There's always something special about playing under the lights. Even if it's just a practice, the players and the fans all get a little extra excited about playing (practicing) at night. The Colts will do just that tonight, holding their first and only night practice of 2014 training camp tonight. Along with it, the team is having a "BBQ Bash." The practice itself will be held from 6:20 - 8:55 in Macholtz Stadium at Anderson University.
If you plan to go to just one practice a year, the night practice is the one to go to, and it typically draws the largest crowd. Also, it seems to be the practice when the most players stay after and sign autographs. All around, it's a great time and a great atmosphere - not just for the fans, but for the players and coaches as well. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano talked yesterday about how a change of pace - such as the night practice - is always great:
"With training camp being a grind, change of pace is good. It's just like coming out Monday morning, switching that up, practicing in the morning. It just so happened to be 43 degrees out. My hands got cold. I'm just kidding but it was 59, it was chilly, it was a change-up. So changing up, playing under the lights, being in the stadium, being in front of the fans, cheerleaders are going be there, all that stuff. It's a shot of adrenaline, if you will. You get out of that mundaneness of the daily grind: meetings, walkthrough, lunch, three-hour break, 1:50 practice, then we eat. So a little extra excitement level there for the guys."
I'll be at camp tonight taking in the atmosphere, but most importantly watching what happens on the field. With the recent loss of Donald Thomas, it will be especially interesting to see the offensive line.
But really, the night practice is fun regardless of what goes on during practice - after all, it's not like the Colts are going to lose (well, I take it back - they've lost a couple of times in camp so far with injuries). If at all possible, I'd recommend heading to Anderson tonight to take in the lone night practice of the 2014 training camp for the Colts.
Who's planning on going tonight?