The Redskins flirted with the idea of training elsewhere this summer. But for a variety of reasons they opted for a place they’re familiar with: Redskins Park.
Washington will conduct training camp in Ashburn for the eighth straight summer (and for the ninth time in 10 years). Can’t say that I’m surprised, especially because I’d heard a few weeks back that this was nearly a done deal.
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But it will be hard for other colleges to take on the Redskins, whether because of inferior facilities or money or both. In the old days it was easier to train elsewhere; Washington would report to camp around July 17-20 and be there for four weeks, then return home just as that college’s football team was reporting for summer workouts. But now NFL teams don’t open camp until the end of July. Do you really want to spend that much time and effort into relocating just for two weeks?
In other cases, we’d heard that some Virginia colleges were reluctant to offer money to lure the Redskins. For public schools, that’s a tough sell given the economic crunch they’re supposed to be in. The Virginia Beach has the desire, but lacks the facilities to make it work. For now.
On a personal note, we say: hooray. Getting too old to sleep in college dorms for a few weeks. Didn’t mind staying in Carlisle — great biking each morning with some fellow writers and $10 golf; I could sometimes go biking and riding and be at practice at 9 a.m. And the food choices in Carlisle were pretty good (provided you could find something open after working until 9ish) — it was New York compared to the choices in Frostburg. And the worst part was leaving the family for multiple weeks. Don’t have to worry about that now.
One good thing about going away, however, was the chance to get to know players and coaches better. It could be just from walking with one of them from the practice field or to the cafeteria. Or seeing them out at night (when there was no curfew, of course). There were more opportunities to get to know guys, which always helped develop solid relationships. And they had a chance to get to know us better, too.
