http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/camp_capital_041004.html Ladies and Gentlemen, now that Cavaliers Training Camp has begun, we are now in the confluence of a great time in sports. Baseball playoffs. College and professional football. And now, finally, Cleveland Cavaliers Training Camp. It?s sweet. But the Wine and Gold is not balling at the Gund. No, this year, the Cavaliers begin camp on the road ? right here at Capital University. Many of you might not know much about Capital U. I didn?t. But the facilities are incredible. It?s got to be one of the best big little schools in the state and definitely a hidden gem in the shadow of a university that?s so big it?s name starts with a ?THE?. Capital U. is a Division III school and the place is fantastic. I could have played at a beautiful college like this if I had only been four seconds faster in the 40. The Cavaliers chose to go south for the start of Training Camp this year. ?It?s about bonding with each,? said Coach Paul Silas. ?When you leave there, everyone goes home. When you?re here, everyone goes back to the hotel. We get up in the morning and eat together and ride the bus together. It?s just those little things, but it?s needed. And when you?re home, you just don?t get that.? This year, the Cavaliers? motto is: One for All. All for One. Believe it. Coach Silas had the men have contact in the morning session and they went light for a couple hours on Tuesday evening -- running through skeleton drills and shooting free throws. The morning session?s scrimmage featured not only the new Cavaliers guard combination, but an old guard (not really, he?s only 21) who looked like himself again, Dajuan Wagner. If Wagner could return to looking like he did early in his rookie season, the Cavaliers could be very dangerous people. Jeff McInnis and Eric Snow worked well together in the backcourt ? a move that now seems cemented, with LeBron dropping down into the three spot. Snow immediately showed why he?s viewed as one of the league?s toughest defenders. He was taking charges in his first day of camp. Snow may not get as many touches in Cleveland as in Philly, but he feels confident that he can adapt. ?The offense calls for the guards to be interchangeable. And it?s an adjustment. But I think I can still do the same things I?ve done before ? leading, directing ? without the ball.? Last year's big three -- Jeff McInnis, LeBron and Z -- work through a play under Coach Silas' watchful eye. Speaking of LBJ in the frontcourt, LeBron did some adaptation himself, moving into a starting frontcourt that features newcomer Drew Gooden and All-Star center, Zydrunas Ilgauskas. They?re already a quicker unit than last year?s starting front three. LeBron James was all smiles on Tuesday. ?They like me in Columbus,? he laughed, speaking of the two state championships he won in the capital. As for the squad, James said, ?Up and down-wise, we?re a lot speedier. I?m in better shape, coming into camp. I know what to expect. ?I know the system now,? LeBron said. ?I have a better control of it and I like to be in control.? Every great journey begins with a first step and the Wine and Gold took their first step on Tuesday in the center of Ohio. ?We think that if things fall into place and we stay virtually injury-free, that we can really do something special here,? said Silas as he took his young and not-so-young squad to the team bus. ?And I think everyone really wants it.?
