VALDOSTA —
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2012 Caravan made a stop at the Valdosta Mall Saturday.
A large crowd gathered inside the mall to get an up close and personal look at some of the team’s future stars, and four of the team’s cheerleaders.
“It is tons of fun to always come out and meet the people that come out and support us,” said Wide receiver Justin Blackmon, who selected by the Jaguars in the first round of this year’s NFL draft. “It is just a great way to come out and communicate and get people to come out and support us.”
Fans were able to enjoy various games, win free prizes and meet the players and cheerleaders through an autograph session. The line to meet the players extended well down part of the mall, a well wait well worth it says some fans.
“This is awesome,” longtime fan Chris Masok, 26, said. “I am glad to see them finally come to Valdosta. I have been a fan a long time, ever since they came into the league in ’95.”
Saturday’s event was the seventh and final stop on the caravan for the Jaguars. Other stops included Savannah and Waycross. Altogether the caravan reached over 5,000 fans and traveled over 1,200 miles.
Valdosta Mayor John Gayle started the two-hour long event with a speech welcoming the Jaguars’ players and personnel to the city of Valdosta.
Following Mayor Gayle’s speech, former Jaguar offensive lineman Tony Boselli, who continues to work in various rolls with the team, took to the stage. Boselli spoke to the large crowd comprised of football fans about the Jaguars’ initiative to reach out to the outlying areas and find support for the small-market team.
“We are saying ‘listen, this is your team. This can be the NFL team of Southeast Georgia and North Florida. We are committed on the field to winning,’” Boselli later told the Times.
Boselli also did his best at putting an end to the rumors that the Jaguars will be moving to Los Angeles, saying new owner Shad Khan is “committed to keeping a team and the NFL in this region.”
Boselli also talked about the team’s young talent and its drive to bring a Super Bowl championship to the city of Jacksonville and the region.
“We want to bring a championship to Jacksonville,” Boselli said. “We have a young team and we obviously didn’t have a great year last year, but we have a good group of young players that we feel can do the job for us.”
Before Boselli introduced the five players, he declared Valdosta “Jaguars Country,” saying that an area so rich in football should support the Jaguars like its own.
“This is the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shad Khan is committed, we are committed, and that is one of the reasons we are doing the caravan,” Boselli said.
For fans like Randy King, a six-year season ticket holder, the push by the team to reach out to the city of Valdosta was gladly accepted.
“It is great,” King said. “When you have the NFL, most teams don’t do all this stuff.”
Boselli also encouraged fans to attend the Jaguars’ Nov. 4 game versus the Detroit Lions, which will be the day the NFL franchise will honor the city of Valdosta.
Of the five players in attendance on Saturday, four have yet to even play in a regular season game for the franchise, including Blackmon, who despite being arrested last weekend for aggravated drunk driving was in attendance.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself and nobody can push me harder than me,” said Blackmon when asked about how he will handle the pressure of playing in the NFL. “Nobody can put more pressure on me than I can.”
Third round pick, punter Bryan Anger, who was more than pleased to attend the event and meet his new fans.
“It is awesome to see support outside of the state,” Anger said. “It is awesome to interact with fans.”
While the Jaguars struggled in 2011, offensively, the defense was a positive for the AFC South member. Jacksonville’s defense ranked in the top 10 of total defense and was ranked fifth in stopping the run. Now, fifth round draft pick Brandon Marshall is hoping to fit in and make an impact with the returning defense.
“I knew it was a young franchise and I knew it had a great defense last year,” Marshall said of the Jaguars. “I am just glad to be here and I just want to contribute. You just find your role, play special teams, and if they do have to call on you, because injuries do happen, then you have to be ready.”
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Related Photos
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Fifth round draft pick Brandon Marshall of the Jacksonville Jaguars signs autographs during the Jaguars’ 2012 Caravan stop at the Valdosta Mall on Saturday. Marshall was one of five players in attendance. Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times
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Jacksonville mascot Jaxson de Ville made an appearance at the Jaguars’ 2012 Caravan stop at the Valdosta Mall on Saturday. Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times
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Jacksonville Jaguars cheerleader Sam Andrews, middle, and her teammates were part of the Jaguars’ 2012 Caravan stop at the Valdosta Mall on Saturday. Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times
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A large crowd gathered at the Valdosta Mall Saturday for the 2012 Jacksonville Jaguars' Caravan. Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times
Discussion
Jaguars visit Valdosta
Fans embrace NFL franchise
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