2008 Woodie Awards
In Iowa City for youth camp, Gallery discusses Raiders
Lars Headington - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 7/3/08 Section: Sports
At 6-7 and 325 pounds, former Iowa tackle Robert Gallery is a mountain of a man whose occupation requires him to tangle with other enormous men over real estate on the NFL gridiron and to train accordingly during summer training camps.
This week, however, with fellow campers who are less imposing, his activities aren't so strenuous but no less rewarding.
As a co-host of the "Training with Kaeding & Gallery" youth camp, he has spent the week running athletics drills and mentoring to area youth about sportsmanship and character with former Hawkeye teammate, kicker Nate Kaeding.
Along the fields behind Northwest Junior High in Coralville, the eyes of dozens of campers focused on Gallery on Monday as he gave a blocking demonstration at midfield, taking challengers from a few campers - one of whom "escaped" his block to reach a camp staffer for a virtual sack.
"Uh-oh," Gallery said and laughed. "I gave up a sack - that's not good."
A model for consistency on the Hawkeye's offensive line from 2000 to 2003, Gallery - the 2003 Outland Trophy winner - played his final 36 games in Black and Gold without surrendering a sack, anchoring the Hawkeyes in their runs to a pair of January bowl games in his junior and senior seasons.
But since being drafted No.2 overall in the 2004 draft by the Oakland Raiders, Gallery has yet to see similar success.
While Kaeding, also drafted in 2004, has seen his San Diego Chargers win three AFC West division titles, Gallery has yet to either taste the postseason or beat Kaeding head-to-head.
"I don't mess with him a whole lot [about it] … we don't want to kick them when they're down," Kaeding said. "He says it's a tough situation out there in Oakland from the top down - their leadership isn't exactly the best, but they've got a lot of young talent.
"We don't take them for granted because they always play us tough, but we definitely have the bragging rights, that's for sure."
This week, however, with fellow campers who are less imposing, his activities aren't so strenuous but no less rewarding.
As a co-host of the "Training with Kaeding & Gallery" youth camp, he has spent the week running athletics drills and mentoring to area youth about sportsmanship and character with former Hawkeye teammate, kicker Nate Kaeding.
Along the fields behind Northwest Junior High in Coralville, the eyes of dozens of campers focused on Gallery on Monday as he gave a blocking demonstration at midfield, taking challengers from a few campers - one of whom "escaped" his block to reach a camp staffer for a virtual sack.
"Uh-oh," Gallery said and laughed. "I gave up a sack - that's not good."
A model for consistency on the Hawkeye's offensive line from 2000 to 2003, Gallery - the 2003 Outland Trophy winner - played his final 36 games in Black and Gold without surrendering a sack, anchoring the Hawkeyes in their runs to a pair of January bowl games in his junior and senior seasons.
But since being drafted No.2 overall in the 2004 draft by the Oakland Raiders, Gallery has yet to see similar success.
While Kaeding, also drafted in 2004, has seen his San Diego Chargers win three AFC West division titles, Gallery has yet to either taste the postseason or beat Kaeding head-to-head.
"I don't mess with him a whole lot [about it] … we don't want to kick them when they're down," Kaeding said. "He says it's a tough situation out there in Oakland from the top down - their leadership isn't exactly the best, but they've got a lot of young talent.
"We don't take them for granted because they always play us tough, but we definitely have the bragging rights, that's for sure."
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RaiderThug
posted 7/05/08 @ 3:02 PM CST
Note to Nate Kaeding, you're on a loaded team, yet you can't make it to the Superbowl, in part to you not being able to make clutch kicks...BTW, our leader has been to 5 superbowls, 3 rings, won countless awards and is in the HOF. (Continued…)
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