Clinton Portis brought up a good point the other day.  No, not the one about there are too many preseason games – I mean after all, he was injured on the 8th play or something. Does he want preseason games to only last 7 plays?

The point, he made in jest. It was about going “old school” and allowing players to smoke in the locker room again, you know, like tough guys. Well, smoking aside, I agree with him. Let’s go old school like the tough guys.

Back in the Day, players spent the offseason getting out of shape (Billy and Sonny didn’t get those guts from playing football!).  Training Camp was about getting into shape; and preseason was about getting hit around so you were ready for the grind of the regular season. Today’s football players spend all offseason (so they say) staying in shape and then are treated like Barbie Dolls during Camp and the preseason.  The first contact they get is the first time they are hit during preseason – their bodies just aren’t in “football shape.”

I don’t ever remember Billy Kilmer, Sonny Jurgenson, Charley Taylor, Chris Hanburger, Larry Brown, or Len Hauss missing any time because they were injured during Camp or preseason. 

So, I think Portis is right. Let’s go old school and get rid of the offseason work, begin Camp on July 1st, and get them in football shape so they are ready for a little contact during the preseason.  Then when the games count, they’ll be ready to take and deliver a hit or two.

Hail,

Go50Gut