Vinatieri: No surprise Pats in Super Bowl

Former Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri, now the kicker for the Colts, suggested in an interview on The Big Show that it comes as no surprise to see the Patriots in their fifth Super Bowl in 11 years. He suggested that the organizational infrastructure is such that success is a likely outcome.

"I am not amazed. They have a great organization. Obviously, [owner Robert Kraft] does everything in his power to make sure the team has got what they need to win," said Vinatieri, who kicked for the Patriots from 1996 to 2005 before signing with the Colts and spending the last six years in Indianapolis. "Bill Belichick is, in my opinion, probably the greatest football coach. I can't say that I've ever played for Chuck Noll, [Vince] Lombardi, but in this modern day era, I don't think there's anyone better out there. When you've got guys like Tom Brady playing quarterback, you're going to win a lot of games with that setup. So no, it doesn't surprise me at all that they've continued to be successful year-in and year-out."

Vinatieri, of course, played an integral part in the Patriots' success, and delivered some of the signature kicks in both Patriots and NFL history. Asked to identify his toughest kick, he identified two that stood out in different fashions.

"I think the most memorable one for me is probably the one in the snow, and I'd say that was probably the most difficult one. You can't stack up a more difficult situation," Vinatieri said, citing his kick in the Snow Bowl that propelled the Patriots to a 16-13 overtime win over the Raiders in the divisional round of the playoffs in 2002. "You're down by three, there's a minute left, give me three or four inches of snow on the ground, 45 yarder. If you make it, you're just tied and you still have to win the game. If you miss it, you pack up your lockers and go home. I think that's the one of proudest of just because of sheer difficulty.

"Most memorable: Probably you're first Super Bowl, because there's no experience like winning your first championship, and having it come down -- as a kid, you dream about playing in Super Bowls. As a kicker, you dream about making that Super Bowl winning kick. You couldn't have wrote the script any better than that. To have all that happen in the same year, those are my 1A and 1B. The Snow Bowl one is probably the one I'm most proud of because of difficulty. The other one is probably the most memorable because it's your  first Super Bowl."

Vinatieri noted that he was extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to kick in such pivotal situations, noting that other great kickers never get the opportunity to enjoy such moments.

"You've got really good kickers across the league that have never gotten opportunities like the ones I've had," he said. "I am so blessed. I am so lucky, fortunate, whatever. If you had a lottery ticket, I have all the numbers. It's been awesome to be able to have the lineage that I've been able to play for, the coaches, the quarterbacks. ... I couldn't have scripted it better."

Vinatieri's decorated history has resulted in speculation that he could defy Hall of Fame voting patterns and find his way into Canton. It's something of which the kicker is mindful.

"The people who are in the Hall of Fame are the ones who have won championships, won Super Bowls," said Vinatieri. "I've been very fortunate to have been a part of six Super Bowls. I've won four of them with my team. That may help me out a little bit.

"I try not to think about that, because I still feel like i've got a couple chapters in my book to write, and hopefully I have an exclamation point or two yet to put on my career," he added. "If I'm fortunate to have that happen, it would be unbelievable. If it never happens, I still feel honored to be in those conversations. For me, having those rings, having the career I've been blessed with, I couldn't ask for anything more."

To listen to the interview, visit The Big Show audio on demand page. For complete Super Bowl coverage, visit weei.com/patriots.