Pro Football away From Family

It is hard enough to cope with the 1-10 losing Season. Our team faces but how do the Managers, Coaches and Players cope without their families. For some of the players being close to the Canada-Us border isn’t too much of an inconvenience just ask linebacker, Jujuan Armour.

On the flip side you have the quarterback Timmy Chang from Hawaii. The distance is too great to be able to go back and forth on a weekly basis. Fortunately, the power of the Internet has made it easier on the players to stay in touch. Also VOIP or Voice Over IP and Email has also made it easier but still not the personal touch.

Skype is a life saver when the men want to talk to their families. One member of the team told me that some of them have installed Broad Band Voice Modems from Primus. Some of the members use Broad Band phone companies..

Some players will write emails just to pass the time away. There are still others that will use cell phones. The players will try what they can to bridge the gap between themselves and their families. Unfortunately, for the players that use cell phones the bills are anywhere from $200-1000 a month.

I also spoke with GM Marcel Desjardins

He says that for the young players it is very hard on them. Some have just graduated from college and they are not used to the amount of free time on their hands. Their college schedules were very hectic but now that they have arrived at the Pro level they are only with the team 4 hours a day 4 days a week.

Now the problem comes as to what these men do with the extra time. With no family nearby and most of their friends a fair distance away can become a recipe for trouble. For example take a close look at NFL’S Adam Jones of the Titans. Mind you there are the players that hang around and watch and spend time with the other players creating bonds.

I have heard from the Coach and other players that the Team in essence become their foster family. Each of the players learn and grow with each other as they face the loneliness of their families so far away. They become there own support group.

Then I spoke to the Coaches and how they have developed coping mechanisms. They’ll tell you that for most of them that their family has grown up. One Coach said if he was home he would be driving his wife crazy while another says he’d be home alone because his wife works a lot.

Coach Taffe finds it very difficult because his son is in his senior year at highschool and plays on the football team. Although, he talks to his wife twice a day it doesn’t help knowing he is missing his child’s games. However, next year should make coping for him a little easier. His son is going to college and his wife will be coming here. He says going home to an empty house brings on the loneliness.

So here’s to the guys and their families and we wish them all well.