Welcome to The Show, Rookie
Well, new Head Coach Jim Zorn's first mini-camp went without a hitch... except if you consider one of your brand new rookies over-sleeping a hitch. Taking off from where CaptChaosSidekick begins with his so very minimalist "not a good sign," we dive right into the article:
"Everybody was scouring," coach Jim Zorn said after the practice. "Nobody heard from him, so there was one of two scenarios: either there was some real trouble and we needed to find him, or he screwed up. I haven’t even got to talk to him yet. I know he has been found. I believe it is more in the ‘I screwed up’ category."
That's one way to make a first impression on your new employer. To his credit, Zorn played it off as no big thing... but you have to think that Davis is going to get a firm talking to at the very least. Oh, and its a good thing that it happened in mini-camp... because, uh, I'm sure the veterans on the team will let it go and forget it by training camp. Or, at least by the preseason. Or, at the very latest, never. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Davis has 50 some odd alarm clocks in his locker at this very moment.
The most interesting (if subtle) part of the article is also from Zorn:
"He just had a setback," the coach said. "Hopefully everybody will learn from the lesson that he is having to learn right now about what it is going to take to get to a place on time, to be responsible."
Now, you could very well read over that as just a slip of the tongue. But I think that was a very deliberate, and very clever, way of warning the whole team that things of this nature won't be tolerated. Young people make silly errors in judgement (like driving drunk into New Mexico with an ex-stripper to pick up what might or might not be her child whom she might or might not have joint custody of and bringing said child back across state lines) and young football players also make the same types of errors in judgement. That's why they're called rookie mistakes. You just hate to see your one freebee burned before the summer. Or before signing a contract even.
In any case, that was the big news of the training camp. That and the Clinton Portis - LaRon Landry footrace. Read more over at Redskins Insider. The winner? Depends on who you ask. Smoot claims Landry... but he's such a DB homer, he can't be trusted. Rock Cartwright called it a very diplomatic tie. (What is this, a montessori pre-school?) The article takes Landry's side. But Zorn was already talking rematch:
They'll race again. I bet it's not over.
By the way, who you got in a 40 yard sprint? Portis is sneeky fast... but Landry's just straight up fast. Oh, and that was right after Zorn denied Portis's request that it count as an OTA. Not on Zorn's watch.
That's it for now. Hit up the comments.
The Sporting Blog, Morning Constitutional: Buzz's Favorite Song
0 recs |
3 comments
Comments
The message within the message
From Zorn
If it is [oversleeping], he’s got to be mortified,” Zorn said. “But that’s a young guy, let’s set the alarm. You can call for a wake-up call, whatever. And some of these guys are young enough, I’m serious, to not even understand that. He thought maybe somebody else was going to wake him up, I don’t know. But he’ll learn, he’ll learn real quick.”
First off I like the response to the media about this. He put it out there and let it be known that this will not be tolerated instead of the company line “we will handle this internally” without saying anything else. (I understand the punishment part will be behind closed doors)
As for Davis, this is a little troubling. I mean you’re in the freakin NFL now. Set an alarm and have a wake up call to failsafe it. That being said he’s still a young man not used too much responsibility. I think we all made a dumbass move or two at that age so I don’t think we should hold his feet to the fire just yet. Remember Sean Taylor skipped part of the rookie symposium and we reeled him in. This incident might help him focus because I see massive ballbusting in his future, and the vets aren’t going to let him forget it.
by CptChaosSidekick on May 5, 2008 8:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
So many reasons this is inexcusable
but I’ll start with two. One: You’re a rookie playing for a rookie head coach. The veterans on the team aren’t all that familiar with the playbook, how practices will be run, etc. You don’t have any idea. You have all the more reason to be there on day one.
Two: You were drafted to a position where you start low on the depth chart. If Davis wants playing time, he has to prove he deserves every snap. Sleeping in proves you don’t deserve snaps.
by Skin Patrol on May 5, 2008 2:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Redskins one of five things learned from first minicamps
Per the Professor
5. No ZZZs with ZornNew Redskins coach Jim Zorn had the most entertaining minicamp. Jason Campbell seems to be responding to Zorn’s unique coaching methods. Clinton Portis, in his best shape as a Redskin, almost beat safety LeRon Landry in a match race. Landry ran a 4.35 40 coming out of college, but Portis wanted to challenge him. Then there was second-round pick Fred Davis. He couldn’t sleep Saturday night because his roommate wouldn’t shut up. So he went to the desk of the hotel and asked for a different room. He slept until 11 a.m., and the team couldn’t find him because he wasn’t in the right room. Zorn wants his players alert—but Fred, tell the roommate to shut up and don’t forget the wakeup call.
So far I like the way Zorn is running camp. Letting the players be themselves while also letting them know who’s in charge.
by CptChaosSidekick on May 5, 2008 2:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs





















