

It's been a slow week and a good time to get a little rest. I've had the opportunity to meet some friends here in Nashville for lunch and dinner. I've enjoyed this time away from everything and have had the chance to get some good training at the practice facility.
I know things are going to pick up a little bit this week as I take part in a few charity events. Also, I will be attending CMA Music Festival and some of the concerts at LP Field over the weekend. Those that I'll be attending are listed on my calendar page, check them out if you're looking for some good outdoor activities to watch. I'll also be heading to Benji Olsen's retirement party this weekend and attending my first NASCAR race. I'm told it is going to be a blast and there's a great chance I'll be in the pits and listening to the spotters through a headset. I'm excited to finally get out to a race!
Like I told you, it's been a nice, slow week. I'm sure I'll have a few paragraphs for you next week. No doubt the last few weeks have been exhausting with non-stop action. I had a blast taking part in so many events and new things, but slowing things down is just what I need right now.
Hi! I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. I hope none of you were stuck driving in the rain on Monday like I was! I got away to Kentucky to hang with my family for a couple of days for the holiday. My brother invited all of our family to his place for a cookout. There was a great turnout with plenty of good food and conversation. I enjoyed just spending the day outside with everyone. Now that the weather is warming up, I hope to be outside more and more.
Speaking of being outside, we had three OTA practices last week. It went well - I hit almost all of my field goals during practice. It is still early in the off-season for all of us. We are working to be fully prepared for competition starting in August and September. Now is the time to be taking the proper steps to be getting the body ready and as fully prepared as possible for the 2008 season. I will continue to kick three times a week in June, and then I’ll bump it up to four times a week in July. I just want to be sure not to over-kick and burn out the legs... it's a long season! The OTAs went well. Everyone showed up and the weather was nice - warm, but not hot! We also got a first look at most of the rookies. I know some of the vets were glad to have them taking some of the final reps in the drills. We are only in helmets right now, no pads, so we're not hitting and it's difficult to see what each rookie is going to bring to the table. Time will tell.
I was in some HOT weather last weekend, in Las Vegas for the Academy of Country Music Awards. I think the thermostat showed 104 - 105°F and my body confirmed that with beads of sweat every time I stepped outside. There were so many familiar faces there, it was as if much of Nashville was picked up and transplanted to Las Vegas for the Awards Show. I had a great time, spending days poolside, evenings at amazing restaurants, and ending my nights at some of the best nightclubs in the city. And maybe I sat down at a couple of tables to try my luck. Not too much, though, just a few hours during the trip. There was way too much to do outside of the casinos!
On Saturday, May 17th, I played in the fifth annual Academy of Country Music Celebrity Golf Classic hosted by Rascal Flatts. The event benefits the ACM Charitable Fund and was one of many activities that led up to the 43rd annual ACM Awards show that took place in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. I was in a foursome with Gary LeVox (lead singer of Rascal Flatts), Brian O'Connell (one of my buddies from Live Nation in Nashville), and Doug Kane (a friend of Brian's since grade school). We needed a few less strokes to take home one of the trophies, but I don't think we really wanted to pack a trophy in our luggage anyway! As expected, it was a hot day on the Tournament Players Club Course in Las Vegas and I packed the wrong golf shoes. My feet were burning up in black leather all day! It was still a fun day, I just had hot feet! The shots we played off my sticks probably could have been counted on two hands, but I did come away with the long drive of the day on one of our final holes. I got into that one and kept it in the middle of the fairway - better there than off to the left into the canyons like a few of my other balls! It was a good thing we started with 12 balls. And yes, I did have a few left at the end of the day.
Sunday was a long day. I had lunch by the pool and caught a few rays before changing for the show. I met up with friends and we walked the Orange Carpet to enter the awards. I thought it was going to burst into flames. Again, it was HOT! Dry heat or not, I know my core temperature was elevated while I was outside before entering the MGM Arena. I talked to some of the country music stars and eventually ran into the Rascal Flatts, who invited us to hang out with them backstage during the show. Jay, Gary, and Joe Don are down to earth guys, and they always have the time to say hello. It can be after a Titans' game on Sunday, at a concert, an awards show, or just out in Nashville. They are a great group of guys to hang out with. Many of the other country artists here in Nashville are the same way! Since playing in Nashville, I've really come to appreciate what the artists do and the dedication they put into it! While backstage at the show, I talked to many of the country artists in attendance. After spending some time there, I met up with some other friends upstairs and enjoyed the show. It was long, three hours, but we had a good time and it was a great reason to spend a couple of days in Las Vegas. After the show, I met back up with Rascal Flatts and congratulated them on a great performance and their selection for The Home Depot Humanitarian Award.
