cashman34
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As I was sitting here soaking wet and completely crushed that I would not be able to bear witness to the first "full pad" practice of the 2007 Training Camp...I was eagerly awaiting the "beat writer's" report about this afternoon's practice.
I had a feeling before I got onto the Sawgrass Expressway that the practice might be moved inside...I couldn't see 15 yards in front of me and numerous drivers had pulled off onto the side of the road. There were some very beautiful lightning bolts on display all afternoon during the drive down to the training facility.
(Saw a guy with a Jets sticker in the window of his car on the side of the road....made sure to splash his arse solidly as I drove by!)
Now I know that driving on an expressway in this type of weather is very dangerous stuff... But I fly my colors with too much pride to allow a little monsoon to keep me from the first day of "head-cracking" for my beloved Phins.
So as I sit here with absolutely no training camp info for any of the numerous "out-of-towners" that frequent this site...I began to think about the many dangerous (tongue-in-cheek) venues that I have flown my Dolphin colors in.
My most "risky" situation has already been exposed in a thread I wrote last week....I was provided NFC Playoff tickets for the Minnesota Vikings/Philadelphia Eagles Playoff game a couple of years ago and I represented the Miami Dolphins from the rooter-to-the-tooter!
(that's head to toe....for the ebonically challenged.)
For the FinHeaveners that may not have had the opportunity to experience the atmosphere that is an "Eagles" home game...it is not a place for the faint of heart....Personally, I wouldn't even bring a woman or child anywhere near that stadium as a visitor.
I didn't get the chance to watch the game in historical "Veteran's Stadium"...where most of the "dirty" reputation that brands an Eagles fan was born and developed. But I did get to visit the new stadium which was state-of-the-art and probably one of the nicest I've seen with my own eyes...It was like 23 degrees out, and considering it was around 82 degrees when I got on the plane in Ft. Lauderdale I was freezing my cojones off, literally!
(if you live in South Florida you should know what "cojones" means.)
After we parked the car and started the trek to the stadium you could hear nothing but the Eagles Fight Song, with the occasional Italian slang curseword being shouted as they were arguing about some stat or past football game highlight....The "cheesesteaks" were in the air and I was very tempted to try my luck at befriending one of them to see if I could earn a sample....
Hey, you just don't go to Philly and not try a cheesesteak, that would be Un-American now wouldn't it?
In between dodging broken glass on the ground from a couple broken Jack Daniels bottles, I had time to fit in a "Go Phins!" to a few Eagles faithfuls that heckled me as to why I was even at the game wearing a Ricky Williams jersey in the first place. It was the final year of the "Wanns-saster" regime and moral support for the team was at an all-time low in more places than South Florida. I caught hell just getting up to the stadium, but it was all in good fun...but I remember wondering if this is what to expect once inside the gates and everybodys got their mini-flasks turned to the sky....simply off their rockers by halftime!
As we were making our way through the parking lot my attention was drawn to an older lady that had to be at least 70 years of age lighting a maniquin dressed like Daunte Culpepper with full "authentic" jersey on fire!
(You know those are some crazy fans!......That was easily a $300 jersey...no way in hell I burn that!)
There were a few Viking fans walking to our left in full "Purple" gear with at least 15 Eagles fans in direct tow just absolutely pummeling them with everything from names to snow ice that had frozen up around the storm drains. It was literally the most disrespectful thing that I'd ever seen at any sporting event in my life....It wasn't too long before beers were flying over the tops of our heads like mortar shells........."incoming!"
I just remember thinking that I could possibly end up missing this game.... Because I "know" am going to a Philadelphia jail if they hit me with anything harsher than words...bottom line! But on this day the "real" negative attention wasn't on me...They were too busy heckling "anyone" in purple, which was a good thing!...I had some really sweet assed seats for the game!
Standing at the "Will Call" I remember looking at the tickets and seeing the "Row #2" on them, with the seats located directly behind the goal posts...."Sweeettt!!!"....
