Boston follow up

Ok, I finally have a few photos for you from Boston.  But I am way behind on posting.

The photo shoot went great.  I was able to see the shots right after they took them and they were very cool.  I'm not sure yet where to look for them.   I was told by someone that the shoot was for print ads and billboards, but I if I find out more I will put it in here.  (sorry this this just a picture from our hotel room, I can't post a pic of the shoot just yet.)

As for the pose, it was like those old time punters with the leg straight up and the two arms out. They had some old player cards from the 60's there, showed them to me, and asked"can you do this?" I wasn't really planning on having to stretch before the shoot, but I didn't need any pulled hamstrings.  I will be auctioning off the shoes I wore in the shoot to benefit the PUNT Foundation soon

 (brianmoorman.org).  I will let you know when I get that set up in one of my next posts and on twitter.  

After the shoot Amber and I took a drive around Harvard. What a beautiful campus. It was like a town of its own.  We then went back to the Hotel, put on our walking shoes and took off for the Freedom Trail.  We thought of taking the trolly, but instead, walked it.  Being a history major in college, it was great to see where so many historical events happened.  Including the Boston Massacre.  

Ok, seriously, here is a pic of paul revere's grave

Later that night we actually ended up running into a guy that I was in training camp with in Seattle way back in 2000, Isaiah Kacyvenski.  He had a very successful career with the Hawks and was out celebrating a new start after being accepted into the Harvard MBA program.  What an awesome accomplishment.  Congrats Kaz!!! What a small world.  

Ok that was a weak post on the rest of Boston, but my brother in law told me my posts are too long :-)  

Honestly, I just want to start on my next post about being back in Buffalo again this week for the Draft and to see who is getting voted onto the 50th anniversary team.  I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but man would that be cool.  

Until next time....

Reebok photo shoot

I'm in Boston this week for my first national (I think it's national anyway) photo shoot for Reebok. I'm pretty excited about it.  It's to kick off the new 50th anniversary AFL uniforms that we will be wearing this year a few times.  

We decided to make a small trip of it since we have never been to Boston before and thought this was a good opportunity to do a little sightseeing. 

I was a bit bummed that the Red Sox were out of town, but since I don't follow baseball that much, it wasn't too big of deal.  Did you see the Royals are leading their division though?  They are really the only team I care about since I watched them as I grew up in Kansas. Anyway, I just thought it would be sweet to see Fenway Park.  I can see the Citgo sign from my Hotel room though, does that count?

Speaking of my Hotel room...I don't think we have ever been treated as good as we have been here at the Liberty Hotel.  We had three guys rush out to get our luggage, which was only two bags, and I think all three of them and a fourth held the door for us.  We checked in, and they gave us a glass of champagne at the front desk and then showed up with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries after we were in our room.  I tried to convince Amber that I called ahead and asked them to bring them up to celebrate our first trip to Boston, but she heard the waiter tell me at the door they were compliments of the Hotel. (I thought I was in. He really didn't say it that loud)  We also had a nice note from the manager saying that he would love to help out with the PUNT Foundation. (www.brianmoorman.org) Our room overlooked the Charles river and the skyline, which was a very cool view.

The hotel itself is the old Charles Street Jail.  Some of the rooms are even the old jail cells. Haven't seen those yet.  I would try and describe the lobby etc...but you are better off just going to the website. They do a much better job.(code for I'm too lazy.)

After finishing off our strawberries and champagne we took a walk through the financial district, Quincy Market, and the North End to check things out.  I was amazed at how uncrowded it is here. I had in my head that Boston was a lot like New York City, but it really isn't, not to me anyway.  I guess you could make the argument that it's like a small Manhattan, but  I have a feeling the Bostonians might take issue with that.  

I had no idea the population here was only about 600,000.  Of course the surrounding area can up that to between 4 and 7 million. (I was going to just make that up, but figured I would look it up instead, wikipedia is great).  

