Due to a combination of laziness and misinformation I have been delinquent again in updating the blog. The hit counter I attached to the page showed me that only two people visited the blog in a week so I figured the audience had declined to only the family members I speak with via phone on a regular basis.
Anyways... Things are rather good up here. We came back and beat Toronto, but then dropped a very close one against BC, the reigning Grey Cup champs. Once again there were turnover issues, but the offense played very well overall and the defense remained sturdy throughout. It was one of those games that just slips away. We had every opportunity to win and put BC away, but let them stay in it through our own mistakes. That makes it all the more frustrating... knowing that you weren't outplayed, but beat yourself.
We hope to rebound again this week against Edmonton. The loser of this game will end up in last place in the conference. While it is still very early in the season and standings can easily change, we obviously want to stay out of the cellar. They are all about passing, but the forecast predicts a thunderstorm so that should make Edmonton's offensive attack interesting. Not sure if they will try to run the ball more or if they will stick to the air despite the conditions. I feel that this is a game we should win, but we can't let momentum get away from us. That is what seems to happen to us. In the first Toronto games we were OK in the first quarter, but then the game just got away from us and spiraled. We lost momentum again against BC in the 4th quarter and ended up letting it slip away.
My knee has suddenly swollen up again and is as painful as the first week I injured it. I don't know what happened all of sudden... I don't recall getting hit and I haven't been doing anything out of the ordinary. It is not good, though. I am getting pretty sharp radiating pain all throughout my leg, but my flexibility is still OK and the leg is strong so I will be playing. The team doctor might aspirate the joint beforehand so that should help.
There is a bye week starting Aug 18th so I will fly home for that week and hopefully get to see everyone back in NJ. I am really looking forward to a week of rest, even though it seems very far away right now.
8/3/07
7/14/07
Finally
Well we FINALLY got our internet hooked up today so it's time to resurrect the floundering blog. All the furniture is in and we are just missing a few items such as lamps, pots and pans. The walls could also use a little decor, but overall it is a very very nice setup. It gets a bit hot with no AC, but it doesn't get humid here like on the east coast so it is actually rather pleasant.
As I'm sure most of you know, we have been very busy here getting our butt's handed to us in the last two games. There's really no other way to describe it. It's unfortunate because I really believe we have a great team with fantastic talent, but are playing way below our level. You just can't win when you have 10 turnovers in one game. Very very frustrating.
I didn't play last week, but came back for the game against Toronto. The knee is still very swollen, but the bruising on my leg is all but gone. It blew up a bit again after the game and was very painful while I was playing. It affected me quite a bit when I had to change direction due to the joint's inflexibility, but overall it was OK. I probably won't practice a whole lot this week as doing so irritates the joint and brings more fluid to the area. The team doctor believes it will be a few weeks before the fluid buildup completely disappears. I am still trying to talk them into aspirating the joint, but they are worried about an infection. I'm more worried about this thing never going down!
As I'm sure most of you know, we have been very busy here getting our butt's handed to us in the last two games. There's really no other way to describe it. It's unfortunate because I really believe we have a great team with fantastic talent, but are playing way below our level. You just can't win when you have 10 turnovers in one game. Very very frustrating.
I didn't play last week, but came back for the game against Toronto. The knee is still very swollen, but the bruising on my leg is all but gone. It blew up a bit again after the game and was very painful while I was playing. It affected me quite a bit when I had to change direction due to the joint's inflexibility, but overall it was OK. I probably won't practice a whole lot this week as doing so irritates the joint and brings more fluid to the area. The team doctor believes it will be a few weeks before the fluid buildup completely disappears. I am still trying to talk them into aspirating the joint, but they are worried about an infection. I'm more worried about this thing never going down!
7/5/07
MIA
Just wanted to say hi and give a very brief update. We moved into our new place on Sunday, which has no internet. As such, I have not been able to get online at all to update the blog for the past 4 days. I will not be playing this Sunday due to a slight knee injury. No tears or permanent damage, just an absurd amount of swelling. I COULD probably play, but the trainers do not want to risk further, and potentially more serious, damage. They'd rather have me sit this game and play against Toronto next Thursday. It irks me to miss practice and a game, but I have to remember that this season is 18 weeks long.
More to come when we get our internet hooked up after the road trip!
More to come when we get our internet hooked up after the road trip!
7/1/07
First Game
Just a quick note on the game before I run off to practice. Well we won! I played rather well... got to the QB a lot, got a sack, a fumble and a few tackles. Still made a lot of mistakes, but our defense stepped up as a whole when it counted. The offense was great! My knee is swollen beyond belief, but nothing is actually hurt. Just took too many helmets to the leg. I will give an in-depth summary after practice. It was good to have my Dad, Lynne and my grandpa at the game. I know these games mean a lot to my grandpa especially.