Not so fast my friends!....
Due to the location of these seats (By the way...thanks again Mr. Simon) it meant that I had to "parade" my Phin colors all the way down to the first two rows...Endzone seats that were better than 99.5% of the "Die Hard" Eagles fans in attendance! I was being stared at as if it was the early 60's and I walked into a Southern Mississippi "white's only" diner....sat down at the counter and asked for a big slice of pecan pie!
(I'm African American for those wondering why this would've been a problem...you just didn't do things like that unless you had a death wish....Nobody should be proud of the fact that people were that ignorant back then, but it was true!)
I am dead serious folks....you could've cut the tension and glares that I got with a butter knife...all joking aside! People would shout out," the Dolphins suck!". And I was asking them,"...now exactly where is your banner for a perfect season again?..."
Now I need to clear something up in order to avoid "any" misconceptions about my experience that day....
I DID NOT feel any "racially motivated" tension whatsoever....in any way, shape, or form....PERIOD! And I want to be very upfront and honest about that....Because it was an Eagles fan that gave me a handwarmer to help me out...I guess she could tell by the way I appeared half-frozen and shivering that this climate just was not in my mental weather rolodex!!!.....Ladies and gentlemen....IT WAS COLD!!!....The sun kept hiding behind the clouds which would lead to an automatic 7-10 degree drop in temperature....almost instantly!
They were all just waiting for me to run back towards the concession stands....It was still cold up there, but at least you could cut out some of that wind chill factor.....and at that time...any "help" was help that day!
But I toughed it out....Didn't run and ended up seeing Dante put on a "gladiator-like" performance...He didn't win the game that day, but he did win my "respect"....The defense he faced that day was lined from top to bottom with "Pro Bowlers"....a hard-nosed, hard hitting, smart defense playing in an "electric" stadium!...It was awesome!...He lead the team in ways that wouldn't show up in statbooks....This man took a beating and still kept fighting!
(Now I respect and like Dante Culpepper and he is a very gifted NFL QB....but I also feel that Trent Green is just a better fit and aligns with the future plans for the franchise right now.)
Jeez it's cold!!!......
Cold weather, the electricity of the crowd...that kind of "explosive" football enviroment is what makes the Playoffs so special....Which also is a place that I predict the Dolphins will be as a Wild Card entry this season....
Side bar.......
The "Cameron Advantage" is the advantage obtained when giving a Head Coach well known for his "offensive genious" exceptionally "explosive" weapons that can "create" pressure points (or weaknesses) on any defensive scheme or package...This can only happen when you have intelligent football players that are committed to the team and can perform under extreme pressure.
Now as to whether we've found those players or not remains to be seen.....But they have shown great character in my opinion by "all" reporting to training camp on time...These are smart men that understand the importance of giving "themselves" the best opportunity to contribute to the team.....
Anyone questioning the leadership capabilities of Cam Cameron shouldn't need to do anything more than look at this "feat" as a real sign of things to come...He got those men from different schools, ethnicities, and backgrounds to all feel that it was important "to themselves" to be present...the team is bigger than any "one" individual!
And that is how it starts folks!....
I predict that there will be a major swing in "positive" growth this upcoming season...Cameron and Mueller are quickly assembling a playoff-caliber football team right here in Davie, Fl....When all is said and done I feel that "this" draft class will mark the beginning of this great franchises return to dominance.....maybe not this year......but soon!
Back to freezing again.......
I had a blast at the football game...and by the 4th quarter I'd gained the respect of every Eagles fan in my immediate vecinity....They seemed to appreciate "The way I called things as I saw them"...They also commented on the fact that I must've had a brass set to walk into an Eagles Nest flying the AQUA and ORANGE!!!
Thats my purpose for this thread.....I want to here about the most "risky" situation that you've ever flown "our" team colors in? Whether it took place in a stadium or not....it doesn't matter. I'm just looking to find some people that like to share their experiences like me.
