National Football League

Glaze Across America tour kicks off

Published Jul. 26, 2010 8:22 p.m. ET

foxsports

On the road again … (cue obligatory Willie Nelson music.)

The offseason has been left to yesterday, vacation is over and it’s time to go “camping” again.

Summer vacation rentals are now exchanged for college dormitories. Cafeteria chow lines replace fine cuisine and hours of lounging by the pool give way to hours of meetings and practice under the blazing sun.

Ah yes, how can we not love the sounds, sights and smells of NFL training camp?

Since 1999 I’ve annually embarked upon a 40-day NFL training camp tour, something we call Glaze Across America. I rev up my frequent flier miles again tomorrow with a jaunt down to Spartanburg, South Carolina to visit with the Carolina Panthers -- and don’t return home until September 5!!!

Forty straight days of hopping from town to town, hotel to hotel, rental car to rental car … what’s not to love?

My goal is to hit about 25 teams in those 40 days and take you guys along with me for the ride. In those 40 days I’ll chime in often with video and audio hits on your favorite teams plus some mailbags when I come up for air -- talking about who looks good, who needs to step it up and who appears ready for a breakout season.

Just as important, however, I’ll take you for a ride through America with all the odd and whacky and wonderful things that life on the road brings.

Camp is a funny place. Throngs of millionaires are asked to cramp their over-sized bodies into tiny college dorm beds and rooms, obey a curfew, eat cafeteria food (often the word “food” should be used loosely) and spend way too much time in ice tubs.

As past readers of this series can tell you, rolling through America with me is a bit … different. Yeah, different, that’s a good word.

Quite frankly, wild things just have a way of finding me. How about the one hotel room I checked into that had blood splattered all over one of the walls? When I brought the manager into the room his reaction was simple, “Oh yeah, ummm, I got to get house keeping on that.” Housekeeping!?! How about calling Jack Bauer! Housekeeping???

Another spot in one of my first years I found an entire library of Nazi books lining the bookshelf of my room. Oh yeah, that went over well with me.

Then there was my favorite sign somewhere in Pennsylvania, “Semi-private rooms, $19.95." What the hell a semi-private room is, I have no idea.

I try to hit the hidden gems of each town, get down and dirty with the townfolk and leave my mark wherever I can.

As I chime in from each camp and talk a little football I’ll also try to paint a picture of a slice of life in America as well as the wild and offbeat that spice up 40 days on the road.

My vacation time is over. It all starts this week with trips to the Panthers, Falcons, Jaguars, Bucs and Dolphins.

So check in here often to my twitter account @jay_glazer, my video and audio updates, pictures from life on the road and updates on your favorite places and teams.

Let’s pack our bags and head out together.

Jay

CHECK OUT JAY'S NFL CAMP PAGE!