You can always find a great seat

As you look up from the stadium seats in the stands of the Dolphins training facility in Davie, Fla., where the team holds its training camp, the shimmering view can be blinding.

Dolphins cheerleaders usually have very bright smiles, among other positive qualities.

OK, the reality is that practices in July and August in South Florida can be tough even on the most weather-resistant fans. But the payoff can be great--and not only because the cheerleaders walk around the stands on a regular basis selling raffle tickets and such.

The Dolphins have one of the more comfortable training facilities in the NFL for fans. It features seats that used to be at Dolphin Stadium, and they are on top of the action, smack up against one of the fields and only a short distance from the second field. It's so close you can hear coach Nick Saban give instruction to the defensive backs.

Fans who prefer to stand can go right up to the chain-link fence and be less than 10 feet from the sideline during practice. The Dolphins also do a nice job of running many of the full-team drills at the end of practice on the field closest to the fans.

A bonus: Saban gives the fans something of a break during two-a-days. The early practice usually is in the morning--before the humidity index hits unbearable--and the second practice is at night, which saves fans from the draining sun.

COPYRIGHT 2006 Sporting News Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning