Colts go to work

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Sunday was the first day of the Indianapolis Colts training camp.

Former Colts head coach Tony Dungy sent Jim Caldwell a text Sunday morning, as he was driving down for his first day of training camp as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.

Dungy sent Caldwell and the team his best and hoped they would all have a great training camp and a successful season.

Caldwell has served with Indianapolis for the past seven years. He spent his first three as the quarterbacks coach before earning the title of assistant head coach prior to the 2005 season. Last year, Caldwell served underneath Dungy as the associate head coach.

This season, Caldwell is the new man in charge and he is eager to get to work.

"This time of year, we get the opportunity to put the pads on and then I think you can do a really good evaluation of your squad and make some improvements on and in some areas where we need to work especially in the run game as well," Caldwell said.

Last season, Peyton Manning missed all of training camp because of the removal of an infected bursa sac in his left knee. This season, Manning is healthy and glad to be back in Terre Haute for the beginning of training camp.

"The scenario last year wasn't a fun time with rehabbing and not being able to go out on the field with all the guys that's what I'm most excited about to get out there and go to work. I've always believed in training camp and this is where you form the foundation of your team," Manning said.

Manning arrived early Sunday morning at Rose-Hulman of Technology. He greeted reporters with a smile and said he is glad to be healthy this year.

Former Terre Haute North standout Jamie Petrowski made his way back to his home town for his first training camp as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. Petrowski, a graduate of Indiana State, signed with the Tennessee Titans in 2006. He was later be released by the Titans in 2008, to be picked up by the Colts in November of last year.

"It's good being here and good being back home. This team is a phenomenal team and we are coming here together as a team and trying to get a lot of things accomplished this camp and start off on the right foot for the upcoming season," Petrowski said.

Vincennes Lincoln grad and former Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter is entering his first training camp with the Indianapolis Colts.

Painter just agreed to a four-year deal with the Colts this past Wednesday.

He said he can't wait to get out on the field and take some lessons from one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game, in manning.

"It's kind of like going back and being a freshman in college again. You come in and everything is new to you so its a very similar experience, so I'm going to stand in the shadows for a little while and try and learn and pick everything up," Painter said.

Each year when training camp rolls around, Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne dresses up in a different outfit, which represents a certain theme he hopes to express during the season.

Two years ago, Wayne showed up decked out in camouflage, because the Colts were the team everyone was hunting after they had just won the Super Bowl. After taking a year off last season, Wayne was back to his old self and showed up in a yellow dump truck.

"No camo, this year is all about the road to the Super Bowl, construction. You know, we were there a few years ago we just have to get that blueprint back out to get it done and you can see the truck, we are on the right path," Wayne said.

Wayne was wearing a full construction outfit with a hard hat that said "Wayne's Construction."

His message this year: Building a road back to the Super Bowl.