ORLANDO – (19 January 2001) – When the Birmingham Thunderbolts break training camp and return to Birmingham, one of the first orders of business will be to assist the Alabama Community Blood Bank in a blood drive at Legion Field.
The blood drive is set for Jan. 31 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the visitor’s locker room at Legion Field. Those wishing to donate blood should enter the stadium through Gate 17 behind the North endzone.
Various Bolts players and cheerleaders are expected to be in attendance throughout the day to assist with the blood drive. Players and cheerleaders will also be available for photographs and autographs to those donating blood.
One More Time
The Bolts will work against the Orlando Rage for the fourth time in training camp Saturday afternoon. For the second time Birmingham and Orlando will team up for one-on-one work with receivers and defensive backs, as well as extensive work in the kicking game.
Enforcers on the Horizon
Birmingham is finally scheduled to hook up with Chicago during the final week of training camp. The Bolts and the Enforcers are scheduled to scrimmage Wednesday afternoon. The scrimmage will be open to the media and the public.
Dueling Feet
With the final week of camp on the horizon, the war to win the job as kicking specialist is still waging. Brad Palazzo and Andy Russ are both still in camp, but the Bolts will carry just one kicker on the 38-man active roster. In specialty period at Friday’s practice, Palazzo made all three of his attempts from 32, 37 and 37 yards. Russ was one of three from the same distances. However, since only one kicking specialist will be carried, place kicking is only part of the equation, with punting the other half.
Next Cuts
Birmingham will be forced to trim its roster from 62 to a league-mandated 54 players by 9 a.m. EST Monday. The transactions will be released by the XFL at 4:30 p.m. EST the same day. The final cut to 38 active players is scheduled for Jan. 27. Seven practice squad players will be named the next day.
