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 Soup of The Day--TE Mark Campbell Blogs//  |
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August 14 Entry
Serious weather is obviously a part of New Orleans and we avoided a big-time down pouring of rain yesterday in between our two-a-day schedule.
It doesn’t matter as much here as it did in Jackson because we have an indoor practice facility, as well as our two main outdoor practice fields. When you have over 160 players and all the staff that goes with two teams, the indoor facility would have been bursting at the seams. With some cooperation from Mother Nature, though, we were able to practice outside with some drizzling rain at different periods in practice.
Concentration levels increased due to playing the Texans but also because the wetness of the field and the slickness of the footballs. A few things can be done to help us in regards to the field and the footballs.
As far as the field is concerned, many players change their cleats. There are a couple different choices of footwear that we have at our disposal. There are the molded cleats, which is really hard plastic and molded to the bottom of the shoe. Then we have the detachable cleats, which come in multiple lengths and can be changed pretty quickly. When the grass is longer or the weather is bad, a longer detachable cleat is the best option.
Other changes that can be made are regarding the gloves that we elect to wear. Most players wear gloves to protect their hands or to give them a better grip on the football. I use a glove called “Cutters,” which I’ve grown accustomed to wearing and like. Just like cleats, there are a lot of different options when it comes to gloves. Some are leather and some have a tack base. When it rains I think the old-fashioned leather gloves are the best. Regardless of what changes we choose to make to our uniform, the bottom line is that there are no excuses when you hit the field. The only thing that the coaches care about is who is getting the job done.
Our duel practice sessions with the Texans were successful in the fact that we treated each other in the right fashion. Like I had hoped for and expected, the emphasis of practicing hard but smart was effective. It was good work for both teams. We definitely weren’t perfect but it was a good three practices to build off. I think it’s important to recognize the Texans for being professional and coming here with the same intentions that we had, and that was to get in a few good practices and be professional.
We practice again this afternoon, and it will just be our team. So we will work on polishing some things up and get ready for our pre-season game on Saturday night.
It’s going to be nice to play in the Superdome. It seems like a long time since I have played in there and I’m looking forward to it!
August 13 Entry
We ended camp on Monday afternoon with a good, fast-paced practice.
It’s really a phenomenal Chris Paul pump fake, though, in the grand scheme of things. We left Jackson in a hurry to get back to our residences in New Orleans, but we haven’t technically finished training camp.
As I have previously written, you can never let your guard down. We still have the two-a-day practices and, of course, the final three pre-season games. More importantly at the moment, we are practicing against the Houston Texans and I don’t just mean on Saturday night at the Superdome. We are also practicing against them twice today and once on Thursday morning, before we have our own practice on Thursday afternoon. It’s essential that we are ready for these practices.
The two-team practice can be extremely beneficial. Last year we did the same thing against the Cincinnati Bengals before we played them in the pre-season. There was an understanding to play hard but also play smart. What this translates to is not taking any unnecessary shots or late hits, no cut blocks and no tackling in most drills. By eliminating some of the more violent aspects of the game, the chance of injuries decreases dramatically.
There is a pretty clear understanding of the style of practice that is emphasized by Coach Payton and Coach Kubiak of the Texans before practice. I am pretty sure that our joint practices will be played correctly but I have been a part of some of these two teams sessions that have evolved rapidly into something that looked more like a mixed martial arts fight.
In 2000 I was playing with the Cleveland Browns and we practiced together with the Indianapolis Colts. Let me tell you … this turned into a bloodbath. The practices ended up actually being just one practice. There was a fight about every other play. Not the one-on-one types of fights, mind you, these babies were like the 5-on-5 or bench clearing variety.
In hindsight, it was ridiculous. It wasn’t smart and it ended up being a big waste of time. Some teams don’t like each other and just won’t practice against each other.