I thought I would head out to a few other events and parties after the awards, but Rascal Flatts had a different idea and I went with it. I joined them for most of the night. First, I went behind the scenes to experience their media interviews, pictures, more interviews, and more pictures. I guess it best relates to the Super Bowl for us on the gridiron - I hope to be there one day!!! I had a chance to meet and talk to Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, and a few other artists while I was waiting on the guys to wrap things up.
After that, we went to a suite at The Palms where their record label, Lyric Street, was hosting a party. Good food and a lot of new people to meet kept me busy while we were there. I've been running into Phil Stacey more and more lately, and it’s always a pleasure to see him and his wife. It was cool to be in one of the suites I've seen in magazines and read about. The room had an infinity pool outside that extended from the side of the building. The security guard said Michael Jackson actually lived in the suite for 6 months at one point. I really liked the main room, which had water running down a wall into a pool that covered most of the floor space. The water area was roped off after a couple of people got their feet and pants wet because it was as smooth as glass! I fortunately made my way across the room on the granite tiles instead of getting wet!
We left there and went to the hotel where Rascal Flatts was hosting a party themselves. Again, I met many new faces and had a great time. I picked up a pool stick and tried my luck at a game of pool, but it wasn't my night behind the cue ball. I caught up with Brian, my golf partner from a day earlier, and Kellie Pickler stopped by and I had a chance to say hello. One of my arena football teammates from Carolina was with her... as her bodyguard! It was good to see Wes. He's from Nashville, so I also see him around here from time to time. I was invited to another party hosted by John Rich, but I was ready to call it a night. I haven't had the training to hang with these rock stars! All in all, it was an eventful day, a fun-filled night, and a great weekend. I got enough of Vegas for one weekend and was ready to get on my plane back to Nashville. Home sweet home! I couldn't wait to get in my bed and get a good night's sleep!
We have the next three weeks away from OTAs and I'll be using that time to train on my own, kicking three days a week, 50 to 75 balls each day. I'm right on schedule and today was a good day. The ball is coming off my foot solidly and going straight through the uprights. I'll continue increasing my reps and strength, and then just maintain my leg to be as prepared as I can be for training camp, preseason, and most importantly, the 2008 season! Thanks for taking the time to read more of my blog... I'll be back to type again soon!
-RB2
-RB2
Hello everyone - I'm back again! I had a lot going on last week and I'm back in the swing of things on the field. I just got home from workouts and kicked all of my field goals through the uprights for the day. It's always good to walk away without a single miss... I feel like I haven’t taken a break since the Pro Bowl! I think 2008 is going to be a great season. I have a few minutes to write you before some of my family arrives for the Bon Jovi Concert. I'm sending my brother, his wife, my sister, and my mom. I won’t be able to go to the concert myself because of prior engagements, but that's okay - I saw him perform a couple of years ago, and it was a great show!
So, back to last Wednesday, April 23rd. I have become a huge supporter of the Nashville Predators. I’m not sure I know every rule, but I like to get out to the games and support the team on the ice. My teammate, #48 Casey Cramer, and I signed autographs for an hour and a half before the game. It was all part of the pre-game festivities on the front concourse. The line was long and the fans were great! After signing a bunch of autographs and taking many pictures, the Preds gave me a #2 Bironas jersey to wear at the game. I thought that was a great honor and I plan to wear it to all of the games in the future. I have only owned football jerseys in the past! The game was good and the Predators won, making it2-1 in the series.
The next day, Thursday the 24th, was a full one. The most notable event was the Nashville Film Festival movie premiere of The Deal, starring William H. Macy and Meg Ryan. Should I mention that I've had a crush on Meg Ryan since I was a little kid? The night started with a walk down the red carpet at Regal Green Hills Cinemas. I attended the event with Wild Bill of Underground Choppers fame, and we signed some autographs, took some pictures, did a few interviews, and met a lot of great people. The movie was pretty good - it was a little slow at the beginning as the plot was laid out, but was very funny by the time it got going. I was happy to support our local film industry, as these are some of the people out supporting the Titans on Sundays. After the show, I got a chance to meet William H. Macy and I spoke with him for a few minutes before he was rushed off to BMI for the after-party. I spent some time at BMI myself before calling it a night. It was becoming a long weekend, but the fun wasn't over yet.
