Training Camp Daily notes

[lazarus]

Thursday, July 28, 2005 Afternoon
K.C. Chiefs Training Camp Daily Updates

The Chiefs opened practice today under cloudy skies. The temperature was 77 degrees with a dew point of 60 degrees. The wind was blowing from the southwest at 6.2 miles per hour. The clouds looked ominous throughout most of the practice, but luckily there was only a light sprinkle within the first hour. About 315 fans, young and old alike, lined the practice fields to watch the Chiefs in their first practice of the pre-season.

Offense

In 7-on-7 drills Pro-Bowl quarterback Trent Green went seven for nine. Running back Priest Holmes caught two, wide receiver Eddie Kennison caught 2, and wide receiver Richard Smith, Samie Parker , and Tony Richardson each caught one. Richardson also dropped one pass. Kawika Mitchel had a diving interception and the crowd and media oohed and aahed. When asked if Mitchell's season will be a break out, Coach thingy Vermeil replied he "sees that all the way."

Quarterback Todd Collins was four for five in 7-on-7. Running back Dee Brown caught one, tight ends Tony Gonzalez and Kris Wilson both caught one, and wide receiver John Booth snagged a pass. Dante Hall dropped one pass from Collins.

Quarterback Damon Huard went three for four in 7-on-7 drills. Jeris McIntyre caught one and dropped one. Running back Ronnie Cruz pulled in two.

In 11-on-11 drills, quarterback Trent Green was five for eight. Running back Priest Holmes caught two and dropped one. Holmes proceeded to drop to the ground for ten push-ups. Running back Larry Johnson caught one and received a shovel pass. Wide receiver Samie Parker had a reverse. Tight end Tony Gonzalez and wide receiver Dante Hall both caught one. Starting cornerback Dexter McCleon had an interception.

Quarterback Todd Collins was three for five in 11-on-11 drills. Wide receiver John Booth caught two. Running back McKenzi Smith caught one.

Quarterback Damon Huard went four for five in 11-on-11 drills. Running back Samkon Gado caught one and, wide receivers Dante Hall and John Booth both caught one.

During the special team drills, tight end Tony Gonzalez spent his time catching passes on the otherpractice fields. Quarterbacks were also working on their foot work at this time, and wide receiver Freddie Mitchell was seen running.

During 7-on-9 drills running back Larry Johnson had some impressive breakthroughs through the line. Running back Dee Brown also had some great reps and had the crowd cheering for him, "Way to go."

Tight end Jason Dunn talked of team spirit after today's practice. Asked if his role with the team has changed this year, he responded with, "I'm a team player. I do whatever they need me to do. Even if they want me to go ahead and kick the ball, I'll do it." He mentioned he wants to do his part and contribute in any way possible to help win games.

Guard Will Shields was taking it real slow today in practice, due to his back bothering him. Coach Vermeil said that during training camp, coaches are "going to be patient with his preparation."

Coach thingy Vermeil seemed impressed with Priest Holmes today during nine-on-seven drills. He was heard yelling from the sidelines, "That a way Priest," as Holmes used his speed and fast footwork to break through the middle.

Players catching balls off the jugs following practice included running back Dee Brown and wideouts John Booth , Darrell Hill , and Jeris McIntyre.

Defense

Linebackers Mike Maslowski and Scott Fujita did not practice today. Fujita is overcoming right ankle surgery and Maslowski left knee surgery. During half-speed drills they both acted as running backs and quarterbacks to help the defense react to the runner. Both players also stayed after practice to get a quick workout in, running drills. Coach Vermeil said that they are not playing because they didn't pass their physicals yet. Both players will be working them out independently with their trainers.

Shawn Barber did not practice today but did an independent workout, still rebounding from his left knee ACL surgery.

Free agent DeWayne Washington , who the Chiefs signed to a one-year contract, practiced today. Washington, who played with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season was a former first round draft pick in 1994 with the Minnesota Vikings and has played in over 175 career games.

Cornerback Eric Warfield worked the field rotating around with the second string defensive line. Normally Warfield does not play special teams, but due to his suspension, other players are filling his spot to get a feel because he will not be in for the first four games. Coach Vermeil said "usually players don't lose their starting position due to injury or suspension. Because he is gone, it gives somebody a heck of an advantage to get all of the work in. Eric has to be very disciplined on working by himself, and really work the drills and take advantage of each rep."

Dexter McCleon is going to be the starting corner this year. Coach Vermeil expressed tremendous confidence in him, and that he is physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared to have a great training camp and season. During 11-on-11 drills McCleon had one interception off quarterback Trent Green.

Linebacker Kris Griffin had a huge play today during 11-on-11 drills. Griffin tossed running back McKenzi Smith to the ground during a rush by flipping him over by the top of his shoulder pads, which drew a big response from the fans and media.

Special Teams

Punter Dustin Colquitt looked consistent today with punts at 35,48,45,50 and 40 yards respectively. Punt returner Dante Hall dropped the last, and longest punt of the day, at 65 yards as he backpedaled sideways, and the crowd gave a big sigh in disbelief from the rail.

Fans

Pete Brettingen , 13, comes to Summer Training Camp from Waconia, Minn., because he loves football! Brettingen's favorite Chiefs players are Priest Holmes, Trent Green and Tony Gonzales. He also goes to the Green Bay Packers camp each year across the state in DePere, but enjoys the Chiefs camp since he "can get closer to the players."

The Sefrit family, residents of Iowa, attended their first Summer Training Camp this year. Frank, Diane, Jarek, Kolten, Quentin, Brennan and Macie are staying in town until Saturday. Some of their favorite Chiefs players include Priest Holmes, Trent Green, Derrick Johnson and Dante Hall. Diane strongly believes that the Chiefs "are going to win the Super Bowl this year!"

Twins Brett and Tony Bellesbach, from the Milwaukee area, were excited to be at their first Chiefs Summer Training Camp. The 14-year olds were showing off their "Trent Green" arms on the grass during practice. Coincidently, both have the same favorite player: Priest Holmes .

Ashley and Austin Ramsey, 12 and 10, were riding their bikes around Ramer Field. From Kansas City, the Ramsey family ventured north for a couple of days to experience Wisconsin Dells and then to Chiefs camp. While Ashley's favorite player is Dante Hall, Austin is partial to Priest Holmes.

Mike and Marty Bisacca have "always wanted to come up to see the Chiefs during camp." Residents of Kansas City, the couple was extremely excited that their vacations were scheduled for the same week of camp. The couple is staying in nearby Hudson until Saturday.

Gary Miller of Sheboygan, Wis., is what one might call an NFL training camp aficionado. He has been traveling around to different camps for the last 20 years and has been to Chiefs camps since 1992. When asked how the Chiefs' camp compares to other camps he has been to, Miller replied, "this is the best camp from the standpoint of getting to see the players and getting up close." His favorite part of camp is seeing how everything is done, and getting away. Miller usually stays at camp for one or two days.

A lot of families made their way to camp this evening, including Mike Burghart of Topeka, Kan., his wife Jafawn, and their children Loren, 15, Justin, 11, and Jordan, 8. After hearing what a great time Mike had at camp last year, Mike's brother, Scott Kelly, and his children Ethan, 7, and Adysen, 2, decided to also take their summer vacation in River Falls to watch the Chiefs practice. They will be in town for a few days before heading to Minnesota. And then hopefully back again in time for the Punt, Pass and Kick competition on Saturday.

"I want to see Patrick Surtain if he's here," was the reply of Taylor Boykin, 15, when asked who he was most excited to see here at the Chiefs training camp. This is the first year that Boykin, a resident of Kansas City, has been to camp. He's hoping the get a few things signed before he goes home on Saturday.

Extra, Extra....Read all about it!

Coach Vermeil was extremely enthusiastic about the new Knowles locker rooms and training facilities, saying that it was great for the attitudes of players. "It shows that the school and the state of Wisconsin respect the Kansas City Chiefs. They treat them like a pro football team and give them facilities equivalent to a pro football team." When asked if Arrowhead Stadium will ever be renovated, he said, "It will happen; it will have to happen."

After practice today, wide receiver Eddie Kennison worked on resistance training and practiced balance with a back up trainer. After that, he then performed a "superman" ab workout.

After practice, widereceiver Dante Hall played catch with backup quarterback Todd Collins.

Following practice WR Eddie Kennison performed a variety of core exercises with a trainer on the sidelines. Some of the movements included sit-ups and 'supermen'.