Teams practicing together seems a lot more common these days and there seems to be an efficiency to it these days. The intent of these practices is to get in work against different competition, see some different plays and styles, but also keeping in mind to treat the players on the other team as if they are your teammates in order to reduce the unnecessary fights and brawls.
It’s also a fantastic tool to measure the talents of players just as in the games.
Measuring a player’s skill level set can be difficult, but scouting a celebrity can be even more challenging. At our last practice at Millsaps College, we had a visitor, as I am sure you have heard by now. Country music star Kenny Chesney, a close friend of Coach Payton’s, attended practice. He was not a spectator, mind you. He was a player. He wasn’t in full pads in a live session but he was there to catch some passes and field a few punts. We were fortunate to have him at a practice last year, as well. It’s not fair to him to be compared to a professional athlete, but he held his own. I think with one or two years of coaching with Curtis Johnson (our wide receivers coach), he should be up to par and ready to contribute! Of course, the fans of his music might just have an issue with that.
My advice is this: Kenny …Take some time out of your house in St. John’s to decide your career path.
We will anxiously be awaiting your decision.
August 10 Entry
Preparation is the key to a life in football. It can be dissected into four categories. They are as follows:
1) Mental Preparation. This is knowing what to do at all times schematically. If you can eliminate mental mistakes, it will enhance the chances of winning tenfold. Mental mistakes, plain and simple, get you beat.
2) Emotional State of Mind. In regards to all aspects of our lives and as a team, this is a point that is crucial. The big question that needs to always be answered is: Are we emotionally ready to give everything we have to win the game?
3) Physical Preparation. The conditioning to win in the fourth quarter when everyone is tired and the strength to break our opponent’s will to win.
4) Spiritual Strength. Deep within each of us there has to be a stronger power that tells us to never surrender or give up. It is imperative to have a positive attitude whether we are in a good mood or not.
It’s easier to talk about these things on paper rather than in the middle of a difficult 16 game season, but week in and week out, preparation is everything and has everything to do with winning, and vive versa.
The encouraging aspects of our younger players is that they seem to understand their own individual, and on a bigger scale, our situation as a team. They have been preparing each day as it has shown with a stead improvement in play. They are “hitting the wall” in a longer training camp than they experienced in college, but still are making positive strides.
It’s that time of training camp when decisions are being made regarding jobs. I remember the awkwardness of seeing friends being cut and released. Usually there is one person known as “the turk or the reaper.” That’s the person that notifies a player to tell them the coach or general manager wants to see them, and oh yeah, bring your playbook. Each time I have witnessed this transaction everything becomes very quiet. What do you tell a guy that just lost his job right in front of your eyes?
Not much.
You tell them you are sorry. You tell them to keep battling and to keep a positive attitude. Some guys exchange phone numbers. I always think of we haven’t exchanged phone numbers already, chances are we probably won’t be keeping in touch, but it’s essential to reach out to them anyway. It lets them know they are a good player. You wouldn’t make it this far if you weren’t. This is a serious business that requires full-time concentration to avoid “the reaper.”
Focusing on technique when your tired is a big difference maker. Besides, half of the game we’re tired so we might as well focus on technique right now, to help us then. It becomes second nature, but it is hard to get that edge. Three weeks into training camp and we are tired. It’s a perfect time to work on technique. It’s not easy to take the perfect steps or run the exact precise route when your quads and hamstrings are on fire the first step out of bed in the morning. It’s hard to make a great catch when every step reminds you that your feet are throbbing and killing you.
The Proper Technique. You have to always rely on it to succeed.
How about Robert Meachem? He was simply awesome on Thursday night. We’ve been anxious to see him be dominant. He obviously was the other night. To see growth and the big play ability show up in a game situation is the best part. I’ve seen, and definitely noticed, his improvement all during training camp. That is really good news for the Saints, because we are depending on him. Two plays in particular stood out. The first was the “bomb” from Mark Brunell. He went all out as he dove and caught the deep ball. Secondly, the yards after the catch on an intermediate route that he picked up were really impressive. He made three or four tacklers miss as he reversed the field and ran down the sideline. The play climaxed with a nasty stiff-arm that snuffed out a would-be tackler on his way to the end zone and a touchdown. We can’t wait to see more of these types of plays.