I got a chance for a little bit of down time on Friday. I just met up with some friends and hung out for a bit before catching a good night’s sleep. Saturday was filled before I knew it. First, I went to my friend Thaxton Ward's house for his birthday grill out. The house, front porch and front yard were filled with friends and family. Good food and cake will always keep me coming back... Happy Birthday Thaxton!!!
After the party, we were off to a going away party for former Titan Jacob Bell. Unfortunately, Jacob won't be with us in the 2008 season, as he has signed a multi-year deal with the St. Louis Rams. He will really be missed in the front trenches of our offensive line next year. It was another good party with life-sized posters of Bell propped up throughout the house... a little creepy, but pretty cool at the same time! Congratulations on the new contract, Jacob.
Next, we went downtown to Wild Horse Saloon to attend the annual Maxim party. It wasn't the same as the Maxim Super Bowl party, but we had a great time. We walked the red carpet and enjoyed the Country- Western theme of the Wild Horse. After spending some time there, we headed across the street to John Rich's new club, The Spot, for a bit of late night conversation and to get away from the crowd. It’s nice to get off the beaten path at times and away from the norm, and The Spot lets you do just that.
Sunday morning arrived quickly. After grabbing a bite to eat at the Pancake Pantry, I went down to the Sommet Center with a few other Titans players (Vincent Fuller, Cortland Finnegan, Josh Stamer and Craig Hentrich) to sign autographs again before the Predators playoff game. We were there as fans to cheer them on during the game. They were down 3-2 in the series and needed the win. Sean Conover, Ulrich Winkler, Wild Bill, Thaxton Ward, and a few others joined us for the game. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the Preds win and move on to game seven of the series. Sometimes the breaks just don't go your way and that's how this series went for the Predators. I can't wait for their season to get started back up next year... I'll have my season tickets to support keeping them here in Nashville!!!
At the Predators game, I also stepped on the ice between the 2nd and 3rd periods. I thought I was going to be throwing t-shirts to the crowd, but I was surprised to find out that I would be strapped to a bungee cord with a Red Wings fan on the other end! Once we were on the ice, we were supposed to work in opposite directions to grab balls off the ice and put them in a basket. The Red Wing guy wasn't very good and I pretty much pulled him around like a rag doll (but then I am a Preds fan and it was our home ice). There was one moment when he caught me off balance and got me off my feet, but I still showed him who he was messing with and I put all four balls in my basket before he got his first. It was a lot of work, and I wasn't expecting to sweat so much while on the chilly ice. It was totally unexpected, but I think the Arena enjoyed the show. And after the game was over, I did get to throw some shirts out to the fans! I just wish the Preds could have gotten that win! They'll be back next year stronger than ever, and I’ll see you out there after my season ends!
Sunday didn't end there... after the hockey game and a wardrobe change, a few of us headed out past Franklin to Kix Brooks’ winery, Arrington Vineyards , for another Nashville Film Festival Event. Cortland Finnegan and Vincent Fuller got there ahead of me because I followed Wild Bill, who cruised in on his bright blue custom chopper. This was the 3rd year I have attended the Film Festival events and they are always a good time full of great people. It's great to see some of the faces I've met in the past and always nice to meet new people. The best part is that nobody wants anything from anyone else - we are all just there to have a good time and enjoy each other's company! And we did just that for three or four hours over a few glasses of wine. My favorite was the raspberry wine accompanied by raspberry chocolates. I've been trying different wines more and more over the past couple of years and have to say Kix is onto something down there at Arrington. I'm looking forward to tasting the new blends in the upcoming years.
This has been a very eventful off-season, with a lot to pick and choose from every day and night. It's been fun, but I know it will soon be time to cut it out and focus on nothing but football. For right now, I'm continuing to work out and kick in the mornings, and then relax and enjoy my afternoons, nights and weekends. I got back to kicking twice a week two weeks ago and will increase that as we get more into the summer - all in preparation for a great 2008 season. I can't wait to be back on LP Field in a Titans uniform!!!
-RB2
Hello everyone. I’m back! Sorry it's been a little longer than usual between posts but things have been busy to say the least! I’ve been taking part in many industry events and fundraisers as well as attending sports, music and film events. There’s a lot to tell, so I'll catch you up on a few things now and save a few for my next blog entry.
