CSC Virtual Training Camp: An Introduction

On Thursday, the New Orleans Saints opened their 2014 training camp with physicals, conditioning drills, and a lot of chuckles about pink flowered wallpaper. This was followed by the first day of actual practices on Friday.

With all that activity going on in West Virginia to get the team "game ready," I have decided to host a virtual training camp here to help the members of Canal Street Chronicles get back into game shape, too. Our rookies, veterans, and coaches also need some time together to gel and bond and practice so that we will be as ready to "do our jobs" here as our valiant Saints will on the playing field for us each Sunday.

I have put together a series of posts to get us there. They will be our version of two-a-days (but not on consecutive days, mind you, or the NFLPA might get after us for violating the CBA), position group meetings, weightlifting, etc. Once you've completed them, after all the rising and grinding, getting dis work in and whatnot, your muscle memory will kick in so well that you won't even have to think about your assignment on each play, and you'll be in peak condition for the 2014 regular season.

Each of the posts will focus on a different segment of the regular season coverage that your CSC writing staff will be bringing you week in and week out. You'll learn about the content of the various stories and posts, find links to previous seasons' examples of them, discover when they will generally publish, and then get to actually practice the types of comments you'll eventually be making in those comment threads during real live action in the fall.

Week One of CSC Virtual Training Camp will spotlight the Game Preview posts that occur in the days leading up to the games themselves.

Week Two covers the Gameday posts that will come at you fast and furiously before, during, and after the Saints play on Sundays.

Week Three will illuminate for you the Game Review and Analysis posts that come in the days following Saints games.

Week Four is going to be an independent study period in which you are encouraged to review what you've learned in the previous posts at your own pace while mainly resting your weary body.

I am truly honored and excited to be embarking on this journey with you, team! IT ALL STARTS HERE - IF WE'RE NOT GETTING BETTER, WE'RE GETTING WORSE - SMELL GREATNESS - FINISH STRONG - and I just want remind everyone to get plenty of sleep, hydrate often, and don't haze the rookies too much!

Stay tuned for Week One of CSC Virtual Training Camp - it's coming soon!!

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As a warm-up exercise, please drop your favorite team saying/motto/cliche' in the comment section, and tell us how excited you are that real football's almost here!