6-5-03, 4:45 p.m.
BY GEOFF HOBSON
Welcome to Camp Lewiston, where somebody somewhere is always doing something.
Marvin Lewis' first training camp practice as Bengals head coach is July 28, which kicks off a hectic stretch of 33 practices in 24 days at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Ky., as he tries to shape a different feel and more urgent tempo for a team that has gone 17-74 in September and October the past 12 seasons.
The biggest change besides two daily full-speed practices is that Lewis has turned the annual intrasquad scrimmage into a weekend event. The scrimmage has been moved from the traditional first Saturday afternoon of camp to the first Friday night, Aug. 1, at 6:30 p.m., to be followed by the Black-Orange Mock Game on the next day, Saturday, Aug. 2 at 1 p.m.
There probably won't be a scoring system when the offense meets the defense Friday night, but there probably will be points kept the next day when Lewis divides the roster into two teams.
"Friday night is more of a live scrimmage look and Saturday is a game without live tackling," Lewis said. "Saturday is a time where players and coaches can work on the mechanics and procedures of the game. Practicing at night is good for the fans, but it's good for us. We have to play pre-season games at night, so it gets us ready for that and changes up the atmosphere a little bit."
The Bengals practice two other nights (Wednesday, Aug. 6 and Thursday, Aug. 15), and Stacey Varney, director of Georgetown's Conference and Training Center, said there will be fireworks one of the three nights. Varney said the weekend should boost attendance for a camp that has had problems drawing down through the years.
"We think that weekend is going to draw people down from Cincinnati," Varney said. "The locals will come, but we're thinking that people from Cincinnati will make a weekend of it and stay over Friday night."
She says Lewis' new era has also energized the camp's base and she expects to see more fans this season during the three weeks on campus. Varney said Lewis' speech last week to the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce that included members from Lexington went over well.
Fans will see Lewis' brand of uptempo workouts on display. In the recent past, the Bengals have gone through a walk-through in the morning and then had full in-pad practices in the afternoon.
Now Lewis plans to have his full practice in the morning, to be followed by a 60- or 90-minute afternoon workout in shorts that will be run with the speed of a minicamp practice.
"We're going to use the afternoon to work on speed, movement, quickness, and agility," Lewis said. "You have to learn how to practice without pads. You can't always wear pads and you have to learn to practice that way."
Although the Bengals and Georgetown are headed into the last year of their contract, both sides appear to be working to get an extension. Lewis has been pleased with how the school has handled his requests, and, for instance, he'll have three fields at his disposal, one more than the Bengals have been using lately.
"It hasn't been decided one way or the other," Varney said. "I think they want Marvin to see how he likes it and we're going to negotiate once camp gets started."
All training camp times, days, and events are subject to change. For a schedule, parking, and directions, please click
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Sun. July 27:All players report.
Mon. July 28:Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 4-5:30 p.m.
Tue. July 29:** Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 4-5:30 p.m.
Wed. July 30 _ Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 3-4 p.m. **
Thu. July 31:Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 4-5:30 p.m.
Fri. Aug. 1:Intrasquad scrimmage, 6:30 p.m., followed by autograph session at 8:30 p.m.
Sat. Aug. 2:Black-Orange Mock Game, 1 p.m., followed by autograph session, 2:30 p.m.
Sun. Aug. 3:No practice, facility closed.
Mon. Aug. 4:Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 4-5:30 p.m.
Tue. Aug. 5:Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 3-4 p.m.
Wed. Aug. 6:Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 6:30-9 p.m., followed by half-hour autograph session.
Thu. Aug. 7:Practice from 4-5:30 p.m.
Fri. Aug. 8:Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 4-5 p.m.
Sat. Aug. 9:Facility closed for travel to pre-season opener.
Sun. Aug. 10:** Facility closed. Bengals at Jets at 1 p.m., at The Meadowlands.
Mon. Aug. 11: No practice, facility closed. **
Tue. Aug. 12:Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 4-5:30 p.m.
Wed. Aug. 13:** Practice from 8:45 a.m.-11 a.m. and from 4-5:30 p.m.
Thu. Aug. 14: Practice from 10-11:30 a.m. and from 6:30-8 p.m., followed by autograph session.
Fri. Aug. 15 Walk through for pre-season home opener, facility closed. **
Sat. Aug. 16:Lions at Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium, 7:30 p.m., facility closed.
Sun. Aug. 17:** No practice, facility closed.
Mon. Aug. 18: Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 4-5:30 p.m. **
Tue. Aug. 19:*Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 3-4 p.m. *
Wed. Aug. 20:Practice from 8:45-11 a.m. and from 4-5:30 p.m.
Thu. Aug. 21:** Practice from 8:45-11 a.m.
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ADMISSION:None. $10 to park per car, $25 per bus.
DIRECTIONS: (From the North)** I-75 South to Exit 126. Turn right off ramp. Go through four traffic lights. Turn right at the fifth light onto Lemons Mill (1962 West). Turn right into driveway bearing large Bengals sign.
(From the South) I-75 North to Exit 125 (Georgetown). Turn left off ramp onto U.S. 460. Take a left at stoplight on 460 West. At second stoplight, turn right onto Lemons Mill (1962 West). Turn right into driveway on right bearing large Bengals sign. **
(From West)** I-64 East to Exit 69 (Georgetown). Turn left off ramp onto U.S. 62. Go 3.1 miles and turn right onto bypass. Continue on bypass until turn left on Lemons Mill. Turn right into driveway bearing large Bengals sign.
**(From East) I-64 West to I-75 North. Follow directions from the South.
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