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Each year when training camp rolls around, 49ers.com presents a new veteran training camp diary with a different tenured member of the team. This year, starting left guard David Baas assumes that role. So without further ado, here?s Baas? second training camp diary entry.**
We started off training camp with a lot of hitting and so far everyone has been out there busting their butts. I happened to get a foot injury the other day. But, I?ve been keeping up with the guys by going to our meetings. It?s too bad I can?t fill you in more on how the offense has been looking on the field.
My main update for the fans is that we?ve been doing really well and that the offense is really starting to come together. We just have to keep working at Jimmy Raye?s system and continue to get better every day. Since I?m not practicing right now, I?ve been getting treatment on my foot and wish I was out there. But, I?ll be back soon enough.
It?s just a minor setback and it won?t take that long. I?ve been through this before so I always come out ahead in the end. It?s no big deal and I?ve been going to all of the meetings and so I?m still around my teammates.
I know I said I was happy about my living arrangements at the team hotel in my last entry, but that?s not the case. Not at all. Our darn trainers keep knocking on my door to check up on me.
After they knock on my door at 6 in the morning, it takes me forever to fall back asleep. Of course I?m lying there and I don?t get up until 7:30. Like I said earlier, I get to the facility a little later, because I get ready so quick. So, I?m just laying there losing sleep. And conveniently, we have wake up calls at 6:45. I called the lady the first night at the front desk to ask them not to call my room. I called on the room phone to cancel my wake up call. But of course, they didn?t cancel it.
I called her again the next day and she said, ?I?ll take care of it.? Then she called me back minutes later and said, ?Oh you know what, coaches have it set up for 6:45.? I told her l would just unplug my phone.
But now the maid keeps plugging it back in every time she makes the bed!
That?s my hobby now. Every time I get back to the room, I?ve got to unplug my phone so it won?t go off at 6:45 and I can enjoy 45 minutes of extra sleep! I can?t be out there practicing, but I?m competing with the made inside of my room!
Other than competing with maids, there?s not much to do at the hotel. When we get back from practice, the guys are pretty tired. We snack then we play video games in a conference room at the hotel that is set up with games for us to play.
I?ve played in there once, and basically everybody else does the same. They haven?t had time to spend a lot of time in there. Getting rest is more important than those little games.
But it?s cool to hang out with your buddies before you go to sleep. Especially for the guys who have to come out here and do the practices. I understand what that?s like and I went through it until I hurt my foot. But, I?ll be back with them soon. I?ve been going to all of the meetings and I?ve got to stay on top of my stuff so I?m ready when I get back.
One thing that cracks me up every year is hearing the rookies sing. We get all of the rookies to sing random songs for us in our team meetings. Kyle Howard pulled out the Vanilla Ice song (Ice, Ice Baby) and he did really well. He deserves an ?A? on his performance. Some of the other one?s though, maybe a ?D? average and some ?F?s. They weren?t very good at all! But, we make them sing because they?re rookies!
Since I?ve been out of practice, we moved Tony Wragge from behind Chilo Rachal up to left guard and he?s been doing a really good job. That?s the rotation now. Once I get my timeframe and come back, I?ll start doing my thing again on the field.
Since Tony is filling in for me on the field, it?s only right that I make him a co-author on the blog while I?ll be rehabbing my foot. He?ll be able to describe what?s happening on the field much better for everyone.
So until I come back, I?m going to introduce Tony Wragge as our veteran camp reporter. And just to remind everyone his last name is pronounced ?Rog-e.? I?m glad everyone knows that now! But, he?ll fill you in manly with the on the field stuff and how the guys are doing out there while I?m in with the trainers.
