One day the team facility is bustling with energy in preparation for the next game, humming with movement and activity of players, coaches and staff. The next day, when there is no game to prepare for, most of that group is packing up and leaving, some walking out of the facility for the last time. The football operation, in a span of a few hours, moves from in-season mode to offseason mode. The transition is stark and, in my experience, a bit sad.
On getaway day, the players pack boxes at their lockers, say their goodbyes and head to—at least in my case with the Packers—warmer climes. I remember standing by the door to the parking lot saying goodbye as the players left, feeling very much like a camp counselor at the end of summer. I’ll never forget one player looking at me with curiosity, saying, “Andrew, do you have to stay here?” I sighed, and said, “Yes, it’s my job.”