An estimated 24 media personnel were scattered on the sidelines attempting to capture a glimpse of what the 2005 team has to offer.

Priest Holmes and Freddie Mitchell went to the sidelines after practice to take pictures with fans and to sign autographs.

Rookie linebacker Boomer Grigsby was pulled over after his first practice for a few questions. "Exciting! It was crazy. You dream of it as a little boy and to finally be out here with the big dogs, it's so inspiring. I had to get over the shock and awe of it, and I respect everyone one of them. And now it's time to go get them."

Grigsby added, "I'm going to assume the role they give me. I'm here to play special teams. I want to try and knock people around in special teams, and I'm going to try and compete at linebacker. If that's the way the path leads me this year, then that's the way it leads me. I'm going to do what I'm told and try to be the best I can be. I'm here to compete."

When asked how he liked River Falls, he responded: "I like River Falls. I'm from the Midwest. Kansas City, Canton, Ill., River Falls, Wis., they all fall in the same middle of the country."

After practice a few of the team staff decided to let loose a bit. Billy Long, assistant strength and conditioning coach, and Lamonte Winston, director of player development, had a series of races across Ramer practice field one. Also joining the group was Dirk Taitt, who works with NFL Security. They finally called it quits about a half an hour later.

[lazarus]

Friday, July 29, 2005 Morning
K.C. Chiefs Training Camp Daily Updates

The sun was shining this morning as the Chiefs took the field. The temperature was 67 degrees with a dew point of 52 degrees. The wind was from the east at 2.6 miles per hour. About 275 fans attended practice under the clear blue skies.

Offense

In an 11-player offensive drill, the Chiefs emphasized a series of catching drills for the tight ends. Quarterback Trent Green completed two passes to Kris Wilson. Quarterback Todd Collins completed two passes to Jason Dunn and one to Kris Wilson. Tight ends Willie Walden and Edwin Thompson each caught a pass from quarterback Damon Huard.

In 1-on-1 blocking drills against the offensive and defensive lines, linebacker Lional Dalton landed on the ground due to a block from offensive guard Aaron Johnson. Afterwards, Dalton was joking around that he slipped on the grass.

Also in 1-on-1 blocking drills, a scuffle occurred between offensive tackle Will Svitek and defensive end Jared Allen. It lasted only 30 seconds, and coaches and players separated the two men.

In 11-on-11 drills running and passing drills were completed. Quarterback Trent Green was 7-9 this morning. Larry Johnson had two handoffs and caught one pass. Wide reveiver Dante Hall caught one pass for 30 yards. Wide receiver Samie Parker caught two—one of 25 yards and one of 10 yards. Running back Dee Brown received one hand-off.

Quarterback Todd Collins was 5-5 in 11-on-11 drills. Tight end Kris Wilson caught a pass for 15 yards, running back Dee Brown received a hand-off for a 6-yard run, wide receiver Marc Boerigter caught one for 5 yards, McKenzi Smith caught one for 5 yards, and wide receiver Freddie Mitchell caught one for 25 yards.

Quarterback Damon Huard went 1-4 today in 11-on-11. Samkon Gado caught one for 3 yards.

Running was emphasized in an 11-on-11 drill this morning. Running backs Larry Johnson, Dee Brown, Samkon Gado, and Tony Richardson all saw snaps during the drills.

When asked about tight end Kris Wilson's performance this morning, Vermeil said, "A little tired today and dragging a little bit, he caught some balls. His strength is he's a gifted athlete, [but he was] a little tired today because Tony Gonzalez wasn't there—that was one less tight end. He was the best receiver of the group, so he gets more reps and he wears out quicker. He's a real good package, and we're glad to have him."

Tight ends Willie Walden and Edwin Thompson spent a little extra time after practice on footwork and medicine ball drills.

Offensive lineman Thomas Barnett was getting a few pointers from fellow lineman Kevin Sampson after practice about blocking techniques and how to get leverage when coming off the line.

Tight ends coach Jason Verduzco shared some words with rookie Edwin Thompson this morning. Thompson was lagging on timing during some one-on-one drills, and Verduzco was heard asking Thompson if he was OK or if he wanted to get some coffee. Thompson responded: "I'm alright coach; I'm alright."

Offensive coach Al Saunders on his thoughts about the offense: "The people we play against—I think we should be very productive—there's no reason we shouldn't be as productive as we were last year, and we're looking forward to getting better in a lot of areas. We need to define our right tackle, who's going to be our starting receiver opposite (Eddie) Kennison. Everybody else is coming back, so we have some back-up positions we're concerned about in relation to who it will be, not if the talent is there. We expect to be as productive as we've ever been."

Defense

Linebacker Scott Fujita was practicing today, after taking it slow yesterday and doing independent workouts and drills. Fujita, who is coming off ankle surgery, appeared to be playing at full strength. Linebacker coach Fred Pagac told Fujita during warm-ups that he was doing a good job. During 7-on-7 drills he proved that he was healthy by making a striking hit against a running back who fumbled.

Linebacker Mike Maslowski, who also worked out independently yesterday and helped the defensive line in drills, did not practice today. He was on the field for early morning warm-ups, left the field to the locker rooms, and did not return for the rest of morning practice. After practice, Vermeil said that Maslowski did not look 100 percent and will be waiting a bit longer to practice.

Defensive end Carlos Hall took a few extra minutes to regain composure after a hit during drills shook him up. He stepped to the side, took his helmet off and sat out for the rest of the drills. When the defense met up a few minutes later, he was back on the field at full strength.

New cornerback Patrick Surtain made his presence known with a huge play during 7-on-7 drills. No. 23 made a big pick off of quarterback Trent Green and ran into the sidelines, with his helmet falling off. The crowd was amazed at how easy he made it look, and fans seem quite pleased that the Chiefs were able to obtain Surtain.

Another new Chief, Kendrell Bell, showed off his Pro Bowl skills this morning. During 7-on-7 drills, Bell hit tight end Jason Dunn, which caused Dunn to bobble the ball and eventually drop it. The fans and sidelines all were in awe of this big play, and you could hear a buzz around the bleachers even minutes after it was completed.

Second-year defensive end and last year's standout Jared Allen has quite a few expectations for this year's defense: "Last year we should have been a lot better." Allen hopes that the defense does a 180. He said that it was unacceptable for the defense to play the way that they did last year, having the No. 1 offense in which they had been putting up the numbers, and the defense being unable to stop the opponents. This year they are focusing on a more physical approach and being more "in-your-face." Allen came to camp physically prepared by dropping a bit of body fat and adding muscle. He said that the best thing about camp this year is that he now has a season under his belt and knows people at camp, rather than showing up and not knowing anyone. This year, he can enjoy himself, relax a bit more and just work on getting better. His goals for camp are improve his footwork and to be more consistent.

During 11-on-11 drills, rookie Justin Perkins batted down a pass intended for wide receiver Nathaniel Curry. Cornerback Benny Sapp crashed into wide receiver Jeris McIntyre, causing an incomplete pass. Defensive end Jared Allen burst around the left end and stopped running back Larry Johnson in his tracks.

All the defensive backs huddled and put their hands in after practice, breaking on "DB." Following the huddle, each took reps off the JUGS machine. First in line were Eric Warfield and Dexter McCleon leading the unit as the veterans.

Special Teams

Special teams coach Frank Gansz, Jr. got a little feisty with some players during special teams drills this morning. He seemed frustrated and was yelling as some were not redirecting their man laterally, and others were not covering their zone properly.

Fans

Mike Norman (not the River Falls author and retired UW-RF prof) and his daughter Kayla, 17, share a special bond--the Kansas City Chiefs. Together they made the trek from Kansas City, Mo., to River Falls to see the team practice. They also watch the games together during the season and catch a game live when they have the chance. This is the third year in a row that the Normans have come to camp. Mike says he will be keeping a close eye on the defense until he and Kayla make their way home tomorrow.

It looks as though people outside of the River Falls community have come to appreciate the easygoing ways of this small town. Vince Vaughan (not the movie star who got his start in "Swingers") of Kansas City, Mo., is one of those people. He came to camp with his girlfriend and some friends. "It's so relaxing," Vaughan said. "You just sit here and watch the Chiefs play. It's a great atmosphere. The whole town, the whole experience. And we have a lot of fun with each other, too."

Members from the Bridge for Hudson Youth came out to watch the Chiefs this morning. Peg Gagnon, executive director of the new organization in Hudson, Wis., was delighted to bring the kids out for a day of practice: "This is a great opportunity and experience for the group." The kids and their group leaders stood out amongst other fans with their bright yellow tie-dye shirts and were all smiles when receiving autographs from the offensive line this morning.

For nine years Betty Jones and her husband Deni have been driving their RV to River Falls to watch the Chiefs practice. Deni likes football, but Betty is a real fanatic. "She has only missed five home games since the franchise began," Deni said. "She actually schedules surgeries during bi-weeks and away games so she doesn't miss any. She is the No.1 Chiefs fan."

According to Dakota Knoll, age 12, the Chiefs "are the best team ever!" Knoll and two friends, Alex Klatt, 13, and Jacob Klatt, 6, were excited to watch the practice and get autographs. The trio is from Ellsworth, Wis.. and enjoy having the chance to see Trent Green and Priest Holmes in action.

The Beckemeyer family is at Summer Training Camp for the second time. Jeff, Michelle, Jacob and B are from Napoleon, Mo., 35 miles east of Kansas City. When asked what the family thought of the Chiefs, Jacob replied, "They are always good in training camp." Michelle added, "We always hope for a great season and really enjoy coming up here." The Beckemeyers are staying in town for four days.

Jim Bartley and his son, Sam, have been attending Summer Training Camp for five years. Their favorite part of camp is watching the Chiefs play, and Jim is optimistic about the 2005 season: "If we tighten up our defense, we can take No. 1 in our division this year." Both are from White Bear Lake, Minn.

Kent and Kelly Taylor, residents of Kansas City, Mo., have high expectations for the Chiefs this season. Kent observed: "They did a lot in the off-season to improve." Both believe that the team should win the division and has a good possibility of a Super Bowl appearance. Kent's favorite Chiefs player is Priest Holmes, but Kelly enjoys watching Tony Gonzalez. Kelly thinks that River Falls provides "beautiful facilities and great weather for practice."

Mahlon Earl of Kirksville, Mo., has made a few friends at Summer Training Camp this year. At a local B&B he shared blueberry pancakes with eight-year-old John Cody and watched practice with him during the morning. Along with Earl and Cody were dogs Charlie and Jack. Earl said that Jack has been a Chiefs fan for 12 years now. When asked about his predictions for the upcoming season, Earl said, "The team will for sure win the division and go deep in the playoffs." He also added, "River Falls is a beautiful place to hold camp, and I hope that they continue to hold it here."

Extra, Extra…Read All About It!

In an upcoming Disney Production, as yet untitled, thingy Vermeil will be involved in the production because he coached Vince Papele of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976. "Vince Papele was the oldest rookie to ever make a NFL football team; he never played college football," said Vermeil. "He went to St. Joe's and was a track man—he tried out in 1976, and he made it. He sort of became an image of our football team's early years. We didn't have a first-, second-, or third-round pick, and they were making the y movie [so] everyone sort of identified with him. [He was a] … great kid with a lot of enthusiasm and did a great job on special teams; that's how he made the football team." When asked if the story is true, Vermeil said, "It's not a documentary— it's a story and the basic story is true."

When the kickers practiced field goals this morning, all the kids raced to catch the balls. There were about 20 youngsters competing for a touch on a ball. One ball put out by Dustin Colquitt even hit one fan in the bleachers and mangled her cell phone!

Quarterback Trent Green spent some time after practice doing extra reps with wide receivers Jeris McIntyre and Nathaniel Curry.

Chiefs linebacker, Wisconsin native and former UW-La Crosse football player Mike Maslowski did some short workouts and sprints following this morning's practice. He is coming off of serious knee surgery last September.

[lazarus]

Saturday, July 30, 2005 Morning
K.C. Chiefs Training Camp Daily Updates

The sun was shining through partly cloud skies this morning as the Chiefs began practices. The temperature was 67 degrees and the dew point was 62 degrees. The wind was blowing in from the southwest at 3.9 miles per hour. More than 430 fans showed up to watch the team practice and take advantage of the new autograph policy as the defense line participated.

Offense


During some offensive passing drills this morning quarter back Todd Collins had a lot of snaps. Tight end Kris Wilson had a very impressive catch in the end zone. After the catch, Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders offered words of encouragement, "High finish, that-a-baby. Good spot to be."

In this mornings practice there was a red zone 7-on-7 drill. Quarterback Todd Collins was five for seven. Tight end Kris Wilson caught two and received praise for both of his catches from, team mates, who sang "da, da, da, da, da, hey!" Wide receiver Kris Horn caught one at about 10 yards. Running back Tony Richardson caught one, and wide receiver Craphonso Thorpe caught one for 10 yards in his first training camp as a Chief.

Quarterback Damon Huard was five-for-six today in 7-on-7's. Running back Samkon Gado caught one, wide receiver Craphonso Thorpe caught one, and running back Larry Johnson pulled one in. Once again tight end Kris Wilson was praised for an excellent catch in the end zone, and heard the "Hey" song one more time.

In one series of 11-on-11's wide receiver Thorpe made a leaping catch for 12 yards from quarterback Damon Huard.

In the second series of 11-on-11's quarterback Todd Collins had a perfectly placed 25-yard pass in the end zone to tight end Kris Wilson, who was in full stride and covered like a blanket . While walking back to the huddle Collins received a knuckles-touch salute from fellow quarterback Trent Green.

During a 9-on-7 drill, Huard handed off to running back Dee Brown, who had a great run veering in and out, also stopped in his tracks to duck under a tackle as he made his way down field.

After practice the third string stayed to continue working on different running and passing drills. There were nine plays that took about 10 minutes. During the extra time, running back Samkon Gado and wideouts John Booth and Craphonso Thorpe all saw snaps. All of the coaches stayed on the field to observe the third string.

Thorpe was stopped on the field after the practice by a dozen reporters for a few questions. "I missed a few days. I was at home running and working out, you know." When asked if his teammates resented his holdout, Thorpe said, "No. I mean it's a business you have to do what you have to do."

He added that he didn't feel he was behind. "No, we had a lot of mini camps. It's a matter of getting back in here and getting the hang of things."

He also said he did not plan to stay to stay out. "It wasn't my game plan at all. We had to do what we had to do, to get what we needed to get."

When asked how if felt to be back at camp, Thorpe said he was getting antsy to be around "my teammates, my brothers," and "It feels great to be back around the guys and back into camp."

Asked what kind of impact he would have, Thorpe replied, "I think I can go in and do what I do best: run by people, get open, catch the ball, and hopefully score a lot of touchdowns."


Priest Holmes did not practice today. Coach Vermeil said that he wanted to keep him at one-a-days in pads.

During his press conference, Coach Vermeil talked about his offensive line, and how it is much older than many of the NFL's other teams. "We're not one of the older offensive teams, but we're the vintage team. It happens to be a very good vintage team." He went on to state that some of the best NFL teams, especially the offensive lines, are those that are the most mature and experienced players, which "allows you to execute pretty darn good!"

Coach Irv Eatman was heard telling his players to be verbal during man-to-man coverage. "Say something. Anything that comes out of your mouth is o.k." Much like the sport of Karate, Eatman wanted his offensive line unit to use their entire being, including their voice, for power.

Tight ends Tony Gonzalez, Jason Dunn, Kris Wilson and linebacker Shawn Barber circled together after practice for a little extra stretching.

Jeris McIntyre, Dewayne Washington, Darrell Hill, Nathaniel Curry, Craphonso Thorpe and John Booth were seen taking reps of the JUGS machine this morning, catching balls hurled from the automatic throwing machines.

In a post practice press conference Trent Green talked about Larry Johnson's role on the offense. After having success last season he hopes that this year Johnson's role is the same and even more. "It's a situation where it's clear that Priest is going to be the starter, but he has battled injuries for the last two years. So how long he can stay healthy, I think being able to keep him healthy, a lot of that relies on Larry because we can rotate between the two of them, take some of that pressure off of Priest. It seems like he has the right attitude. I think last year really helped him realize that he can play in this league ."

Green said there also was a "sense of urgency" among the starters on offense to win it all with the strengthening of the defense. He explained that the team has been successful year after year, and that it's uncertain how many of them will still be playing together after the end of season.

