Scaga
08-09-2005, 12:38 PM
BOOMER GRIGSBY
Aug 09, 2005, 12:05:27 PM
Rookie Diary - Entry 1 - Entry 2
Entry 3 – August 8, 2005
Hey everybody, I’m back with another entry from the dog days of River Falls…
Things are still progressing for me on the field. I know I’ve got a long way to go, but each day gets better. I just constantly remind myself that my first year in college I was so bad at linebacker that they almost moved me to fullback. Obviously, four years later I ended up in the right spot. I know that the NFL doesn’t wait around as long, but I kind of think it’s like my situation in college. I just need to focus on getting better, and as long as nobody gives up on me, I won’t give up on myself.
I’ve been working at middle linebacker with the second team defense. Rich Scanlon and I rotate in and out every three plays. I was working with the second nickel, dime and bandit packages also, but now they’ve moved Keyaron Fox there to try to teach him the position. They want to give him exposure at another spot to try and utilize his coverage skills.
I’m on the first string kickoff coverage and I’m in and out on the first string punt and punt return team. I’m really excited about the punt return team. I get to bump, then do that big old loop running back down the field. Then, hopefully, I’ll get to see Dante Hall coming, give him a little wave to come my way and then find the guy chasing him and send him to another planet. It’s going to be an outstanding feeling to be able to crush somebody then see Dante run into the end zone and go running after him. Doing that for the first time is probably one of the things I’m most excited about.
I’ve been getting to play kickoff coverage along side Gary Stills and he’s the best special teams player that we’ve got. He was voted to the Pro Bowl as a special teams player in 2003. I’m trying to learn as much as I can from him as fast as I can. To be able to line up right next to him gives me a little bit more juice. I respect the world of G-Stills and he’s an outstanding player, but I want to beat him to the tackle. I’m always competitive by nature and I feel like if I can beat the best to the play then it might mean I’m on the right track.
I can’t remember what day it was, but we’ve been doing one-on-one pass coverage drills. Basically the linebackers, like myself, line up across from a running back or a tight end and try to cover them as they run a pass route. We’re running around in space and the drill is completely to their advantage. They have no boundaries. It’s a good drill though because if you can cover them in space, then you can cover them anytime. I’m decently strong at that drill as long as I stay under control and don’t get too freaky.
Most of the time I’m either going against second or third-team running backs, but I remember one time that wasn’t the case. I ran out on the field and took my place, then I looked into the backfield and Priest Holmes was standing back there. So I’m looking at him thinking, “This is the ticket. This is the franchise guy. This should be interesting.” I wasn’t really nervous, but I was so ramped up to do a good job against the best running back in pro football. But as soon as the ball was snapped I gave him too much of an angle and of course he broke it out and made the catch. Whether I would have tackled him or not we’ll never know, but I’d like to think I would have. But that’s the reason that he is what he is, because he makes people miss.
That was a unique experience because you usually just go out there and never really think about who you’re going against. But then when you get into a one-on-one situation with some one who you know is great, you’re kind of looking at him and going, “Wow, welcome to the NFL.”
I’ve never been against someone in a drill where they have such a presence that you respect them initially, instead of thinking, “Heck with it, I’m going to knock their head off.” I’ll feel that way on gameday no matter who we play against, but this was the first time it happened to me in practice where I’m mano-a-mano with the best running back in the NFL.
An experience like that brings you back to earth really quickly and makes you realize you might need to focus just a little bit more that usual on this play. Otherwise, this guy is going to make your jock fall on the ground and he’s going to run the other direction. You’re going to make the highlight tape for the wrong reasons. That’s what we’re trying to avoid here. If we’re going to make a highlight tape, we want to be on it for the right reasons. I don’t it be because I’m doing a Pete Rose slide across the grass while there is a guy running by me in the other direction and the crowd is on its feet.
I want the crowd cheering because I just leveled a guy and Dante is flashing the “X” in the end zone. That’s where I want to be.
