One last round at Camp Wofford. Who’s coming?

[ellis]

Lordy, fam. It’s June 9th. 

I’ve always said: in football, once you get to the “j-months”, it’s on. Already pumped up over another installment of NFL football. 

I live about five minutes away from Wofford. Been doing my morning jogs out there—gotta get this middle-aged lard-ass in shape. It’s a cathartic experience, as so many great memories we’ve all shared over the years have been forged on those grounds.

Carved out a little vid here to help keep me motivated each morning—with a few of my favorite moments over the past 25 years. Next-level nerd stuff.

I hope to meet some of y’all at camp this year. I’ll be there for every last steambath-humid moment. 

 

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

 

[Trill OG]

No disrespect, but I cant wait until we move away from Wofford. Anything associated with Jerry Richardson should be banned from the team. Let some other small campus get a chance to host a NFL team.

[ellis]

18 minutes ago, Trill OG said:

No disrespect, but I cant wait until we move away from Wofford. Anything associated with Jerry Richardson should be banned from the team. Let some other small campus get a chance to host a NFL team.

No disrespect taken. I’m actually excited about the new facility. It was time. But Wofford does hold some great memories me and my fam.   

Besides, I tend to not get too sentimental over sports ownership groups.

[45catfan]

I actually like fact that the team moves away from the Charlotte area for training camp each year.  If they simply practice in the greater Charlotte area in the future, I think they have missed the mark of two states, one team.  I might get put on blast for this, but Rock Hill is just a Charlotte suburb.  The fact that it's just over the state line is a matter of semantics.  Wofford is set up great to continue hosting training camp.  Heck it has 25-years of improvement to show for it.  Most likely camp will not continue at Wofford beyond another year or two and I think that is a utter shame.

I've been been going to camp Wofford at least one day a summer for almost 20-years.  Beyond this year if the team practices at the new facility year around, it will kill that actual camp vibe and I'll no longer see the need to go to 'camp training facility'.

[ellis]

5 minutes ago, 45catfan said:

I actually like fact that the team moves away from the Charlotte area for training camp each year.  If they simply practice in the greater Charlotte area in the future, I think they have missed the mark of two states, one team.  I might get put on blast for this, but Rock Hill is just a Charlotte suburb.  The fact that it's just over the state line is a matter of semantics.  Wofford is set up great to continue hosting training camp.  Heck it has 25-years of improvement to show for it.  Most likely camp will not continue at Wofford beyond another year or two and I think that is a utter shame.

I've been been going to camp Wofford at least one day a summer for almost 20-years.  Beyond this year if the team practices at the new facility year around, it will kill that actual camp vibe and I'll no longer see the need to go to 'camp training facility'.

Agree with a lot of this. 

Fans in the upstate aren’t particularly stoked over a Rock Hill trip. And that’s no knock on Rock Hill. I know plenty of people from CLT-metro who probably loathe a trip to Spartanburg. I grew up in Dilworth and I still have tons of fam and friends near uptown. I much prefer the HQ to be in that area. But we all can’t get what we want. That’s just how it is.

This was a big deal the fans in this area. For all of their faults, the city and the college have both done a masterful job of making this a great event for fans. It stings a little bit. But again, that’s the nature of the business. 

[45catfan]

2 minutes ago, ellis said:

Agree with a lot of this. 

Fans in the upstate aren’t particularly stoked over a Rock Hill trip. And that’s no knock on Rock Hill. I know plenty of people from CLT-metro who probably loathe a trip to Spartanburg. 

This was a big deal the fans in this area. For all of their faults, the city and the college have both done a masterful job of making this a great event for fans. It stings a little bit. But again, that’s the nature of the business. 

Yeah, opening day at Gibbs stadium is great with Purrcussion marching down the street, the concession stands open for business and all the swag/vendors out front, people sitting in the stands, it feels like football season has officially arrived.  I don't think they can capture that feeling at the main practice facility when it opens.   Anyone saying they think camp should be moved probably has never been Wofford during training camp.  

[Moo Daeng]

I will miss the Woffard concept.

They wont have the facility ready in a year. What will they do next August?

[ellis]

Everyone has a different perspective on it. Proximity largely drives their opinion. Between living in Greenville and Spartanburg since the late 90’s, so camp has been in my backyard literally every summer. Pretty spoiled. 

That’s a hard void to replenish for a community, but it happens. Just looking forward to savoring every minute of camp this year.

[ellis]

14 minutes ago, Moo Daeng said:

I will miss the Woffard concept.

They wont have the facility ready in a year. What will they do next August?

Contract is up this year @ Wofford. I suspect the team will hold practice at BOA and the new bubble, with the occasional “One Carolina” themed road tour to Charleston, Myrtle, Triad, Upstate, Columbia...etc...

One could argue that it would be feasible to keep Wofford as the host until Rock Hill opens. You could also argue that Tepper is ready to centralize the operation now, and wants little part of extending the SPBG deal. 

There may be more extensive reporting on this of which I haven’t yet been made aware. 

[Moo Daeng]

37 minutes ago, ellis said:

Contract is up this year @ Wofford. I suspect the team will hold practice at BOA and the new bubble, with the occasional “One Carolina” themed road tour to Charleston, Myrtle, Triad, Upstate, Columbia...etc...

One could argue that it would be feasible to keep Wofford as the host until Rock Hill opens. You could also argue that Tepper is ready to centralize the operation now, and wants little part of extending the SPBG deal. 

There may be more extensive reporting on this of which I haven’t yet been made aware. 

Extending a year seems the easiest and most diplomatic way. Anything that suggests it's being done just to be anti JR isnt a good way to portray 2 states concept. That community might feel shunned for things that aren't their issues if Tepper took that approach 

[TheSpecialJuan]

[t96]

I’m going to try to go but depends on the dates. Have a pretty busy schedule this summer

[45catfan]

I like to go either opening day or the sometime in the last week.  Opening day for obvious reasons, but I otherwise tend to skip the first week because of the football 101 stuff and emphasis on position drills.  I like more 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 activities, which are more common as camp winds down.