Defense

Linebacker Scott Fujita practiced today in the lineback drills after taking the afternoon off yesterday. Fujita will be taking it easy for a few more days before going full speed. Linebacker Mike Maslowski again did not practice today. In yesterday's press conference Coach thingy Vermeil said there is plenty of time in camp and the pre-season for Maslowski to work up to full strength.

Sixth round draft pick Khari Long had his first practice with the Chiefs today. Yesterday, the Baylor defensive end signed a three-year deal with the team. In his four years at Baylor, Long recorded 145 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, 14 quarterback pressures, and two forced fumbles.

Although it was just an early practice in shells, linebacker Boomer Grigsby was playing like it was the middle of the season. During 7-on-7 drills, Grigsby went in for a tackle, crashing into running back Larry Johnson, and stopping him in his tracks. The impact of the crash blew Johnson's helmet off, but he got right back up and onto the line of scrimmage, waiting for the next play to start.

Keyaron Fox is one player to watch for. The linebacker, now in his second year, made two big plays during practice this morning. During 11-on-11 drills, he made a big hit to stop running back Larry Johnson. A few minutes later, he stole what would have been a touchdown by batting down a pass in the end zone.

Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham could be heard throughout the practice fields, yelling at his players. Throughout every play, Cunningham continuously yelled his trademark line, "Show up!" He also pulled players aside and was heard lecturing them with, "What the hell was that?"

During 11-on-11 drills, defensive tackle Junior Siavii made a sack on quarterback Damon Huard. Benny Sapp made a near interception this morning. The corner back made a diving attempt off of quarterback James Kilian, and was inches away from a pick-off.

Some prefer push-ups, others prefer sit ups, but one player on the Chiefs defense prefers Pilates. After practice this morning, safety William Bartee spent a few minutes on the sidelines by himself doing the exercises. Also after practice today, the defensive line signed autographs for the fans.

During 9-on-7 drills this morning defensive line coach Bob Karmelowicz got frustrated with his unit. Many of the players weren't carrying through with the whole play and he was heard yelling, "It ain't over till it's over. Till that whistle blows, you don't stop".

Defensive end Eric Hicks was heard cheering on his defensive backs after they stopped a power run up the right side of the field by wide receiver Freddie Mitchell. "Good job, backs" was heard loud and clear on the sidelines.

Cornerback Eric Warfield provided great coverage during11-on-11 drills today. During one particular play, he perfectly broke up a pass from quarterback Damon Huard intended for wide receiver John Booth, who turned after the play to see who was covering him.



Special Teams

Kicker Lawrence Tynes was 4-5 this morning with field goals at 38, 43, 33 and 33 respectively. Special teams coach Frank Gansz, Jr. set up the last attempt with the highly pressured "AFC Championship" words, that the game clock is down to three seconds. Unfortunately, that attempt was missed to the left at 42 yards.

Wide receiver Marc Boerigter was laughing and running around on the sidelines imitating his teammates during special teams practice. He said, "Looks like a bunch of chickens running loose out there."

Fans

Carmen Buell, Waterford, Wis ., and her two sons Alex, 16, and Garrett, 14, have attended Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp the past four years. Some of their fondest memories include the time when the boys saw Dante Hall at Subway and when they had an opportunity to take a picture with Priest Holmes. Also, Alex and Garrett will never forget the game when the Chiefs played the Packers and came back to win from a two touchdown deficit. The family is originally from Kansas City.

Making his first trip to Summer Training Camp, Nathan Overfield, Hannibal, Mo., believes that the "players here are more friendly and the facilities are better" compared to the St. Louis Rams Training Camp. Last year he got to attend his first-ever Chiefs game. "It was amazing just to hear the crowd," he said. Overfield was also excited to get Dante Hall's and Freddie Mitchell's autograph on Friday. As the majority of this season's Chiefs fans, Overfield is impressed by the defensive improvement and feels "pretty confident that this is the best team since Vermeil has been here."

Brian Lassitar and his son Alex are visiting Chiefs Summer Training Camp from Minneapolis, Minn. Brian has attended the last eight camps, and this is Alex's second time. Brian enjoys seeing Priest Holmes and Tony Gonzalez up close in action. He always goes to two games a year: one at Arrowhead Stadium and one away game. One memory Brian has of the Chiefs is when he attended the Raider game in Oakland. "The Raiders fans were frightening," he said. He forecasts that this season's Chiefs squad will be in the playoffs if they remain "healthy and continue to better their defense."

Josh Tersinar and Mark Grigsby, Prescott, Kan ., have been attending Chiefs Summer Training Camp for six years. While Grigsby's favorite player is Trent Green, Tersinar is impartial and says he loves the whole team. They continue to come up to River Falls each year because of the great weather and the nearby Mall of America, which is just 45 minutes away. Tersinar said, "The Chiefs are going to make a big time playoff run this year." The two are staying at camp for the weekend.

Extra Extra!

After practice this morning, defensive line members Junior Siavii , Jared Allen , Eric Hicks , Jimmy Wilkerson , John Browning , Ryan Sims , Lional Dalton , Carlos Hall , and Montique Sharpe as well as kicker Lawrence Tynes and punters Dustin Colquitt and Nick Murphy all signed autographs along the rail. Items being signed included jerseys, helmets, footballs and other such memorabilia.
Fans who can't make it to training camp will have the opportunity to see some of the action from River Falls an Arrowhead Stadium this season. The scoreboard film crew has been filming footage of camp to use for the new intro videos that fans watch before the start of the game, when players enter the field and during breaks in the game. Sheldon Mickey, senior producer for game and event presentation, Dane Oldridge, producer, Ryan Stadlman, senior producer for DXD, and Mike DiNitto, AP, will be here until Wednesday to film enough footage to make games at Arrowhead Stadium the ultimate entertainment experience.

Chiefs Executive Vice President Denny Thum was joined by some friends at practice this morning. Larry Chapman, Greg Dale, Cary Wepler and Randy Wepler are here to experience training camp first hand. "It's great being at camp and seeing what's going on. It gets you really excited for the season," says Randy.

When the Chiefs field goal unit took the field today, the fans jumped at the opportunity to catch the ball. Afterwards some of the fans commented on the performance of Lawrence Tynes : "He has plenty of leg, but needs to work on his accuracy." Another said, "This kicking unit will be strong. Just give them a little more practice and everything will soon come together."

[lazarus]

Saturday, July 30, 2005 Afternoon
K.C. Chiefs Training Camp Daily Updates

It was a hot day to be a Chiefs fan in River Falls today. Mother nature gave Kansas City residents a little taste of home with temperatures close to 90 degrees. The dew point was 65 degrees, and a 10-15 mph wind was blowing from the southeast that kept the conditions bearable. Four hundred fans were at practice.

Offense
In one series of 11-on-11 quarterback Trent Green was 4-4. Running back Priest Holmes caught one and had one hand off for a run of 31-yards. Tight end Tony Gonzalez caught one for 10 yards. Wide receiver Chris Horn had a reaching catch today on the side lines.

Quarterback Todd Collins was 3-5 in this series of 11-on-11's. Wide receiver Dante Hall caught one for seven yards, wide receiver Jeris McIntyre caught one for 20 yards, and Collins took off on a scramble after not being able to find an open receiver.

Quarterback Damon Huard was 3-3 today in 11-on-11's. Wide receiver Nathaniel Curry caught one for 20-yards, and tight end Edwin Thompson caught one for 10 yards.

During special teams practice the quarterbacks practiced throwing and footwork while tossing the ball to wide receiver Marc Boerigter, who was watching practice from the sidelines this afternoon.

The offensive line also did some one-on-one blocking drills while the special team was practicing. Also, tight end Tony Gonzalez worked on footwork and catching, during both of the special team work outs, with tight ends Coach Jason Verduzco.

During the second series of 11-on-11's wide receiver Eddie Kennison made a fingertip catch on a pass from quarterback Trent Green. The crowd got very excited and oohed and awed after the catch.

During 7-on-7 drills quarterback Trent Green passed to tight end Tony Gonzalez who made a great catch in the end zone. "Well done Tony!!! Tony - great patience," said Coach thingy Vermeil.

During the final 11-on-11 series quarterback Trent Green was 6-9. Running back Priest Holmes caught one and gained yardage after the catch; he also took a hand off and ran about 15 yards. Wide receiver Chris Horn caught one for 10 yards, and wide receiver Eddie Kennison caught one for 20 yards. Green also scrambled twice.

