Even before big football games.

And he’s hoping that’s still the case Saturday—the night before his first National Football League regular-season game.

Cundiff, a rookie free agent from Drake, is making final preparations for his placekicking assignment with the Dallas Cowboys.

He’ll tee ‘em up Sunday night when the Cowboys open their NFL season on ESPN against the Houston Texans.

Cundiff in action for the Cowboys

"I never really had any problems sleeping before big college and high school games,’’ Cundiff said today. "Most people who know me know I sleep pretty well.’’

But that doesn’t mean Cundiff, who is from Harlan, won’t feel the pressure.

After all, he—like most NFL kickers—is only as good as his most recent field goal.

Job security among NFL kickers is not the greatest.

His all-America status at Drake means nothing in the NFL. His 284 points in college—which made him the career scoring leader in the Pioneer Football League—isn’t something the Cowboys will be thinking about when Cundiff prepares to boot his first NFL field goal.

"The pressure will never go away,’’ Cundiff said. "As long as I’m kicking in this league, the pressure will always be there. The big thing is how I can handle it....how I can put it in the back of my mind and not worry about it.

"That’s what’s going to make me successful. You can analyze it and let it eat at you as much as you want, and it will kill you—knowing there’s always someone out there wanting your job.

"But I’m here right now, and I just need to do the job I’m here to do.’’

Cundiff isn’t one of them.

When I asked if he could give me an idea of what he’s paid, Cundiff said, "I’m paid the league minimum, and I’ll just leave it at that.’’

The league minimum is $225,000.

Cundiff said the number of kicks he makes each day in practice with the Cowboys isn’t unlike his days at Drake, "but the focus is definitely on quality over quantity. When I kick in front of the team (in Dallas), it’s pretty much expected that I don’t miss. If I’d miss two or three in college, it wouldn’t have been a big deal.

"What I’m trying to do now is take care of my body because being a football player is a fulltime job. I’m trying to concentrate on what I eat and making sure I get enough sleep.’’

Cundiff said he’d make "anywhere from 30 to 60 kicks’’ in today’s practice.

"We were working with some things on my steps yesterday to kind of fine-tune my kicking,’’ he said. "I may kick a couple of extra balls today to make sure it’s still in my memory for Sunday.’’

"We were in a meeting, and the equipment guys were going through some details,’’ Cundiff explained. "They were talking about our numbers. They said, ‘If you guys don’t have the number you want now, then once the cuts are starting to be made in training camp and certain numbers are made available you can switch numbers any time you want.

"’But if your number is college was 22, you will never ever, ever, ever have No. 22 with the Cowboys. Let that be known.’’’

The man who wears No. 22 with the Cowboys is Emmitt Smith; who should become the all-time rushing leader in the NFL this season.

Tickets, priced at $40, are located just above the student section at Kinnick Stadium.

Prospective ticket buyers are being alerted to the possibility of having to stand for much of the game.

Iowa’s ticket office is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

"I imagine you saw that three real estate companies are going together to print a flyer each week to tout their homes for sale. It will mean a $500,000 loss to the Register. I saw it on Channel 13.’’

I missed the telecast, but, if and when it happens, that’s another huge financial hit to the paper that fewer and fewer Iowans are depending on. Nice reporting job by 13.