Antonio Gates On Returning To Work At Training Camp: ‘It’s like you’re going back to school – you kind of laid your outfit out, you put your pants out, you laid the shirt down…’
August 3, 2009 – 6:28 am by Michael Bean
Antonio Gates never quite got it going in 2008. He did play in all 16 games, but he only caught 60 passes and 8 touchdowns. Both totals were the lowest number he had posted since his rookie year. To his immense credit, he was still a difference maker for San Diego in certain situations throughout the year, but he would also be the first to admit that he wasn’t quite the same matchup nightmare that he usually is when at or near 100% health. Gates joined XX 1090 in San Diego last Friday on the first day of camp to talk about his excitement to be back to work, how he thinks the team is ready to finally break through in 2009 and
On the feeling each year of starting anew on Day 1 of training camp and if it’s like going back to school the first day each year:
“Oh man, that’s the perfect analogy. It’s like you’re going back to school – you kind of laid your outfit out, you put your pants out, you laid the shirt down, you put the shoes underneath the bed and you’re just looking at your outfit the whole night. And you’re like wow, they going to get a piece of me tomorrow. That’s exactly what it is and I couldn’t really sleep.”
On the injuries to himself, LT, Shawne Merriman and others and just how long it takes to overcome injuries physically and mentally:
“I think that’s where most people have a misunderstanding. They think that it’s the physical part, but there’s things that you can do physically. But getting over it mentally and trusting the injury itself, or the ex-injury if you will, that’s the biggest key to overcoming it. Because it took me a whole season and I still didn’t get over it. I didn’t get over it until the end of OTAs – right at the beginning of mini-camps. And that was almost a year and a half later because I was so used to feeling that pain and that pressure, and you just try to avoid it as much as you can. So with all due respect to everybody who’s had injuries on this team and who’s dealt with injuries – I know exactly what they’re going through. When somebody says they’re just coming off surgery, I know it’s going to take time, it’s going to take patience and you got to constantly rehab it.”
On how an injury may or may not make athletes appreciate what they have a bit more and prompt them to re-focus and work even harder:
“Yeah, it makes you appreciate your abilities as well. You know, that was my first time ever having a drastic surgery, period, my whole life. And I never really had the feeling of not being able to cut and jump like I wanted to. And from that point on, I was just always grateful for the chance that I had to come back and play for another season.”
On if he agrees that he looks and is bigger and stronger than in previous years:
“I spent a lot of time focusing on getting stronger, because obviously, my foot itself, I remember having the surgery, I had to go do things in the weight room, and all I could do is upper body. So with me taking that approach, I actually got stronger. I feel better, and I think that’s going to improve my game coming in to the season.”
Listen here to Gates on XX 1090 in San Diego
Tags: Antonio Gates, best teams in NFL, best tight ends in NFL, NFL training camps, San Diego Chargers, XX 1090