Quarterback Todd Collins was 5-5 in the final series of 11-on-11's. Running back Larry Johnson received one hand off and ran it to paydirt. Fans in the stand were commenting on how great of a run it was. Wide receiver John Booth caught one. Wide receiver Jeris McIntyre caught one for 30 yards. Running back Samkon Gado took a hand off and Collins scrambled once.

Quarterback Damon Huard was 4-4 in this afternoon's final series of 11-on-11's. Running back Larry Johnson caught one for 15 yards, wide receiver Richard Smith caught one for 10 yards, running back Dee Brown caught one for 20 yards, and running back McKenzi Smith took a handoff and blasted up the middle.

Guard Will Shields again did not practice due to back problems. Shields will be flying to Kansas City, maybe tomorrow, where he will be getting a closer look at his back.

Tight end Kris Wilson walked into the locker room with trainers before the team meeting at the end of practice. Coach thingy Vermeil stated that he was dehydrated and worn out. Vermeil is not surprised by this because Wilson has been going very hard in practices, and putting in so much work that it has caught up with him.

Tackle Thomas Barnett was taken out of practice today due to dehydration. Barnett has lost 14 pounds due to the combination of intense practices and the heat.

Craphonso Thorpe was giving fellow wide receiver Darrell Hill a bit of hard time after practice today. After a little razzing, Thorpe took reps off the JUGS with Hill.

Defense

Linebacker Kendrell Bell was out of practice today because his back had froze up between practices. Over the day, his back had stiffen. He was loosened up in the training room, and when he got off the table, it locked again. He was also having spasms in his back. Coach thingy Vermeil couldn't say if he is expected to practice tomorrow.

Defensive tackle John Browning also did not practice today. Coach thingy Vermeil stated that he has a strained back.

Coach thingy Vermeil spent quite a bit of time watching the secondary practice today. He said that it is obvious why cornerback Patrick Surtain has been in the Pro Bowl, and why he is considered one of the better corners in the NFL. "He just make plays, and he prevents plays. He intercepts balls you normally don't see intercepted. He's been very impressive. He's been a tremendous addition."

One new drill the linebackers were practicing was following linebacker coach Fred Pagac's hat while he waved it back and forth. The linebackers were practicing their reaction times. During the drill, Pagac pulled Gary Stills aside for a little pep talk.

Today the fans got to watch the linebackers do some heavy hitting. The linebackers were matched up against the running backs in a pass rush drill. The drill can become one of the most intense in camp. The fans got into it, cheering when Quinton Caver knocked fullback Tony Richardson to the ground and when Rich Scanlon crashed into running back Dee Brown.

During 7-on-7 drills, some of the defensive players starting discussing a play after it had happened. Assistant defensive backs coach Vernon Dean told the players to stop talking about it, and that they will get to it at tonight's meeting. He ended it with, "let's move on with practice."

During 11-on-11 drills, many of the defensive players made big plays. Linebacker Keyaron Fox and defensive end Jared Allen both tipped Trent Green passes. Cornerback Alphonso Hodge made a near interception off of quarterback Damon Huard.

After practice, actor Greg Kinnear, who is portraying Coach thingy Vermeil in an upcoming motion picture, was surrounded by reporters. Defensive end Jared Allen popped into the circle and slapped Kinnear on the hand and told him, "I loved you in Stuck on You."

Defensive end Clint Mitchell didn't join his teammates during the end of practice meeting today. Instead he was having his calf rubbed down by trainers and receiving liquids on the north side of field one. He walked, unassisted, into Hunt Arena before the meeting was over.

Coach thingy Vermeil got a little spirited during 7-on-7 drills this afternoon. In fact, he singled out corner Eric Warfield after he nearly intercepted a pass intended for wide receiver Jeris McIntyre . "Good job Eric," Vermeil yelled, "nice coverage."

Fans

Kenny Jordan, Apple Valley, Minn., and son LJ have been Chiefs fans all of their lives. They are enjoying the good weather and the friendly people in River Falls. Kenny is intrigued with how Priest Holmes "always comes to play." To have a chance at a Super Bowl, Kenny believes that the Chiefs must win in Denver and eradicate their "shoot themselves in the foot" mentality. LJ plays football. He used to be a quarterback, but is now moving to defense.

Chuck Miller, Greg Raby, Norm Wiles and Otto Matz traveled to River Falls from St. Louis, Mo., to wtch the Chiefs. Every week during the Chiefs season, the group gathers at Greg's house to watch the game. "It's like clockwork," says Miller. When sharing some of their Chiefs experiences, they talked about the first game they attended together in which the Chiefs lost. "We couldn't believe they lost when we were at Arrowhead; I thought we were good luck!" The group is staying until Monday at Willow River State Park.

Doug thingy and son Joel are attending Chiefs Training Camp for the first time. Doug has been a Chiefs fan since the 1980s, and Joel followed in his footsteps as soon as he was born. Doug likes watching Eddie Kennison , Patrick Surtain and Freddie Mitchell. He is very impressed with Surtain's leadership skills and believes that Mitchell will be a great receiver. Also, he loves watching third-round draft pick and punter Dustin Colquitt. He predicts that the team will win the AFC West and will go 11-5. They journeyed here from Wichita, Kansas, and are staying until Monday. Joel placed second in 12-year-old division at the Punt, Pass & Kick Competition earlier today at the Ramer Field Sports Complex.

Candy Wahlstrom and husband Steve are Chiefs "Super Fans." This is their 15th year attending Summer Training Camp. Candy says that they love it here in River Falls and hope that they don't move the camp anywhere else. "We've made lifetime friends here at camp. It's amazing how many connections you make with people, " Candy said. Steve has been a fan since the team was in Dallas. He coaches high school football in ford, Ill., and gets a lot of ideas from watching camp. The couple even has a bathroom in their house decorated with Chiefs memorabilia. One of Candy's fondest Chiefs experiences was when they traveled to Denver to watch a game. "I remember Joe Montana throwing an amazing pass in the last minute to win the game," she exclaimed. "We couldn't even celebrate in the stadium because we were surrounded by Bronco fans!" The couple is staying in Hudson, Wis., for a week.

Kathy Ewing's brother has been a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs since he was eight years old. Every summer he makes his way to River Falls, Wis., to watch the Chiefs practice. He couldn't make it this year, but his sister Kathy brought her family to keep him updated. "We'll come down again next summer so my brother can give us the 'full tour.' The kids are in la la land being this close to the players."

People from Kansas City, and the surrounding suburbs, make up a large portion of the fans that attend training camp practices at the Ramer Field Sports Complex . There are some, however, who don't have to travel quite so far. "We live about four blocks away," says Scott Hedrington, who was joined this evening by his wife Roxane and dog Scruffy. "We've been coming over at least once or twice a camp ever since the Chiefs started coming here. These guys are something else."

Garyn Stewart of Springfield, Mo., rode to Chiefs camp this year in style - in a Chiefs' mobile home. It can be seen in the Ramer Field parking lot and has "Chiefs stuff all over the outside and all over the inside," he says. Garyn, 7, is joined by his brother Dalen, 2, and his parents on his first trip to training camp. "I mostly just want to get Priest Holmes' autograph."
Extra Extra!

Greg Kinnear was at practice today to learn about his newest film role - playing Chiefs Coach thingy Vermeil. "I'm incredibly honored to play the guy. I've been watching tapes of him and he's an incredibly spirited coach, and to play someone who's got that kind of heart about the game and that kind of passion, that's good," says Kinnear. Filming started last week. The movie is a Disney production and is made by some of the same individuals who made The Rookie, Miracle and other sports films.

Some of the players looked as though they were genuinely having fun on the field this afternoon. Running back Larry Johnson and cornerback Eric Warfield were heard laughing as Warfield closely covered Johnson. It was as if there was some secret joke between them.

Wide receiver Eddie Kennison used resistance bands to work his quads, hamstrings, glutes and abs after this afternoon's practice. The device was velcroed at his knees with the band in between. Walking pigeon-toed over to his workout station, he laughed at himself.

Wide receivers John Booth , Nathaniel Curry , Darrell Hill and Craphonso Thorpe all took reps on the JUGS machine after practice.

[lazarus]

Sunday, July 31, 2005 Morning
K.C. Chiefs Training Camp Daily Updates

It just keeps getting hotter in River Falls. There were no clouds to shield the special teams unit from the hot sun this monring. The temperature already was 83 degrees at the start of practice at 10:45 a.m. The dew point was 68 degrees and the wind was coming in from the southwest at 9.2 miles per hour, with lots of swirling. Some 160 fans made their way to Ramer Field Sports Complex this morning to watch the first special teams unit practice of training camp.