August 8 Late Evening Entry
One of the last topics I wrote about was toughness.
Coaches and players throughout the entire season continually talk this about. One of my examples was being crushed while catching a pass in the middle of the field. I must have psychic powers because on Thursday night versus Arizona, I was annihilated on a vertical middle route.
I didn’t really have any pain except for the fact I simply couldn’t breathe. I had the wind knocked out of me. Although most of us have experienced this numerous times, it doesn’t make it any more comforting when you can’t get any air in your lungs. For those of you who have never had this happen … don’t let it happen. It’s miserable. It’s not a big deal long term, but it’s rough for about 20 seconds.
Our timing against Arizona was pretty good for our first pre-season game. Usually these games are a little sloppy. Which means that there are generally lots of penalties and mental errors. I’m sure we had our share of mishaps, but it wasn’t glaring. I think this is a positive sign of our growth over the past three years. A higher level of play is expected now and I believe that motivates younger players to compete as well. This afternoon we watched the film and mentally fixed all of our errors.
The film footage is never as good as you think and never as bad as you think. There’s a fine line of winning and losing. This shows itself every single time we watch film. Some coaches even watch the film after a game on the flight home from away games. In fact, all of them do.
Our flight home was a rough one. First off the nuisances of late game will naturally do that and then you mix in the fact there was a packed runway at Sky Harbor. We left the stadium and the sky simply erupted with lightning, thunder and hard rain. On the way the airport in the buses, word filtered out that they had closed the runways. Not a real positive thing when it is already late enough on our biological clocks. Factor in a 2 hour time difference in Arizona, we wouldn’t return to Mississippi until after 3 a.m. on a normal schedule. Factor in the delays at the airport, and well … we arrived around 4:30 a.m.
Long story short, the heads didn’t hit the pillows until around 5:00 a.m.
It was like a zombie movie showing players walking to their dorm rooms. With an exception of a couple of people being slap happy, guys were sleep-walking. Not many words were spoken.
We’re still in the “meat and potatoes” of camp. We have to suck it up and get ready for Houston. This is the NFL. It’s not only how you play, it’s also how you bounce back for the next game. We have a saying that “it’s about the next play.” Whether you did well or poorly we have to erase it from our memory and get ready for the next play.
In fact, we’re preparing for Houston now.
August 4 Late Evening Entry
After a day off of practicing it’s different to get your body and mind back to the level of play that you were at just two days ago. We become machines running off similar schedules, day in and day out. We don’t have time to worry about being sore and tired. We keep grinding because that’s the way it is. When there’s a stop gap or change of schedule, we tend to realize we feel beat up. Although it’s important to get some much needed rest, no short time off in going to heal all our physical issues.
When resuming the normal camp schedule, there’s a funk we have to break, another mental battle. Veteran leadership is what we lean on to help each other (especially for the rookies). We concentrate on the little things like a good huddle break, rushing to the line of scrimmage, or focusing on the snap count. By concentrating on the simple facets, the play gets a fresh breath of fresh air. Meaning with pointing at me thing early in a play the rest of the mistake about it…people’s careers are pivotal now. Guys are hitting the proverbial wall of camp. It’s also the time that we start playing games and you’ve got to produce when it all matters in them.
No matter if you’re an established veteran, a player on the bubble, or a rookie, you have to focus on the upcoming game. With just two days to kick-off, mental preparation is essential like any test. I start to think about match-ups and how to handle certain players and situations. I run through the playbook cleaning up any questions I may have. Believe, you don’t want to go into a game not sure about a play. I write any questions I have to make a “don’t mess up” list.
