If you wanted to hear some talk about the NFL lockout you should have been with me this past Friday night. I was having fun and getting the chance talk with some of the Birds about the current struggle to get a new CBA for the league. The boys wanted to talk but they didn’t want to talk on the record.
The Eagles players who showed up at the Grand Opening of Tra Thomas’, 7 Deuce Sports, athletic training facility in Medford, New Jersey on Friday night, were all in good spirits. They’ve all been working out, while waiting and hoping something breaks in the NFL lockout.
They were there to give some support to their former teammate and in many cases mentor in Big Tra.
A number of them were very well informed about what was going on with the negotiations between the owners and the players. They have been getting updates from Washington, D.C.
“Most of fans don’t really know what was happening in the talks,” one of the players said. “The owners made a proposal which made us an offer that looked good, but gave us less of a percentage of the revenue without showing us proof that they were losing money.”
They all expressed a desire to see a CBA signed, but they were all behind DeMaurice Smith to get a good deal before agreeing to anything. There was mention of what would happen if they had to go back to work right now, or just before the season started.
A number of the guys assured me that they were going to make sure to get something for retired players like myself. I said sure, sure and laughed. The negotiations and talk about retirement benefits had most of the guys looking at their careers soberly. They all seemed conscious of the fact that they were going to retire within the next decade and they would need to plan for it.
They were laughing and joking about hoping to see a deal get signed on the last week of August, so they would miss all of training camp. They talked about each and every aspect and side of the lockout, along with how it would affect them and how it would affect the league.
Eagles left guard Todd Herremans showed up with a checked shirt and tie. I had to kid him about being Mr. GQ now, since pictures of him have been showing up in different publications as a popular eligible bachelor.
Arriving with Herremans was the Eagles starting tight end Brent Celek. Celek, along with Eagles center Jamaal Jackson, linebacker Omar Gaither and defensive end Juqua Parker spent a couple of hours chowing down on some jambalaya with shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage.
Center Jamaal Jackson made me think of that Bud Light commercial because he came in with a pair of sunglasses on and the sky was as dark as it could get.
Former Eagles linebackers and 610-WIP hosts, Ike Reese and Jeremiah Trotter came through. Another WIP host and former Eagles, Hugh Douglas made an appearance.
Former Eagles offensive tackle Barrett Brooks came through. He’s eager to see a CBA agreed upon because he did an internship last year with NFL Films, now he wants to put what he learned to work.
Former Eagles draft pick and current starting Cincinnati Bengals guard Bobby Williams came through. Williams keeps in touch with Thomas and has a residence in the area. Big Tra has been a mentor to him and helped him maintain the discipline, which has allowed to have 11 productive years in the NFL.
Celek talked about his workout program over at Power Train which is right around the corner from me in Cherry Hill. He said they know how to help you get strong over there.
The head of Power Train is Steve Saunders, who has worked with quite a few of the Pittsburgh Steelers, such as James Harrison and Hines Ward.
The Power Train facility has nothing on 7Deuce Sports. They have nearly 50 yards of black turf to workout on. There’s an entire field of power lifting equipment and a sand pit of about 30 yards.
The Big Fella said members will be working out four times a week for about two hours each session. They’re going to prepare athletes for their specific sport, while increasing their strength, speed, quickness and endurance.
Thomas has his right hand man and trainer Chuck Morris running things at 7Deuce Sports, which is at 175 Route 70 in Medford, N.J.. Big Tra told me he walked away from $100,000’s of dollars to train with Morris rather than train at the Nova Care Complex.
Thomas started working out with Morris after he hurt his back. He would workout with him in the morning at 5am before heading to the Nova Care Complex. At times he would get another workout with Morris later in the day.
Obviously he’s got a lot of confidence in him and what he can do in the area of physical training.
