Training Camp Kicks Off

Tuff had a great conditioning test on Thursday, posting a fast time in the 300 shuttle! He also tested on bench press max using 250 pounds for as many reps as possible in a row and did great. Everyone's prayers are greatly appreciated as training camp has now officially kicked off at Baptist Sports Park in Nashville, Tennessee. Every day will begin around 6:00 or 6:30am and end around 10:00pm. Most of the team stays in a hotel for the duration of training camp. Tuff signed on with the Titans last year with only a few days left of training camp so this will be his first full training camp with the club.

The Titans may carry 80 players on their roster at the start of training camp. NFL rules limit teams to 80 total players on active and reserve lists. Clubs must trim their active rosters twice prior to the start of the regular season. On September first, three days after the Titans’ third preseason game, the roster can have a maximum of 75 active players. On September fifth, two days after the fifth and final preseason game, the rosters must be reduced to their regular-season limit of 53 players. Players placed on reserve lists such as Injured Reserve do not count towards the 53-man active roster limit. After the final cut, an eight-player practice squad may be established as early as Sept. 6.

Game preparation will begin earlier than normal this training camp, as the Titans play a total of five preseason games for the first time since 1994. On Aug. 9, just 10 days after camp begins, they kick off in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio against the Buffalo Bills. Hopefully Tuff will see lots of preseason action!

Tuff's Day One Report:

"Good to be back in action...the food is good, the competition is high and I'm looking forward to the 2009 training camp with the Titans."

I went to practice today with my friend Cheryl to watch the action. We were asked to get interviewed for the news but shyly declined. Plus I don't think a Titan's wife needed to be talking about the first day of training camp experience. The TV crew was looking for some excited fans, not so much excited wife. However, Cheryl would have made the perfect candidate, but still declined.




This one's hard to see because we were so far away but Tuff is catching some punts. He is located in the middle of the frame below.

Month of Travel is Over

July is almost over and we're back in Nashville. However the last few weeks we continued our road trip. Tuff did some golfing at Prior Creek Golf Club just outside of Billings, Montana with some friends from the Crow Reservation, Luke and Max Spotted Bear, Cameron McCormick, and Dylan Black Eagle while I recovered from my food poisoning. We stayed in Billings for two nights with our dear college friend Richie Pemberton. Tuff and Richie golfed in Red Lodge, Montana, which is about an hour drive from Billings. Surprisingly one of Tuff's teammates from the Titans, Ken Amato (long snapper) was in the area so joined them in their round of golf. His wife Sandi is from near Red Lodge and they were home visiting.


We celebrated Tuff's cousin Donnie Lyman's and Kassia Oxford's wedding on Sunday, July 19th in St. Xavier, Montana. What seemed like a possible outdoor wedding washout due to some storm clouds rolling in, turned into a beautiful day for a wedding right before the ceremony began. Tuff had the honor of being best man so was in charge of planning a bachelor party the Friday prior to the big day.


Tuff, his little sister Toni and big brother Jay were all in the wedding party and looking good.


We left the wedding at midnight and drove as far as Miles City, Montana before stopping to catch some shut-eye. The next morning we stopped in Medora, North Dakota to play Bully Pulpit, a very scenic golf course.



We spent just two more days in Minnesota; first with my sisters Dana and Cydney in Staples, then with my brother Derek and sister-in-law Mari in Princeton. Derek dropped us off at the Minneapolis airport to fly to New York for Chris Polhemus' wedding. Chris and Tuff were football teammates at The University of Montana and also roommates. Three other teammates/roommates of Tuff's, Kevin Edwards, Brian Carlson and Tyler Thomas came to New York as well to join in on the celebration. For the bachelor party, Chris took all the guys to a Yankees game. Tuff said its something everyone should do if they are in New York. He didn't bring the camera so I'll try to get a picture from the game from someone else and post it later. We really only had one day in Manhattan to see all the sights then headed to Norwalk, Connecticut for the wedding. Below is the Empire State Building from "The Top of the Rock" located on the top of the Rockefeller Center.




Ground zero through a peep hole in the chain link fences surrounding the disaster.


Tuff discussing the drawing business with an artist in Town Square.


Tuff posing with the NYPD. He was alone walking around and I'm not sure how he managed to get all these officers to pose with him.


The crew walking through Central Park. Tuff is on the far left.


The crew at "The Top of the Rock" with the Empire State Building in background.


Chris and Tsveta Polhemus just married!


The wedding party got to ride around to take pictures after the ceremony in a sweet limo. Tuff and Kevin are looking very dapper.


Our friend Krista and fiance Brad picked us up from the airport in Minneapolis Sunday night and we spent all day Monday hanging out. It was a great time to catch up with the two of them. Yesterday we were on the road agian and drove back down to Nashville (about 14 hours). Nice to be back to Nashville, but we were welcomed by several spiders and dead bugs. What is up with the critters?

Tuff has a conditioning test this Thursday and training camp 2009 kicks off on Friday. I'll keep you posted on his progress at camp.

A Month of Travel

After Tuff's last practice with the Titan's before summer break, we spent a few days in Nashville then headed north to Minnesota and west to Montana. One of those days in Nashville we went to our friends the Truelove's house for a deck party. Every other Monday we attend a young couples bible study and the deck party was a young couples get together. A few of the members of our group take hoola hooping classes and were trying to teach Tuff a few moves as you can see in the picture below.


Pictured below are just some of the girls from our young couples deck party.


And of course, before we headed north on Wednesday, Tuff had to get a lot of golf in. We played Saturday with a few of my fellow caddies, Monday with some friends from church (pictured below), and Tuesday with another friend.


We were in Minnesota by Thursday evening and just in time for more golf. My dad set up several tee times in the Brainerd lakes area; Friday 18 holes at the Legacy, Saturday 18 at the Vintage, Sunday 18 at the Classic, Monday 36 at Rutger's, Tuesday and Wednesday another 18 at the Vintage, rounded off with 18 at St. Cloud Country Club on Thursday. Below is a picture after our round at the Classic with Tuff, myself, my dad and friend Jerry.

Somehow between all the golf we managed eating meals with good friends, visiting with family, and a neighborhood party filled with food and fireworks. Tuff and our sister-in-law Mari had a biggest bubble contest with only one piece of gum. Mari has is down to an art and was nice enough to teach Tuff the ways.



Pictured below is my nephew Soren (Derek and Mari's) looking so cute.


My sister Heather, brother-in-law Duff and nephew Finn watched the fireworks blast off.


After all that action in Minnesota we left for the mountains of Wyoming. On the way we stopped in Rapid City and quickly saw Mount Rushmore.


The journey to the Big Horn mountains from Mount Rushmore took about three hours. The Harris family has made this camping trip a family reunion in a sense. This year was the biggest turn out. It is always good to be with family.



Below is a picture of Grandma Merle Jean (Tuff's Dad's mom) making traditional fry bread for some Indian Tacos.


Tuff continues to train even in the mountains to stay in shape for training camp starting July 30th. In the picture below he is just finishing his sprints and is running back to camp.


Sunday afternoon we packed up camp and drove down the mountain to Buffalo, Wyoming to have lunch at a park and swim. Unfortunatley for me I ate some food that went bad and spent Sunday night in the emergency room from food poisoning. Now three days later I'm feeling much better but still very week and dizzy. Tuff was the best nurse anyone could ask for. The picture below is of the lunch in the park. "Don't eat the lunch Mary!" Tuff's brother Jay also felt the effects of camp food but luckily the rest of the family was ok.


The trip also included Grandpa Dave passing away. He was Grandma Goodie's husband. They passed away within a month of each other and are both with the Lord.