6/28/07
Just A Quick Note
Another busy day today searching for a place to live. Practice went much better this morning than yesterday, which really helps to set a positive tone for the remainder of the day. Also got a good lift in after practice... something that I really ought to keep up on. I feel emaciated after the malnourishment we went through during camp.
Gerald and I spent the afternoon looking for places to live again. We found another great option, but we still opted to try to hold out for this big penthouse type place. The fact that the owner will let us do a 5 month lease instead of a 6 month is really going to be the nail in the coffin, as it allows us to pay the same amount as we would for a cheaper place on a 6 month lease. I actually met the guy tonight... we had to go out to a nightclub he owns in order to get the facetime. He certainly acted the part of the playboy, but was very friendly and seemed genuinely interested in helping us out. It looks like we might be able to get into the place as early as Friday. We shall see. I'll feel much better about it all once I have the keys to the front door.
As usual you can check out the link for Big Green Alert on the side of my blog if you want to check out some new articles on me. I'm amazed how well Bruce stays on top of these things.
Gerald and I spent the afternoon looking for places to live again. We found another great option, but we still opted to try to hold out for this big penthouse type place. The fact that the owner will let us do a 5 month lease instead of a 6 month is really going to be the nail in the coffin, as it allows us to pay the same amount as we would for a cheaper place on a 6 month lease. I actually met the guy tonight... we had to go out to a nightclub he owns in order to get the facetime. He certainly acted the part of the playboy, but was very friendly and seemed genuinely interested in helping us out. It looks like we might be able to get into the place as early as Friday. We shall see. I'll feel much better about it all once I have the keys to the front door.
As usual you can check out the link for Big Green Alert on the side of my blog if you want to check out some new articles on me. I'm amazed how well Bruce stays on top of these things.
6/26/07
More Housing, First Practice
The first practice of the regular season took place today. It took a bit longer than previous practices, but was relatively easy due to the amount of 'servicing' we did with one another (that is to say we simulated the other team's offense and defense). The tempo was also far lower than during camp with much less contact. It is a long season and we must practice smart if we hope to survive 20 weeks. Unfortunately this tempo also makes it hard to play defensive line at times. In order to play our attack style defense correctly, we are forced to come off the ball at top speed and cause collisions. This can't happen during practice now, however. I have a feeling I'll be hearing about it from our defensive line coach tomorrow. I did a TV interview today with The Score (whatever that is) regarding my alphabetizing ability (clearly... what else?). Not sure where it is viewable, however.
They pulled a fast one on us today after practice by arranging a lovely 3 hour team building/meet-and-greet event. The team is technically only allowed to keep us for 4.5 hours a day and we all COULD have left, but I don't think anyone wanted to rock the boat this early. It was a fun event really, but had poor timing because half the team is still homeless and many fellas had apartment viewings this afternoon. I had to cancel one myself and was not happy about it. However, Gerald and I have narrowed it down to 3 places. I hope that we can make a decision on this VERY soonish, but Gerald has a lucid vision of the exact place he wants to live in. One of the 3 spots fulfills it and the price is right, but we are having a little trouble getting in to view it AND it isn't available until July 15. We have already made temporary housing arrangements in case we go with this July 15 place, but meanwhile we have put the other 2 places on hold waiting for the viewing on Gerald's dream home. I'd personally be very happy just going with one of the 2 smaller places, which would be available this weekend, as they are of ample size and just fine by me. The bigger place WOULD be amazing though. I would just hate to see the other two spots slip away while we wait for something that doesn't materialize and leaves us out in the cold.
They pulled a fast one on us today after practice by arranging a lovely 3 hour team building/meet-and-greet event. The team is technically only allowed to keep us for 4.5 hours a day and we all COULD have left, but I don't think anyone wanted to rock the boat this early. It was a fun event really, but had poor timing because half the team is still homeless and many fellas had apartment viewings this afternoon. I had to cancel one myself and was not happy about it. However, Gerald and I have narrowed it down to 3 places. I hope that we can make a decision on this VERY soonish, but Gerald has a lucid vision of the exact place he wants to live in. One of the 3 spots fulfills it and the price is right, but we are having a little trouble getting in to view it AND it isn't available until July 15. We have already made temporary housing arrangements in case we go with this July 15 place, but meanwhile we have put the other 2 places on hold waiting for the viewing on Gerald's dream home. I'd personally be very happy just going with one of the 2 smaller places, which would be available this weekend, as they are of ample size and just fine by me. The bigger place WOULD be amazing though. I would just hate to see the other two spots slip away while we wait for something that doesn't materialize and leaves us out in the cold.
