Training camp a day away

Members of the Atlanta Falcons are reporting to the training facility in Flowery Branch as we speak, and the Falcons are less than a day away from opening up camp.

The Falcons will practice twice Saturday with an early 8:30 a.m. practice and another at 3:45 p.m. Both sessions are open to the public.

I will be in Flowery Branch bright and early for the morning session, so check back Saturday for updates here and on Sunday in The Telegraph and at macon.com.

If you're planning on attending any of the practice sessions, here are just a few tips from me to help make your trip a little more enjoyable:

1. Wear a hat and bring plenty of sunscreen. The facility in Flowery Branch is wide open and there is no shade anywhere on cloudless days. It can be brutal out there sitting in one place for two hours, so be prepared to create your own shade with a hat, a program or a rather large fellow who may be standing near you.

2. Arrive early. Last year was a bit of a fiasco with all the protesters looking for parking spots along with the real fans. There shouldn't be any protesters this year, so that'll free things up a bit, but parking can be tricky. There's plenty of space across the street at Flowery Branch High School, but it's a bit of a trek to get onto the grounds of the facility. Getting there early will remedy that.

3. Bring binoculars. The facility in Flowery Branch isn't the most fan-friendly when it comes to spectating. There's an area to the right of a practice field on a hill where they'll corral anyone wanting to watch practices, but the facility is huge with three football fields side by side. The coaches tend to practice on the closest field to the fans during training camp, but other positions of interest might be hundreds of yards away on another field. Some binoculars will remedy that problem.

I'll make this offer again this year, but anyone who has questions about the Falcons they want answered by me, players or coaches, let me know and I'll do my best to get answers for you. You can leave a comment here or e-mail me at jadams@macon.com

For those who missed it the first time, here's the Falcons' training camp schedule of practices that are open to the public:

07/26/08 8:30am Training Camp Practice (8:30 a.m.)
07/26/08 3:45pm Training Camp Practice (3:45 p.m.)
07/27/08 8:30am Training Camp Practice (8:30 a.m.)
07/27/08 3:45pm Training Camp Practice (3:45 p.m.)
07/28/08 8:30am Training Camp Practice (8:30 a.m.)
07/29/08 8:30am Training Camp Practice (8:30 a.m.)
07/30/08 1:30pm Training Camp Practice (1:30 p.m.)
07/31/08 8:30am Training Camp Practice (8:30 a.m.)
08/01/08 10:15am Training Camp Practice (10:15 a.m.)
08/01/08 6:30pm Falcons Friday Night Lights: Team scrimmage at Mill Creek High School
08/02/08 11 am Roam the Dome: Scrimmage and fan events at Dome. Open to public.
08/04/08 8:30am Training Camp Practice (8:30 a.m.)
08/05/08 8:30am Training Camp Practice (8:30 a.m.)
08/06/08 8:30am Training Camp Practice (8:30 a.m.)
08/07/08 8:30am Training Camp Practice (8:30 a.m.)
08/08/08 10:15am Training Camp Practice (10:15 a.m.)

Photo: Beau Cabell, The Telegraph