Training Camp 2010 – Clinton Portis is “Having Fun”

Running back Clinton Portis is having fun

It will sound cliché but, there was a different feel to the activities out at Redskins Park today for the first day of Training Camp 2010. It wasn’t just the fan attendance – they’d been there during OTAs. It was the Washington Redskins’ players and their attitudes… focused but happy.

A number of players spoke with reporters, one of them being Clinton Portis. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the Washington Redskins’ running back up on the podium and it was good to see today.

A big concern for people has been the concussion from last season and it does not appear to be a problem anymore. The running back seems to be in shape and motivated. Portis met with reporters and said that the concussion had actually motivated him.

“Yeah, I actually do,” Portis commented. “It’s like out of sight out of mind. With myself having a concussion which was an unfortunate situation, it was like all of a sudden I disappeared off the face of the earth due to a concussion. Everybody felt like I fell off, you really see people’s true opinions. Everybody wrote me off, everybody felt like I was over and done with, but I had a concussion, I recovered, I’m back, I’m healthy and I’m looking forward to helping this team win.”

All of the running backs looked sharp and fast on the practice field today. Portis was asked what was keeping him in such good shape.

“Just the competition,” he said. “You know, I feel like Ladell [Betts] is a great back. Having Larry [Johnson] and Willie [Parker], Keiland [Williams], Ryan [Torain] and having those guys it’s just a difference. Being in the NFL you see people come and go year in and year out, it’s a business. Having the opportunity to play with Willie and Larry, two people that are proven in the NFL, it just helps us. I think all the pressure is gone. We know we can come in and whoever gets going is going to play.”

Because of the enthusiasm exhibited on the field, many of the players were asked – and were happy to answer – what they thought about the first day of training camp. Portis explained what he thought.

“Having fun. I think being away from football you get the opportunity to hear all the naysayers. For myself, I know football is about having fun and coming in to this organization where Coach Shanahan says he’s the one with the pressure and everybody needs to go out and play and do the things that he asks you to do. Play football and have fun doing it. I think that gave all of us the opportunity to not worry about off-the-field problems that we’ve been worrying about, the public relations problems and everything else that leaked out in this organization. So just having a better organization and having something ran at a professional level makes everything a lot easier.”

I hope Portis continues to have fun. If he’s having fun it’s because the team is doing well. And if the team is doing well and he is having fun, who knows what sort of antics we may from him this season.

FNN is looking for interns to help cover college football this fall. Click here to apply.