NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Game Media Day

Story by L.T.Willis

All photos by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.



As i stood on the field during the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Media Day i was thinking to myself is this a sign that pro football will be coming back to Los Angeles? Well one thing i know the players from both teams  the National and the American  were all ready prep for the spot light as they were not camera shy as media day was about them having fun and what this game means to them. Dick Vermeil and Tom Flores set the tone for what would be for many of the players a taste of what life is all about in the NFL.





American Team head
coach Tom Flores.

The National Team head coach Dick Vermeil greeting former
Washington Redskins corner back Darryl Green.



The players that were selected to play in this event were very excited by playing in this game and you could tell by the way they carried themselves, The NFL are going to  be very proud of these young men from all parts of the country who are giving  fans a chance to see them showcase their skills in the inaugural  AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Game  at the Home Depot Center in Carson on January 21, 2012.

From left to right # 29 Jaquise Terry/Kent State # 33 Bryce Beall/ Houston
# 28 Ronnie Weaver/ Central Florida and # 26 Antwon Bailey/ Syracuse.

This game has some of the best quarterbacks in the country playing and are very grateful to be playing in a game of this magnitude and great weather than playing in a very cold region for some of the players.  University of Miami's Jacory Harris was on on hand talked about how great the field was and that everyone here was having fun getting ready to play on Saturday afternoon. Other quarterbacks were LSU Jarrett Lee, Tulsa's G.J. Kinne and Patrick Witt from Yale just to name a few.

 University of Miami's Jacory Harris.

From left to right: # 5 Patrick Witt/Yale
# 2 G.J. Kinne/Tulsa # 6 Jarrett Lee/LSU.



Now if i am coach and i wanted a player on my team that would keep the players on his team laughing and in good spirits than every team need to have a defensive tackle like Asa Chapman from Liberty on there team. From the time the teams were getting ready for the team pictures, media day photo shoot and final walk thru this young man was a joy to be around. This young man stole the show when his team mate Phillip Thomas from Syracuse  were doing back flips that had amaze at what they saw.



# 27 Jordan Bernstine/Iowa # 30
Ben Wells/Stephen F. Austin State.



# 72 Asa Chapman/Tulsa



The one thing all the players agreed on it was nice to see all the former NFL players and two coaches who led their teams to Super Bowl victories giving back to NFL in a way that can never be measure. Watching Tom Flores and Dick Vermeil having fun doing what they do and that is teaching and coaching the game they love football. Former corner back Darryl Green from the Washington Redskins was near so i had a chance to talk with him about playing the Dallas Cowboys in his rookie year and how he ran down  Dallas Cowboys' running back Tony Dorsett from behind and tackled him.

#79 Keith Newell/Delaware State # 95 Jerome Raymond/Morehead State



Darryl Green today is still consider one of the best corner backs that ever played that position and you can check out  his interview along with one on one interviews with University of Miami's Jacory Harris, Tom Flores and Dick Vermeil  who also took out time to share with me what the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Game means to both of them on video on our YouTube channel TGSportstv. All photos and  video interviews are by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports and EW Gems Images.