|
|
FootballWelcome to C-Rich's Camp Corner
Aug. 5, 2008
The Johnson C. Smith University sports information office wanted to give fans something more personal regarding the Golden Bulls football team. Fans were tired of hearing the politically correct things a normal Sports Information Office releases. They wanted a way to get the student-athlete's perspective. So we thought about doing a blog. We called upon senior quarterback and he graciously accepted our offer. We came up with the name C-Rich's Camp Corner and the rest is history. Carlton will post his thoughts and experiences on a daily basis for the next 20 days. Ok, enough about why we decided to do it. Here's what Carlton thinks:
8/5/08 Day 1 The first day of football camp was an exciting day. Everybody was coming in from all over and being reunited with their fellow teammates. The new comers to the team seemed to fit in well with the team and will eventually come to their own. I am ready for this year to kick-off. I have been sitting around the house, working out and watching television. I am ready for football to just hurry up and get here because there has been nothing to watch on ESPN after the NBA Finals. This is my final year of football and I hope to make it my best year.
8/6/08 Day 2 Day 2 of football camp was a good day. As I was waking up, I forgot that I was back in a dorm room on campus and not at my home. We all have to live on campus for camp, so there was no getting up and going to raid the refrigerator to get something to eat. Now I have to walk all the way to the café just to get some food. The good thing is, today was another day closer to the opening of the season. Today we started making sure that we are all straight with our financial aid and eligibility. We also started picking out our equipment and you could feel the excitement amongst the team. After taking our pictures and after player meetings, the team is still steadily coming closer and closer as a family. In order to win as a team, we must be a family.
8/7/08 Day 3 One more day closer to the opening of the season and all the paper work are now set and in stone. We started our day with the usual team meeting to talk about what we are going to do for the day. The first thing we had to do was take pictures in the stadium. It had to be about 100 degrees in the stadium with those new yellow uniforms. The team was hot and ready to get in the shade, but we finally got through the pictures. Later on in the day we had our strength tests and also we had our conditioning practice as a team. The team was anxiously waiting to hit the field together and finally it was here. We got to see who was working out over the summer and which young guy would step up to the plate. As a whole, the team felt as one and now we are really ready for the fun to begin.
8/8/08 Day 4 Today it was a little harder to wake up. The team had to wake up an hour earlier so I didn’t get to get that good last hour of sleep. The team participated in the 300 yard shuttles this morning in the very hot sun which made the test a little harder. But we did what we had to do and made it through the shuttles. Later on today, we had our first official practice. It was kind of hard getting back into the swing of things, but I felt better than ever on the field. The team is looking stronger than ever and we are a much faster team.
Day 5 Today was a pretty good day. This morning, we took a step back away from the conditioning and had some walk through practicing. We also had some weight lifting to help maintain strength before we went to lunch. We had practice today at 3:00pm in the blazing sun and it was a tough one. The team managed to make it through practice and at the end my body started to have an allergy attack for some reason.
8/10/08 Day 6 This morning the team went to church at C.N. Jenkins Presbyterian Church off of Statesville Ave. As a team during camp, we us usually go to church on Sunday. The team loves to go to C.N. Jenkins because they are a good church and they feed us after services. Today was a pretty normal day of practice, but Coach McNeill gave us a surprise after practice by letting us going to the school pool and relax our bodies. Guys were belly flopping and having a great time. By being in the pool, we kind of forgot how tiring practice just was. I know some of the bigger boys felt extremely light in the water. Later on this evening, after watching our practices on film, Coach Quentarus Brown let us watch his high school highlight tape which had to be the funniest tape I have ever seen. Coach Brown is known for doing crazy things to get us excited and hyped.
Day 7 - 8/11/08 Today, reality really set in that I was in football camp. Waking up this morning was a tough task because my body is now becoming more sore, the more and more we practice. It took a little while for me to really wake up. This morning the team lifted weights and studied film of the practices that we have had. We are starting to know our strengths and also work on our weaknesses. Today’s practice had to be one of the longest practices and it was the hottest. Tomorrow will be the first day the team will be in full pads so we can really see what we have to work with.
8/12/08 - Day 8 Today was a fun day of practice. The team is really flying around the ball and starting to get back in that game-playing football spirit. We have been having a lot of contact for the past two days due to the team having on shoulder pads. Tomorrow is our first day of two-a-days and full pads. Today, starting cornerback Johnny Metcalf had a big hit on running back Kevin Hall. “I felt really good out there, all the summer workouts have really elevated my game. When I hit Kevin, it felt like I ran through a paper bag,” said Metcalf. Though practices are getting tougher, we are still having fun. Ms. Kelly probably thinks I have turned into a reporter now…don’t get any ideas!