6/25/07
A Few Links
Yesterday was extremely busy and today will be no different. My roommate Gerald and I are scrambling to find a place to live before we are kicked out of our lovely dormitory digs. I will post a more thorough entry tonight, but for now I will leave you with a few links concerning myself.
Bruce Wood of BigGreenAlert is always on top of any media attention I might receive. It's nice to be able to shoot on over to his blog and see everything that was written that day without having to search myself. Anyways here are a few stories. The Calgary Sun wrote a short blurb today. Also be sure to check out Bruce's article here. Bruce is always a pleasure to talk to and the only media person that I feel comfortable being completely candid with. I also did a short interview this morning at 6:45AM (nice wakeup time for my first day off in a month) with a local radio station concerning... you guessed it... the stupid alphabetizing trick. Everyone loves it, but I'm beginning to wish that I never mentioned it! I feel like I'm doing it all day long!
Bruce Wood of BigGreenAlert is always on top of any media attention I might receive. It's nice to be able to shoot on over to his blog and see everything that was written that day without having to search myself. Anyways here are a few stories. The Calgary Sun wrote a short blurb today. Also be sure to check out Bruce's article here. Bruce is always a pleasure to talk to and the only media person that I feel comfortable being completely candid with. I also did a short interview this morning at 6:45AM (nice wakeup time for my first day off in a month) with a local radio station concerning... you guessed it... the stupid alphabetizing trick. Everyone loves it, but I'm beginning to wish that I never mentioned it! I feel like I'm doing it all day long!
6/23/07
Final Cuts
Final cuts were made today. I made the team and am slated to start this week, barring injury. They made some interesting decisions regarding good, experienced veterans... mostly by the way of trades. There is no need to get into detail, as I cannot speak to the club's reasons. I'm sure they have a master plan that I am not privy to. I was very surprised, however, to see the team drop Calvin (one of the other DEs) to the practice squad. He was not happy about it, obviously, and I am not either truthfully. He certainly deserves to be on the active roster, in my opinion.
For my part I now have to step up my play and act the part of starter. I believe if I make two or three small adjustments to my technique that I will break it wide open and become extremely productive. It's just a matter of correcting several mistakes... I know I already have the athletic ability. Like our D-Coordinator was saying today, though: You can have all the talent in the world and lose. I really have to focus in this week.
For my part I now have to step up my play and act the part of starter. I believe if I make two or three small adjustments to my technique that I will break it wide open and become extremely productive. It's just a matter of correcting several mistakes... I know I already have the athletic ability. Like our D-Coordinator was saying today, though: You can have all the talent in the world and lose. I really have to focus in this week.
Pre-Season Game #2
A very busy day yesterday. We traveled back and forth from Saskatchewan on game day, which is not our usual MO. The team chartered a private jet for travel, which was rather neat I thought. Everyone's legs seemed rather tired going into the game, despite a slightly toned back Thursday practice. I receive the nod to start and played the first half before the other 2 remaining DEs took over.
This game didn't go quite as well for the team as the last. We couldn't seem to stop the Roughriders and our offense found itself unable to move the ball. That being said, the starting D did manage to hold them to only field goals, one of those being on a very short field thanks to a muffed punt. We hurt ourselves with penalties, but I think in a normal game we would have come out on top. We did not blitz at all and simply played base D the entire time. Our coaches purposely did not gameplan for the Roughriders, while it was clear that the Roughriders had planned for us. That being said, it is still frustrating to have a poor defensive outing. They were definitely a good team.
I personally played OK... knocking down a pass and hitting the QB twice. My pass rushes improved over last week, but I still felt as if I was getting there just a half second too late. No real opportunities arose to make tackles in the run game for me. Zero runs bounced to the perimeter for me to make a play on. We ran a few line stunts well, but we also messed up a few thanks to unheard call checks and several sloppy executions. I was dog tired by the end of the second quarter due to the long drives engineered by the Roughriders and the downfield pursuit asked of us by the coaching staff. Not to mention special teams. I was also the only defensive lineman that the coach did not rotate out during the first half. We probably got 35-40 snaps. I am really dying for a sack.
The coaching staff will make final cuts by 11:59AM today and the coach handed out 25 envelopes on the plane last night to players he wanted to speak with this morning. It could be bad or good news, but there is no real way for a guy to tell until he gets there. I suppose I am in good shape because I was not handed an envelope and didn't feel the dreaded tap on the shoulder. We will have to see what happens when I arrive for meetings at 3:00pm today. I am very glad they're that late, as we didn't get home until 2AM last night.