Go Phins!
I had a feeling before I got onto the Sawgrass Expressway that the practice might be moved inside...I couldn't see 15 yards in front of me and numerous drivers had pulled off onto the side of the road. There were some very beautiful lightning bolts on display all afternoon during the drive down to the training facility.
(Saw a guy with a Jets sticker in the window of his car on the side of the road....made sure to splash his arse solidly as I drove by!)
Now I know that driving on an expressway in this type of weather is very dangerous stuff... But I fly my colors with too much pride to allow a little monsoon to keep me from the first day of "head-cracking" for my beloved Phins.
So as I sit here with absolutely no training camp info for any of the numerous "out-of-towners" that frequent this site...I began to think about the many dangerous (tongue-in-cheek) venues that I have flown my Dolphin colors in.
My most "risky" situation has already been exposed in a thread I wrote last week....I was provided NFC Playoff tickets for the Minnesota Vikings/Philadelphia Eagles Playoff game a couple of years ago and I represented the Miami Dolphins from the rooter-to-the-tooter!
(that's head to toe....for the ebonically challenged.)
For the FinHeaveners that may not have had the opportunity to experience the atmosphere that is an "Eagles" home game...it is not a place for the faint of heart....Personally, I wouldn't even bring a woman or child anywhere near that stadium as a visitor.
I didn't get the chance to watch the game in historical "Veteran's Stadium"...where most of the "dirty" reputation that brands an Eagles fan was born and developed. But I did get to visit the new stadium which was state-of-the-art and probably one of the nicest I've seen with my own eyes...It was like 23 degrees out, and considering it was around 82 degrees when I got on the plane in Ft. Lauderdale I was freezing my cojones off, literally!
(if you live in South Florida you should know what "cojones" means.)
After we parked the car and started the trek to the stadium you could hear nothing but the Eagles Fight Song, with the occasional Italian slang curseword being shouted as they were arguing about some stat or past football game highlight....The "cheesesteaks" were in the air and I was very tempted to try my luck at befriending one of them to see if I could earn a sample....
Hey, you just don't go to Philly and not try a cheesesteak, that would be Un-American now wouldn't it?
In between dodging broken glass on the ground from a couple broken Jack Daniels bottles, I had time to fit in a "Go Phins!" to a few Eagles faithfuls that heckled me as to why I was even at the game wearing a Ricky Williams jersey in the first place. It was the final year of the "Wanns-saster" regime and moral support for the team was at an all-time low in more places than South Florida. I caught hell just getting up to the stadium, but it was all in good fun...but I remember wondering if this is what to expect once inside the gates and everybodys got their mini-flasks turned to the sky....simply off their rockers by halftime!
As we were making our way through the parking lot my attention was drawn to an older lady that had to be at least 70 years of age lighting a maniquin dressed like Daunte Culpepper with full "authentic" jersey on fire!
(You know those are some crazy fans!......That was easily a $300 jersey...no way in hell I burn that!)
There were a few Viking fans walking to our left in full "Purple" gear with at least 15 Eagles fans in direct tow just absolutely pummeling them with everything from names to snow ice that had frozen up around the storm drains. It was literally the most disrespectful thing that I'd ever seen at any sporting event in my life....It wasn't too long before beers were flying over the tops of our heads like mortar shells........."incoming!"
I just remember thinking that I could possibly end up missing this game.... Because I "know" am going to a Philadelphia jail if they hit me with anything harsher than words...bottom line! But on this day the "real" negative attention wasn't on me...They were too busy heckling "anyone" in purple, which was a good thing!...I had some really sweet assed seats for the game!
Standing at the "Will Call" I remember looking at the tickets and seeing the "Row #2" on them, with the seats located directly behind the goal posts...."Sweeettt!!!"....
Not so fast my friends!....
