CRUNCH TIME

What is Crunch Time? Is when you are at your most pivotal moment at a very critical time of an event. CRUNCH TIME is where we will be after thanksgiving when we put on the pads and start hitting, this is where you will show case your abilities to hit, run, block and catch, while the wood is being applied. You will be at a pivotal moment at a critical time of a very important event, Practice. There has been a lot of bragging, boasting, and trash talking, now its time to put up are shut up! just remember ITS NOT PERSONAL ITS JUST BUSINESS so don't take these drills to serious, to the point that you are holding grudges, because in the end, we are one big family and these are the same teammates that you will be going to war and doing battles with every game. Now for you guys that don't fair to well in these drills, keep your head up! and you can still help by playing special teams, and for you guys that are truly pushing for a starting position, you are going to have to bring it! I am already seeing some rookies that are standing out, players like Chris Hicks, Sam Crawford and John Kersey, if they can continue to display the hard work ethic I can truly seeing these guys starting on Saturdays, and with the core group of veterans that have returned, Like Derrick Blount, Carnell Livingston, Gabriel Langley, and Kedrick Ford , this will make the defense faster and more aggressive then last year.

EXPOSURE

The work that has been accomplished in practice thus far has been exceptional, and I appreciate the leadership, that players like Phillip Givens, James Roberts, Melvin Harris and other veterans have displaying in the 2008 Xpress camp. Now its time for you guys and the team to step it up another notch and push it to another level, and lets get ready for some serious contact. For those of you that say you are serious about playing I am about to see, you need to make sure that after the thanksgiving break you have your shoulder pads and ready to rumble between the cones. And for you players that are playing Wr. I am seeing too many drops in practice, and too many wrong routes being ran, concentration is a must! and the closer to the season we get the lower the tolerance will be for mistakes. As for the defense work Harder and push yourself to the limit. The harder you work the more it will payoff in Feb. Just keep in mind that the Xpress will start the best athlete at the position regardless of experience, and those that do not start will be placed on special teams. Just remember if you are not attending practice on a regular basis then you can not show case your talent as much as you need to.

Dedication

What is dedication? it depends on where you are getting the definition from, ETYMOLOGICAL DICTIONARY OF MODERN ENGLISH defines it as, To Proclaim, devote in set words. Websters dictionary defines it as To devote or commit to some cause. Now my definition of the word, Is one word XPRESS! No other word should be used, by playing for the Xpress you have to be all that the definitions from these two books has defined.The Xpress only wants and needs players that want to commit to the organization, hard work, dedication, and a team player attitude. There are plenty veterans players and you know who you are that have not been coming to practice because they are not dedicated, and maybe don't have the guts to tell the staff that they don't want to be part of the Xpress family anymore. Their are some players that I know why they are not at practice and you know who you are, so the message I am sending is not geared toward you! the numbers that we are getting are unacceptable, we are getting a lot accomplished but the numbers could be better! Each practice brings out new talent and the way things are shaping up the Xpress may be starting rookies at key positions, am I scared? No! because the talent level that has come out is better then the Xpress had last year, and I'm very confident that this team is going to be better. We have a good competition at the QB position, a great battle at the WR position, and excellent competition going on in the secondary. The Xpress staff is going to have to work real hard trying to figure out a depth chart when the time comes because the talent level for this years team is very high. Stay tuned to find out how these battles turn out.