BillsFever
07-23-2003, 11:08 PM
Training camps are under way, and many teams are getting down to business without their top draft picks. And while that isn't stop-the-presses news, it may -- or may not -- bode well for players who endure a prolonged contract squabble.
I began compiling players who had missed part of their rookie training camp, thinking I would find those players made significantly less impact in their first season. After sifting through the numbers, I came away with a different perspective. Training camp attendance does not equate into first-year success, and missing training camp doesn't preclude a player from having a stellar year.
Recent examples of first-round picks who were tardy to camp include:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/duane_cross/news/2003/07/23/rookies_training_camp/
I began compiling players who had missed part of their rookie training camp, thinking I would find those players made significantly less impact in their first season. After sifting through the numbers, I came away with a different perspective. Training camp attendance does not equate into first-year success, and missing training camp doesn't preclude a player from having a stellar year.
Recent examples of first-round picks who were tardy to camp include:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/duane_cross/news/2003/07/23/rookies_training_camp/