Spiritguy
07-17-2009, 09:14 AM
A bit of info Chris Baker from his hometown paper.
BLOOMFIELD — - Eleven rookies with Connecticut ties are on NFL (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/sports/football/nfl-ORSPT000007.topic) teams. The Courant will check in with each one. Today: Chris Baker of Windsor, a free agent with the Broncos.
Chris Baker is going hard in his workout at the Next Level Athletic and Conditioning Center. Denver Broncos (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/sports/denver-broncos-ORSPT000040.topic) coaches undoubtedly would like what they see from their undrafted free agent.
Then, suddenly, the former Windsor High, Penn State and Hampton University (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/education/colleges-universities/hampton-university-OREDU0000113.topic) defensive tackle turns it up and pumps even harder.
"Step up, Chris!" bellows Kelvin Moore, Baker's trainer and a longtime family friend.
Baker has one foot firmly positioned at the center of a bench and quickly swings the other leg over for hip fluidity and quickness.
"Up! Up!" barks Moore.
Baker is working harder. He goes all out in an effort to improve his burst, power, speed and energy during a high-intensity, 35-minute workout.
Being in shape is everything for the 6-foot-2, 329-pound Baker.
"Ahhh!" he grunts as he puts the finishing touches on a personal-best of 10 675-pound squats. "There are a lot of people counting on you, brother. Let's go!"
The intense plyometric training continues, from the stationary bike to weights, to the treadmill, etc. Plyometrics is a type of training designed to produce fast, powerful movements.
"He worked his butt off while he was here," Moore said. "But that's what he's got to do all the time to get where he wants to be, which I'm sure, is the best player he can be."
Moore has been a great motivational speaker to kids in Hartford for a long time. He hasn't skipped a beat at Next Level, a facility that caters to any athlete serious about conditioning.
Even more motivating to Baker is breaking up the clouds that have hovered over him, from being involved in a couple of fights that reportedly led to his dismissal from the Penn State program — and certainly had an effect on his draft status — to playing just one year at Division I-AA Hampton.
"I'm just ready to do this now," Baker said as beads of sweat raced down his face during a break last week. "It's my dream to make it to the NFL and I'm committed to doing what I have to do to get there."
Again, conditioning is important. Especially since part of the NFL scouting analysis on him read: "Stamina is an issue, will be best as part of a rotation."
The Broncos list Baker, 21, at 329. He said he's down to about 322. He is to report to training camp at the end of the month at 320, and returned to Denver this week to get used to working out in the altitude of the Mile High City.
The Broncos are thin at defensive tackle, helping Baker's chances. And he's intriguing because he has great skills. He posted a 5.12-second 40-yard dash and 35 1/2 inches in the vertical jump at the NFL combine.
In comparison, Boston College's B.J. Raji, the first defensive tackle drafted, ninth overall by the Packers, ran a 5.23 40 and topped out at 32 inches on the vertical.
"I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't disappointed that I wasn't drafted," Baker said. "We had a get-together at the house on draft day. I was disappointed, but I wasn't discouraged from my dream."
The dream lives on despite two separate incidents at Penn State. Baker was suspended from the team at the end of the 2007 season and dismissed from the Nittany Lions (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/sports/football/penn-state-nittany-lions-ORSPT000131.topic) program in July 2008 after pleading guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault and criminal trespass following two fights in 2007. Baker said he took the pleas to end cases that were becoming costly. He received two years' probation.
"I went to places I shouldn't have gone, both times, to help teammates when I just should have stayed away — I mean that's the deal," Baker said. "I just should have stayed away."
Baker said he was told by coaches the allegations and charges that came as a result of the fights would have no bearing on his status on the team. His father was told the same thing.
" Joe Paterno (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/arts-culture/joe-paterno-PEHST001541.topic) looked me straight in my eyes and told me everything would be OK and I didn't have anything to worry about, Chris would be fine," said Baker's father, Marion, a respected 21-year corrections officer in Hartford.
Baker was dismissed shortly after an ESPN (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/sports/espn-HOC792.topic) report said 46 Penn State players had been charged with 163 counts of criminal behavior from 2002 to '08, including 45 that resulted in guilty pleas.
"The real story of what happened with my son at Penn State has not been told," Marion Baker said, shaking his head at the dinner table of his Windsor home. "My son is not a bad kid. And anybody who knows him knows that."
http://www.courant.com/sports/football/hc-statenfl0717.artjul17,0,7320804.story (http://www.courant.com/sports/football/hc-statenfl0717.artjul17,0,7320804.story)
BLOOMFIELD — - Eleven rookies with Connecticut ties are on NFL (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/sports/football/nfl-ORSPT000007.topic) teams. The Courant will check in with each one. Today: Chris Baker of Windsor, a free agent with the Broncos.
