My first trip will be the 1st-2nd, my second trip either the 7th or 16th. I stay at my cabin 25 miles west of practice.
I recommend Collin's pub, downtown Flag.
For the newcomers, here is a link from the City of Flagstaff and a post I made last year which still, mostly applies:
http://flagstaffarizona.org/cardinals/
I have a hunch there will be quite a few first timers in Flagstaff over the next two weeks. If you've been to
Camp before then disregard my advice, you know as much as I do. If it is your first time however, here are some of my observations.
1. It will be hot in the sun. My extended forcast predicts higher than average temps and little rain (I will miss the afternoon thunderstorm threat). 85 degrees is a lot nicer than the valley but be prepared with plenty to drink and find shade.
2. Don't expect much "football". There will not be much "hitting" and you don't want there to be. Much of the time the team will be split between Offense and Defense (one wears red, one wears white). A lot of time is spent stretching and talking.
3. Some drills are more entertaining than others. You can always tell if a receiver catches the ball or if a QB hits a target (of course you might not know which target he was supposed to hit). Watching kick coverage practice is like watching paint dry. Eleven men line up and talk for five minutes and then walk the length of the field, rinse and repeat.
4. Evaluating talent is challenging. Unless you have a lot of experience it is not easy to figure out what the coaches are looking for. Paying attention to body language will give some clues as to how things are going. Also, pay close attention to which players are working with the first and second strings. This is a good indicator of the depth chart at a position.
5. Have something in particuar to look for. Maybe it is one or two players that you are interested in, maybe it is a position. There are a lot of different things going on at once, by focusing on one group you will see more of what's happening with them. For example, pick the O-Line, D-Line, or LBs. Learn the numbers of all of those players and watch them as they practice. This will give you insights that are easy to miss.
6. Have fun. This is a chance to be closer than usual to the players and coaches. Bring a camera and enjoy yourself. Make new friends with other Cardinal fans. There are some people I only saw twice last year; at
Camp and at the Super Bowl.
Feel free to say hi to Carddan. (No gameface, but my jersey has my name)
Post your advice to help out the newcomers. I welcome the bandwagon fans, it is our job to show them what it means to be a diehard.