I will have a lot of things to get done if I make the final roster today, most notably of these is finding a place to live. As soon as I find out about the roster I will make another post here.
This game didn't go quite as well for the team as the last. We couldn't seem to stop the Roughriders and our offense found itself unable to move the ball. That being said, the starting D did manage to hold them to only field goals, one of those being on a very short field thanks to a muffed punt. We hurt ourselves with penalties, but I think in a normal game we would have come out on top. We did not blitz at all and simply played base D the entire time. Our coaches purposely did not gameplan for the Roughriders, while it was clear that the Roughriders had planned for us. That being said, it is still frustrating to have a poor defensive outing. They were definitely a good team.
I personally played OK... knocking down a pass and hitting the QB twice. My pass rushes improved over last week, but I still felt as if I was getting there just a half second too late. No real opportunities arose to make tackles in the run game for me. Zero runs bounced to the perimeter for me to make a play on. We ran a few line stunts well, but we also messed up a few thanks to unheard call checks and several sloppy executions. I was dog tired by the end of the second quarter due to the long drives engineered by the Roughriders and the downfield pursuit asked of us by the coaching staff. Not to mention special teams. I was also the only defensive lineman that the coach did not rotate out during the first half. We probably got 35-40 snaps. I am really dying for a sack.
The coaching staff will make final cuts by 11:59AM today and the coach handed out 25 envelopes on the plane last night to players he wanted to speak with this morning. It could be bad or good news, but there is no real way for a guy to tell until he gets there. I suppose I am in good shape because I was not handed an envelope and didn't feel the dreaded tap on the shoulder. We will have to see what happens when I arrive for meetings at 3:00pm today. I am very glad they're that late, as we didn't get home until 2AM last night.
I will have a lot of things to get done if I make the final roster today, most notably of these is finding a place to live. As soon as I find out about the roster I will make another post here.
6/20/07
Wings
Another practice today, but no shoulder pads this time. Nothing exceptional to report... we installed a few more defensive calls and honed our punt returns in anticipation for the upcoming preseason game. We have, purposely, done zero game planning for this upcoming game. We are simply taking it in stride and treating it as part of camp. I think this is a smart approach, as it allows us to continue advancing as a team without worrying about playing specifically to another club. That would indeed be a waste of time at this point.
I received another taste of both Calgary and the kindness of the veterans this afternoon. Terrance Patrick (TP) took me out for wings post practice with several other older players. It was nice to do something a little different and just relax without having to worry about an upcoming meeting or practice. I had a great time just hanging out and talking about the city, apartments and the season. I think at this point it really is time to start looking for a place to live. The people here are kind and polite beyond reason.
An interview I gave yesterday for TSN (I guess it's the Canadian equivalent of ESPN?) is now available online here. My old man would say that I am speaking too quickly in this video. Hi Dad. You will have to install the Microsoft ActiveX plugin to view it, but a prompt should appear requesting that you do so when you load the page. Turn off popup blockers so this prompt isn't stifled.
I received another taste of both Calgary and the kindness of the veterans this afternoon. Terrance Patrick (TP) took me out for wings post practice with several other older players. It was nice to do something a little different and just relax without having to worry about an upcoming meeting or practice. I had a great time just hanging out and talking about the city, apartments and the season. I think at this point it really is time to start looking for a place to live. The people here are kind and polite beyond reason.
An interview I gave yesterday for TSN (I guess it's the Canadian equivalent of ESPN?) is now available online here. My old man would say that I am speaking too quickly in this video. Hi Dad. You will have to install the Microsoft ActiveX plugin to view it, but a prompt should appear requesting that you do so when you load the page. Turn off popup blockers so this prompt isn't stifled.
6/19/07
A Slow Attrition
Practice today was nearly identical to yesterday's, with the primary difference being the dress. We were in uppers (helmets and shoulder pads), but very little changed. I didn't have a great practice... actually it was probably one of my worst since I arrived. The defensive line coach still seemed pleased with me after practice, however, and I am not worried.
The team released a few more guys today. The most notable of these was my roommate AJ. I am truly surprised that they let him go. Another defensive tackle, JD, left as well. More and more empty lockers are popping up in the rookie locker room. The upside, however, is that we are down to 8 defensive linemen. The team will most likely end up carrying either 7 or 8... it is difficult to say what the number shall be. Unfortunately the next cut will assuredly come from my position. We will just have to wait and see.