If you play 10 plays or 60 plays, you have to prepare the same way. If you don’t, you will be embarrassed. Practice is needed, but the game dictates making the team or not. Besides, you’re also showcasing your talents for all 32 teams. Our resume is forever enshrined on film. There’s a saying a saying “the eye in the sky doesn’t lie.” This means every time you play, it’s being filmed. Normally, each play is filmed from a side view and back view. When we watch film, we watch the side view of the play and then the back view. That way you set the full picture of what happened. Sometimes things appear differently from one angle to the other.
There’s an excitement of watching younger players in pre-season games. They hit the field realizing it’s “make or break”. I talk to the rookies a lot about keeping their emotions in and letting it explode when they step on the field. Let it all out because you never want to regret not giving it your all. We have very talented young guys that are going to “tear it up” on Thursday night on ESPN. Just watch them explode.
August 4 Entry
We all needed to see our loved ones on Saturday.
Personally, I looked forward to see my wife and son all week. By segmenting camp into weeks or by game, it always gives me something to look forward to. To further explain, I ultimately focus not only on each day, but every repetition. It’s important to keep the big picture in mind as well as the daily goals. This is what keeps me sane. Coach Payton talks about this early in camp. “There’s no light at the end of the tunnel,” he’ll often say.
He’s implying to keep grinding away by pushing yourself. There’s no doubt that’s our focus. You have to be positive that there is a definite goal and that we’ll reach it taking it one play a time. That’s why we had to keep in mind that we had a scrimmage before our family day at Millsap College.
When I tell you it was extremely hot at the scrimmage, I mean it was so hot you should have checked on the elderly. I was properly warmed by walking from the bus to Jackson State Stadium, due to the heat. Combine that with twelve or more consecutive game-like repetitions each drive. There is no question it was the real deal. We played each team (1st, 2nd, 3rd team) in the twelve-play drives. If the offense was still moving the ball, the drive would continue until it stalled. I thought it was an evenly matched offense versus defense. The offense scored a few times and the defense held strong a few times.
Any game-like simulation is great for us. We can practice as much as we like, but we can’t simulate the game atmosphere. I know I felt a bit awkward competing on Saturday. It’s been a year since I had serious repetitions, due to my back injury. Like any job, preparation is the most important key. The nervous energy we go through and whether or not we control it, makes the difference in games. Everybody gets nervous before games. It’s the ones that know how to harness it and that can play “when the lights are on” that are special.
I’ve seen plenty of talented players that had all the tools that couldn’t transfer their talents when it mattered. Are you a “gamer”? I really don’t like the idea of “gamer”. I think it gives the intention that practice doesn’t matter. However, if you can play well in practice but don’t get it done in the game, you’re not going to last long in the league.
Our first real test is our game on Thursday. Although it’s a preseason game, it’s important to a lot of players trying to earn a job. I’ll get more into this tomorrow because I’ve got to start preparing for the Arizona Cardinals.
August 1, 2008 Entry
It arrived like a Christmas present. As the players grinded through the morning practice the sound of a grumble echoed. Soon, a few lightning bolts followed and players smiled. It was the kind of smile that hurts their cheeks. After three years of flawless training camp practice schedules, a rift presented itself. Coach Payton acknowledged the unfortunate or fortunate developments, depending on whom you ask weather conditions that finally broke our streak of consecutive practices without interruption.
It was bound to happen sooner or later. It's not that we don't want to practice, it's that our bodies are asking us for a break. The normality of putting our bodies through this punishment is, as I tell people, that if I didn't have to take part of training camp, I could add another five years to my career. Professional football doesn't work that way though. The grind we encounter together as a team is what builds unity, perseverance and friendships. We do it together and no one can take what we do and our experience away from us.
As we tire through another two-a-day I've noticed this is time the team separates the men from the boys. Attitude is the biggest key now. Stay focused on your job and techniques. The past couple of days we have brought NFL referees in to watch our every move. It adds focus to my game because it's a better simulation of game play. I can't and won't lose sight that I have to use the techniques Terry Malone, my tight ends coach, has taught me ever as I'm exhausted. Again, I'm going to be fired up in the game, so I need to practice at a high level so it transfers to the game. We've all been coached this since we were kids, and it still holds true.
