| | By Doug Brien
Special to ESPN.com
Editor's note: What is life in an NFL training camp like? Kicker Doug Brien takes you inside the camp of the New Orleans Saints with his daily diary for ESPN.com.
Monday, July 31
THIBODAUX, La. -- Last weekend was a tough one. We started off on the wrong foot from the very beginning. When we arrived at the airport on Friday afternoon, our charter flight on Delta was not ready. We stood on the tarmac in the blazing heat and waited. After we boarded, it appeared we were ready to leave until the captain announced weather problems would delay our flight for three hours. As you can imagine, that was not a popular announcement.
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Once the coaches realized the air conditioner could not produce enough cold air to cool off the back of the plane, they announced that we could leave for an hour to get something to eat; nearly everyone scurried off the plane and into their cars. Apparently, about fifteen minutes after we all left the pilot received clearance to leave. Obviously the plane could not leave without players, so the plane waited.
After an hour nearly all of the players were back aboard the plane. We also still had clearance to depart for New York. The only problem was that we were missing a player. And not just any player – Mr. All-Decade Tackle –
Willie Roaf. Apparently, he thought that the plane was leaving at 4 p.m. as the pilot originally announced. The team decision-makers decided to wait for Willie for a little while because an exact time to return to the plane was never announced. In other words, it was not Willie's fault for not being on the plane. Do you think the decision to wait had something to do with the fact that the missing person was Willie Roaf?
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Almost as soon as we turned to enter the runway, Willie pulled up into the parking lot. All of the guys that could see him started yelling to turn around and go back. ” |
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After waiting for over an hour, the decision-makers decided we had to leave. They found a commercial flight that could get Willie to New York that night. Everyone felt bad, but we were off. Almost as soon as we turned to enter the runway, Willie pulled up into the parking lot. All of the guys that could see him started yelling to turn around and go back. Sure enough, the plane circled back around and met the truck with the stairs back on the tarmac. Willie boarded the plane and was met by a thunderous applause.
This story reminds me of the game against the Jets. We thought we were ready to go, but it turns out some crucial elements and some important people were missing. But, that it was the preseason is for – to work out the details and get the team working as a whole. By the time the season arrives I'm sure everyone will be on board.
Material from kicking.com.
Visit Doug Brien's web site at http://www.kicking.com
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