Hilgenberg boys take center stage at camp

Brothers Jay Hilgenberg of the Bears and Joel Hilgenberg of theNew Orleans Saints managed to work in a brief family reunion thisweek during a joint training camp at the University ofWisconsin-Platteville campus.

The pro football centers had a rare opportunity to get togetherduring preparations for the NFL season when the Bears and Saintsshared the same training site Monday through Thursday. The brotherswere joined by their parents from Iowa City after Tuesday's workout.

"I had about an hour to sit around and talk to them. It wasreally nice," said Joel, 25, a moustachioed 253-pounder who divideshis time between center and offensive guard for the Saints. "It wasreally the first time I've been able to see my folks in a trainingcamp so it was good to see familiar faces from home again."

The name Hilgenberg almost has become synonymous with the centerposition in the football world, with only Wally Hilgenberg - Jay'sand Joel's uncle - breaking rank to play linebacker for the MinnesotaVikings.

Wally's brother, Jerry, was an All-America center at theUniversity of Iowa in the 1950s and taught his sons Jim, Jay and Joelthe craft of hiking pinpoint long snaps.