Man Down But Not His Spirits

Yesterday the Steelers placed Tuff on the Waived/Injured List.
http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Steelers-make-roster-moves/afca0390-28fc-42b0-ae68-2c72aed52e95

What does it mean when a NFL player is waived injured?
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_it_mean_when_a_NFL_player_is_waived_injured

The Steelers will make a decision in the next few days to either put Tuff on injured reserve or make an injury settlement. So for now we are still in Pittsburgh and Tuff will be rehabbing his shoulder back to health. I will let everyone know when I know of any official decisions.

I made my second visit to camp Tuesday, this time with my friend Meaghan and her son Austin.



Each camp Tuff and I have been to has handled family time a little differently. With the Steelers, the families are allowed into the VIP area, which is basically the outer rim of the practice fields. Family also gets to park in a VIP lot and get carted to the field. After practice, family is allowed on the field to see their men. Then we get to walk up "autograph hill" and wait for our men to get out of the cold tubs and showers.

Since St Vincent is a small college it doesn't have cold tubs, so the Steelers bring in big hot tubs and fill them with buckets of ice and water. They have three big hot tubs outside, one that actually is hot and two that are ice tubs. Players usually sit in the hot tub before practice and the cold tub after.

From where we wait for our men to get done with practice we were shocked to have a view of the players in the tubs. Meaghan thought for sure they were all naked but I assured her they were wearing compression shorts.

Tuff after practice, on his way to sit in the cold tub. I didn't take a picture of all the players in the tub because I thought for sure I would get into trouble. Sorry.


After they spend time in the cold tub and shower, they meet us for dinner. Yes that's right! We get to eat dinner with them. This is a first at a training camp for me. The food is really good too. Basically anything you want.

I did not want this whole pig in the picture below but it looks like Tuff does.


Then after the meal they cart us back to drop the players off at their dorm room for their meetings. No we cannot go into the dorms.

After dropping Tuff off, Meaghan and Austin, some more family and I getting carted back to our parking lot.



Unfortunately Friday night at practice Tuff sustained a shoulder injury during a special teams drill. He will rehab this week and see how things go.

Kutsch Kutsch, me and Tuff hanging out this morning.

Training Camp 2010

Sunscreen. Check.


Pony tail holder. Check.


Warm ups. Check.


Gloves. Check.


Helmet. Check.


Drills. Check.




Autographs. Check.


Day one of Steelers Training Camp down. Twenty to go.

Eighty players arrived at Latrobe, PA Friday afternoon for the kickoff of Steelers' training camp. Its the 45th year camp is held at St. Vincent's College. The players all room together in the college's dorms. The Maggie's (Maggie Grisham and Maggie Kutchbach) and I headed to the first day public practice Saturday afternoon.

Maggie K, me, Maggie G, and Megan


I found an article from training camp 2008 that writes about what training camp at St. Vincents is like.
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2010/7/29/1595604/four-days-in-latrobe-one-fans


By the way, my mom's garage sale was successful, even with a downpour or two during the day. My nephew Soren loved the rain.


. . . and Grandpa's tractor.


Below is my niece Bo and nephew Lukas helping out at the sale.


Adding to a recap of last week, Tuff and I departed Minnesota last Sunday and stopped in Milwaukee to have a bite to eat before continuing our journey east. We felt like Mexican and Conejitos is what we got.


While inside, four cowboys walked in with their instruments and we got a live show.


After dinner, Tuff and I took the Lake Express Ferry across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee, Wisconson to Muskegon, Michigan. Tuff had to drive our car onto the ferry as you can see in the photo below.


As passengers, we were allowed to roam around the boat including hanging out on the sundeck. As the boat took off, the breeze picked up.



Even Tuff's hair blew in the breeze.


The boat took 2 1/2 hours to cross the lake and we were able to watch the sun go down.


We spent the next night in Grand Rapids with my dear friend Rachel. She just moved to Grand Rapids for her medical residency. We had dinner at a cute restaurant, Rose's, on a little lake near town.


Rachel was working the night shift so left around 10:30pm. When Tuff and I headed to bed shortly after, this is what we found; her cumbersome bloodhound Ned. He missed mom I think.



Currently I am staying at Maggie K's home (whom Tuff nicknamed Kutsch Kutsch to decipher between the two Maggies) while Tuff and I are in transition from apartments to waiting to find out if we make the team. I'll be returning to training camp on Tuesday to take more pictures and give an in person report. Until then.