Updates from Renegades training camp, day five

Published on June 1, 2005 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Ottawa Renegades News Release


KEMPTVILLE – The Ottawa Renegades Football Club celebrated one of the most important days in team history yesterday with the unveiling of the team's new ownership group. Wednesday, the new Renegades executive met the players battling for a spot on the 2005 training camp on a hot sunny day at Kemptville College.

For the second straight day, the Renegades practiced twice outside and the weather was picture-perfect. It was the ideal setting for Bill Smith and Bernie Glieberman (co-owners) as well as new executive vice-president of football operations Forrest Gregg to get a moment to introduce themselves to the athletes. After a welcome from Renegades head coach and general manager Joe Paopao following the team's morning workout, the three gentlemen each had words of encouragement for the men who went through their eighth and ninth practices of camp on Wednesday.

"We are happy to be here and part of this great organization," Gregg told the group of approximately 70 players, listening while on one knee – their pads underneath the black, white and red practice jerseys. "We will do everything we can to help the team and make us win. We are fortunate we have Joe Paopao leading us. He will lead us well."

Smith, part of the initial Renegades ownership group, was extremely upbeat.

"Guys, I made a commitment when we started that we would be here for the long term and here we are," he said. "When I met Bernie, it was evident that he, like myself, is passionate about the CFL and he wants to be back here. I personally think we were a better team last year than our record indicated. I believe in this team and in all of you guys."

Glieberman also had a strong message.

"We really missed Ottawa and being in football. We never should have left Ottawa, guys, and we are serious about this. We will support this and we will be here for the long term," he said, reminding the team that his son, Lonie, now the club president, is an avid CFL fan. "This is ! a great team here. The rest of the league underestimates us."

After the speeches, the players and coaching staff lined up in two vertical lines, simulating the long line of player introductions before home games and the trio came down the tunnel exchanging high-fives with the on-field personnel of the Renegades.

"It was nice for our owners to see what they invested in," said Paopao. "This is a great day for the club and we knew things would get rectified."

TRANSACTIONS: The Renegades officially announced the signing of non-import offensive lineman Mike Homewood, who has been with the team on and off since the inaugural 2002 season.

LIMITED ACTION: Cornerback Crance Clemons (knee), linebacker Erik Dandy (hamstring), quarterback Tyler Paopao (shoulder), receiver Darryl Ray (hamstring), defensive linemen Kai Ellis (inflammation in knee, precautionary) and Anthony Collier as well as offensive linemen Val St-Germain (groin), Samir Chahine (hams! tring) and Christian Leibl-Cote (knee) did not practice.

NEWS AND NOTES: It was the second consecutive day of a hard hitting practice in full pads for the team for the morning session before the upper gear came off in the afternoon in what was a primarily special teams focus to conclude the day... Fullback Sean Bennett, who made the most of his opportunity last year after being activated from the practice roster, soared to the sky and nabbed a touchdown pass out of the air during the morning session... Renegades starting quarterback Kerry Joseph not only drew oooh's and ah's from his teammates after throwing a pretty pass in the b! ack corner of the end zone to Markus Howell in the afternoon, but got some cat calls as well after bombing a couple of punts a little while later. A former NFL'er, Joseph once found himself having to punt in a pinch in college at McNeese State and even did special teams returns while a member of the Seattle Seahawks... New punter/kicker Matt Kellett was on the field for the second straight afternoon and handled place kicking and some punting duties with Pat Fleming... Le Droit, the French daily newspaper that covers the Renegades, was at camp < SPAN lang=EN-CA style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Wednesday doing a feature on four offensive linemen who are Quebec natives. Beat writer Martin Comtois also had his photographer shoot the foursome of Leibl-Cote, Marc Parenteau, Pascal Cheron and Jean-Francois Roy (who earned praise from Paopao as a welcome surprise in camp) as the "Block-Quebecois"... Media newcomers to practice over the last two days: Brad Fay from Rogers Sportsnet; Dan Seguin from CBC; Theresa Roach from the Kemptville Advance; Wayne Kondro from The Ottawa Citizen; Renegades photographer Scott Grant; former Renegades media relations director Barre Campbell, now with The Ottawa Sun, and, finally, after straining his vocal chords at the Memorial Cup in London, Ont., the one and only legendary ‘Voice', Dave Schreiber from the Team 1200 (Renegades radio play-by-play man) also made his camp debut... Practices were shortened Wednesday. A 90 minute session in the morning was followed by a 75 minute practice in! the afternoon.

SOUNDING OFF:

Here are some of Joe Paopao's thoughts after Wednesday's practices...

"We've had some guys who have impressed us. We didn't know too much about (American defensive lineman) Derek Kennard, but the coaches have talked about him and shown some good things. Jean-Francois Roy has don an outstanding job on the offensive line. Some guys we expected – D'Wayne Taylor and Chris Shelling – who were expected to do well, are. At linebacker, Tony White and Ray Holdcraft." "The key is how you perform in games, not just practice." Comments from veteran linebacker Jason Kralt:

"I have been in seven training camps in my career, and this has been one of the best so far. This is a lot of fun." Comments from Kellett, who is getting back into the routine of practice after visiting an eye specialist:

"Kicking is like your golf game. After a while off, you can't just go out and nail the driver perfect every time. It's a situation (for me) with a new snapper and new holder and we're getting the timing right. It's coming together well."

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