Special Teams

Special teams had a practice this morning from 10:45-11:20. The practice consisted of kickoff practice, receiving and blocking.

Special teams coach Frank Gansz, Jr., emphasized to his players that once contact is made with the receiving team's blockers, everyone should be blocking in the same direction to avoid knocking their teammates out of the play. He also lectured about how players have to compress their coverage as they head downfield with the kick: on the 50-yard line they should be five-yards apart; at the 40-yard line, four-yards apart; 30-yard line, three-yards apart; and 20-yard line, they should all be 2-yards apart from one another. He also stressed that they must "dip and rip" by getting low as they are met by opposing blockers to get past them. At the end of every play the kicking team members, Gansz directed, each of them should surround the receiver and touch the ball.

Wide receiver Nathaniel Curry was one of the returners during special teams practices today. Curry fumbled a 71-yard kick by Lawrence Tynes , but quickly recovered the ball and scurried down the field. Coach thingy Vermeil strolled toward Curry after the drop, teasingly asking Curry, "who do that?" Vermeil followed by telling Curry that it was the swirling wind that caused the drop. Dante Hall and Craphonso Thorpe also returned the ball, both demonstrating quick speed.

Despite gusty and swirling winds, every kick by Lawrence Tynes was in bounds. Most of the kickoffs were a few yards before, or just in the end zone, with an average kick in the low 60s, with the longest about seven yards deep in the endzone.

During a press conference after practice today, Coach thingy Vermeil spoke a bit about last season, and the disappointment of their record. He pointed out the game against Denver last season as a big loss for the team, but said that "it's always tough playing against Denver," and that it is even tougher playing on nationally televised Sunday Night Football. He is hoping that this season is much better, and is optimistic with the new defensive players and always solid offense.

Vermeil said he planned to speak with the team doctor on how some of the injured players are doing, however, he stated that Kendrell Bell is feeling much better. Lineback Mike Maslowski came out to practice in shells and a helmet for warm-ups, but left with the rest of the team when specialists took over.

Fans

Tony Ganote, Dan Snyder and Chris Teague are die-hard Chiefs fans. They have been making the drive from Kansas City to training camp in River Falls since the beginning. "We have all been season ticket holders for about 25 years," says Ganote. "We like coming to camp to see how the rookies are going to perform, and to watch the defense as well."

This year's training camp in River Falls is particularly special for Michelle and Craig Thorpe. Their son, Craphonso Thorpe, joined the team after signing a contract on Friday. Craig has been to training camp for the Jacksonville Jaguars as well, but as his wife explains, "It's a lot different when you have a personal connection to someone on the team." They were in town when Craphonso signed but have not yet had the chance to celebrate with him. "He calls us when he can," says Craig, "but he pretty much studies his playbook and goes to bed. These guys know it's going to be a long day the next day." The Thorpes say they are enjoying their time in this "small, little country town" and are excited to see how their son performs this season.

Extra Extra!

Punters Dustin Colquitt and Nick Murphy , along with kicker Lawrence Tynes , signed autographs after practice today for fans along the west rail.

[lazarus]

Sunday, July 31, 2005 Afternoon
K.C. Chiefs Training Camp Daily Updates

It was a steamy 88 degrees at the start of practice today with a heat index into the 90s. The dew point was 69 degrees and the wind was from the southwest at 7.5 miles per hour. Two hunderd and eighty fans endured the heat as the Chiefs held their first practice of camp on the main field at the Ramer Field Sports Complex.

Extra Extra!

As Chiefs Coach thingy Vermeil was ending his press conference after practice this afternoon, President Carl Peterson came up to the coach and media and said, "Hold on coach, I've got an announcement...Derrick Johnson has signed!" A wide grin spread out on Vermeil's face and he shouted, "Haaaaayyyyyyy - nice job coach!!"

"We've agreed in principal to a five year contract with no voidables," continued Peterson. "We just finished the negotiations about 20 minutes ago by cell phone in the storage shed." The shed is located just 50 feet from the main field at the Ramer Field Sports Complex. "It was a very professional negotiation - it may be a surprise to some of you - no tempers flared. We're pleased to have Derrick signed - now everyone is in - and that's great." Johnson is the team's first-round draft choice and the 15th player selected overall.

Johnson will arrive in River Falls on Monday morning, according to Peterson. "This would not have been done without (Assistant General Manager) Denny Thum who spent countless hours on the phone. I just off the phone with Derrick and he's pleased and excited about getting to camp. He'll fly in first thing in morning and we'll have another announcement then. Now all of the chickens are in the hen house. We've negotiated contracts all over and when camp begins you take what you can find. The obvious is that with the other players signing - No. 13, 14, 16 and I think 18 - that Derrick's representatives felt comfortable with where we were and what we were doing," said Peterson. See the Chiefs announcement.

Scorching temperatures brought out spirited athletes during this afternoon's practice. As players moved from the practice fields to Ramer Field, defensive end Eric Hicks shouted "ooohhheee" in reference to the heat, as it was definitely warmer inside the more protected main field.

The right shoulder of wide receiver Richard Smith was wrapped in ice shortly after this afternoon's practice began. He sat out the remainder of the day. He is expected to be back shortly.

Hydration was as important as practice itself as temperatures surged into the 90s. Since the death of Viking offensive tackle Corey Stringer from heat stroke during training camp in 2001, Gatorade and water have been forced into the players. All of the Chiefs trainers and water boys are working extra hard to make sure all of the players are getting hydration.

After practice John Browning, Kendall Gammon, Dustin Colquitt and Lawrence Tynes signed autographs for excited fans along the fences.

Offense

In 7-on-7's today wide receiver Jeris McIntyre made a magnificent catch in the end zone. McIntyre did a great job of holding his toes in bounds until he caught the pass from quarterback Damon Huard. Fans were in the stands yelling "Yes!!" after the catch.

Tight end Tony Gonzalez did a lot of extra work this afternoon at practice. Gonzalez worked on footwork and catching during both sessions of special teams practice with tight end Jason Dunn and tight end Coach Jason Verduzco. Gonzalez also stayed after practice for about five minutes to do some more footwork drills.

Wide receivers Darrell Hill, Craphonso Thorpe, and tight end Jason Dunn also stayed after to work on catching and footwork.

Quarterbacks Trent Green and Todd Collins worked on their footwork as well during special teams practice.

During one series of 11-on-11's, rushing was strongly emphasized. Running backs Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, Dee Brown, and Samkon Gado all carried the ball. The offensive line did a great job on one play when Gado took a handoff and ran seven yards before any defender got near him.

During the final series of 11-on-11's quarterback Trent Green was 7-10. Wide receiver Chris Horn caught one for 30-yards and the fans we heard saying, "Nice!" after the catch. Running back Dee Brown caught one for six yards. Green faked a throw and scrambled for about 20 yards.

Quarterback Todd Collins was 2-3 in the final series of 11-on-11's. Running back Samkon Gado caught one for 10 yards, and wide receiver Jeris McIntyre caught one for 10 yards.

Quarterback Damon Huard was 3-4 this afternoon in the final series of 11-on-11's. Running back Samkon Gado took a handoff and running back McKenzi Smith caught one. Huard also scrambled away from pressure from up the middle once.

Offensive linemen Aaron Johnson, Mike Johnson, Jeremy Parquet, and Will Svitek stayed after for at least 15 minutes to work on one-on-one blocking drills.

Tight end Tony Gonzalez had some butter fingers today during 11-on-11's. Gonzalez bobbled, and then dropped a perfect pass from quarterback Trent Green in the end zone resulting in no touchdown. Safety Greg Wesley was not making things easy for Gonzalez, as his coverage was textbook.

Guard Will Shields will see a doctor tomorrow regarding his back problem. Coach thingy Vermeil is concerned, but is very optimistic that he will be back. Vermeil also believes that the retirement rumors should be put to rest, and that Shields is feeling better now than how he was feeling in the past, and that "he knows what he needs to do, and he plans on doing it."