Due to the location of these seats (By the way...thanks again Mr. Simon) it meant that I had to "parade" my Phin colors all the way down to the first two rows...Endzone seats that were better than 99.5% of the "Die Hard" Eagles fans in attendance! I was being stared at as if it was the early 60's and I walked into a Southern Mississippi "white's only" diner....sat down at the counter and asked for a big slice of pecan pie!
(I'm African American for those wondering why this would've been a problem...you just didn't do things like that unless you had a death wish....Nobody should be proud of the fact that people were that ignorant back then, but it was true!)
I am dead serious folks....you could've cut the tension and glares that I got with a butter knife...all joking aside! People would shout out," the Dolphins suck!". And I was asking them,"...now exactly where is your banner for a perfect season again?..."
Now I need to clear something up in order to avoid "any" misconceptions about my experience that day....
I DID NOT feel any "racially motivated" tension whatsoever....in any way, shape, or form....PERIOD! And I want to be very upfront and honest about that....Because it was an Eagles fan that gave me a handwarmer to help me out...I guess she could tell by the way I appeared half-frozen and shivering that this climate just was not in my mental weather rolodex!!!.....Ladies and gentlemen....IT WAS COLD!!!....The sun kept hiding behind the clouds which would lead to an automatic 7-10 degree drop in temperature....almost instantly!
They were all just waiting for me to run back towards the concession stands....It was still cold up there, but at least you could cut out some of that wind chill factor.....and at that time...any "help" was help that day!
But I toughed it out....Didn't run and ended up seeing Dante put on a "gladiator-like" performance...He didn't win the game that day, but he did win my "respect"....The defense he faced that day was lined from top to bottom with "Pro Bowlers"....a hard-nosed, hard hitting, smart defense playing in an "electric" stadium!...It was awesome!...He lead the team in ways that wouldn't show up in statbooks....This man took a beating and still kept fighting!
(Now I respect and like Dante Culpepper and he is a very gifted NFL QB....but I also feel that Trent Green is just a better fit and aligns with the future plans for the franchise right now.)
Jeez it's cold!!!......
Cold weather, the electricity of the crowd...that kind of "explosive" football enviroment is what makes the Playoffs so special....Which also is a place that I predict the Dolphins will be as a Wild Card entry this season....
Side bar.......
The "Cameron Advantage" is the advantage obtained when giving a Head Coach well known for his "offensive genious" exceptionally "explosive" weapons that can "create" pressure points (or weaknesses) on any defensive scheme or package...This can only happen when you have intelligent football players that are committed to the team and can perform under extreme pressure.
Now as to whether we've found those players or not remains to be seen.....But they have shown great character in my opinion by "all" reporting to training camp on time...These are smart men that understand the importance of giving "themselves" the best opportunity to contribute to the team.....
Anyone questioning the leadership capabilities of Cam Cameron shouldn't need to do anything more than look at this "feat" as a real sign of things to come...He got those men from different schools, ethnicities, and backgrounds to all feel that it was important "to themselves" to be present...the team is bigger than any "one" individual!
And that is how it starts folks!....
I predict that there will be a major swing in "positive" growth this upcoming season...Cameron and Mueller are quickly assembling a playoff-caliber football team right here in Davie, Fl....When all is said and done I feel that "this" draft class will mark the beginning of this great franchises return to dominance.....maybe not this year......but soon!
Back to freezing again.......
I had a blast at the football game...and by the 4th quarter I'd gained the respect of every Eagles fan in my immediate vecinity....They seemed to appreciate "The way I called things as I saw them"...They also commented on the fact that I must've had a brass set to walk into an Eagles Nest flying the AQUA and ORANGE!!!
Thats my purpose for this thread.....I want to here about the most "risky" situation that you've ever flown "our" team colors in? Whether it took place in a stadium or not....it doesn't matter. I'm just looking to find some people that like to share their experiences like me.
Go Phins!
