Hello July

It has been a few weeks since the last blog update, and I have to admit there has not been much of anything going on outside of the world of celebrity deaths. The Carolina Panthers wrapped up their OTA's in June and the players are now resting up and working out on their own before the team packs its things and moves down to Spartanburg, SC for the start of the 15th annual training camp, held at Wofford for the 14th consecutive year (the first year was hosted by Winthrop University).



Jon Beason says that he is as excited as he could possibly be for the start of the season, and especially to get back to form defensively with Julius Peppers. Jon Beason's blog has provided the KMAC Panther Weekly with lots of insights and entertainment, and it sounds as if he is working harder than ever to become the single best linebacker in the NFL. If he's not in that discussion already, I think he will be come the end of the 2009 season. He is phenomenal, and he is the best linebacker that I've ever seen line up in a Carolina Panthers uniform.

It's hard to say what the best draft pick the Panthers ever had was, but if I had to come up with a short list I would put Jon Beason in there along with Steve Smith and likely DeAngelo Williams. Sorry Randi Fasani and Eric Shelton, you don't make the cut.

Here's an excerpt from "The Beast", Jon Beason:

Workouts are going great. I’m out there grinding twice a day, getting ready for training camp. It’s hot here in Fort Lauderdale, which is good because it simulates the weather in Spartanburg.

I feel like my old self again after the surgery. I feel motivated and hungry, like I’m about to enter the NFL again as a rookie. Here I am a veteran and I feel like I’m starting all over again with new coaches, new schemes and new terminology.

I’ve come to the realization that everybody likes to talk about what you did or how great you are, the season you had and the Pro Bowl, but to me the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” league because none of that stuff matters if you don’t make the next play.

This year I want to have a short memory. Do what is expected of me and then move on to the next play. Try to make a great play, then move on to the next play.

If I do that, individually I’ll get what I want but also the team will respect it and respond. The guys can almost taste that and it becomes part of their makeup. If we can do that every play, we can win this whole thing.

Our tight end Dante Rosario is down here working out with me. After coming down here and training, I think you can expect big things from him this year. I hope we use him more on offense because I think he’s a special talent.

July is my time. I stay at a hotel, everything is right here for me, I don’t have a kitchen or anything. I wake up, work out, come back to the hotel, have my food prepared for me, lay down for a rest, come back and work out again in the afternoon. During my time I don’t want anybody to bother me, I want to feel tired and feel like I made a deposit today.

That’s my new thing. You have to make a deposit every day. You make deposits, watch your deposits grow and hopefully in February I can make one big withdrawal.

www.jonbeason.com