=Daily News, LP.}}</ref>

In [[1986 NFL season|1986]], after [[New York Giants]]' kicker [[Ali Haji-Sheikh]] was injured, the team began auditions to find a replacement. Allegre's two-week tryout was successful, kicking a 57-yard field goal that convinced Coach [[Bill Parcells]] to sign him. Because Allegre decided to call his agent before signing the contract, Parcells decided to cancel the deal, signing instead [[Joe Cooper (kicker)|Joe Cooper]]. After three ineffective game performances by Cooper, Parcells called Allegre back and signed himonhim on September 25, becoming the team's sixth kicker in 19 games. During the team's [[Super Bowl]] run in [[1986 New York Giants season|1986]], he kicked game-winning [[Field goal (football)|field goals]] in consecutive weeks in a crucial mid-season stretch.<ref name="DN"/> Allegre kicked the opening kickoff of [[Super Bowl XXI]], with the announcer stating that "Raúl Allegre, will kick off, number 2" just before the gamecontest began.

On December 16, 1991, he was signed by the [[New York Jets]] to replace an injured [[Pat Leahy (American football)|Pat Leahy]] who suffered from [[sciatica]], causing him pain in the back, hip and upper leg which would lead to Leahy's retirement. In the [[1991 New York Jets season|season finale]] at [[Miami Dolphins|Miami]], Allegre tied the gamescore in the waning moments and won the game and a [[1991–92 NFL playoffs#AFC: Houston Oilers 17.2C New York Jets 10|playoff berth]] for the Jets in an overtime thriller. He also kicked in the playoff loss against the [[Houston Oilers]].