After both getting blisters because we thought it would be a good idea to wear new shoes (smart) we got while at the outlet mall on Easter Sunday, (yep that's right, I totally forgot the Masters was on and agreed to go shopping.   I can't even believe I am admitting to it. I did get back in time for the last three holes and the playoff, but missed Tiger and Phil.....Idiot.) we decided to just head back to the hotel and grab a drink at the Clink, which was the restaurant and bar in the lobby.  That's really of no significance except for the fact that about a half an hour after we sat down, we were just sitting there talking and this guy comes up the escalator with a group of 4 or five people.  I was kind of looking at him and thinking to myself that he looked familiar and then I said to Amber, "How much does that guy look like Kevin Costner?"  We were having the exact same thought at the time I guess, because she said "that's because it is." 

That was pretty cool.  It's the first time either one of us have ever seen a celebrity like that randomly.  I told Lindell about it today and he said I should say to him that "I love winnin' ...it's like better than losin' " , but I figured it might be a little awkward chasing him down the hall trying to explain that "no really Mr. Costner that's the line Rian Lindell and I, you know the kicker of the Buffalo Bills, that's the line we say in the locker room after we win a game.  No seriously, I'm not just a crazy fan chasing you down the hall." I'm sure he would definitely stop to chat.  

It is funny how celebrities make people get all excited.  If you really stop and think about it, they are just another human being going about their day just like you and me.  With a few minor differences of course.  But hey, he couldn't come down and have a drink at the lobby bar now could he?  Well, not without me dropping lines from his movies anyway.

Off to the commercial shoot.  I will have some photos of it and how it went later.  

Offseason

Well, I have had some people ask if I am going to blog again during training camp this year, so I have decided to just start now. I'll be honest, I haven't completely bought into this blogging, tweeting, and facebooking stuff yet, but I am getting there.  I really don't understand why someone would want to know what I am doing right this minute, but I guess if you sign up to get my "tweets" then you do, right?  So here's my twitter site, www.twitter.com/brianmoorman.  I will post on there when to come back and check out a new post.

First off, I hope you will visit the PUNT Foundation website.  Please take a look around and see what it is we are doing to help children with cancer as well as what events we have coming up.  We also have our store up and running selling our new line of T-shirts, sweatshirts, and bags. Hats from New Era are coming soon, so I'll let you know when they are up.

And don't forget to sign up for the Triathlon on June 7th. Join "Team PUNT" and get a jersey, and "In Training" T-shirt (which turned out very cool, I must say), and help us in our quest to help kids with cancer. If you can't run, don't think you can run, or are  too far away to come run, sign up anyway and have me represent you.  You'll still get the jersey, the T-shirt, and the gratification of knowing you helped kids that need all of our help.  I will do my best to represent you well (which means just finishing)

Now for what is going on this off-season.

I can't believe we are already into April.  Of course it doesn't feel like April in Buffalo as we were just there last week, it was 25 degrees and snow was falling.  Anyway,  because a lot has happened between the last game and now this post may be a bit long, so bear with me.  I will post shorter ones from here on out.  

What does my off-season entail?  Traveling mostly.  We went on a trip right after the season with Rian Lindell and his wife, had a surprise party for my Mom's birthday in February, went on spring break in Cancun with my wife's family, and have been going back and forth between Buffalo and Florida a lot.  It really makes it go fast.  

It wouldn't be a fruitful off-season if a few funny things hadn't happened to me.  On our trip to Cancun we spent the week playing sand volleyball with a group of "kids" from Denver University.  On the last day, Amber and I played two on two with two of the guys and beat up on them pretty good in the first game.  I think it was something like 15-6, which actually looks better than it was. I think it was 14-2 before they went a little run before we buried them.  I will give them credit though.  They came back in the second game and got us 15-11.  I was pretty wiped out by then since I had just ran an interval workout on the beach before we started playing.  No excuse really, it's just that one of the guys, let's call him "Jacob" (because that's his name), decided that it was pretty cool they beat us.  His buddy, Eric, asked what I do for a living (which I usually make something up to avoid the awkwardness of feeling like I am bragging, but since we were leaving the next day, Amber elbowed me and told me I should just tell them. Since I ALWAYS do what I am told, I complied)

Jacob turns and looks at us and says with a grin, "Seriously?...We just smoked you."  

