Kentucky Jet Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Print Version Camp Kickoff: All 32 Teams Reporting Soon Jul 11, 2008 - Aqib Talib and Marcus Henry were teammates a year ago, fellow stars for the upstart University of Kansas Jayhawks. Now both are NFL players, about to experience their first professional training camps, seeking to prove to their new teams that they belong on the roster and in the lineup. It's put up or shut up time. But while Henry starts fighting for a job next week, Talib will have an extra nine days to rest up. For these to former Jayhawk teammates, the start of camp is the luck of the draw. Henry was drafted by the New York Jets, which means he will be among the first group of NFL players to report to camp this month. Talib was snared by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which this year means a reporting date among the latter half of the league. Of course, one could say that Talib's good fortune is simply delaying the inevitable; one way or another, every team in the NFL is going to spend three to four weeks in training camp before the season begins. New York just happens to be the first to report. By bringing their rookies to camp at Hofstra University on July 16, the Jets essentially usher in the 2008 campaign. The Jets are one of seven teams that open their camps in stages, getting the rookies some work before adding in the veterans. New York is the only team to devote an entire first week to rookie work; Houston and San Diego have a five-day split and the others merely bring their rookies in two days early. Talib's Buccaneers are one of 10 NFL teams to set their reporting date for Friday, July 25. Teams are not allowed to begin their full-team camps more than 15 days before their preseason opener so, as usual, the Bucs' August schedule determines their opening day of camp. Tampa Bay will begin its 2008 preseason schedule with a road game at Miami on Saturday, August 9. Only three teams will open camp later than the Buccaneers. Cincinnati, Green Bay and Pittsburgh all report on Sunday, July 27. The Jets may be the first to report in 2008, but they are also signaling a finale of sorts with this year's camp. Next summer, the Jets will train at their new headquarters in Florham Park, New Jersey, ending a 40-year run at Hofstra University. Only three teams have trained at their current sites longer than the Jets: Green Bay (St. Norbert College, 51 years), Minnesota (Minnesota State Mankato, 42) and Pittsburgh (Saint Vincent College, 42). The Buccaneers are heading into their seventh summer at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The previously trained at the University of Tampa and, before that, at their own headquarters at old One Buccaneer Place. Many clubs prefer to take their players out of town for training camp, hoping to create a football-intensive atmosphere that will draw the team closer together. The Buccaneers' camp is only about an hour away from home, but it does take place in an insular atmosphere at Disney and the Celebration Hotel headquarters. However, there is something of a growing trend in the NFL to train at home. This year, 14 of the 32 teams will hold camp at their headquarters this year; 10 years ago, only four of the 30 existing teams did so. Only six teams will train out of state this year, and that includes two clubs that aren't traveling far at all. The Bengals will work just a little ways across the river at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky, while the Carolina Panthers, who play in Charlotte, North Carolina, will sweat it out at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The most popular state for training camp remains Wisconsin, even if the so-called "Cheese League" never quite took off. The New Orleans Saints, who used to train in La Crosse, and the Chicago Bears, who once worked out in Platteville, are now holding camp closer to home. However, the Kansas City Chiefs still call River Falls their summer home and the St. Louis Rams have begun training at Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin. The Green Bay Packers don't have to go too far to train at St. Norbert College in De Pere. Teams travel to Wisconsin in order to find a slightly cooler climate during the summer. Others, such as the Buccaneers, have long believed in training in the same conditions in which they will play once the season begins. Talib will get a full dose of those conditions starting on July 26, the first day of practices in Tampa Bay's camp. By that time, his former Jayhawk teammate will have been toiling for a week. Talib might feel good about that now, but in the end every team is going to get in a full dose of training camp work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 Jets Nation has Favre fever Friday, July 11, 2008 | Posted by Tom Shields Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 Buzz: Current Jets Player Endorses Chad Posted on July 10th, 2008 by Bassett It Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 Perception vs. Reality: The New York Jets By Joe Caporoso | July 10th, 2008 E-mail | Print | Share Around this time of the year many positional ranking articles are published and predictions about specific competitions are made. Certain players and teams begin to either receive alot of hype or no respect at all. Obviously with the reputation the Jets have in the national media combined with the fact that they are coming off a 4-12 season, there is generally nothing positive being said about the team right now. Here is a general sample of what most people think of the Jets heading into this year: 1. The Jets wildly overspent in the off-season and will receive no positive results because you can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 few moments with Brad Smith Brad Smith, heading into his third season, would seem to be in a now-or-never situation in terms of making it with the Jets as a receiver, but he said he's not to that point yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 Going to ATLANTA for the weekend. See you soon! KJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drago Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 The New Orleans Saints, who used to train in La Crosse... I grew up in La Crosse, i used to get to meet some of the Saints players when my dad would fix their teeth. I don't remember who the coach was, i think hasslett, my dad told me he grinded his teeth so much they were like little stumps in his mouth. I guess the job can be stressful... He'd (my pops) would also say how some of the big linemen wouldn't fit in the chair and would start shaking if you brought a needle (novacaine or whatever) anywhere near them. Big bunch of babies. haha. I was dissapointed when they stopped coming to La Crosse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shutout Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Buzz: Current Jets Player Endorses Chad Posted on July 10th, 2008 by Bassett It Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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