2008-07-26 (Sat) Afternoon

>>>For CL’s latest on Deuce’s knee, click here: Deuce
>>>For more pictures, click here: 2008-07-26 Afternoon

Saturday afternoon, and my first full practice, we’re at the upper fields. As my father would say, it was hot as blue blazes. Not many people know this, but topographically and geologically speaking, the Millsaps soccer field is the highest point in Jackson. So I understand why training camp is always so hot; it’s held in the city closest spot to the sun.

I arrive 20 minutes before practice, and the stands are packed. I walk the entire soccer-field length of bleachers to discover no spaces on the top row. Top row is the best because I prefer to stand the whole time. Better view, better pics, you get the idea. So I manage to find a one-top on the fourth row. By the time practice was over, there we’re at least a hundred standers flanking the seats.

Memo to the people who think crowded bleachers are an appropriate place for a golf umbrella – by a damn hat and some sunscreen. If you’re not blocking somebody’s view, you’re poking somebody in the head. Not a great way to make friends.

Deuce is in shorts/pads (like everybody else) with a neoprene brace on his knee. Shockey, McKenzie, and (Never Mind the) Bullocks are in shorts and jerseys – but only 88 has a helmet. Warm-ups start right in front of me with all three quarterbacks and three centers. They work on the exchange, drop-back mechanics, and shotgun snaps. By the way, I’ve failed to mention the new center is Jonathan Goodwin; also from the Jets (i.e. Vilma), also from the Maize & Blah (i.e. Arrignton). Backers and Lineman watch as special teams are working on making the kick return wedge. This is good. Saints were near the bottom of the league in both punt and kick returns last year. Have I mentioned there’s a new special teams coach? [*air horn*]

The roster splits into two squads, each on one of the two upper fields, to jog through 11vs.11 for playbook retention. Deuce doesn’t participate in this, but he does later in practice. Shockey, McKenzie, and (NMT) Bullocks take part in this. By the way, Meachum has been lining up as WR2 with Colston as WR1.

[*air horn*] My very first calisthenics of 2008! And a-one, and a-two, and a-one, and a-two… Now pliés-two-three-four, pliés-two-three-four… [*air horn*]

Lot’s of action during this drill period. The QBs and OL start off with about 10 plays of snapping the ball and then running 20 yards for downfield blocking. The OL then breaks off for 1-on-1 drills. The QBs are now joined by the RBs for swing pass and out-of-the backfield routes. The DL is slaloming through dummies (not to be confused with an LSU alumni event). TEs are working on stop routes and shedding with shields. DBs and WRs go through 1-on-1 reps, before the WRs come join the QBs for long routes. LBs work on pass coverage and hopping those foam railroad ties to tackle a runner. RBs chatted for the remainder. [*air horn*]

For this short period they broke it into D on South Upper and O on North Upper. O ran the drill where each of the skills line up in formation w/o the OL, and on a snap they all run routes, and both Brees and Brunell throw passes. I guess this a check-down drill. Over on S.Upper, the secondary talked about technique, while the LBs actually walked through technique. [*air horn*]

Now the whole team converged on S.Upper for 11-on-11. The first play was an excellent parallel-to-the-ground dive and roll by Lance Moore 30 yards up the left sideline. Devery caught an impressive cross in traffic. Stecker broke away on an off-tackle. Deuce was able to take a swing pass on the left to daylight – which was encouraging. Pierre broke free up the middle. Copper caught a nice out from Brunell. Mechanically speaking, I’ve come to realize that Palko has a nice draw. He sells it well. Vilma, Fujita, Simoneau, and Shanlee were all rotating in the three-backer set.

[Ipanema] Something I still ahven’t figured out is this huge white tent. It’s located at the extreme north end of the field, and 3/4 of the team enters it when they have a long break. Judging from the generator and the big yellow hoses, I’m thinking it’s AC. That, or a miniature horse and the bearded lady.

The team resumed with a split special teams period. First a few PKs from Gramatica and Mehlhaff. Next was work on a three-man wedge for punt returns using a fourth man as spotter – to let the wedge know when the runner has the ball. Rotating as both returners and spotters were Pierre, Lance Moore, and Meachum. [*air horn*]

Back to 11-on-11 on the S.Upper. Jason David got applause when he batted down a nice pass – I’m not sure all of it was genuine. Colston caught a nice waist-high dump. Stecker hit a perfect trap play up the middle. Brunell to Reggie in the flat went off without a hitch. Arrington has proven that he owns the slant route with his height and hands. Simoneau got stuck covering Reggie on a sideline streak that would’ve scored. Copper also got a breakaway on a bullet in traffic. Palko made up for an under-throw in the flat to Blythe by nailing Carlos Robinson on a cross. During this period, Brunell and Palko took considerably more reps than Drew. [*air horn*]

The squad merely switched side for more 11-on-11. I didn’t have the best vantage point for this period because the view was blocked by the players not in on the snaps. I did see Colston snatch a 30-yard out, though.

Autograph Props: Shockey. Since players essentially line the whole length of the stands, they usually stay in one place. Shockey signed in one spot for 5 minutes, then moved 20 yards for a few more minutes, etc. I did catch a hilarious exchange when he was right in front of me. A guy hands him a Budweiser hat, without missing a beat, ”No way man. Not signing that. Not an American beer anymore. Drink Coors Light.” Everybody laughed.