That cracked me up, since they could barely score on me and "a girl" in the first game.  So Amber quickly reminded them of that fact.  She's not one to shy down from trash talk.

You probably had to be there, but it was funny to us. 

Speaking of things that struck us funny, and related to me being a Buffalo Bill;  We were in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl a few weeks ago at a restaurant called Pussers (why anyone would name a restaurant that I don't know) and a guy and his wife walked up to me and said, "You know, you look just like Brian Moorman, the punter for the Buffalo Bills," 

But before I could say anything he continued, "but you couldn't be him, because he's big guy."  

We were laughing so hard that I really couldn't say anything.  Needless to say, I did some curls when I got home.

Enough about me, what about the team.

Let me start off by saying how thrilled I am that Mr. Wilson finally got in the Hall of Fame. Every year, as I am sure many of you were too, I got so frustrated when his name wasn't called. he has to be one of the most deserving people ever to be enshrined.  

It is going to be quite an honor to be there for it too, since we will be playing in the Hall of Fame game in the preseason.  normally I would not want an extra pre season game, but to be able to be present when he gets enshrined  is going to be pretty cool.  Hopefully we'll get to see the ceremony. I've always wanted to see one someday, and this is the perfect one to see.  I'm anxious to see how our schedule works out that week.  

I was at the stadium to work out last week, and it was great to see all of the guys.  They were all shocked to see that I added 25 pounds of muscle since the last game.

Just kidding, I don't think my frame could hold that.  I do feel like I am in  great shape though.  Just sticking to the usual routine of running track style workouts, but have worked in a new regimen of plymoetrics, core work, and yoga along with my usual weight routine.  I will hold off on giving you the "I'm in the best shape of my career" line though.  I love it when athletes use that one.  Don't worry, I will pull it out of the bag closer to training camp.  

Off-season conditioning was definitely in full swing at the stadium too, and the team looks great.  We obviously have a lot of work to do, but it's great to see that everyone is in the shape they are in already.  We have a great strength and conditioning staff and it's obvious they put a lot of time and thought into the program this year as they do every year.  There are a lot of new things I saw the guys doing, and I really think it's going to pay off.  

Before I sign off, I have to say a quick thank you to those of you that have voted for me for the 5oth Anniversary team.  I waited to say anything about it until this point because I don't want anyone to think I am lobbying for more votes.

That being said, I cannot go without saying it because it is an honor just to be nominated for the team.  Seriously, did you see the names on the ballot?  Bruce Smith, Steve Tasker, Thurman Thomas, Jim Kelly, I could go on and on.  These aren't just some of the best players that have played for the Bills, they are some of the best players ever to play the game of football.  A lot of these guys are players I watched when I was growing up. Just the thought of being mentioned in the same breath gives me chills. 

On top that, seeing on the website that some of the season ticket holders and the voting contest winners have picked me, as well as some of the buffalo celebrities that have put in their picks, really is quite awesome.  Then the other day I received a text from a friend that told me that Bills beat writer Mark Gaughan picked me as a "slam dunk"?  Wow.  He has seen a lot of Bills football too.

I know I've said it before, but I really do appreciate my fans. Its not too often the punter of a team has a following and I don't take it for granted.  Thank you for your votes, and thanks for your support the last 8 years.  Oh, and my wife says I should say that you can vote more than once, (and I have to do what I am told.)

Remember to sign up to follow this blog and other posts on twitter.  www.twitter.com/brianmoorman.

I'm off to get some popcorn.

Until next time.

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