Spurrier Wants No Part of Dorm Life
Posted - July 22, 2002 7:00pm
Carlisle, Pa. (AP) - Steve Spurrier was his
usual maverick self when he arrived for his first
NFL training camp as a head coach Monday.
He'd barely unpacked his bags when he
immediately made it clear he'd rather be
somewhere else.
"I don't understand the importance of getting away, to tell you the truth,"
Spurrier said as the Washington Redskins checked into their dorms at
****inson College.
Spurrier said he might move training camp back to Redskin Park in the
Washington suburbs next year. He was especially inspired by a recent
conversation he had at a golf tournament with tight end Frank Wycheck
of the Tennessee Titans, who train at their home facility in Nashville
under coach Jeff Fisher.
"He said, 'Coach Fisher lets the married guys stay at home,"' Spurrier said.
"I said, 'It makes sense to me.'
"But this is the way it's been done a long time. I don't know how we'll do it next year, but we're happy to do it this
way this year. Shoot, maybe this is the way to go. Who knows? It's just my experience in the past has been
staying in your home area in your own beds has been just as productive as getting away."
The location of training camp is a sensitive subject with the Redskins. Owner Dan Snyder tried the convenience
method two years ago when he moved camp to the Washington area and charged fans an admission fee.
The result was a circus atmosphere that was a distraction to the team. Snyder admitted his mistake and allowed
coach Marty Schottenheimer to move camp to Carlisle last year.
The Redskins signed a five-year deal with ****inson College, but they have a yearly cancellation option. Snyder
spokesman Karl Swanson said the owner will leave it up to Spurrier to decide where camp will be next year.
"If he wants to have training camp somewhere else, that's where we'll go," Swanson said.
The Redskins will have only 15 days of practice in Carlisle because of their American Bowl trip to Japan. They
depart July 31 for a game against San Francisco in Osaka on Aug. 3.
Spurrier said he had no great emotions ahead of Tuesday's first practice because he's already conducted 26
practices during various minicamps and coaching sessions at Redskin Park over the spring - and there are still lots
of practices and five exhibition games to go.
"In college, you have three weeks and play," Spurrier said. "They should know how to play after three weeks of
practice."
The rookie coach got another new experience Monday: One of his quarterbacks is a holdout. First-round draft
pick Patrick Ramsey has yet to sign a contract, and a deal doesn't appear imminent.
"He would be way behind if he's not here very quickly," Spurrier said. "Patrick had made some nice progress, but
those contract negotiations we leave to those other people."
Ramsey has an outside chance to emerge as the starter in a wide open battle that includes Shane Matthews,
Danny Wuerffel and Sage Rosenfels, but a lengthy holdout would probably end his hopes of winning the job this
year.
"It's the same as a guy getting suspended for not going to class," Spurrier said. "As coaches, we don't say,
`Who's going to play?' They tell us, 'These are your players - coach 'em and go play.' So the ones that are here,
we'll coach as hard as we can."
Spurrier said Rosenfels will probably take the first snap at practice Tuesday and will probably start the American
Bowl because he's the only quarterback returning from last year's team. Spurrier indicated that Matthews would
start the second game at Charlotte, with Wuerffel probably getting his chance Aug. 24 at Tampa Bay.
And what about the Aug. 18 game against Pittsburgh?
"Maybe flip a coin," Spurrier said.
Notes: Ramsey and third-round receiver Cliff Russell appear to be the only two holdouts from the draft. The
Redskins signed third-round cornerback Rashad Bauman, fifth-round tight end Robert Royal, sixth-round
offensive lineman Reggie Coleman and seventh-round long snapper Jeff Grau on Monday. Second-round running
back Ladell Betts' negotiations are complete, and he was expected to sign late Monday. ... Of the 84 players on the
tentative camp roster, only 30 were with the team last season. ... Yes, there are golf courses in Carlisle. Spurrier's
first words when he entered the room for his news conference were "Shot 75 today."
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