Chargers Training Camp experience - great night, except adults acting like childern

[Cubsfan2011]

After 35 years of being a die hard Bears fan, I have slowly changed to a Charger's fan over the last 2 years. My 14 and 11yo daughters both love Herbert. So this year we decided to get tickets to the Chargers Training camp in Costa Mesa.

We got there to get in line about 1.5 hours before the gates opened. Only about 40 peope ahead of us. Once the gate opened, we were able to get a great spot right against the fence around the 50 yard line.

Got to see a full scrimmage - 1s vs 1s, 2s vs 2s. Some thoughts:
Herbert throws laser beams. He's kinda good.
Khalil Mack is looking fast AF off the line. Should be a fun year opposite Bosa.
Bosa and Mack glued at the hips. They are feeding off each other.
Isaiah Spiller looking strong - made a great catch, ran tough.
DeAndre Carter is going to help this team A LOT.
Lot of veterans spending time w rookies 1 on 1.

After the scrimmage was over, security was along the fence for when players came over to sign stuff.
Few came by - Chris Rumph, Larry Roundtree, Breidon Fehoko, and a couple more.
Then Joey Bosa came by. People around us started getting agressive. Pushing, reaching over, yelling non stop, etc. My (small) 11yo, with her mini football, was next to me, almost getting squished against the fence...wife / 14yo (and her full size ball) on other side of her, with my wife and I sort of making a triangle to protect her.
Bosa signed both of there balls..right after he pass us, the people around us pushed harder, bump my 11yo against the fence. Bosa turned around, came back to us, and asked her if she was ok...big props to him for noticing. People kinda backed down a little after that.

Ekeler then came through the line. Signed both of their balls...but the best part was how engaging he was. He asked my 11yo how she's doing, and if she had fun tonight. Once of the most genuinely nice people I have ever encountered.
Mack came through quickly...signed one of our Mack posters that were handed out to fans last night.

Meanwhile, Herbert was lingering on the field, signing some stuff for VIPs. From what we heard, he had only signed a bit on the day of the first practice. Lucky for us, he came over.
This is where some adults lost their mind, and being 10x more aggressive than when Bosa was there. While Herbert was tring to reach for my 14yo's ball, things were shoved in his face - guy behind us reaching through us dangling a jersey over my daughter's ball.. so Herbert backed up a bit...and almost left. But then he saw my 11yo, and took her ball and signed it. Even though my 14yo didn't get him to sign, she said "he looked into my eyes, which was just as good." LOL 14yo girls.
That guy reaching through w the jersey? He threw it at Herbert, landing on his arm, while Herbert was signing the ball. Pretty sure 8 people stepped on it before he got it back.
Kinda felt bad for Herbert, Bosa, and others. The people w no manners ruin events like this - you could tell they were annoyed. And in the press conference last night, Bosa alludes to this when he walks up..(~27:48)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf99ljXi_XU
Raised my daughters not to be those people. They were quiet, patient, and polite...which is why Ekeler talked to her, and why Herbert went for her ball instead of the obnoxious a-holes shoving crap in his face.

Anyway, here's a few pics..Bosa signing 14yo ball, Ekeler talking to my 11yo, Herbert signing my 11yo's ball, and the mini football w the sigs...

[Siberian13]

I’m glad your kids got to have fun and experience camp and meet the players. I mean Herbert is dreamy

Sucks you had to deal with the garbage that surrounds the good in this world. Nice to hear Bosa and Ekeler responded well to it. I don’t blame those guys for being annoyed. It must suck for people to come up to you and ask for autographs all the time.

Chargers have the talent. Just need to stay healthy and hope their coach isn’t dumb.

[sethc1020]

Awesome stuff except for almost getting squashed!

[cfern023]

Had that Herbert situation happen once at marlins park for ichiro during a fan event.

I made sure I blocked the kids from getting squished, waited. After about 40 kids, he came back and signed for me- as the lone adult.

They always notice, and I can honestly say I appreciated ichiro coming back just for me. He ignored all the other adults.

[halldogg]

Sounds like your girls had fun. All training camps get stupid like that after practice. The crowds follow and rush the players at the fences. Fred Taylor was always a hard one to get and I am happy to have gotten a couple in the few years i went to training camps in Jax. Did they charge for you to go watch training camp?

[Earlsnake07]

Awesome experience that your girls will never forget! Training camp was an experience I brought my boys to year after year, but once PM was drafted tons and tons of adult autograph seekers started coming out being over aggressive and ruined it (IMO).

[blackbears86]

thanks for sharing OP! Glad you and your girls had a great time.

Sorry for the rude fans.

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by cfern023

Had that Herbert situation happen once at marlins park for ichiro during a fan event.

I made sure I blocked the kids from getting squished, waited. After about 40 kids, he came back and signed for me- as the lone adult.

They always notice, and I can honestly say I appreciated ichiro coming back just for me. He ignored all the other adults.

I kind of stopped graphing because of the awful adults I met along the way.

I had a code I followed:
-Stand in the appropriate location
-Kids first
-Don’t yell at players like they’re pieces of meat
-Ask politely
-Say thank you anyways even if they say no

I was surprised by how many adults seemed to actively do the opposite.

But yeah, I had a few situations where a player would appreciate my behavior and come on over. Not always though. At least I could always look at myself in the mirror.

[jplarson]

Thanks OP for sharing the story. Aside from the large adult manchildren sounds like a great time. I remember as a kid getting autographs at Wrigley before games, great memories.

[bamafan3559]

This is why I never go to Alabama's Fan Day. I'll pay the extra on the secondary market if I want one that bad.

[Cubsfan2011]

Originally Posted by halldogg

Did they charge for you to go watch training camp?

Free to get in, which was nice. $10 for parking. Had a team pop up store.. $22 for the small football, $44 for the large football.

[roberth404]

Sounds like a typical day in the Target card aisle