http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/ 15 NFL hopefuls Dane Randolph and Jon Copper provide an inside look at what it takes to make a pro team. en Copyright 2009 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:51:33 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=4.2-en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Every year on their birthdays, Dane Randolph and his mother, Angela, pick a goal they hope to accomplish in the ensuing months. It is a kind of New Year's resolution with the twist that unlike most New Year's resolutions, these promises are actually kept. And so on Sept. 4, 2008, right around the start of his senior football season at the University of Maryland, Randolph made his new birthday vow: to make the roster of an NFL team. This was a somewhat unlikely proposition, given his status as a fringe professional prospect. But nonetheless it became one he met after surviving a May tryout with the Green Bay Packers and lingering on the team's roster through training camp. Right up until 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2009, his 23rd birthday, when the phone rang in his Green Bay hotel room. Reggie McKenzie, the team's director of football operations, was on http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/09/randolphs-big-call.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/09/randolphs-big-call.html Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:51:33 -0500 Now that training camp is over, as well as the preseason games, NFL teams are preparing for their first in-season game. They have to make drastic cuts to the roster so that they remain at 53 players. To put things in perspective, most teams started with 80 entering into training camp, then reduced the roster to 75 by Sept. 1 and now to 53 on Sept. 5. This means 22 players will be cut by each team, but there is a slight silver lining -- eight of those 22 players could be invited back for a spot on the practice squad. Practice squad is exactly what it entails. As a player you are there for the team for practices but not active during games. Being on the practice squad does provide some upper movement within the league. If injuries happen to plague a team in your position or you play http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/09/in-search-of-another-shot.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/09/in-search-of-another-shot.html Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:00:00 -0500 I've been working a lot recently. Doing a little bit of everything. Personal training, nutrition seminars both private and public, one-on-one and family nutritional counseling, vitamin recomendations, reviews and sales. I'm even going to be working for a friend at a local frozen yogurt place here in town part time.   I haven't heard anything on the football front. We'll see, I could still get a call later this month or early next month. I'm still in decent shape and keeping my weight up.   It's a little difficult at times juggling everything, and it's definately a learning experience.   If anyone is in the Roanoke area, feel free to come out to my seminar this Saturday July 18th at 10 a.m. at New Life Christian Ministries off Airport Road. My Web site, www.JonCopper.com, has more info, or you can e-mail me at HealthSolutionsPromo@gmail.com   Persevering with a flicker . http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/07/no-calls-yet.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/07/no-calls-yet.html Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:09:00 -0500 Posted by Dane Randolph: We have been putting in a lot of hard work while we have been here in Green Bay during OTAs. OTAs officially ended on Thursday, and a three-day minicamp will start today. As an offensive line, we have progressed with our playbook installs, the understanding of the play, and schemes have gotten easier. It is very noticeable on the field from watching film for most of us as rookies. A few other teams that my teammates from Maryland are on have been finished with their OTAs for over a week now, and others finished this week like us. Only exception is that we have a minicamp, which is going to be a review of everything we installed during OTAs at a faster pace and with two practices each day. On Saturday some teammates and I were able to go skeet shooting with some great Green Bay http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/06/skeet-shooting.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/06/skeet-shooting.html Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0500 I spoke with my agent the other day. I still have a shot with at least one team should a need come up. There are a couple others that we think would give me some attention if they have a need at linebacker also, so that's encouraging. With that, I was thinking the other day of whether I play again. A lot of people have specific dreams of accomplishments or vocations that are their most ideal. Like everyone else, I think along those lines some. However, I try to concentrate on being and not doing. To me, it is irrelevant whether I am a top 2 percent income earner or not, whether I am giving talks on nutrition, or running down a field, or laying pipe. I believe all those things can be done and done well. What is relevant is who I am becoming through whatever I am currently http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/06/still-searching-1.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/06/still-searching-1.html Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:09:00 -0500 I am going into business for myself, doing personal training as well as doing some health and nutrition seminars. I needed to find something that was flexible enough that I could train, as well as leave for a tryout on a day's notice if something were to come up this summer and fall. That knocks out any normal 9 to 5, so I am going into business for myself. The launch will be June 6. You can check out my Web site at www.JonCopper.com. http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/06/self-employed.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/06/self-employed.html Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0500 It is always fun to get back to playing ball again. I've been through two OTAs, and they have been great. The days have been split up to where we lift early in the morning, have iinstallation and review meetings and then go out to the practice field and perform. The biggest difference between OTAs and camp is that we are not in full pads. The veterans got back earlier this week a day before OTAs started, and it has been fun interacting with them and getting to know them better as co-workers and as people outside of football. I got a limited amount of of team reps during the practices behind the vets, but I feel lucky to be with a group of guys who genuinely want to help out the rookies with plays and learning the offense. I think this is because of the mentality of the program, http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/loving-life.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/loving-life.html Fri, 29 May 2009 10:55:39 -0500 For the past two weeks I've been working for a pipe drilling company called Old Dominion Underground. When I didn't get picked up, I needed to get a job pretty quick. A good friend of mine named Tony Talbert, his dad made a call for me, and I was working the next day. My day starts around 5 a.m. I have to be at work a half hour away at 7. I get up so early because I eat seven times a day, and five of those are on the job, so I have to pack five lunches. I usually get home about 7 p.m., which makes training a little difficult. This past semester I would get up at 9, and training was the center of my day. Recovery is also different because I'm getting about three hours less sleep a night. We've been working in downtown Richmond. There are http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/working-and-serving.