I've known Coach Malone for 11 years now. We were together at the University of Michigan in 1997, the year we won the National Championship. He's a great coach, and an even better person. It's easier to play for coaches you like. There are experiences I can call upon that he remembers that we can transfer to a current situation. It definitely helps me. Now…there are still times where he gets upset with me or the other tight ends, but it's always in our best interest. It's a good thing that our coach cannot only praise us, but demand more from us. Besides, if we play well, he looks good too.
Today, he did something special for us. Over the years, Coach Malone has compiled statements, quotes, and philosophies from people that had an impact on his life or books he has read that have left a memorable impression. He gave us a book of all his favorite ones that can help us as football players and in life. A truly motivating book given to us at a perfect time. When Coach Malone hits the “big time”, go ahead and pick up a copy for yourself. I know I can always use a tool such as this to keep my eyes on the bigger picture. I just hope he doesn't use a pen name. The coach title gives him credibility.
July 31, 2008 Entry
Strained muscles, joint pain, throbbing fingers, blisters, as well as general aches and pains hamper each player at this point of camp. Remember the guidelines I laid out in an earlier blog?
You can pick out any player and they’ll tell you at least one body part that’s bothering them now. Even with the feet and toes toughening process, blisters still find a way to attach to your feet like leeches. I’m not talking about the "new shoes" kind of blisters. These are the kinds that look like craters on the moon right under your big toe.
Seriously, we have to be careful with these babies. Blisters can change our running form as we rotate our feet to relieve pressure. When you run differently, the possibility of straining your hips or lower back increase. Through my extensive research, there has to be a balancing act. I raise my big toe when walking or when I can think about it while playing or in between drills. That is a way to avoid the pain. Unfortunately, I can’t do this while actively playing. During a play or exercising, I have to suck it up and face the fact that blisters will hurt. Football is enjoyable, but it's still a game of who’s the toughest. That my friends is the bottom line.
No matter who you are, if you’re not tough, you’re never going to make it in the NFL. There are all different kinds of toughness but it’s all categorized as toughness.
I know what you’re thinking. 'You’re saying your punter, Steve Weatherford, is tough?'
Yes. He is tough.
He deals with mental toughness. When it’s 4th down and we’re jammed up on our 1 yard line, we need Weatherford to be tough-minded to get a great punt off when the pressure is on. We’re very fortunate to have our punter, but I’m sure you’ve seen, plenty of punters who have choked and shanked one twelve yards and out of bounds. As for the rest of us, we deal with toughness on every play. Believe me when I tell you there’s been times after being hit I thought I was in bed telling my mom I didn’t want to go to school.
I had no idea where I was.
It’s pretty scary. I ran a route and DB Rasheed Mathis from Jacksonville absolutely crushed me. The hit was #1 on ESPN’s “Jacked Up”. The show has the top 10 hits of the week. I’m not proud of this, but it is what it is. Everything immediately turned to a dull yellow. A teammate came to me to ask if I was all right. I do remember looking at him, but in my state, I didn’t see it necessary to respond to him as I sat on the field.
This example, for instance, proves toughness as I got back out there later and ran the same route, realizing I could be hit like that again. Mental and physical toughness are equally important.
In other news, we are looking forward to family day on Saturday. I know many people from players to staff, can’t wait to see their loved ones. Like I wrote earlier, camp is like dog years. Meaning, it seems a lot longer than it is. I haven’t seen my family in ten days, which feels like a couple of months.
