Head of the Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce, Allen Smith, announced today that the Panthers have extended their contract with Wofford college to hold training camp at Jerry Richardson's alma mater through 2019.  So, fans prepare to get your Wofford on.

Last year, Joe and I attended our first training camp.  We had a blast.  Couple of things to prepare yourself if you decide to attend in the future:

1. Spartanburg is hot.  Like, hell hot.  I'd recommend bringing an umbrella for shade, and leaving the kids at home.  Don't forget that sunscreen! It is a fun experience for the family, but the kids will get tired quickly and want to leave.  If you want to watch practice closely, you may want to leave them at home. 
    
2. The autograph fence is wild.  People are tired.  The players are tired, and it's tiring trying to jockey for position to land an autograph.  Logically, you think the best place to land an autograph is at the fence closest to the gate were players come in and out, but really it's the opposite.  Players will be coming from the practice field, heading toward the gates.  The players do a great job with give their time and attention out, but after about 200 autographs these guys are ready to hit the showers.  If you are too far down the line (closest to the exit gate), you may find the players tiring out on the autograph train.  Aim for the middle of the pack, and maybe even a little towards the field side of the middle.
    
3. Eat at Cribbs Kitchen.  It's beside RJ Rockers brewery.  We had a blast there. Great food, good beer, and a nice staff.  I had the "Dirty Cuban," which was an excellent gourmet burger.  I was a little surprised actually, by how good it was, given I don't trust SC BBQ.  Eastern NC has a lock on the BBQ.  So what else would you get with a "Dirty Cuban?"  Well the obvious beer selection was the Brown Eyed Squirrel.  Given the my maturity level, you can bet the endless jokes that accompanied this meal.  Joe tried the "Flight of Beers" while we were there and was very impressed.