Hello! To "kick off" this post, I wanted to let all my readers know
about one of my teammate's upcoming charity events. Titans cornerback
Cortland Finnegan is hosting a karaoke night at Cabana on Tuesday,
April 1. It's called "Karaoke for a Cure" with proceeds going to the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which helps in the fight against blood
cancers. The event starts at 7 pm and the doors open at 5:30. I am
planning to attend along with many other Titans players, local country
music celebrities, and songwriters. The night is going to be filled
with lots of fun, singing, and a silent auction. There will be several
Titans player jerseys up for auction, and I gave Cortland one of my
Pro Bowl jerseys and a Titans jersey for the cause. This is going to
be Cortland's kick-off event with many to come. You can get more
information at www.cabananashville.com or e-mail questions to
celebmission@yahoo.com. Come join us for the night and I'll see you
all there.
While we're on the topic of charities, I wanted to tell you that over
the next year I'll be taking part in the United Way campaign to help
raise money and awareness for a better tomorrow. The theme is "LIVE
UNITED" and the hope is to push for better health, better education,
and better incomes for individuals by spreading awareness to groups of
people instead of one individual at a time. The hope is that people
will begin to "live united" and help others live united and live a
better quality of life.
Last Tuesday I took my first step in the United Way campaign. After my
morning workouts at the Titans' facility, I joined others from the
community for a couple hours at a video and photo studio. Titans
defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch and my buddy Thaxton Ward (local
singer & songwriter who did "My Bironas") were there among many others
throughout the day. All were doing their part to help promote "LIVE
UNITED." The day started off with a little makeup and a wardrobe
change for the shoots. I skipped the donuts and coffee in the waiting
room because we have started our off-season workouts and I didn't want
to feel guilty, having just left the practice facility. When I was
called onto the shoot, I shot some video messages, an interview, and
some still photos. I got to do a little acting as well. After my
shoot, we took some group photos to finish off our first part in the
new campaign. All in all, it was a good day on set. Everything ran
pretty smooth and I was able to get back to Baptist Sports Park to
finish my cardio training before calling it a day. Over the next year,
as you see some of these TV commercials, billboards, and print ads,
stop for a minute and take notice: What can you do to LIVE UNITED?
Thanks again for taking the time to read about the things happening in
my life. I'll be in touch again soon.
~RB2
Hi everyone. Things have been back to normal since my trip to
California, but there are a few things that have happened in my world
that I'd like to share with you.
First up was Easter Sunday, which came early this year. (Actually I
heard it's the earliest on the calendar we will see Easter in our
lifetime.) I went to my sister's house to have an evening dinner with
her and a few friends who elected to stay in town for the holiday.
Each person made a dish so we had tons of good food along with a
turkey and a ham. The best part for my sister and me was the knock on
the door just as we were preparing our plates—our Mom and Dad made the drive from Louisville, Ky., to surprise us! And they sure did. It was
great because I hadn't seen them in about a month and a half (since we
flew out of Honolulu from the Pro Bowl). I typically see them every
week or two during the season, when they come down for my games.
Needless to say, their visit was a pleasant surprise that made Easter
even better than I had expected.
On Tuesday I went to see the Nashville Predators play again. I wasn't
able to make it to many of their games during the football season, but
now it's good to be able to support them with the rest of the
community. The game did not disappoint. The team collected an
important 3-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was a big victory
because the Preds are chasing a playoff spot with just a few games
left. Some interesting things happened during the game. For example,
it was the first time I had ever been to a hockey game when a pane of
glass surrounding the rink shattered. That was pretty cool but it took
a while to replace it. Also, Jordin Tootoo had it out with a couple of
Blue Jackets in the third period. Shortly after he served one
five-minute penalty for fighting, he dropped the gloves with another
Columbus player. This time his opponent fell down and Tootoo held him
up so the linesmen wouldn't stop the fight. The crowd went wild and
Tootoo put his arms up to express victory as he again skated to the
penalty box. He is definitely a tough beast on the ice. I was glad to
see goalie Dan Ellis get the shutout too. I hope the team keeps
playing with the "W" in its eyes. I think I'm going to get back out to
the Sommet Center again next Thursday for the Preds' last home game.
I am looking forward to it!
There was good news related to my Titans squad on Wednesday: We
re-signed Donnie Nickey. Donnie's a good friend of mine and I'm glad
that he is staying here. At times, the whole contract thing can get
annoying because you're just not sure where you might be playing or
living next season or next week. Not only is Donnie a good friend and
one of our back-up safeties, he is on every Special Teams unit and
he's a leader. I know Craig Hentrich and I were two guys that didn't
want to see his value as a Titan become underappreciated. I'm glad to
know he will continue to cover my kick-offs each game. Congrats, Donnie!
That about covers it for now. I'll be back with more next week. Thanks
again for reading!
~RB2
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