Nothing really to do with my free time at this point. I spent all afternoon napping, eating and hanging around with the remaining guys. I browsed online briefly for apartments/living arrangements, but things up here are startlingly expensive. I am also apprehensive about getting a place before I am officially on the roster (final cuts are this Sunday). Our time here in the dorms ends almost immediately after that roster declaration, however, so I should have something lined up. Transportation will also become an issue soon.
The team released a few more guys today. The most notable of these was my roommate AJ. I am truly surprised that they let him go. Another defensive tackle, JD, left as well. More and more empty lockers are popping up in the rookie locker room. The upside, however, is that we are down to 8 defensive linemen. The team will most likely end up carrying either 7 or 8... it is difficult to say what the number shall be. Unfortunately the next cut will assuredly come from my position. We will just have to wait and see.
Nothing really to do with my free time at this point. I spent all afternoon napping, eating and hanging around with the remaining guys. I browsed online briefly for apartments/living arrangements, but things up here are startlingly expensive. I am also apprehensive about getting a place before I am officially on the roster (final cuts are this Sunday). Our time here in the dorms ends almost immediately after that roster declaration, however, so I should have something lined up. Transportation will also become an issue soon.
6/18/07
Regularly Scheduled Practice
Today marked the start of the 'normal' practice schedule, for which I am very grateful. Breakfast ran from 7:00AM-8:05AM with a team meeting at 8:30AM. Offensive/defensive meetings followed and we wrapped it up with positionals thereafter.
Practice itself began at 10:20AM and, although slightly longer, seemed nearly identical to the sessions we've been having for the past week. Nothing exceptional to report there. We continue to install new defensive calls every day, but other than that each practice is similar to the previous. I played pretty well today and make a few decent pass rushes, but I still need more work there. My job, if I make the team, will be to simply rush the passer. I really need to focus in on my passrush moves now that we have extra time during the day.
A few of the other defensive linemen and I made it into the weightroom finally after a long hiatus. It's very important to keep lifting during a season, if only to prevent injuries. A defensive lineman's shoulders are particularly susceptible to injury if he doesn't stay strong. Afterwards a few of the veterans invited me out for an all-you-can-eat sushi deal at a local restaurant. It was great to eat something besides the same old camp food. I was impressed again by the genuine kindness of the veterans and their willingness to help or accommodate the rookies. We really have a lot of great guys on the team.
It turns out that my prediction last night was correct. After this morning's practice about 10 players were cut. Why they waited until AFTER practice I couldn't say. Seems strange to make a guy practice when you know you're going to cut him right afterwards. I don't know why they do it that way... The staff must have known exactly who they were cutting last night at the latest because the lockers were cleaned out during today's practice. It was eerie and a bit scary to walk into the locker room and simply see empty spaces where teammates used to be. No real chance for goodbyes for the most part. Men just disappear and everyone is left wondering who will be next to go. If you do happen to see a released player the encounter quickly becomes awkward. What do you say? You feel badly for the man, but you are also glad it wasn't you. This is truly a business environment.
Practice itself began at 10:20AM and, although slightly longer, seemed nearly identical to the sessions we've been having for the past week. Nothing exceptional to report there. We continue to install new defensive calls every day, but other than that each practice is similar to the previous. I played pretty well today and make a few decent pass rushes, but I still need more work there. My job, if I make the team, will be to simply rush the passer. I really need to focus in on my passrush moves now that we have extra time during the day.
A few of the other defensive linemen and I made it into the weightroom finally after a long hiatus. It's very important to keep lifting during a season, if only to prevent injuries. A defensive lineman's shoulders are particularly susceptible to injury if he doesn't stay strong. Afterwards a few of the veterans invited me out for an all-you-can-eat sushi deal at a local restaurant. It was great to eat something besides the same old camp food. I was impressed again by the genuine kindness of the veterans and their willingness to help or accommodate the rookies. We really have a lot of great guys on the team.
It turns out that my prediction last night was correct. After this morning's practice about 10 players were cut. Why they waited until AFTER practice I couldn't say. Seems strange to make a guy practice when you know you're going to cut him right afterwards. I don't know why they do it that way... The staff must have known exactly who they were cutting last night at the latest because the lockers were cleaned out during today's practice. It was eerie and a bit scary to walk into the locker room and simply see empty spaces where teammates used to be. No real chance for goodbyes for the most part. Men just disappear and everyone is left wondering who will be next to go. If you do happen to see a released player the encounter quickly becomes awkward. What do you say? You feel badly for the man, but you are also glad it wasn't you. This is truly a business environment.
