Steve Mike-Mayer had all the tools to be a successful 1970’s kicker.
Foreign born? Check! Or rather, Czechoslovakia.
Fled Communism? Nailed it, comrade.
Soccer player turned kicker? You betcha.
Weird name? Try Istvan (which became “Steve”). And his last name was pronounced “MICK-uh-my-err”
Brother who was also a KIcker? Hey, Nick!
The problem? Steve/Istvan couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. But because he “had all the tools”, teams kept signing him.
He played two years with the 49ers. Despite only making fifty percent of his field goals, he was the NFL’s All-Rookie kicker in 1976. After barely making over fifty percent of his field goals in ‘77, the 49ers realized they’d been had and released him.
So, Steve Mike-Mayer was a free agent, and a 50% field goal percentage wasn’t anything to brag about. But, again, he “had all the tools” and Detroit picked him up. Indoor stadium and AstroTurf? How could he miss?
Well, Steve missed 53% of his field goals. Straight-on kickers were demanding, “You see? Not all of these soccer kickers are good!” So, Detroit dropped him like a hot turd.
So, here comes 1978. He finds out that the Saints want him, despite his former 49ers coach Dick Nolan running the team. “Maybe,” Dick must have thought, “Steve will realize he has all the tools…heck! Look at his name! That just screams ‘kicker’!” Then Steve missed seven out of thirteen field goal attempts, and nine games into the season Steve is released. Again.
Okay. SOMEONE had to sense a theme was going here. But it sure wasn’t the Baltimore Colts, who signed Steve in 1979. He went 11-20, but the Colts were SURE that since he “had all the tools”, ‘80 would be even better. And it was! If you count going 12-23 as “better”.
Then, Steve retired from committing one of the longest extended frauds in NFL history. For his career, he made 51% of his field goals. George Blanda made 52%, but he didn’t “have all the tools”. Lou Groza? 55%. Justin Tucker, with or without his “happy endings”? 89%.
That would explain why Steve’s ‘77 card is worth six cents, and his 1980 card is a penny. But he sure had all the tools.
