June is finally here, Rookie Camps are winding up for blending of the veterans inclusion into Training Camp for the 2015 Season. The smell of the turf and sweaty equipment is in the air mixed in with barking orders from every direction. All the off season work has been done that time has allowed for. Are the players physically and emotionally ready for this? Can the Veteran QBs like Lulay, Ray, Lefevour, and Durant recover physically to build on their legends?
Sophomore Argo Anthony Coombs is building on his short rookie season due to an early season-ending injury. Only time will tell. All the work and preparation done in the off season now will be judged in a cluttered environment of players, coaches and even guest players and guest coaches. Time to impress, with the little time you have to showcase yourself. This is the final exam, report card, and summer school wrapped into one, especially for veterans like Fred Stamps and Khalif Mitchell who have moved to new teams.
Coaches like John Hufnagel and kent Austin will now sit in judgement – fairly or not – of a player’s preparation and merit. It will continue through the various stages of cut down days. This is the most intense time of the year for the players, the time when individuality is allowed to poke into the most team oriented game in sports.
These ballers are a very proud bunch, having sacrificed and trained all their lives, in fact, for many, 365 days a year. Ballers carry the weight of their family and friends’ sacrifice through the years getting them here. Ballers have come from all walks of life, hope for some is the pressure of acquiring financial gain, a brighter future and for others to just play. Coaches; Head, Assistant and Guest; for Training camp from a players perspective, are like Jekyll and Hyde.
On one hand a teacher, a supporter, task master and on the other the killer of “the dream” except for those with “never give up attitude”, it will be stared down as a temporary setback. Many will be cut, and will move on to other teams and other leagues, some giving up the dream, until that fire burns brightly again. Many, if not all, will look back after being cut, wondering how unfair the decision was. Others may use the negatives to motivate them and make them better to ensure they will not be cut again.
More than half of the players get cut from the training camp roster to reach the allowable number of players on the team for the season. The baller community is very tight, as is witnessed at the end of every game when these men together at the center stripe share their sense of mutual community on bended knee, grateful for the opportunity play the game safely. The support these men have for each other is exposed quietly without fanfare, just a hug, eye to eye contact, and later probably a tear after those that have been cut are announced.
The happiness clouded by those who are not cut for those that are with sadness. Make no mistake these guys are brothers “one and all” and even in being cut, most are happy for those not cut. Many of these players know each other well, work out together, dream together, live life and eat together. This is the Football Family at its best, able to cheer for and comfort each other.
When does the real satisfaction begin for these men? You may be surprised to learn it is not the paycheck, rather the moment those stadium lights go on just before they thunder onto the field. All their hard work, rides to their games as children, High School games, College and University lead to the moment they have been waiting for, playing Pro Football under the lights in Regina, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton et al.
Is it June yet? Yes it is baby, finally, where are my jersey, horn and tickets? Mr. Orridge, wait till you see what happens next! Your life will never be the same.
