DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Harrison hoping work pays off

Didn't see posted. Pretty nice article. Kinda gives a new respect and outlook for Jamal especially. But AD and JH as well


Harrison hoping work pays off
Zac Jackson, Staff Writer
07.29.2007

Allow Jerome Harrison a minute to tell you how he spent his summer vacation.

Before that minute begins, though, give him a second. He gets winded just thinking about it.

Harrison and Andra Davis joined new teammate Jamal Lewis at Lewis' home base training center in Atlanta. There, they followed the twice-daily regimen Lewis has been following for years while preparing himself for the season ahead.

Lifting. Boxing. Kick-boxing. And -- in case a day at the beach might have been on anyone's July itinerary -- sprints through sand.

The intense, full-body workouts left Harrison and Davis in awe, not to mention as ready as they say they've ever been for football. At training camp you see a slimmer, quicker Davis, and a bigger, faster Harrison. Lewis looks as strong and quick as ever.

"Those workouts were like nothing I've ever seen," Harrison said. "Full-go, all the time."

"Four weeks of boot camp," Davis said. "I've never done anything like it before. And I'll never miss it again."

Lewis said he's been following the routine since after his rookie season. Having carried the ball more than 300 times in a season four times -- 235 carries in 2004 and 269 in 2005 were "light" loads -- Lewis knows how to prepare himself for the road ahead.

"Never vacation," Lewis said. "Maybe you can slip one or two days in every now and then, but work comes first. You do the work in the spring and summer so you come to camp and be the best you can be.

"You have to do that extra. I have a great trainer down in Atlanta that's proven, and the guys that go there are proven veterans who know what it takes. I told Jerome to come down here and work with us."

Said Harrison: "The first day I got there I tried to jump right in and do what Jamal was doing. Halfway through the workout I was laying on the floor. I've never seen people train like that before.

"The treadmill, sand pit, bungee cords, boxing, cycling. Serious stuff."

Harrison had a great training camp and preseason as a rookie last year, showing quickness and burst around the edge and creating several long gainers. He only got 20 carries in 10 regular season games -- something he hopes will change with a year under his belt and new offensive system in place.

"It feels good to be out here again," Harrison said. "The game has slowed down for me. I'm excited. I think the running backs can be an area of the team that's a strength."

Harrison said he was grateful for his two older teammates working with him this summer. That Harrison was willing to give up his July to do so made an impression on them as well.

"He's hungry," Lewis said. "He's going to compete, not only with the other guys behind me but also with me. I see the things he does, and I know he can push me. I welcome it. I love seeing that he has what it takes."

"We went to Atlanta to work, and it was serious work," Davis said. "Jamal, his work ethic is amazing. Jerome, you really notice he's quicker out there on the field. With Jerome and Jason Wright and Jamal being with the good guys now, I think we can have a dangerous running game."

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/article.php?id=6987

Good article. Will look forward to see if rhetoric is back up with serious performances by all concerned. Maybe we should incorporate some or all of this regime in our training methods if it does as great a job as the three athletes claim. JMHO

Wow...

I wish I could do that all day (serious).

Also like hearing about team bonding. That whole training regimen sounds insane, but also awesome having teammates/friends to push you. Makes me think back to HS ball.

Nice leadership by Lewis....glad he is helping Harrison and more importantly, Davis out. I didn't know much about Lewis, but this shows me something

Great article! Sounds like Lewis is hungry and ready to prove there's still gas in the tank.

Dangerous and Running Game haven't been in the same sentence for a long time....

glad to see those words together...and I can't wait to see it..

i saw jerome harrison at camp up close he looked absolutely ripped.

not as strong as calvin johnson though

That article made me feel good. I hope it all pays off.

Quote:

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"...I think we can have a dangerous running game."

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:drool: I'm still not used to seeing him in an orange helmet but from what I've seen and everthing I've heard, he looks great. I think we can have a dangerous running game too.

I am really impressed by Lewis' leadership and commitment, and hope his hard work leads to a fine year. And hopefully Harrison is able to combine with Lewis for a great 1-2 punch, or at least a solid two-back rotation.

That all sounds great, it really does, and I don't mean to belittle it, but I hope Jerome spent a lot of time working on his blocking too, because that's what kept him off the field in 2006. I like his running style, fluid and elusive, but if he can't take on blitzers on 3rd downs, he'll be a liability.

i'm sure he has worked on his blocking.. that was about his only downfall... so im sure he has bulked up so he could use his body a lil more effectively when blocking..

"but I hope Jerome spent a lot of time working on his blocking too, because that's what kept him off the field in 2006"

That's the company line,or at least what has been put forward on here.It makes no sense to me.If he were this great runner,then common sense dictates that he would have been given more carries.Afterall,when he's carrying the ball,he's not blocking.He is a lousy blocker.but that has nothing to do with lack of carries.

A made a copy of it to post on the board if none did. I read this earlier this morning and had to go to some lab tests. But it impressed me so much.

And it goes with a thread started by Kardiac about team identity.

It has to do with Veteran leadership to teach anyone new and especially the rookies how to perform as a BROWN...a character, a team characterature, a team identity.

Frye had to go to Arizona and work out with Donovan McNabb.

Jamal Lewis comes along and Harrison as well as Andra Davis joins him in an off season workout program. This is what we are missing as a team.

Lewis, Bentley (but he became injured), JJ (is very quiet by nature), McGinest, Ted Washington.

But what we are missing is two things.
1. Winning Brown teams with players who experienced what was necessary to be a winning Brown.

2. Home Grown Browns who have spent 5+ seasons here - and I mean Brown"s" as in plural. Brown players who were drafted by the Browns and succeeded here.

You hear a lot about Ray Lewis cause he's got a big mouth and the Bozo Media have their heads up his Ass. But for every Ray Lewis there are 10 Jamal Lewis that make a team a winner.

This account by Harrison and Davis about the leadership Jamal Lewis brought to them and the difference it has taken on their physical outlook for the season. Now these two have learned something and hopefully they will be long term Browns so that they can pass this on to two more Browns each...making 4 and then the next generation becomes 8 then 16 and so n and so on. This is how team identities occur. But we have wasted about two generations of possible Brown veterans thanks to the poor draft investments we have made in the past. Leadership is a big thing in football especially in a league made with parity for raw talent. But leadership more than anything is the difference between Winning and Losing.

Yes we have some youngsters that have promise as Leaders....but they have to learn how to from somebody.

JMHO

I just hope that all the fans who hate the thought of Lewis on this team, or who are convinced he's washed up read this.

To me, he is just another part of the veteran mentoring that was started with Big Ted and McGinest. The only thing with Jamal, is he really is a stud who can perform now, which really impresses the young guys.

Out of this experience, I hope Davis gained some quickness, and a winning mentality. I know many pimp him on just about every site as a team leader, but I don't see it.

Harrison learning how to play in the big leagues from one of the best is priceless.

Great article - glad to see the guys working out together before camp - hope it pays off.

thing that impresses me about Lewis is he just turned 28... he is in his prime... and we got him for cheap.. lol..