Wide receiver Freddie Mitchell will be having his knee scoped tomorrow in Kansas City. He should be back by Wednesday, with a day of evaluation on Tuesday. Coach thingy Vermeil is optimistic that he should be back on the field in two and one-half, to three weeks time. However, Vermeil stated that "that's just a coach talking," while a doctor may feel differently when he goes in there to look at it. Mitchell injured his knee at last night's practice while running a route, and it is not claimed to be a serious injury. Vermeil stated that the injury will not hurt his chances on the team. "That applies more to guys struggling to make the team than somebody that's already established and knows he's going to be here. He's experience and a very good competitor, and he'll get right back into the huddle."

Defense

As the defense was warming up and getting ready for practice, safeties Greg Wesley and Jerome Woods were seen running late onto the practice field. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham was heard across the field yelling at the two players that it is unacceptable and that if everyone else can make it on time onto the field, they can too!

The defensive line was practicing tackle drills this afternoon. Defensive line coach Carl Hairston, working with the defensive tackles, was telling Junior Siavii "get your thighs up, buddy!" Right next to them, the defensive ends were practicing tackles, where Bob Karmelowicz was telling the players to "give the blow, don't receive it." During these drills, defensive tackle Lional Dalton was on the sideline getting his right ankle taped up. Minutes later he got right back in line ready for his turn. Also on the sideline was rookie defensive end Khari Long who appeared to have something in his eye. Long also went right back to work when ready.

Defensive tackle John Browning did not practice this afternoon. Yesterday he was taken out of practice due to dehydration.

When asked how far newly signed first-round pick Derrick Johnson will be behind, Coach thingy Vermeil stated that he'll be behind, football wise, and that he was losing a lot for not being in camp. However, "he's talented, and that's why we drafted him. He'll catch up, it will just take him some time."

Linebacker Kawika Mitchell was a huge playmaker this afternoon and was flying from sideline to sideline hitting almost anyone who got in his way. During 11-on-11 drills he made two near interceptions, with both slipping from his hands off of quarterback Trent Green passes. He also stopped running backs Dee Brown and Priest Holmes in their tracks and knocked them both out of bounds on running plays. After Mitchell's second near pick off, defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham yelled at him "you catch like my mama - come on, catch the ball!" This drew a huge laughter from the fans, and one woman in the stands even said, "that's the best line yet!"

Blame it on the heat, as tempers were flaring this afternoon. During 11-on-11 drills, linebacker Kendrell Bell and rookie running back Samkon Gado got into each other's faces. Other teammates became to react, and a small fight broke out in the middle of the field. Linebacker Kawika Mitchell was also actively involved and swung his helmet during the skirmish. The crowd stood in their seats to get a better view. The scuffle broke up quickly and practice resumed.

Safety Scott Connot ended today's practice in style. With the final snap of the day, Connot intercepted quarterback Damon Huard's throw in the end zone.

Safety Sammy Knight is excited about the way training camp is going so far. "I feel like we are growing as a group and a unit and that people are getting better everyday. We're all working together and we all just want to win. We're setting our goals high; our expectations are at the ceiling."

[lazarus]

Monday, Aug. 1, 2005 Afternoon
K.C. Chiefs Training Camp Daily Updates

Temperatures rose well into the 90s during afternoon practice as 175 fans watched team drills and awaited first round draft pick Derrick Johnson. The actual temperature at the start of practice was 90, the dew point 72 and the wind was out of the southeast at 5.5 miles per hour.

Offense

The offensive line practiced one-on-one blocking drills during practice today. During the drills Coach's offered tips and encouragement, "Head and shoulders back, up field pressure, lock down, keep coming keep coming, feel it, feel it!" The O-line also used the medicine ball for strengthening drills this afternoon.

During the first series of 11-on-11's quarterback Trent Green was three-five. Running back Priest Holmes received one hand off and running back Larry Johnson caught one. Wide receiver Marc Boerigter caught one, but it was knocked out of his hands by safety Willie Pile, Boerigter ended up recovering the ball.

Quarter back Todd Collins was three-three in first series of 11-on-11's. Running back McKenzi Smith caught a 40-yard pass into the end zone. Wide receiver Marc Boerigter caught a pass that was in the end zone. Fans were shouting from the stands, "That was pretty Bo! Way to go!"

In the first series of 11-on-11's Damon Huard was three-four. Wide receiver Craphonso Thorpe caught a 40-yard pass on the sidelines. Running back McKenzi Smith caught one for 30-yards. Huard ran one up the middle.

During special teams practice tight end Tony Gonzalez was yet again doing some extra footwork, and catching drills with Tight Ends Coach Jason Verduzco.

Quarterbacks worked on target throwing during the special teams practice. They worked on footwork and passing to both the right and left sides. Quarter back Todd Collins had a great series on his right side; he hit the target consecutively eight times in a row. Collins fellow quarter backs and the coach's were yelling, "Hey!" in excitement and raising there hands in the air.

In nine-on-seven insider run drills were emphasized. Running backs: Priest Holmes, McKenzi Smith, Samkon Gado and Larry Johnson all carried the ball.

Defense

During linebacker drills, three players were pulled aside to work on the single sled, while the rest of the line continued to work on blocking drills. Kawika Mitchell, Rich Scanlon, and Boomer Grigsby worked for about 10 minutes, aggressively taking down the sled as if it were a real person. After individually working out, they rejoined the rest of the linebackers and continued blocking practices.

Several members of the defensive lines had big plays this afternoon. Linebacker Kendrell Bell had good coverage of running back Samkon Gado, that caused Gado to drop his pass. Linebacker Boomer Grigsby covered running back Richard Smith so well that Smith could not make the catch, with defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham yelling on the sideline "keep going Boomer!" Cornerback Benny Sapp picked off quarterback Damon Huard and rushed down the field into the end zone.

Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham was overheard yelling across the field to linebacker Kris Griffin "you got beat by a tackle!" Griffin was participating in drills versys the offensive line where he was outrun and could not catch the ball. Spectators laughed when they heard Cunningham yell that to Griffin. Griffin redeemed himself later in during 11on-11 drills when he made a near interception off of quarterback Trent Green, and also when he broke up a pass intended for running back Larry Johnson.

Another Gunther Cunningham quote from today to his defense was "don't run like a d**n girl!"

Other big plays during 11-on-11s, Dexter McCleon and Kawika Mitchell both covered their receivers causing the intended receiver to miss the catch. Safety Greg Wesley also had an interception in the end zone off of quarterback Todd Collins.

Free agent Darius Jones has a mixed day as defensive and offensive linemen participated in individual blocking drills. The defensive tackle from Beloit, Wis., fared poorly against Guard Brian Waters. Waters, who Chiefs media believe is the best guard in the NFL, fended off Jones on his first charge and then stood him up at the line of scrimmage with Jones unable to make any ground.

Jones fared better in match-ups with third-year tackle Brett Williams. On the first pass, Jones used a spin move on the outside of Williams to tag a suspended tacking dummy representing the quarterback. On the second snap Jones blew past Williams with a dip and upward forearm push on his left side and smashed the dummy with both hands at full stride.

Fans

Jake Overton got the thrill of a lifetime today--and he's only three. While watching pre-practice warm-ups this morning Dante Hall and Eddie Kennison approached Overton and asked if he would like to play catch with them. For three or four minutes he was allowed on the field and was catching punts and passes from the two wide receivers.

Val Bolton of Hudson thought her grandson, Travis Bolton, 5-1/2, would enjoy watching training camp so the two made the short drive to River Falls today. "He's just a really big football fan. I thought he would like to see them up close," says Val.

Howard McHenry of Milwaukee has been coming to training camp for six years now. "I've been a Chiefs fan for 30 years. I look more at the depth chart. Our first team is usually pretty good but we have a big falloff if someone gets hurt. But right now it goes almost three deep in each position and that helps a lot. So I just try to see who's going to make that first string and so on."

Luke Weigler and Aaron Shore, Kansas City, Kan., are season ticket holdersof the Chiefs. The claim that they have been "forever fans." They are much anticipating the arrival of first-round draft pick Derrick Johnson today because they already both agree that Johnson will be their favorite player. Their greatest memory of the Chiefs is when they were sitting in the second row for Dante Hall's most spectacular kick-off return two years ago. Shore said, "It was amazing to see the entire crowd explode as he got closer and closer to the end zone." The two are staying in town until Wednesday.