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/working-and-serving.html Thu, 28 May 2009 12:49:08 -0500 Posted by Jon Copper: At Saturday's tryout I saw some old friends. Trey Lewis played safety at Fork Union the year I was there. He had 12 or 13 interceptions that year and went on to have a solid career at Ball State. He is from North Carolina, and this was his second tryout for the CFL. Another friend of mine was there, Joey Hudson from Miami of Ohio. Joey and I met at Athletes in Action Ultimate Training Camp in 2006. He is a linebacker, so we got to spend a good amount of time catching up during the day. One of the highlights of our conversation was the reality of Paul's words in Ephesians 6 and Colossians 3 to those under authority in a work environment: "Whatever you do, do it heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." The implications of that are astounding. As I http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/catching-up-with-old-friends.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/catching-up-with-old-friends.html Fri, 22 May 2009 09:00:00 -0500 Posted by Dane Randolph: Saturday I drove from Owings Mills to Green Bay. Totaling 15 hours of driving time and over 900 miles, I found myself in what I plan on calling my new home. The drive was not bad; it's comparable to the many trips I used to make from Maryland to Jacksonville and other parts of Florida. I have been through two days of the Green Bay Packers rookie offseason week. So far, our first two days have been very extensive, working out with the training staff, putting in the offense and doing position drills. From 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. we are at Lambeau Field, where everything is centralized, from meetings, practice, weight lifting, the training room, the dining room, the locker room, and much more. It's just been the first two days, and I have been doing well physically and mentally. The biggest difference between college http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/settling-in.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/settling-in.html Wed, 20 May 2009 14:36:26 -0500 Posted by Jon Copper: I went to a tryout for the Canadian Football League Saturday in Charlotte. The team was the Montreal Alouettes. I didn't know what to expect, but it was a really good experience.  This was the third tryout they have had in the United States this offseason. There were over 200 guys there from all over -- Florida, Ohio, the Carolinas, even Sweden.   Registration started at 8. Jim Popp, the GM, was the guy handing out and even making extra T-shirts in the back. That was as interesting comparison to the NFL. I have a hard time thinking Parcells or Belichick or Rooney would be down in the equipment room handing out T-shirts at a rookie tryout. Coach Bob Price at U-Va. told me the CFL was great football, just without all the bells and whistles and characters. I think this was one way that proved his point. http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/oh-canada.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/oh-canada.html Mon, 18 May 2009 12:23:20 -0500 Posted by Dane Randolph: Over the past week I met with friends, spoke to a couple of classes, took care of various chores around my mom's place and of course worked out at the University of Maryland. My friends have been very supportive throughout this whole process, so I took the time to have dinner and hang out with them before I leave again. I had the opportunity to speak to classes of former high school teachers and a sports and leadership class that I TA'd during my last semester at the University of Maryland. Basically, I talked about working hard, following your dreams and how I'm working to accomplish mine. The workout the past week is different from what I was doing before. The GBP gave me a workout routine that is different for me because it focuses on the dynamics of football and applying them to lifting. Instead http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/getting-ready-for-green-bay.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/getting-ready-for-green-bay.html Wed, 13 May 2009 10:54:53 -0500 Posted by Jon Copper: I met with the guy that runs the gyms here in Charlottesville. That went well. I am looking into possibly getting certification for personal training and as a dietician. It also looks like I'll be able to teach summer school in July at Fork Union Military. On the football front I am exploring possibly playing in some other leagues this fall if nothing else opens up between now and then. The Canadian Football League is an option, as well as the new United Football League that will be opening up this September. We'll see! I was going to start a normal training schedule today. Basically, I follow Joe Defranco's program with some modifications. You can check out his Web site at www.defrancostraining.com. I have followed his stuff since late high school. The major modifcation is instead of doing two upper body and two lower body workouts http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/planning-on-two-levels.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/planning-on-two-levels.html Tue, 12 May 2009 15:56:52 -0500 Posted by Jon Copper: I read Dane's post and am real happy he made the cut at Green Bay. My roommate up there was also from Maryland, Dean Muhtadi. They signed him at D-Line. It's really good those guys are getting a shot there. It's a special place, and being there for any amount of time is something to be cherished.   After I got the news Green Bay was full at linebackers, my agent started getting on the phones to try to get me into another camp this weekend. We got in touch with Baltimore, the Giants and Kansas City. Baltimore was full, and I'm not sure what happened with the Giants. As of last night it looked like I might be able to get to Kansas City, but I found out today that Scott Pioli and his staff reviewed my tape and stats and decided to hold off bringing me http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/making-calls.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/making-calls.html Thu, 07 May 2009 12:19:00 -0500 Posted by Dane Randolph: I'm a Packer now! I just returned Monday morning and have good news to report. With all of my hard work, effort, never-quit attitude, and my agent Josh Stevens with the Sapros Sports Management, I have been signed to a team. It's hard to put into words how excited I am that I got signed this weekend and that I have the opportunity to become a Green Bay Packer. I think the fact that each step was unknown to me really created a lot of stress, but trying to keep my composure I moved forward through each obstacle. But in the end, I got a lot more out of this experience having those obstacles, and feel like that I have really accomplished something great all on my own. There are many thanks that I have to make to all of those who supported me in my http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/signing-with-the-packers.html http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/longshots/2009/05/signing-with-the-packers.html Tue, 05 May 2009 13:01:05 -0500