At 10.45 am I take the shuttle to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. I thought I would find a crowd, but we are 5. At the camp, instead, there is a crowd, even if some free seats remain in the stands. I am among the few who don't wear a player's jersey, present or past: there are also some historical jerseys, from Dan Marino to Singletary, even Atwater. The most represented team are the Seahawks, followed by the Steelers, few, instead, the jerseys of the franchise closer to here, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Tampa is about 80 miles away. I wear a t-shirt celebrating the 49ers of the 80s, which I had not worn for over 20 years.
I follow the NFC team's training. I take a seat in the open stands, a little less crowded. There is a gentleman, of Asian descent, with a 49ers jersey, who greets me. It's hot, even in a T-shirt, so much so that sometimes I regret not having come in shorts. It starts with some warm-up: throws when the get a little more serious, the speed is felt. Seen among themselves, the players do not seem so huge, not even linemen: Kamara seems even thin to be a RB. When they get close to the public, however, their dimension gets noticed.
Offense and defense test their plays separately. In offense, first the QB in the play throws, then the other two QBs also throw a ball each (obviously to different receivers). In defense, some kids take the part of offense. Then they move on to scrimmage, of course without contact: offense almost always completes its games, only in the final defense scores an interception. At the end of training, they announce that the players would be available for 20 minutes. First, some minor players, such as CB Slay, stop to sign autographs, then word spread that Drew Brees is there and the crowd chase him: I can not see him. I see Russell Wilson instead: there is a messy crowd around, he triies to set an order, he says something that no one listens to, then he leaves.
I follow the NFC team's training. I take a seat in the open stands, a little less crowded. There is a gentleman, of Asian descent, with a 49ers jersey, who greets me. It's hot, even in a T-shirt, so much so that sometimes I regret not having come in shorts. It starts with some warm-up: throws when the get a little more serious, the speed is felt. Seen among themselves, the players do not seem so huge, not even linemen: Kamara seems even thin to be a RB. When they get close to the public, however, their dimension gets noticed.
Offense and defense test their plays separately. In offense, first the QB in the play throws, then the other two QBs also throw a ball each (obviously to different receivers). In defense, some kids take the part of offense. Then they move on to scrimmage, of course without contact: offense almost always completes its games, only in the final defense scores an interception. At the end of training, they announce that the players would be available for 20 minutes. First, some minor players, such as CB Slay, stop to sign autographs, then word spread that Drew Brees is there and the crowd chase him: I can not see him. I see Russell Wilson instead: there is a messy crowd around, he triies to set an order, he says something that no one listens to, then he leaves.
The public can have a try at a series of exercises, from 40 yards dash (where you run alongside the silhouette of a player who runs 4.52), to tests of kicking and throwing accuracy, and also an obstacle course. There is also a catching drill with 5 tests: "sideline", "over the shoulder", "leaping", "one-hand" and "diving". A gentleman not much younger than me and who doesn't look very really athletic succeeds in all of them. I would not dare to try myself even if I were in great shape, let alone now that I don't even feel very well.
I was thinking of getting back with the 3.15 shuttle, but I can not find it, because it starts from a different point than where it had left us. I therefore have to take the 4.15 one. I take the opportunity to return to the ESPN arena, where the Madden '18 (e-football) championship takes place. Each player represents a team, today played the NFC played, tomorrow the AFC will. In these two days there will be two elimination rounds, which qualify 8 finalists, who will play for the title in Minneapolis before the Super Bowl. The start is scheduled at 4, but I can not see it: I have to go when they are still doing the presentations. I must also hurry up, because the security makes me go through a longer way. On the shuttle I'm alone.
Tomorrow we will be back, but this time I will watch the AFC.
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