Another reason I’m excited about Saturday is our rookie show. On other teams this has a no holds barred rip fest. The rookies could make any skit about any player or coach and make fun of them. It’s their release from being treated so badly. It was definitely not a PG rating. With our families there, it obviously can’t be as aggressive. I think wives would be offended and think of it as totally inappropriate. We’re a team though and we cannot only laugh at each other, but also ourselves. It’s these moments that retired players and coaches miss when you leave the game. We are fortunate to have an extended family with this team. Whether it be white, black, red or blue. This is a great sign of unity. To be champions, unity is a must because without it, you don’t even have a chance. Good luck at the Family Day ROOKIES!!!
July 30, 2008 Entry
Last night we practiced at Jackson Memorial Stadium, which is nearby. The reason why is because they have light for the darkness. It was a much needed change-up for a camp that is blurry with days that all seem to be the same. Sometimes the little things like changing practice times or locations can make all the difference. Initially I thought we had a longer break to recoup energy, but there was more to it. It was exciting to play under the lights like in high school. There are numerous memories for all of us playing night games. We still talk about wearing our jerseys to high school on Fridays.
The lights shined last night but a lot of players did, too. I think Adrian Arrington, from the University of Michigan, has been impressive. I won’t lie to you, I am biased towards him, but he really does deserve some credit. He looks sharp on his route techniques and has caught the ball extremely well. I think his speed is explosive. He’s a long strider so you don’t really how fast he is, a lot like how Marques Colston runs. With Colston and David Patten leading the way, our wide receivers are very fortunate to learn from veterans that are knowledgeable and willing to teach other players. In other places I’ve been, there hasn’t been a lot of player-to-player coaching and accountability. Meaning that we handle a lot of things in-house before a coach needs to address it. Truthfully, many times guys are competing against each other so they won’t help each other. That’s not the case here. A core of players here at the Saints can see the big picture and know the better we do, the better it is for everybody.
Not everyone can be a star. There have to be role players that put the team before themselves. This doesn’t mean I don’t have to support my family. My family is everything and everyone to me. With that being said, I am guy that realizes the best thing for the New Orleans Saints is for all of us to get better…together. Like my teammates, I’ll take a player under my wing if he needs some direction. Whether I know what I’m talking about or not, I try to be assertive and at least act like I’m knowledgeable. This obviously is a stretch at times. I can definitely point a rookie in the wrong direction.
There is a term know as “a bone”. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the saying “Can a dog get a bone?” but in training camp the “dogs” are the players, and a “bone” is a break. A “bone” could be a water park visit, like in years past. We haven’t had a “bone” yet, but just about everyday now, I pick a young guy or a naïve veteran, and tell them “Today’s the day. I heard from a coach we are going to go to the water park.” This is a dirty move that crushes a player's psyche. It takes a lot of mental strength and preparation for a mid camp two-a-day. Of course, it’s a little harder to practice when you think you have a day off. I do this in fun and joke with the guys all practice long. I guess you could say I’m a set-up guy. The sad part is people know this and still want to believe me.
Come on guys, you know better.
I’m hoping I’m right at least one time so I can say “I told you so.” The points being, if I tell you about a “bone”, go ask Colston or Patten about it.
The other night I told the story of rookie offensive lineman Brian Stamper and his hilarious Viking song that he rattled off and brought down the house with. I had to get the lyrics from him to share with you all. Here it is:
The Lyrics of “The Viking” revealed
By Sven Za Viking aka Brian Stamper
"Oh when I was a Viking boy my mom told me “Now Sven,
You must only date the Viking women, never Viking men.”
And I looked at my mother and said “That will be so hard,
Because when I look at both of them, I can’t tell them apart”
Oh they both are big, they both are fat, and both are very hairy
And a Viking woman without makeup, OOO that’s just too scary
But I have found a lovely girl and now I’m set for life
So, let me introduce you to my brand new Viking wife"
(Point to a fat, hairy guy)
July 29, 2008 Entry
Campus at Millsap College, where our training camp occurs, isn’t enormous but the buildings we eat and meet in can be a long walk. Of course it depends where you are but we quickly found a solu
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