Waiting and hoping

Today Wednesday August 1, morning practice was conducted and not much to report on so I will go into a part of camp that I enjoy because it is so fascinating to watch.
The art of trying to get an autogrpah.

There is an autograph alley set up each day for a designated group of players and today was the linebackers.

I believe most people that do come to camp know where to go after practice and that is the fenceline by the locker rooms. The first few days the crowds have been light, but I have seen in the past years 3-4 deep in people waiting and hoping.

The people yelling for Adrian Peterson,Jared Allen,Christian Ponder amongst many is something that is hard to describe other ran people are relentless. I try and imagine what goes through these players minds. Day in and day out hearing their name screamed by kids and adults.

The next problem occurs when the player is nice enough to come over and sign a few. I watch as people try to squeeze in to meet an Allen. The pennants,8X10 picures, helmets are being held up and handed in in hopes of what if?

The people come running from the other side of the fence by the locker room. It is just an amazing sight to even see adults runnnig to try.

The player whether it is a Peterson, Allen, Ponder, when do they decide to stop and go back to the locker room? You have fans freaking out inexcitement after getting the signature or fans freaking out, saying oh man I was next and missed it.

The hours people put in for this is mind boggling. It is a passion and the worst part if you look at a signature the majority you can not read. The saving grace is the player does right their number by their name. The fan knows what it means to them. They know Winfield signed it is the botton line.

Poeple get here 2-3 hours early to wait to for an autograph in the alley set up. There are fans wait for players to come out of the locker rooms in hopes of meeting a player. There also meeting held for players and fans know where to wait for them as well. I have talked to people that will stay until 10pm in hopes of getting an autograph after meetings. I am amazed because at 10 it is dark with street lights on but people still are out here.

In summarizing the passion of getting an autograph people wait 3 hours before practice over and 4-5 hours after the last practice has concluded.

I myself day is I get here around 8:30am and pull in back home around 7pm. I take it all in watching, talking to people, meeting players. It is a full day of passion for the purple.

Thanks for reading
Purplestick