6/17/07
2-A-Day Finale
Today marks Father's Day and, perhaps more importantly, the last 2-a-day of the 2007 Stamps camp. I think at this point everyone is ready for a break, myself included. It will be nice to finally get into a normal 1-a-day schedule after spending so much time at the stadium everyday. I don't know what I'll do with all my newfound free time. I should probably start looking for an apartment and a mode of transportation.
The morning started out the same as it has every 2-a-day for the past 2 weeks. Grab a feeble breakfast before 7:00AM and then be out for practice at 7:50AM. The head coach abridged practice slightly thanks to the constant rain we seem to get here in Calgary. Rain showed up in the forecast every single day for the past 2 weeks! I had a very good practice this morning and the defensive line coach seemed rather pleased with me. Practice consisted of a walkthrough, an awful individual period (drills and such) and 3 team periods with conditioning and stretching to follow. We were done in an hour and 45 minutes. Can't complain about that.
An excessively long break and meetings followed practice. We finally ate around 12:30PM and were turned loose to enjoy a dead 90 minutes. Not enough time to go home thanks to the 25 minute walk, but just a bit too long to sit around in the locker room doing nothing. I don't know how they manage to do that to us during every break. It has to be intentional... probably to keep us from getting out of hand. The rookies also received their payment for the week. We don't get real checks until after the final cuts, which I understand, and they pay for room & board, but still.
The second practice today was even shorter than the first. Still there was a great grumbling amongst the veterans, as the second practice of the last 2-a-day is traditionally canceled. Not so this year for whatever reason. The coaching staff refused to throw us a bone all camp, so I wasn't particularly surprised... it sounded too good to be true from the start. As a result of this, the second rain-drenched practice was not nearly as productive as the first. The defensive line played rather poorly and our coach was rather incensed to say the least. I played decently at best, but nowhere near where I'd like to be. There is always tomorrow though... for most of us.
Today could be the end of the line for a lot of players. With 2-a-days over the team will no longer supply us with meals (except semi-breakfast). This means that the team now has to pay the rookies a per diem so we can feed ourselves. The team doubtlessly wants to pay this per diem, whatever it might be, to as few men as possible (and rightly so). I expect to see a lot of empty lockers tomorrow morning.
The morning started out the same as it has every 2-a-day for the past 2 weeks. Grab a feeble breakfast before 7:00AM and then be out for practice at 7:50AM. The head coach abridged practice slightly thanks to the constant rain we seem to get here in Calgary. Rain showed up in the forecast every single day for the past 2 weeks! I had a very good practice this morning and the defensive line coach seemed rather pleased with me. Practice consisted of a walkthrough, an awful individual period (drills and such) and 3 team periods with conditioning and stretching to follow. We were done in an hour and 45 minutes. Can't complain about that.
An excessively long break and meetings followed practice. We finally ate around 12:30PM and were turned loose to enjoy a dead 90 minutes. Not enough time to go home thanks to the 25 minute walk, but just a bit too long to sit around in the locker room doing nothing. I don't know how they manage to do that to us during every break. It has to be intentional... probably to keep us from getting out of hand. The rookies also received their payment for the week. We don't get real checks until after the final cuts, which I understand, and they pay for room & board, but still.
The second practice today was even shorter than the first. Still there was a great grumbling amongst the veterans, as the second practice of the last 2-a-day is traditionally canceled. Not so this year for whatever reason. The coaching staff refused to throw us a bone all camp, so I wasn't particularly surprised... it sounded too good to be true from the start. As a result of this, the second rain-drenched practice was not nearly as productive as the first. The defensive line played rather poorly and our coach was rather incensed to say the least. I played decently at best, but nowhere near where I'd like to be. There is always tomorrow though... for most of us.
Today could be the end of the line for a lot of players. With 2-a-days over the team will no longer supply us with meals (except semi-breakfast). This means that the team now has to pay the rookies a per diem so we can feed ourselves. The team doubtlessly wants to pay this per diem, whatever it might be, to as few men as possible (and rightly so). I expect to see a lot of empty lockers tomorrow morning.
6/16/07
Camp Rundown
With day 16 of camp just ending and only 2 posts under my belt, there are obviously many things going on that haven't been addressed. I will try to cover a few of them here and give a general overview of what's been happening.
We are living in dormitories on the University of Calgary campus, about a 20 minute walk from the stadium. Not bad if the shuttles are running to and from the stadium, but definitely not ideal after spending 14 hours at football with rain pouring down. Each of us has a roommate and a tiny bed. Not exactly high living, but at least I'm not paying for it. My roommate AJ is a nice guy and really as good of a roommate as one could ask for.