Randy Ayers and Stan Hoffman, Lidderdale, Iowa, say that they "love River Falls and it is just beautiful!" Ayers has been coming to Summer Training Camp for seven years and Hoffman for five years. Some of their favorite memories are watching Derrick Thomas play, tailgating and watching games in "an atmosphere found nowhere else." When discussing the upcoming season, they agree that the team had some key pickups in the off-season and know that "the offense can produce." The guys are hopeful of a Super Bowl appearance this year. They are staying in Hudson until Wednesday.

Extra, Extra…Read All About It!

Derrick Johnson arrived at practice today dressed for shells practice while the balance of the team was suited up for pads. He did not work out with the team, but performed some agility drills on the sidelines after practice. When asked why it took so long to get him here, Johnson was unsure but said "my agents did a really good job."

As a rookie, he expects to catch a little grief from his teammates, but knows "it's all in fun." Even though he is four days late, Johnson believes that his preseason workouts will give him a definite edge. He was interrogated about his role as a starter this year and replied, "I'm just hoping to play a lot. I don't know about starting lineup, but also knowing that I'm here for a reason." Johnson is ready to put the signing hoopla behind him and is prepared to work. He is excited to be back with his team mates and understanding the system.

Shawn Barber and Mike Maslowski performed running drills on the fieldprior to practice.

As Eddie Kennison worked on individual strength training after practice tonight John Booth and Darrell Hill took reps off the JUGS.

After the ribbon cutting ceremony this afternoon at Knowles, those invited to the ribbon cutting ceremony toured the new facilities.

While walking through the locker room there were some reminders for the players on white boards scattered throughout the facilities: rehydrate with water and Gatorade before practice, before you drink a protein or recovery shake!. Another reminder was to drink water and Gatorade first after practice before you shake to keep fluid levels good and aid in muscle recovery.

There was also a reminder in the locker room to WEIGH IN AND OUT before every practice.

Outside the locker rooms was a sign for giveaways and takeaways. Today's totals for a.m. practice was 0 and the camp total was: -8.

[lazarus]

Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005 Morning
K.C. Chiefs Training Camp Daily Updates

The temperature at the start of practice this morning was 77 degrees and there was a breeze from the southwest at three miles per hour. The dew point was 65 degrees. There were some clouds present at the start of practice that kept things cool but by the midway point, the sun was shinning brightly. About 420 fans were at practice, including about 200 children who attended the first of two Kids' Days. The second Kids' Day is scheduled for Aug. 16.

Offense

This morning the offense did a running back drill that involved a lead blocker and a ball carrier. Running backs Larry Johnson and Tony Richardson were paired up for the drill; Running backs Coach James Saxon was very pleased with the pair, "Good, good that's a good relationship."

During this morning's practice, 9-on-9 drills were strongly emphasized with 45 plays ran. This was the first time the team has done 9-on-9 drills. Running was strongly emphasized. Running backs carrying the ball were Larry Johnson, McKenzi Smith, Samkon Gado, Ronnie Cruz and Robert Holcombe.

There were some passing plays completed in the 9-on-9's this morning. Wide receiver Eddie Kennison had a beautiful catch of 25 yards in the end zone from quarterback Todd Collins. Players on the field were heard singing the " -n Roll Part Two " song in celebration.

After practice running back Samkon Gado practiced on the JUGS machines for about five minutes.

In a series of 11-on-11's quarterback James Kilian had a good series, going 4-4. Tight end Kris Wilson caught one for 10 yards, wide receiver Craphonso Thorpe caught one for 20 yards, tight end Edwin Thompson caught one for 15 yards, and wide receiver Darrell Hill caught one for 20 yards.

Injured guard Will Shields was stopped for a press conference today after practice and discussed his health and future with the Chiefs. He said that he is "doing better than other days." When asked if he is going to retire he said, "I hope not. Everybody is speculating what I'm going to do. Nobody has asked me the question." Shields stated that the only way he would retire is if somebody came up to him on the field and said, "hey Will, you need to do this, you need to do that," and if he feels that he does not contribute to the team. He said that he doesn't just want to be a guy out on the field. He does not want to tear his body apart on the field. He has to consider the future so that he can still function normally for his family. Shields, who has played 192 straight regular season games, wants to be back out on the field and said that there is a lot of camp left to see if he will be back.

Coach thingy Vermeil was asked if he thought guard Will Shields can be ready? "I am confident but I have a concern; you always have a concern when a guy has a back problem."
Defense

Linebacker Derrick Johnson practiced for the first day today, and said that his first day of camp was "wonderful." Johnson had plenty of playing time today, and practiced with the first unit for special teams. "I'm a little winded, but I got a lot of work done." When asked if he felt behind for missing the first practices, he said that he is out here to learn, and that a lot of the plays and moves he learned at OTA is coming back to him, as well as learning a lot during the off season. "I feel real fresh out there. These guys were out here for four or five days so my legs feel a bit more fresh, but it feels good to be running around." When asked if he was ready to hit somebody, Johnson said, "oh definitely. You've got a lot of anxious build up just getting ready for football."

The defensive line worked on the sleds this morning and were encouraged to keep their hips down, their eyes up, and that "power comes from the ground up." Four players at a time would hit the sled three times, and on the third time, they would drag it until told to stop. Defensive ends Jared Allen, Eric Hicks, and defensive tackles Ryan Sims and Lional Dalton dragged the sled for over 10 yards, and even took out a huge chunk of grass. When defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson was up, he told one of the equipment workers near them, "you better move out of the way, son!"

Several defensive players were out of practice today. Linebackers Mike Maslowski , Scott Fujita, Shawn Barber , and Quinton Caver sat out this morning. Defensive back Jerome Woods and defensive tackle Junior Siavii were also out. However, defensive tackle John Browning was back at practice after complications from hydration.

During 11-on-11 drills, defensive tackle Lional Dalton knocked the ball out of quarterback Todd Collins' hands. Quarterback James Kilian was sacked by defensive end Jared Allen. Linebacker Kris Griffin made a big hit on tight end Edwin Thompson that caused Thompson to drop a pass from Kilian.

"I think the defense is getting better - they were very disruptive on everything the offense was trying to do," said Chiefs Coach thingy Vermeil in his post-practice press conference.

Coach thingy Vermeil was asked about the progress of linebacker Rich Scanlon. "He's doing well, he's a good football player. He's an improved football player today, more aggressive with more reaction and less hesitation."

Excitement is in the air having linebacker Derrick Johnson on the field for practice. Here are some of Vermeil's thoughts on his performance today. "He did a good job. He's flashing himself all over the place for a first day - you can see the athletic skill." Did Johnson look a little winded today? "Everybody else was so he ought to too; especially not having been there."

Special Teams

Today in special teams there were three field goal attempts. Kicker Lawrence Tynes kicked the ball and punter Dustin Colquitt was the holder. Tynes was 3-3, making attempts from 30, 37, and 40-yards.

Special teams also worked on kickoff coverage again today. Special teams coach Frank Gansz, Jr. had many comments to give his players, "Finish, finish, hustle back!" "Get to the ball with the proper shoulder!"
Fans

Kids' Day generated an overwhelming 211 participants - a record-breaking number! The kids enjoyed a duck pond, football toss, coloring pages, a crossword puzzle, a word search, trivia game, face painting, temporary tattoos and giant raffle at the end of the session. Also, they had the opportunity to meet mascots Freddy the Falcon and KC Wolf and were allowed to witness an NFL practice up close. Other specials included: concessions stand discounts and an autograph session from the tight ends and wide receivers following practice. It was a great day of fun for the kids!

Extra, Extra…Read All About It!

Matt Nikkolay and Mark Aumann were in attendance at this morning's practice. They are field representatives for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold and U.S. Representative Ron Kind respectively. Both football fans, they spent part of practice watching the drills and keeping their eyes peeled for potential picks in their fantasy football leagues. However, between plays they were happy to speak with UWRF Chancellor Don Betz and Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance Mary Halada regarding issues within Wisconsin higher education. As field representatives, Nikkolay and Aumann are responsible for an area within the state; they must keep up to date on matters in that area and relay information, helping the Senator or Representative make informed decisions. UWRF Public Affairs Director Mark Kinders escorted the gentleman around during practice and suggested later, "keeping good ties with these individuals is good for the University."

Chiefs tight end Jason Dunn signed autographs and took pictures until each and every fan was satisfied. Also, Dunn gave his sweaty wristband to a youngster and even signed it for him!

Some of the media practiced kicking field goals after practice with Nick Murphy, Dustin Colquitt and Lawrence Tynes. The kickers were very helpful in providing instructions and tips to the novice kickers.