Pete Unleashed: A Journey Through Training Camp
Pete Porcelli
Monday April 10, 2000
Let me explain to the common fan what goes on in terms of injuries in this league. We, as players, play on a carpet that is masked by a very hard arena floor. If you have ever had the pleasure of sliding on that turf without something covering the open skin -- then you haven`t lived. I have at least 3 scars on my body, which show missing chunks of skin.
Here’s a mock week of the typical training camp for a rookie:
Report to training camp, get a physical, and run for the team doing agility drills. Depending on who your roommate is, you will probably be sleeping in the same room with someone you do not know, not to mention a wicked snorer. You go to the team meal and are handed a 120-page playbook full of diagrams you’ve never seen before because now you are playing the 8-man game.
Say you come in as the 11th or 12th lineman to a team that has 5 solid linemen already. They all stare at you like you just stole the last piece of turkey on Thanksgiving. You felt pretty good before you left your college or your hometown because you were a good player in college who commanded the utmost respect. Here at this training camp, you are just one of the guys. You used to stand out in terms of your size, but you don`t anymore.
You look around the meeting room and see at least 6 guys as big as you or bigger. You see one guy in the corner of the meeting room dipping tobacco and shaking back and forth like the game’s about to start. Another player, a defensive back, has sunglasses on and is nodding things back to the coach while the coach explains certain rules. You see another guy who looks like he could pass as your local paperboy. Looks like he can`t be more than 16 years old but you find out that he is the returning kicker from last season who booted a 60-yard field goal. And every team has this one annoying guy. The one who’s not really a coach, but he thinks he is. He is always saying, "ok coach" while the head coach is talking. This guy really doesn’t coach a particular position, and he is usually between 30-40 years old. This guy only takes pleasure in coaching the rookies. Mainly because these are the only guys who will listen to him because the veterans know that this guy is not a real coach -- and the rookies will listen to anyone who looks like a coach.
When training camp opens, your head is on a swivel. People are blowing right by you at blazing speeds. Things you did in college do not work anymore at this level. When you used to run people over in the past, you can barely nudge the starting front three now. Every day it seems as though your body is progressively turning to Jell-O. The knees ache, the neck is sore, and the shins are burning. A good exciting night for you during training camp is icing your knees in front of the television while watching professional wrestling.
In the end, does it make a difference if you make the team? When you are 23 years old it makes all the difference in the world. Here’s a scenario for you: Let’s say that what happened was that two of the starters on the line got serious knee injuries during camp and you moved up to the second team center. You go three weeks on the practice squad doubting your abilities and patiently wait for you turn. You end up playing as a backup in the last three games. And somehow, the next three years you are the main cog on the line, admired by your peers and by your fans. You play another four years in different cities exploring America. Arena Football has been good to you. You have made tons of friends and can always have the memories to cherish for years and years, just like I have.
Till next week, I am Pete Porcelli.
Pete Porcelli was a writer for ArenaFan Online during the 2000 season.
