NEW YORK – It’s been a crazy off season for football fans in 2011. You have to wonder if the teams will even hold minicamps this year because of the lockout which has now been going on for 38 long and painful days. The Giants began their mandatory minicamp on June 15, 2010 last year. That’s about 8 weeks away from us now using the current 2011 calendar. The rookie minicamp started even earlier then the mandatory one. It looks like they will need to get this lockout thing straightened out soon or else. I believe the owners have a date set in their mind. They will be willing to negotiate until the alarm date goes off on their iPhones, blackberry devices or Get Smart shoes.
There was some good news put out there today. The NFL will release the 2011 schedules tomorrow at 7:00 PM EST. This is always a fun 20 minutes when you make a cup of coffee and go over the new schedule. Check out who has the hardest strength of schedule and all of that. It is a nice and relaxing information gathering session. The fact that fans already know the opponents makes it a little less exciting but getting to find out the bye week is a plus. Perhaps, they will include all of the preseason dates and times as well. They released the preseason games last week but not the entire preseason schedule with dates and times.
The minicamps are important. Just like the training camps are important. Each piece to the puzzle is important no matter how insignificant it may appear to others. I’m sure Tom Coughlin and his coaching staff are watching too much film and climbing the walls right now at this very moment. Some of the staff might be up at 3 A.M. in a zombie-like state, watching film on the 7th round possibilities at the fullback position. It gets pretty ugly for staff this time of year and I applaud you all who do it everyday. You’re going to need a nice mini-vacation after April 30, 2011.
Do you think the NFL lockout will extend beyond the NFL Draft and into late summer? Will NFL teams hold their annual minicamps in 2011?
RD – nygreporter.com
Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org
nygreporter.com 