Chris Baker is going hard in his workout at the Next Level Athletic and Conditioning Center. Denver Broncos (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/sports/denver-broncos-ORSPT000040.topic) coaches undoubtedly would like what they see from their undrafted free agent.
Then, suddenly, the former Windsor High, Penn State and Hampton University (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/education/colleges-universities/hampton-university-OREDU0000113.topic) defensive tackle turns it up and pumps even harder.
"Step up, Chris!" bellows Kelvin Moore, Baker's trainer and a longtime family friend.
Baker has one foot firmly positioned at the center of a bench and quickly swings the other leg over for hip fluidity and quickness.
"Up! Up!" barks Moore.
Baker is working harder. He goes all out in an effort to improve his burst, power, speed and energy during a high-intensity, 35-minute workout.
Being in shape is everything for the 6-foot-2, 329-pound Baker.
"Ahhh!" he grunts as he puts the finishing touches on a personal-best of 10 675-pound squats. "There are a lot of people counting on you, brother. Let's go!"
The intense plyometric training continues, from the stationary bike to weights, to the treadmill, etc. Plyometrics is a type of training designed to produce fast, powerful movements.
"He worked his butt off while he was here," Moore said. "But that's what he's got to do all the time to get where he wants to be, which I'm sure, is the best player he can be."
Moore has been a great motivational speaker to kids in Hartford for a long time. He hasn't skipped a beat at Next Level, a facility that caters to any athlete serious about conditioning.
Even more motivating to Baker is breaking up the clouds that have hovered over him, from being involved in a couple of fights that reportedly led to his dismissal from the Penn State program — and certainly had an effect on his draft status — to playing just one year at Division I-AA Hampton.
"I'm just ready to do this now," Baker said as beads of sweat raced down his face during a break last week. "It's my dream to make it to the NFL and I'm committed to doing what I have to do to get there."
Again, conditioning is important. Especially since part of the NFL scouting analysis on him read: "Stamina is an issue, will be best as part of a rotation."
The Broncos list Baker, 21, at 329. He said he's down to about 322. He is to report to training camp at the end of the month at 320, and returned to Denver this week to get used to working out in the altitude of the Mile High City.
The Broncos are thin at defensive tackle, helping Baker's chances. And he's intriguing because he has great skills. He posted a 5.12-second 40-yard dash and 35 1/2 inches in the vertical jump at the NFL combine.
In comparison, Boston College's B.J. Raji, the first defensive tackle drafted, ninth overall by the Packers, ran a 5.23 40 and topped out at 32 inches on the vertical.
"I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't disappointed that I wasn't drafted," Baker said. "We had a get-together at the house on draft day. I was disappointed, but I wasn't discouraged from my dream."
The dream lives on despite two separate incidents at Penn State. Baker was suspended from the team at the end of the 2007 season and dismissed from the Nittany Lions (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/sports/football/penn-state-nittany-lions-ORSPT000131.topic) program in July 2008 after pleading guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault and criminal trespass following two fights in 2007. Baker said he took the pleas to end cases that were becoming costly. He received two years' probation.
"I went to places I shouldn't have gone, both times, to help teammates when I just should have stayed away — I mean that's the deal," Baker said. "I just should have stayed away."
Baker said he was told by coaches the allegations and charges that came as a result of the fights would have no bearing on his status on the team. His father was told the same thing.
" Joe Paterno (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/arts-culture/joe-paterno-PEHST001541.topic) looked me straight in my eyes and told me everything would be OK and I didn't have anything to worry about, Chris would be fine," said Baker's father, Marion, a respected 21-year corrections officer in Hartford.
Baker was dismissed shortly after an ESPN (http://www.broncosforums.com/topic/sports/espn-HOC792.topic) report said 46 Penn State players had been charged with 163 counts of criminal behavior from 2002 to '08, including 45 that resulted in guilty pleas.
"The real story of what happened with my son at Penn State has not been told," Marion Baker said, shaking his head at the dinner table of his Windsor home. "My son is not a bad kid. And anybody who knows him knows that."
http://www.courant.com/sports/football/hc-statenfl0717.artjul17,0,7320804.story (http://www.courant.com/sports/football/hc-statenfl0717.artjul17,0,7320804.story)