Monday, June 11th 2007

On Friday we left for our first of two preseason games, both against the Toronto Argonauts. Instead of staying in our usually hotel right in the Rogers Centre, we stayed out in Burlington. Burlington is about a half hour south west of Toronto. The day before the game consisted of our usual routine: travel, 'hat day' practice, eating and sleep.

Traveling to Toronto is a nice relaxing trip. We take the VIA train and get a whole first class car to ourselves. Us O-lineman get our usual spot at the back and play cards to pass the time. Hearts is the game of choice lately, but we have played varieties of poker in the past.

Our 'hat day' practice is basically just a walk through the day before the game. It is a chance for the coaches and players to review assignments and talk of possible scenarios and situations that might occur during the course of a game. This practice was a little longer than normal due to the fact that there are so many situations that have to be covered for the rookies. Players coming from the NFL or NCAA ranks might not know all the intricacies of the CFL. Situations that include no fair catch, returning missed field goals, five yard halo on punt returns, only needing one foot in bounds, etc. The list could go on for a while. Hence the longer practice.

From there, we returned to the hotel to rest. A few hours of watching TV will make any O-lineman hungry. Off to The Keg it was. One thing I will say about The Keg, wherever you go in this country you will have a great meal. I had the usual, prime rib (medium rare), baked potato (loaded), French onion soup and Caesar salad. As I said before, it was a great meal.

A good night sleep the night before a game is a must. As in any sport, well rested and relaxed athletes perform their best. With the mid-afternoon game (2 pm kickoff), we got to sleep in a little. After breakfast, it was on the bus to the game.

The game was full of the usual preseason problems. Penalties, missed assignments and mental breakdowns. Hopefully those problems will minimize as the season goes on. We will watch the film and correct the mistakes. Losing is never easy, but the fact it was a preseason game takes a little of the sting out.

Check back later this week for a review of the rookies' skits!

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