2008-08-04 (Mon) Afternoon

>>>> For more pictures from Randy & myself, click here: 2008-08-04 Afternoon

If you never or occasionally look the pictures, today is the day to take a gander. Randy and I hit the motherload.

Once again back on the lower field. Naturally, it was hot. For the sake of morale, I never check the weather. Hence brief accounts. The guys were in shorts and shoulder pads. Vilma and Hollis were not in pads.

For this first period I caught some goal line 11-on-11 from the 7. Drew’s turn opened with a theoretical sack. I still can’t figure out if this trend reflects the DL performing so well, or if the OL misses Jeff Fein. I guess we’ll find out against the Bucs. Drew found Deuce over the top for a score. Now, the OL does look good when it comes to misdirection. They forged a clear path for Stecker to trot a shovel pass into the end zone. But this was followed by a second coverage sack. Reggie took it up the middle for a TD. Stecker proved successful again with a curl to the right side.

Brunell found Meachem on a slant from the right. He also demonstrated his uncommon arm strength with a bullet to Ghent as he ran out of bounds. And Reggie made the OL look good on another run straight up the middle. Lynell Hamilton might not be long, but he caught a sweet pulling screen from Palko for a TD. Skyler was not so lucky in turning too late for a timed curl to the left. [*air horn*]

From there, the whole team trotted to the 50 from some open field 11-on-11. Brees nailed the ever-impressive Lance Moore on the left sideline. During this period, they showed a lot of shotgun and the no-TE / tackles in two-point formation. On one such play, Stecker had a ten-yard cushion in every direction out in the flat. Unfortunately he started looking up field just a hair too soon, and couldn’t hold on to the ball. After a Reggie overthrow downfield, Drew found Meachem on the right side. Back in pads, Randall Gay showed up by coming over Skyler for a bat down that earned a round of applause.

During Brunell’s rotation, Pierre ran a draw that was magnifique. While Mark would overthrow both Stecker and Skyler due to hurries, he connected with Meachem for a beauty up the right side. [*air horn*]

The team took a looooooooong break while Marteen and Mehlhaff practiced field goals. After the horn blew the team huddled before some 11-on-11 field goals. Both kickers are consistent. It’s definitely a race. But after a few kicks, the team huddled back up, and that was it. The golf cart tires and some cones were set up, but Payton called it about 15 minutes early.

Little did Randy and I know, but the real treat was just starting. Y’all have heard me grouse about the lower field having a setup that heavily favors the VIPs, when it comes to autographs. The players have to walk past the VIP tent to get back to the field house. So any autographs for the hoy-polloi, require players to climb embankments, crawl under ropes, and walk across the upper fields. They really have to go out of their way. Whether organized or not, the players – and we’re talking some of the most popular ones – en masse climbed over ropes and essentially ignored the VIPs. Check out this list: Fujita, Brees, Brunell, Colston, Pierre, Cedric Ellis, Shockey, Strief, Billy Miller, and Reggie. And on top of it, they were giving the crowd all they could take. These zillionaires thumbed their nose to spend some lengthy quality face time with the real-deal fans. They were in no hurry and talking with folks. Best day of camp.

Autograph props: Reggie. He was absolutely the last player to leave the field. Practice ended at 5:45. He didn’t go over to the (remaining) VIPs until 6:25? It was hilarious, there wasn’t anybody left that needed his autograph.