One day is done at the Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp in Saskatoon. Veteran players joined the rookies on the field at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon yesterday. Admittedly, there were some wide-eyed on the opening day.
Roughriders’ Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Jeremy O’Day says that’s natural, as he recalled his first CFL training camp on the SportsCage.
“I was going into a team coming off the Grey Cup Championship they won in '96 before I came in '97. My eyes were bright, wide open, and I did not know what to expect.
“I can remember my first one-on-one rep was against a guy by the name of Rob Waldrop, who was, I think, the runner-up for the Outstanding Lineman Trophy winner. I remember the first one, I thought I did pretty good. I held my own. And then the second rep, he just went by me so fast. I was like, okay, this is a little bit of a different level.”
The on-field portion of camp wasn’t the only memory he has.
“I remember walking through the locker room in Toronto, looking for my locker, and walking around the whole locker room. Didn't see a locker. And then I looked in the middle of the locker room, and there was a fold-up chair with some duct tape on it, with my name, 54 O’Day, on it. It was musical chairs as camp went on. Guys are disappearing around me. Then, finally, one day, I came in and got a locker. So that was a big deal for me.”
You can hear the entire conversation at SportsCage dot com.
AND that’s between the lines for Sheppard Realty in Regina. Specializing in farm and ranch real estate in Saskatchewan. Call Harry, Justin or Devan at 352-18-66. AND for Bigfoot Vodka, the world's only 2nd best vodka. Bigfoot Vodka, buy the Foot!”.
