By Bill Coats
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Friday, Jul. 25 2008
MEQUON, WIS. — As the four buses carrying the Rams players and coaches from the
airport in Milwaukee turned a corner on the Concordia University campus, the
traveling party was treated to a spectacular Lake Michigan panorama.
"It really does look like an ocean," marveled rookie defensive end Chris Long,
the team's first-round draft choice. "It's pretty unbelievable.
The deep-blue waters of the Great Lake lap at its western shoreline barely a
football field's length from Coburg Hall, where the Rams are housed for
training camp. Some of the rooms feature a waterfront view.
"I like it a lot," said safety
Corey Chavous, a veteran of 11 training camps.
"It seems like this is going to be a real good place for us to have camp."
About 75 people — some fans, some university personnel, some curious
townspeople — greeted the group with a rousing ovation that continued until the
final player had filed inside. Coach Scott Linehan, the first person out of the
first bus, shook hands with university president Patrick T. Ferry.
After the team endured the rigors of last year's 3-13 beat-down, the players'
appreciation of the enthusiastic reception was noticeable. A large sign that
read "The road to Super Bowl XLIII starts here" also was in full view.
"Outstanding," Linehan said. "They made us feel welcome right from the get-go.
It's a great setting, very nice, and I know our players will enjoy working
here."
And living here. They're bunking in a brand new dorm that features extra-large
rooms, king-size beds and 37-inch flat-screen televisions in each of the
four-man pods. "Much nicer than anything at Penn State," rookie cornerback
Justin King observed.
After checking in, the players headed for the dining hall. The menu for their
first dinner:
— Louisiana-style lobster and shrimp.
— Roasted-garlic grilled New York strip steaks with wild mushroom demiglace.
— Sour-cream-and-chive mashed potatoes.
— Steamed-tender balsamic asparagus.
Plus, assorted sandwiches, a salad bar, a sushi station and a dessert table.
"Very nice meal," defensive tackle Adam Carriker reported.
Seeking a fresh environment, Linehan initiated the switch here from Rams Park,
where the team held camp the past three years. "You try to get the best of both
worlds," said Linehan, who had not seen Concordia in person until Thursday.
"You want to be away, but you also want to have the facilities. And they're
outstanding."
The charter flight from St. Louis carried all but four players: Veterans
Anthony Becht, Dante Hall and
Steven Jackson were granted permission to travel
on their own; rookie wide receiver Donnie Avery, a second-round draft pick,
didn't accompany the team because he had not come to terms on a contract.
Linehan said he expected Avery to sign and be in town today, when the real work
begins.
Meetings get under way at 9:15 a.m. — anyone not in attendance will be
considered tardy — and beginning at 4:20 p.m., practices will be conducted on
three fields. Two have FieldTurf surfaces, so only severe weather will force
the team inside.
"I've been waiting for this day since the last game" of 2007, a 48-19 spanking
at Arizona, Linehan said. "There were a lot of changes and a lot of things done
in a short amount of time (early in the offseason) — in my opinion, positive
changes for our football team."
Included was a significant overhaul of his coaching staff, plus a fairly deep
plunge into the free-agent market. Of the 80 players on the camp roster, 28 are
new to the team this year.
They didn't have to suffer the ignominy of 3-13, Chavous noted. "You can't say
you weren't embarrassed if you were associated with some of the stuff that
comes with losing," he said. "Any time you lose, you don't feel good about it.
It's the start of a new season, so it's all good."
And the scenery ... as picturesque as it might be, it's not really all that
important, second-year defensive tackle Clifton Ryan stressed.
"It's a nice view, but you've got to put that away," he said Thursday night
outside Coburg Hall. "Tomorrow, it's all business, and we've got a lot of work
ahead of us. We can't forget about the task at hand."
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