Talk to you again soon,
Boomer
Aug 09, 2005, 12:05:27 PM
Rookie Diary - Entry 1 - Entry 2
Entry 3 – August 8, 2005
Hey everybody, I’m back with another entry from the dog days of River Falls…
Things are still progressing for me on the field. I know I’ve got a long way to go, but each day gets better. I just constantly remind myself that my first year in college I was so bad at linebacker that they almost moved me to fullback. Obviously, four years later I ended up in the right spot. I know that the NFL doesn’t wait around as long, but I kind of think it’s like my situation in college. I just need to focus on getting better, and as long as nobody gives up on me, I won’t give up on myself.
I’ve been working at middle linebacker with the second team defense. Rich Scanlon and I rotate in and out every three plays. I was working with the second nickel, dime and bandit packages also, but now they’ve moved Keyaron Fox there to try to teach him the position. They want to give him exposure at another spot to try and utilize his coverage skills.
I’m on the first string kickoff coverage and I’m in and out on the first string punt and punt return team. I’m really excited about the punt return team. I get to bump, then do that big old loop running back down the field. Then, hopefully, I’ll get to see Dante Hall coming, give him a little wave to come my way and then find the guy chasing him and send him to another planet. It’s going to be an outstanding feeling to be able to crush somebody then see Dante run into the end zone and go running after him. Doing that for the first time is probably one of the things I’m most excited about.
I’ve been getting to play kickoff coverage along side Gary Stills and he’s the best special teams player that we’ve got. He was voted to the Pro Bowl as a special teams player in 2003. I’m trying to learn as much as I can from him as fast as I can. To be able to line up right next to him gives me a little bit more juice. I respect the world of G-Stills and he’s an outstanding player, but I want to beat him to the tackle. I’m always competitive by nature and I feel like if I can beat the best to the play then it might mean I’m on the right track.
I can’t remember what day it was, but we’ve been doing one-on-one pass coverage drills. Basically the linebackers, like myself, line up across from a running back or a tight end and try to cover them as they run a pass route. We’re running around in space and the drill is completely to their advantage. They have no boundaries. It’s a good drill though because if you can cover them in space, then you can cover them anytime. I’m decently strong at that drill as long as I stay under control and don’t get too freaky.
Most of the time I’m either going against second or third-team running backs, but I remember one time that wasn’t the case. I ran out on the field and took my place, then I looked into the backfield and Priest Holmes was standing back there. So I’m looking at him thinking, “This is the ticket. This is the franchise guy. This should be interesting.” I wasn’t really nervous, but I was so ramped up to do a good job against the best running back in pro football. But as soon as the ball was snapped I gave him too much of an angle and of course he broke it out and made the catch. Whether I would have tackled him or not we’ll never know, but I’d like to think I would have. But that’s the reason that he is what he is, because he makes people miss.
That was a unique experience because you usually just go out there and never really think about who you’re going against. But then when you get into a one-on-one situation with some one who you know is great, you’re kind of looking at him and going, “Wow, welcome to the NFL.”
I’ve never been against someone in a drill where they have such a presence that you respect them initially, instead of thinking, “Heck with it, I’m going to knock their head off.” I’ll feel that way on gameday no matter who we play against, but this was the first time it happened to me in practice where I’m mano-a-mano with the best running back in the NFL.
An experience like that brings you back to earth really quickly and makes you realize you might need to focus just a little bit more that usual on this play. Otherwise, this guy is going to make your jock fall on the ground and he’s going to run the other direction. You’re going to make the highlight tape for the wrong reasons. That’s what we’re trying to avoid here. If we’re going to make a highlight tape, we want to be on it for the right reasons. I don’t it be because I’m doing a Pete Rose slide across the grass while there is a guy running by me in the other direction and the crowd is on its feet.
I want the crowd cheering because I just leveled a guy and Dante is flashing the “X” in the end zone. That’s where I want to be.
Talk to you again soon,
Boomer