(S29) PT 1 - Training Camp

[Jay_Doctor]

Training camp for season 29 is just around the corner and their is a buzz all around The Big Easy. Not was all hype, though. Fans were a bit remiss after watching a not so competitive Second Line team take the field last season. It's fair to say that New Orleans fans have seen their fair share of talented teams over the past decade, they were ready to move on to the prospect of a new season. Some familiar faces were front and center and practice. The former league MVP Ben Slothlisberger is always a fan favorite. Other key veterans such as Witten and Barker also draw a lot of attention from adoring fans. Newcomers also draw fans excitement, such as offensive lineman Cade Williams or future wide out star Quinton Crash. No matter what has happened in the past, there is always a sense of a new season bringing for new aspirations and dreams. Something that Mason Blaylock has always done for training camp is showing up a day before. It originally started his rookie year more by accident/nerves than anything else. Mason was so worried about getting lost in a big city that he made it his goal to show up a day before training camp was supposed to start. He wandered around the team facilities and got acquainted with everything in order to feel prepared for the hard work ahead. It paid dividends for Mason as he was able to solely focus on football and not worry about anything unrelated to the game. That was a decade ago now, but the idea is still there. Coming to camp a day early is sort of like him hitting the reset button in his mind. He is able to clear out all of the weight and troubles of last season and get ready to start clean. Not everything gets reset, though. One thing that carries with Mason is his former teammates. Whether they are retired, have moved on to a different team or even more tragically moved on from this world, they always stick with him internally. So many days of exhausting training and bonding with some of the best people he has ever known. That type of connection can't be replicated without being in the trenches with someone day in and day out for an extended period of time. Mason does find tears forming in his eyes for a moment before wiping them away. As he stares out at the practice field, it starts to sink it that this very well could be his final season. After letting himself get emotional for a few moments, he commits once again to hitting the reset button. There are a lot of things to he wants to accomplish this season yet and he'll need full focus. His body isn't what it used to be, but his mind is as sharp as it ever was.