8/13/08 - Day 9 Waking up this morning was a rude awaking knowing that we had a two a day practice. Our bodies are already sore from the practices that we have already had so today was going to be a long day. The first practice was at 8:30am and it was cold and raining. The team was kind of sluggish, but we later picked up the tempo. The next practice was at the usual time of 3:30pm and this was the practice that could make us or break us due to the fatigue of the other activities. The team finally made it through practice...I don't think Coach McNeill was too pleased. Somehow or the other, I believe that Coach has something up his sleeve and will make us do so sort of team-building activity. Stay tuned to see if my thoughts were true.
8/14/08 - Day 10 Today was a pretty typical football camp day. We had our weightlifting this morning and had practice at 3:00pm. Now that we are in full pads, I can tell that the team is getting its tenacity and spirits up for this upcoming season. There has been a lot of big plays and a lot of big hits during practices. This is going to be an exciting season with a lot of big plays.
8/15/08 – Day 11 Today was the 2nd two a day practice schedule. It seemed that waking up knowing you had two practices would make you kind of lazy. The first practice is always the toughest one because you are just waking up and your body is not warm. After the first practice was over we then started the second practice which was more of a special team and concentration practice. We must stay attentive while the special teams are practicing and also while we do team practicing. The best part of the day was the team getting our keys back to our cars. One of the first things Coach Mac does is take the keys to our cars when we get on campus for camp. The new students are coming to school this weekend so those of us that live off-campus had to pack up and move out of the dorms. I am excited to sleep in my own bed for the first time in nearly two weeks. The only bad thing is that now I have to wake up earlier than the on-campus guys because I have to drive to campus for meetings and practice. 8/16/08 - Day 12 Today, the team started the day a little later than usual. We got to sleep in because we didn’t have anything to do until 1:00pm. Today was the first inner squad scrimmage. The scrimmage started at 3:00pm and there was a little crowd in the stands to support the team. I was kind of surprised to see that many people there supporting us. We also had CIAA officials to help facilitate the scrimmage. The team was a little off tempo in the beginning, but we soon picked up the pace and had a pretty good scrimmage. 8/17/08 - Day 13 This morning, the team went to church at New Birth-Charlotte. You know, New Birth, Bishop Eddie Long of Atlanta, well they opened a Charlotte version. The church was a very live and was fun to attend. Today, pastor Terrell L. Murphy, talked about being a champion. His sermon was fit for the team and he talked about how you must go through challenges to succeed in life. After church, the freshmen football players helped move freshmen ladies move into their dorms to show the support of the football team. Later the team had a cookout...boy our coaches can really throw down. I think we were all glad not to see baked chicken or spaghetti on the menu. Since we have been at camp, the coaches obviously control what we eat and it has always been baked chicken, spaghetti, rice and gravy, etc. We all had a chance to relax and get away from football for a second...and I mean a second because another set of two-a-days is waiting for us tomorrow. 8/18/08 - Day 14 Today was another long day of two a days. It seems as though football camp is never going to end; countless meetings and practice to get better and to work closer to our goal of being CIAA Champions. I am feeling the fatigue and feeling tired more and more everyday, but I know I am getting ready for the season opener on August 30th. 8/19/08 - Day 15 This morning felt like another day of football camp. All I was going to do was go to campus and get ready for the day. To my surprise was Michael Burroughs (O-lineman) and he told me that I was on every Johnson C. Smith University billboard and I was the king of charlotte. I didn’t believe Burroughs, but he was kind of right. To my surprise I am on the billboard down in the stadium, but I am only on that one. At least I thought so. Ms. Kelly told me that there were at least 3 more in Charlotte. I haven't seen them but WOW!!!! It was a real shocker, but I want to thank everyone who played a role to make it happen. 8/20/08 – Day 16
Today was the first day that all the students came back to campus. Coach Mac gave us the morning off because the coaches had a meeting to go to, so the team was free to go and get some business done. Now that all of the students are coming back, there are more distractions and side bars for the team to get caught up in. Today’s practice was pretty much a normal practice and a normal day. Mrs. Kelly and Miss Layla are still on the side line talking trash and laughing it up. The team is getting ready for our media day also on August 23, 2008. It should be fun. Every year the PR staff has what they like to call the “World’s Largest Electric Slide” so all the players and folks get to let their hair down and have a good time. It’s always good to see little kids asking for our autograph etc. I hope everyone will come out and support our media day. 8/21/08 - Day 17
Today was the last two a day practices for the team during football camp. When I think about it, this was the last two a day practice that I will ever participate in. Thank you Jesus, it’s finally over with the two a day practices. It is kind of hard to think back on all the two a day practices I have ever had in my lifetime, but I sure am happy it’s over. It is time to wind down football camp and get into the regular season practices. This Saturday is Festi-bull. So now the team can relax and have fun with the fans. We will also have our last scrimmage on Saturday at 10:00 am.
|