The food up here has, thus far, been overpriced and under-tasted. The team gives us 3 meals a day: A light breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not really enough food for football players, although it is all-you-can-eat. I know many of us would prefer to eat at least 4 or 5 meals a day, myself included. The quality varies daily, but overall it has been decent. I've never been a huge pasta and red sauce fan (despite my Italian heritage), but I find myself really missing a good bowl after what they've been trying to pass off as acceptable (I think I'm spoiled). Going out to eat is an option, but very expensive. To put it in perspective: In the USA we have the McDonalds $1 menu... here they have the McDonalds $1.59 menu. Let's face it, the Canadian dollar isn't THAT far behind it's US counterpart these days.
The guys on the team are great, even more so than expected. There is a clear division between rookies and veterans on the team, but the hazing isn't as prominent here as it was at Dartmouth (of course they don't have hazing at Dartmouth anymore thanks to the new rules). I tack that up to the level of maturity present, as many of the players are married and have children at this point. The veterans always seem ready to provide help, advice and insight in any situation, for which I am very grateful. It's nice to have older guys willing to show you the ropes and let you know that you're performing well.
I am currently one of 4 DEs vying for a possible 2 spots on the final roster of 42 men. The competition is pretty good here and I find myself matched up against former NFL players (one of the other DEs spent 5 years in the NFL prior to signing with Calgary) on a daily basis. That being said, I don't feel overwhelmed or outmatched in the least. I feel like I am adapting well to the speed of the game and the new, higher level of intensity. I will have to play well in order to secure a roster spot, but I am confident that I'll do so. I started the camp at 3rd string and, while we haven't switched up the order in practice, I am certainly not 3rd string any longer. The coaches won't shuffle up the order, probably because they don't want anyone to think they have a spot locked down and to, thereby, keep the competition and intensity high.
2 a days were pretty grueling and I am glad that our last one is tomorrow. We typically arrived at the stadium around 6:30AM and didn't leave until 9:00PM. Two practices, meetings unending and a few meals seemed to take up the entire day. College camp was definitely more demanding physically (we usually practice in only helmets here), but the immense amount of time spent without rest day in and day out took a decent toll on my body. I've been fortunate to avoid injuries for the most part. Just the typical bumps, bruises and strains. The mental strain was harder to deal with than the physical. The environment is rather stressful as everyone is competing for jobs... literally. It is a professional environment and the equivalent of participating in a 3 week job interview.
There are simply too many details from camp to go into here, but feel free to post a comment or email me with questions at:
knuckles-at-alum.dartmouth.org
We are living in dormitories on the University of Calgary campus, about a 20 minute walk from the stadium. Not bad if the shuttles are running to and from the stadium, but definitely not ideal after spending 14 hours at football with rain pouring down. Each of us has a roommate and a tiny bed. Not exactly high living, but at least I'm not paying for it. My roommate AJ is a nice guy and really as good of a roommate as one could ask for.
The food up here has, thus far, been overpriced and under-tasted. The team gives us 3 meals a day: A light breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not really enough food for football players, although it is all-you-can-eat. I know many of us would prefer to eat at least 4 or 5 meals a day, myself included. The quality varies daily, but overall it has been decent. I've never been a huge pasta and red sauce fan (despite my Italian heritage), but I find myself really missing a good bowl after what they've been trying to pass off as acceptable (I think I'm spoiled). Going out to eat is an option, but very expensive. To put it in perspective: In the USA we have the McDonalds $1 menu... here they have the McDonalds $1.59 menu. Let's face it, the Canadian dollar isn't THAT far behind it's US counterpart these days.
The guys on the team are great, even more so than expected. There is a clear division between rookies and veterans on the team, but the hazing isn't as prominent here as it was at Dartmouth (of course they don't have hazing at Dartmouth anymore thanks to the new rules). I tack that up to the level of maturity present, as many of the players are married and have children at this point. The veterans always seem ready to provide help, advice and insight in any situation, for which I am very grateful. It's nice to have older guys willing to show you the ropes and let you know that you're performing well.
I am currently one of 4 DEs vying for a possible 2 spots on the final roster of 42 men. The competition is pretty good here and I find myself matched up against former NFL players (one of the other DEs spent 5 years in the NFL prior to signing with Calgary) on a daily basis. That being said, I don't feel overwhelmed or outmatched in the least. I feel like I am adapting well to the speed of the game and the new, higher level of intensity. I will have to play well in order to secure a roster spot, but I am confident that I'll do so. I started the camp at 3rd string and, while we haven't switched up the order in practice, I am certainly not 3rd string any longer. The coaches won't shuffle up the order, probably because they don't want anyone to think they have a spot locked down and to, thereby, keep the competition and intensity high.
