38 Days to Football: Training Camp Twitter

Most weekdays from now until the Packers and Seahawks kick off on September 4th, The Big Lead will detail one reason we are excited for football season to begin. Including today, we’re 31 days away from NCAA and 38 from NFL.

Holy crap. Did you see that catch that Sammy Watkins made in training camp? What an athletic achievement. I mean, you can barely tell who is in the video, but still, this is the absolute height of Training Camp Twitter. It’s a moving picture showing something actually happening. As far as I can tell, it is the only update from any training camp that has mattered.

Every other tweet from every other beat writer has been a variation of the following:

@randobeatwriter1: [Player X] has been horribly injured and will not return.

@randobeatwriter2: [Player X] has probably been horribly injured. Return questionable.

@randobeatwriter3: [Player X] has been suspended for [hitting something or someone / using a drug].

@randobeatwriter4: [Player X] isn’t practicing because [football is too dangerous to play ever].

@randobeatwriter5: [Player X] [is holding out and won’t report / has signed and will report].

At their best, those tweets are informational. They tell you the status of players. A necessary evil. Everything else though? Take these specifically-chosen random tweets from random NFL beat writers. Just pure, random, pointlessness.

Many drops and fumbles and Tom Coughlin explodes: "Stop dropping the G-D ball!" he screams.
— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) July 25, 2014

Turnovers and dropped balls not part of the Giants’ gameplan this season.

Romo has run nine plays in 11 on 11. All runs.
— Charean Williams (@NFLCharean) July 27, 2014

Cowboys are not going to pass the ball once this season.

The Vikings have three stud QBs!

McGloin throwing some nice passes. All QBs threw pretty well. Practice concluded
— Jerry McDonald (@Jerrymcd) July 28, 2014

The Raiders also have good quarterbacks this season.

Try that again - Geno 8 of 10, 2 sacks, int; Vick 8 of 10, sack and a drop #nyj
— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) July 25, 2014

Then we have the Jets QB battle. They don’t even have impressive numbers in practice.

I've overlooked Jason Trusnik both days he's performed well, and his contributions should not be overlooked.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) July 28, 2014

Do not overlook Jason Trusnik. Probable first round pick in your fantasy football draft IMHO.

Both kickers made their 5 field goal attempts. Longest was 52 yards
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) July 28, 2014

The fiercest, deepest position battle in the NFL this offseason? The Chiefs’ kicking competition. Refresh Twitter regularly.

#Packers centers JC Tretter, Corey Linsley and Garth Gerhart in drills Monday. pic.twitter.com/E4go8aPrNh
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) July 28, 2014

Packers working on controversial 3 center offense.

Alshon Jeffery has a sore foot
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) July 28, 2014

Anybody in the general vicinity of Bourbonnais, IL have any ice?

Judging from two days in the lockeroom, not 1 #azcardinals player is thinking about his contract.
— Kent Somers (@kentsomers) July 27, 2014

How refreshing – the Arizona Cardinals are willing to play for free.

Rivera giving team a long speech.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) July 28, 2014

Reporters late for dinner.

Mark Barron just picked off a Josh McCown pass intended for Chris Owusu. Had he not picked it off h would have blown Owusu up
— Roy Cummings (@RCummingsFHCN) July 26, 2014

That was close!

#Falcons WR Jeremy Ebert is the first player to wear Michael Vick's No. 7 jersey.
— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) July 25, 2014

So they didn’t retire Mike Vick’s jersey?

Gruden was happy with morning practice aside from the wet balls, which led to more drops than usual.
— Mike Jones (@ByMikeJones) July 24, 2014

Wet balls disappoint person.

Obviously, it's no sure thing either way.
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) July 24, 2014

Meanwhile, in Detroit – lots of uncertainty.

Gronk said something about "smashing and bashing."
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) July 25, 2014

Hurry back football.