Quarterback Dan Orlovsky is going through training camp as the backup to quarterback Matt Schaub. He spent a busy offseason preparing for the 2010 campaign, and recently took a timeout to answer 10 questions.
1. What was it like almost getting to the Little League World Series?
"We missed it by a game. We were playing; I think it was Stanford, Connecticut. I actually gave up the game-winning home run in the top of the 6th inning. It was the only hit of the game and we lost 1-0.
2. If you were to step on the baseball field right now, would you still have it?
"I could throw it around a little bit. You know I always challenge James Casey to go out there and throw and hit off of me, but I could throw it around a little bit. I don't know if I could be major league quality but I would give it a try."
3. Why did you choose UConn as the university to go to?"There were a lot of schools I was interested in and UConn (University of Connecticut) was not one of them early on. Just through the process of them (UConn) really staying interested in me and giving me the challenge of doing something no one else had done there. I had gone to some other schools that had recruited me and I was just going to be potentially another guy that had already done that stuff there and it was just appealing to me to try and go somewhere and do something that had never been done before and be a part of it. I really just fell in love with the coach and his vision for the team and jumped on it."
4. What is one thing you miss most about college?
"Probably just that game atmosphere, just the whole atmosphere of college football. It's just so pure. There's a lot of your peers. It's less of a business. You're probably more together as a team, just because you're always together, going to class together, working out together. So, that is one thing, it's just the whole atmosphere and what college football represents."
5. What is your off-season training regimen like?"I didn't really take any time off from last year. My focus for the first couple months was to just stay in great shape. I played a bunch of basketball and then I really started lifting hard and getting my body to where I wanted it to be, feel-wise. I tried to do as much on-the-field football stuff that I could. I remember in late February and March, when it was still somewhat chilly out here, being out here at 7 AM in the morning with Kevin just throwing. We were trying to do as much football stuff as possible, so that was kind of the focus."
6. Do you have any superstitions or routines that you regularly go through on game day?"I'm not really superstitious or anything like that. I'm sure I have a similar routine of things I do. Before games on game day, I'm pretty simple. I get up, get some time into my Bible, eat some breakfast and go to the game."
7. What are your individual goals for this season?
"Individually, just be in my role, being prepared to play. If called upon, going in and playing at a high level and just being in my role with Matt (Schaub). You know Matt is our guy. I want to be there to support him, be another eye for him and anything that he needs."
8. What about your team goals?"I think our team goals are pretty set that we want to win a championship, sure. We can't do that until we get into the playoffs. We know that the playoffs are our number one goal."
9. So far, how is camp going?"It's going well. There's been a lot of goods and some bads. I'm just continuing to try to learn and work and get better."
10. Tell me more about your charity "The Dan Orlovsky Foundation".
"I've had it for about five years now. All of our fundraising and money goes to children in Connecticut, mainly the Connecticut Children's Medical Center up in Hartford, Connecticut. What we're doing is raising a bunch of money to go into the hospital and build a room for the kids that will be like an interactive play zone. So, a lot of those kids that are in the hospital for 3 or 4 weeks at a time with their stays, they will be able to go down to this room and have a mini movie theatre, video-game kiosk, computers, TV's, really just get away from their hospital bed and be a kid."
