GREELEY, Colo.—Weld County District Attorney Kenneth Buck can identify with Rafael Mendoza.
He’s a former punter himself. Buck was the starting punter at Princeton in 1979 and ’80.
“It’s really cool,” Mendoza said as he left the courthouse Tuesday. “He told me he was a former punter, and then we got straight into business.”
Buck is prosecuting Mitch Cozad, a former Northern Colorado backup punter accused of stabbing Mendoza, the starter, in the kicking leg. Cozad is on trial for attempted first-degree murder and second-degree assault.
The punting angle is one of the reasons Buck is intrigued by the case and is co-chairing the trial with assistant Michele Meyer. It’s his first trial case since 2005. Buck, who delivered the opening arguments Tuesday, said he missed being in the courtroom.
“My schedule allowed me to get involved,” said Buck, who was elected D.A. in November 2004. “I’m glad I could help.”
Mendoza and Buck have briefly swapped punting tales while going over the case.
“It’s a way of communicating,” said Buck, who was an All-Ivy League selection. “I understand the competition that goes on.”
Florence Mendoza, the mother of Rafael, is glad a former punter is in charge of the case.
“He knows what punters go through,” she said.
Football runs in Buck’s family. His son Cody is a freshman linebacker for Army this season. Cody Buck played last season at the U.S. Military Academy Prep School, where he started at defensive end despite having a broken wrist.
“He’s a very good player,” the proud father said.
When Buck went to Princeton, his plan was to be a defensive back as well as a punter. But he broke his arm early in his career and decided to stick with kicking.
As he reclined in his chair behind his desk recently, Buck thought back on his punting career.
One kick in particular stuck in his mind. Buck grinned as he began telling the story of how Princeton was playing Harvard in 1980 with a hurricane blowing along the East Coast. All the other games in the area had been canceled due to the extreme weather.
With the Tigers backed up deep in their own end late in the game—and leading 7-3—Buck had to kick into the teeth of a 50-mph wind with his heels touching the back of the end zone. The punt, which was partially blocked at the line, went only 30 yards.
However, there was a penalty on Princeton and Harvard made the Tigers re-kick. Just then the wind switched directions and Buck boomed a 75-yard kick.
“I hit that well,” he said. “Buried them in their end. We ended up winning because in that weather you couldn’t pass.”
Buck also remembers playing against Rutgers earlier that season only because his punting adversary was Deron Cherry, who’d later become a Pro Bowl safety for the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Very good player,” Buck said, shaking his head in admiration.
After graduating from Princeton in 1981, Buck went to the University of Wyoming to obtain his law degree. While taking law classes, he coached a local high school football team. He also helped coach his son’s football teams through the years.
Cody Buck was recruited by all three academy schools—Army, Navy and Air Force. However, Cody, who went to Niwot (Colo.) High School, was drawn to West Point because he wants to be an Army Ranger. He’s currently in basic training.
“I’m proud of him,” Ken Buck said. “I think he made a great decision. He’s going to get a great education and play Division I football. He’s going to learn a lot about himself in the military.”
