Cason finishes strong

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Wednesday, Jun 18, 2008
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

Chargers cornerback Antoine Cason believes that becoming a pro is a process, and the Bolts’ top pick has used his the team’s offseason coaching sessions to help him become one.

“It’s been good to get in here and learn the playbook, learn how the pros practice,” Cason said. “Being new, I’m not fully a pro yet. You have to learn and understand the game to be a pro. These last four weeks have been crucial in my development as a player.”

The Chargers wrapped up OCS’s Wednesday morning with a practice that saw Cason shine. He intercepted a pass and knocked down two others during team drills. His play over the course of the last six weeks has impressed his head coach.

“He’s had a good session in terms of our OCS’s,” Norv Turner said. “He’s played a couple of positions. He looks like he’s a guy that fits naturally and has a feel for playing in on the slot. I think he’s going to be a great addition.”

As OCS’s came to a conclusion, Cason said that things have started to click a little, which has helped him make plays and grow in confidence.

“We have a saying: see it, believe it and do it,” Cason said. “I feel like I’ve started to play that way. When you’re out there and you’re new, you don’t want to make a huge mistake. You move past that to where you start making plays. In training camp I believe I’ll be able to do that more and take advantage of the more opportunities that I see.”

While the on-field portion of their offseason is now in the books, many Chargers players will remain in the San Diego area to work out at Chargers Park for the next few weeks. They’ll also have some time off prior to reporting to training camp, but Cason has no plans for an extravagant vacation.

“I’m going to try to relax a little but I’m going to keep up the workout routine,” Cason said. “I’ve got to make sure my body is ready for training camp. It’ll be here before we know it.”

Kaeding kicks in

Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding is hosting his 3^rd Annual Nate Kaeding Golf Tournament and PAR-TEE this weekend in his native state of Iowa, and this year’s event has a little special meaning.

Kaeding grew up in Coralville, Iowa and attended college at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Both Coralville and Iowa City have been devastated by massive flooding in recent weeks, and Kaeding has pledged half of the proceeds from his tournament to help with flood relief.

Punter Mike Scifres and long snapper David Binn are among current Chargers attending Kaeding’s tournament this weekend.

Save the date

As of Wednesday, just 36 days remain until the Chargers veterans report to training camp. Fans will get their first opportunity to attend camp practices on Friday, July 25. Veterans report to camp on July 24 and will be on the field for their first public practice at 4 p.m. on the 25^th.

The Bolts’ home opener against the Carolina Panthers now sits just 80 days away.

On tour

Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson joined Saints running back Reggie Bush in London this week to promote this season’s Bolts-Saints matchup in the UK. The Chargers and Saints will meet at Wembley Stadium on October 26.

The NFL’s two-time defending rushing champion seems to be enjoying his week in England and looks forward to returning in a few months.

“It's my first time here, I'm very excited,” Tomlinson said. “I've always wanted to come to London. No question, the London game last year (between the Giants and Dolphins) had a big impact here. Wembley was packed. It was like a playoff atmosphere, crazy.”

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