BC LIONS TRAINING CAMP REPORT – DAY 1

(Vancouver) After three days of BC Lions rookie camp, the entire squad of Leo hopefuls hit the field Sunday morning for the first of two practices on the opening day of training camp.

The Lions released two players overnight in Keith Flanagan (WR) and Omar Haugabook as well as suspending three others (Rob Murphy, Paris Jackson and Ahmaad Smith).

In keeping with training camp tradition, temperatures that flirted with the high-teens over the weekend barely made it into double-digits Sunday morning as clouds and a stiff breeze greeted 74 active Lion hopefuls.

A measured effort by head coach Wally Buono and his coaching staff to avoid the usual list of training camp casualties due to strained hamstrings and groins saw both sessions used primarily as teaching and walk-through periods.

Watching: Slotback Ben Wilson along with OL Andrew Jones both injured knees on Friday during rookie camp and spent Sunday morning watching from the sidelines – both will get MRI’s early in the week and will be out of action for some time.

Food Fare: Always a popular feature in training camp reports is the daily menu review. Lunch at Columbia Bible College consisted of build-your-own-burgers and a salmon penne with dinner featuring salad, breadsticks, lasagna, cannelloni and beef kabobs.

Quotable:”Coach can we have the cookies removed from the cafeteria, I can’t control myself” – Otis Floyd.

Rumour mill: Ever-frugal Joe Smith has apparently taking advantage of rookies by recruiting them to retrieve bottles and cans found around campus as well as offering phone service (for a nominal donation) through his laptop via the internet.

Next Up: Monday, June 2 – two sessions (8:30 am-11:00am & 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm)