TAKEO SPIKES has been in front of a camera for years now and hasn't frozen up yet.
Whether it was pretending to be a commentator taping basketball games with his family's first camcorder when he 7, or laying out opposing quarterbacks, Spikes has been anything but camera-shy.
But for some reason, the cameras got the best of him and 19 other NFL players who were participating in the NFL's Broadcast Boot Camp at Dick's Sporting Goods in Mt. Laurel, N.J., yesterday.
"It's different, very different, but it's something that I can get used to later on down the line," Spikes said with a smile. "Like 5 or 6 years later."
While Spikes, the Eagles' newly acquired linebacker, reiterated several times that his main focus is still football, all the players understood the importantance of preparing for life after the game.
In its first year, the camp - put on by the NFL Player Development program - focuses on educating players and developing their skills for postcareer opportunities. More than 300 athletes applied but only 20 were selected.
Throughout the 3-day session, players went through seminars to improve their broadcasting abilities. They received hands-on work with tape study, show production and field preparation from broadcasters such as CBS' James Brown, ESPN's Ron Jaworski and KYW sports anchor Beasley Reece. Each player received a tape of himself in various situations to use for resumes.
"We wanted this to be a very serious thing because these guys are serious," said NFL Films producer Steve Trout. "They all want something to do when football is done. They want to walk the walk so we want to put them through this boot camp to see if they can talk the talk."
Spikes said the hardest part was trying to forget he was a football player. Eventually, Spikes and his partner, Mario Haggan of the Buffalo Bills, looked like naturals as they interviewed one another.
"It's like riding a bike. The first time you get on there you're a little shaky but after a couple reps you get the hang of it pretty well," Spikes said.
With players like Tiki Barber and Keyshawn Johnson making a rich jump from the gridiron to television, many of the players look at them as motivation. Barber, who retired after last season, signed a 4-year, $10-million contract with ABC, while the recently retired Johnson will be a regular on ESPN this fall.
