Greg Simmons' 2019 Training Camp Blog: Day 7

Day off? Not for us...

Day Off!

Not for us, but for the players in the Dallas Cowboys training camp. Due to the collective bargaining agreement, teams are limited on how many practices they can have in a row without a day off. For the Cowboys that fell on Wednesday.

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While the players are away, we do not play. We are at work catching up. With a day off from practice and interviews, we have a chance to catch up on writing to the interviews we have already accumulated. It also means scoping out live shot locations outside of camp.

We have a number of favorites, and Billy, Mike and I decide to use the marina as a back drop for the early broadcasts.  That’s the Channel Islands Harbor marina to be exact, which is just a few minutes towards the Pacific ocean from camp.

For Mike and Billy, the day begins with a visit to Fluff and Fold to get the laundry done at the mid point of camp. For me, it’s catching up on both the TV and digital side of things before we head out to our live shot locations.

The early broadcasts come off well using yachts and sailboats as our backdrop for 5 and 6 while we enjoy temperatures in the 60’s thanks to the cool breeze that has dropped in on Oxnard.

After the early shows we make a quick stop at In-N-Out before returning to camp to prepare for the 10 p.m. broadcast. During our stop at In-N-Out, one guest decided it was a good idea to feed the seagulls, which only attracts more seagulls and one in particular that looked like it was on steroids. I flashed back to Alfred Hitchcock for a moment. Those of you old enough to remember ‘The Birds’ know why.

Now it’s back to camp to prepare for the 10 p.m. broadcasts. We don’t have much time, since we have to be on our way to Ventura for our annual visit to the Ventura Pier for The Nightbeat. The reason we have to leave early is because the Ventura County Fair is in progress, and that presents a problem for parking. Not tonight, though. Ten dollars and we are in. Billy decides to forgo the cargo wagon in favor of carrying the equipment to the end of the pier. As Mike and I get a head start, we soon regret Billy’s decision. The equipment starts to cut into our shoulders, but we make it to the end and begin our set up.

The wind is pretty strong and temperatures have dropped, which makes it feel closer to 54 degrees. Good thing we all brought jackets. It does present a challenge to hanging onto the scripts in that strong of a breeze. The wind blowing across the fair grounds behind us does let us listen to the Styx perform, but we never got to hear Mr. Roboto.

After a few inquiries from curious onlookers about what we were doing, the broadcast is over and it’s time to hit Ventura for dinner.  For those of you who have never been to this part of California, Ventura looks like a town caught in a time capsule that has not advanced into the new millennium — more like it’s been stuck in the 1950’s. It’s very quaint and the residents are very nice. When I came out from dinner, I heard fireworks and asked a young lady what was the celebration all about. 

She just said, “The fair.” Of course.

Back to work tomorrow.