2 a days were pretty grueling and I am glad that our last one is tomorrow. We typically arrived at the stadium around 6:30AM and didn't leave until 9:00PM. Two practices, meetings unending and a few meals seemed to take up the entire day. College camp was definitely more demanding physically (we usually practice in only helmets here), but the immense amount of time spent without rest day in and day out took a decent toll on my body. I've been fortunate to avoid injuries for the most part. Just the typical bumps, bruises and strains. The mental strain was harder to deal with than the physical. The environment is rather stressful as everyone is competing for jobs... literally. It is a professional environment and the equivalent of participating in a 3 week job interview.
There are simply too many details from camp to go into here, but feel free to post a comment or email me with questions at:
knuckles
Post-Pre-Season Game #1
Last night at 7:30 PM the Calgary Stampeders hosted the Edmonton Eskimos at McMahon Stadium for their first pre-season game of the 2007 season.
To make a long story short, we absolutely crushed the Eskimos 28-3 last night. The defense only played 7 snaps the entire first quarter while the offense put up 17 points without breaking a sweat. The crowd of 25,877 was, from my recollection, more than twice the size of the largest crowd I've ever played in front of. That was just a pre-season crowd...
With guys still scrapping over spots on the team, the defensive line coach only allotted one quarter to each of the 4 DEs. I was fortunate enough to 'start' and play the first quarter, which the coach claimed to be no indicator of things to come... take it as you will. Unfortunately this also meant that I only had 7 defensive snaps the entire game! I never thought I'd find myself complaining about my team playing too well on offense, but last night I was a little disappointed with the number of reps I received. I graded out well and forced the QB to fumble on the first snap of the game, but never really got a chance to get into a rhythm rushing the passer. Oh well... not much to be done about it. The other DEs played 17, 13 and 17 snaps each. I ended up with the most production points per snap, however, which was reassuring (0.42 vs 0.35, 0.23 and -0.52 respectively).
It was really a lot of fun to have full pads back on for the first time in over 18 months. Winning might have been even better, although it was just a pre-season game. I think I've missed the camaraderie and the football environment more than I thought upon entering camp. Playing out in front of so many people with all the pressure on you is really a rush. I can't wait for the next game.
I was lucky enough to have Dad and Lynne fly all the way up to visit and see the first game. They also took me out to dinner afterwards, which was the first real meal I've had in a while. It was very nice to see them after being isolated in camp for over 2 weeks.
To make a long story short, we absolutely crushed the Eskimos 28-3 last night. The defense only played 7 snaps the entire first quarter while the offense put up 17 points without breaking a sweat. The crowd of 25,877 was, from my recollection, more than twice the size of the largest crowd I've ever played in front of. That was just a pre-season crowd...
With guys still scrapping over spots on the team, the defensive line coach only allotted one quarter to each of the 4 DEs. I was fortunate enough to 'start' and play the first quarter, which the coach claimed to be no indicator of things to come... take it as you will. Unfortunately this also meant that I only had 7 defensive snaps the entire game! I never thought I'd find myself complaining about my team playing too well on offense, but last night I was a little disappointed with the number of reps I received. I graded out well and forced the QB to fumble on the first snap of the game, but never really got a chance to get into a rhythm rushing the passer. Oh well... not much to be done about it. The other DEs played 17, 13 and 17 snaps each. I ended up with the most production points per snap, however, which was reassuring (0.42 vs 0.35, 0.23 and -0.52 respectively).
It was really a lot of fun to have full pads back on for the first time in over 18 months. Winning might have been even better, although it was just a pre-season game. I think I've missed the camaraderie and the football environment more than I thought upon entering camp. Playing out in front of so many people with all the pressure on you is really a rush. I can't wait for the next game.
I was lucky enough to have Dad and Lynne fly all the way up to visit and see the first game. They also took me out to dinner afterwards, which was the first real meal I've had in a while. It was very nice to see them after being isolated in camp for over 2 weeks.
Welcome
Now that two-a-days are nearly over (just one more tomorrow... a special gift to all the fathers on the team), I find myself with a significantly greater amount of free time on my hands. This, coupled with the fact that I have been for the most part unable to stay in contact with those back home, has prompted me to create a weblog in order to help keep interested parties up to speed with what is happening in Calgary. Feel free to forward out the blog link to anyone who might hold an interest in the goings on here and I will, for my part, try to keep it updated.
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