Does it count now?

On draft day, I heard people say, "We won't start figuring out what we have until mini camp." Then all through the mini camp, the word was that nothing mattered until training camp. At the start of training camp, it turned into the beginning of hitting.

Tomorrow, hitting commences at Lehigh, but I'm thinking that won't really matter that much either. Until the season actually gets here, nothing is set in stone, nothing truly matters. Unless, of course, somebody gets injured.

There have been a few training camp injuries already this summer. The Jaguars center broke his ankle. Frank Gore, the supertalented San Fran running back, broke his hand and may or may not be ready for the start of the season (something to think about ahead of the FFL draft). A couple years ago it was Corell Buckhalter going down for the season with a training camp knee injury.

I was standing on the field today talking to Gordie Jones from the Allentown Morning Call, and playing what he aptly termed the "parlor game" of figuring out where the Eagles' toughest decisions will come. Five wide receivers or six? Four running backs or five, nine defensive linemen or 10, who's the backup returner, etc., etc.

It's a fun game, but when I thought about the start of the hitting season, I realized that it's pointless. Or more precisely, that it's impossible. It's virtually inevitable that there will be some nick, some bruise or sprain that will affect the decisions, making some decisions easier and others more difficult.

Hopefully, for the Eagles' sake, the injury doesn't affect the whole season. But let's be realistic. This is professional football. No team goes through an entire year without losing a player to injury. Last year is was Kearse and McNabb. The year before a ton of players. Who will it be in 2007? The answer(s) to that question will go a long way toward determining the success or failure of this season.

And if the Eagles are lucky, they won't find any answers for a while.