:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/imported_assets/1150334/40_512767363088_4456_n.jpg)
Can you feel it?
It's coming...whether you think we'll go 1-11 and lose to UMass, or if you think we'll go 8-4 and win the MAC, this is the time when the boys are in uniform and we're tied for first place in D-1 Football.
Top 10 things about Camp:
1) Hope Springs Eternal - No matter what happens you can and do interpret as a sign that things will be okay. With no preseason, we really won't know until September 1st, but until then everything that happens is good.
2) Suns out, guns out - Two-a-days in Buffalo, give you lots of sun. You must go sleeveless to prevent tan lines and it is a great opportunity to show how hard you've worked in the gym in the off-season.
3) 3 Square meals - Free food is the most sought after thing on a college campus, just edging out a diploma and girls(or boys). I could go for some stadium Lemon Chicken and a Pulled Pork Sandwich. The lunches always had 2 entrees, 2 sides, and all the Gatorade you could drink, its fine living.
4) Coachisms - Coaches had a full off-season to prepare their motivational quotes, and harsh put-downs.
5) Hotel/Dorm Shenanigans - Sequestering the team into a confined space means shenanigans, and most importantly they rarely result in suspensions/arrests, the best kind of shenanigans.
6) Wake ups - Take all your aggression about UB football, and take it out at 5:30am by pounding on the athlete's doors and yelling WAKE UP! Breakfast in 15 mandatory! No snoozing for a 3 win team.
7) Name tape on helmets - I love when Freshmen get their names taped on their helmets until we learn their names or they hit someone hard enough for the tape to come off. You are not officially a Bull until that tape is off. (not verified by UB compliance, I am sure they will tell you that you are officially a Bull after your first second of practice, but that's not right you have to earn it!)
8) Photo day - Often times the first time we see the helmets and jerseys for the year...also interesting to see if 105 players and staff can stand still for 30 seconds. Finally who will get their hair done and who will show up in a mullet and a handlebar mustache? (My money is on Paxson)
9) Guys who fail conditioning - Not good for the team, you should be coming back stronger, however it is satisfying to see people who aren't with the program exposed on the open, and later subjected to torturous make up conditioning.
10) Scrimmage fights - I went back and forth on this...you love the intensity, you hate the disunity. I'll say this: if you fight in camp, you better be intense on game day. I used to see players who would crush our QB in practice, (a no-no), but then would be extra delicate with the opponents QB on game day. That said, a good fight shows me the team is seeing red and ready to attack...and hopefully that means they'll put up a good fight against the Georgia Red and Black.
Have a happy, healthy and productive camp Bulls.