A Letter From the Editor: Will there be a Training Camp entrance to remember?

The Pittsburgh Steelers report to training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA on July 26th. That’s right, nine days away.

I have been excited for training camps to start before, but never really like this one. There are so many questions which are swirling around this team, one which I brought up on the Steelers Preview podcast, as well as my Let’s Ride Friday podcast.

Will there be a training camp entrance to remember in 2022?

Who can forget Brett Keisel arriving in a tractor, which seemingly got bigger and bigger every season?

How about James Harrison showing up in a smart car one year, only to pull up in a fire truck the next?

Vince Williams’ Stone Cold Steve Austin impression was certainly memorable, not to mention he and Ryan Shazier’s “shake and bake” gig.

The one who topped them all was Antonio Brown. Showing up in many different Rolls Royces, and then topping it off by being dropped off via helicopter.

Yes, the Steelers have a lot of training camp battles to discuss, but the thought of the team just going to Saint Vincent College is exciting enough for me. But let’s back up a second. The first article I ever wrote for this website, well before I was the man in charge, was about training camp entrances. I talked about how I wished players like Keisel and Harrison would just show up for work, have a workman-like attitude and we can all be on with the real news from camp.

Needless to say, the comments on said article weren’t kind.

Here I am, almost 10 seasons later, and I don’t care if the Steelers have a crazy training camp entrance. I don’t see those type of attitudes and egos on the current roster, but to me it all takes a back seat to the team just being at Saint Vincent.

In my opinion, the fact the team is back on the road for training camp is reason to celebrate. The past two seasons where the team was either forced, or chose, to stay at Heinz Field has been a bummer. I missed reporting day, the fan videos from Chuck Noll field of a big play and also the reports of who is doing well, and who is struggling.

The fact in nine days the players will be storming the dorms again makes me happy. It brings a sense of normalcy back to the one thing in my life which has always been normal — Steelers football. It hasn’t always been successful, but when things were chaotic in life, the Steelers have always been a mainstay.

In nine days the players reporting back to Saint Vincent is a giant step back towards normalcy. After the past two seasons/years, I think we all can agree if something as simple as a football team going away for training camp brings some sense of normal and brings happiness, then let’s celebrate!

This year the Training Camp Confidential will return and be as big as the players reporting to camp. I’ll have more on this in the coming days, but we are ready, and hopefully you are too! This is going to be a special year on many fronts...so buckle up and enjoy the ride!

(Note: The Letter From the Editor series runs every Sunday during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason.)