Wow, the yellow jackets have resorted to sports entertainment celebs to help them win.
Amber in Tampa: Aside from the voluntary workouts and the 7-on-7s and weight lifting that we're always hearing about, what have been some of the bigger changes in the offseason training of football players you've seen in the last few years?
Feldman: About a decade ago, martial arts was among the "hot" things many players were doing during the summer, and many still are because it can be very beneficial, especially for linemen in improving their hands. From talking to some coaches, it sounds like yoga really has become a factor for many programs now. Last month I wrote about how Mississippi State has embraced it as a big part of the Bulldogs' summer workouts and last Sunday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution did a big story on Ga. Tech's commitment to it.
The AJC story really caught my eye for two reasons. One, because it mentions that the Jackets are being trained by former pro wrestling star Diamond Dallas Page ("Do you own Notre Dame or what?" Page yells at the Jackets during a workout.)
The other reason is because Page's business partner is a former college football player from my hometown who happened to be best friends with the older brother of one of my childhood best friends. When I saw the name Craig Aaron and a later reference that he played at Lafayette and Union, I almost dropped my laptop. Aaron has gone from small-college defensive end to Yoga Doc. (It has probably been 15 years since I had seen or heard his name.)
