I get that it is a very long season and I get that a break is needed before training camp, but seven weeks? These younger guys especially barely get started and then take nearly a two-month break. It's like teachers saying the first two months of the school year is spent trying to get the kids back, knowledge-wise, to where they were at the end of the previous school year. What do you think? – Allen Sharkey/Skiatook, OK
Nick Eatman: It's hard to answer the question because it's nearly impossible not to consider your own personal situation into the mix. Seven weeks of a break for the team means seven weeks off for us as well. Not that there's not work to do, but it's a good time to recharge the batteries and get ready for the grind of camp and the regular season. As for the rust factor, I think you have to remember what training camp looks like now. It's pretty light compared to the past. There are a lot more off days and more breaks even when camp starts. So I don't think it matters too much. Remember that camp begins on July 24 and the season on Sept. 10. My math says that's about 48 days. Hmm, what do you know? About seven weeks. So if that's long enough to get rusty, I bet it's long enough to get ready to play.
Mickey: Have never been a proponent of this extended vacation time between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp, and for the majority of the Cowboys players six weeks later. Now for the Cowboys rookies this year the lag time will only be five weeks since those youngins are scheduled to be here at The Star next week. But always thought they should start the OTAs and minicamp practices later so they could then just transition into training camp seamlessly. Then again, they also need to give the coaches some time, and that certainly would occur in the spring with the draft taking place. And you would sure hate to draft a bunch of guys the end of April and then not have them in the building until like July.
