Training Camp Roundup

Gordon Shive, WLB, Baltimore Stars

Training camp is a day dreaded by many MFN coaches. If you roll the dice by taking a player with a high volatility rating, you may see that player "bust." That is, his true ultimate potential, now revealed, could have decreased significantly since draft day. If so, you have missed an opportunity to improve your team and are stuck paying significant money to a guy who may ride the bench or may not be on your roster at all.

Sometimes these fears are unconfirmed. The player will at least maintain his potential or, in some cases, improve.

The Portland Storm, Washington Federals, and Shreveport Steamer all had their worst fears confirmed Thursday. Portland drafted tight ends with both its first- and second-round picks and both busted. The Federals saw the bottom drop out of their first-, second- and third-rounders. Shreveport saw drops in six of eight draftees, including picks 1 and 3.

Significant "busts," those in the first three rounds with a drop of minus-7 or more, are listed below.

#64 Jose Sherlock LT R 2/-8 2/-8 47 80 LAX (1) #74 R. Guerrero C R 4/-7 4/-7 48 82 SCS (1) #53 Charles Smith LDE R 1/-11 1/-11 36 50 DEN (3) #81 Wayne Postma TE R 3/-12 3/-12 39 68 POR (2) #87 Andre Stevens TE R 5/-12 5/-12 53 70 POR (1) #18 Michael Kendall WR R 5/-10 5/-10 35 61 MEM (2) #64 Malcolm McNish LG R 11/-15 11/-15 42 67 SHR (1) #44 Roy Williams WR R 9/-10 9/-10 39 60 SHR (3) #69 Gerry Newton LDE R 2/-8 2/-8 45 62 BAL(2) #60 William Loggins RT R 6/-9 6/-9 46 62 WAS (1) #22 Dave Richardson SS R 1/-19 1/-19 24 35 WAS (3) #70 Bradley Hoerr LT R 0/-7 0/-7 47 61 WAS (2) #54 Johnny Moore MLB R 3/-16 3/-16 35 57 BOS (2) #14 Matthew Burgess WR R 5/-7 5/-7 38 66 NYS (2) #75 Maurice Davis LT R 2/-12 2/-12 34 58 PHI (3)

Draft Day was a happier occasion for some.

Two players taken in the first round saw significant gains. Gordon Shive of the Baltimore Stars went through the roof on his improvement and is likely to be one of the league's better outside linebackers for years to go come. New Jersey's Leroy Selmon didn't seem at all bothered by the switch from defense to offense.

#93 Gordon Shive		WLB	R	19/4	19/4	61	82	BAL (1)
#84 Leroy Selmon		TE	R	6/6	6/6	42	85	NJG (1)

Check out the Chicago Blitz. Five of their seven draft picks improved significantly, including first-rounder Leroy Obrien. Talk about the rich getting richer.

#39 William McKenzie	FS	R	9/7	9/7	26	50
#48 George Keyes	RB	R	7/5	7/5	37	68
#71 Brad Meriwether	DT	R	9/5	9/5	53	75
#53 Leroy Obrien	SLB	R	12/5	12/5	51	78
#83 Mario Graham	TE	R	3/2	3/2	36	62
#17 Jose Clingerman	QB	R	5/-2	5/-2	37	59
#64 Joshua Smith	RDE	R	9/-3	9/-3	34	47

The Philadelphia Bell accelerated their rebuilding process by going 6-for-8 on draft day:

#2 Roy Rhyne	QB	R	12/-3	12/-3	56	87
#10 Shawn Martin	WR	R	9/6	9/6	36	66
#75 Maurice Davis	LT	R	2/-12	2/-12	34	58
#63 Thomas Smith	LG	R	5/3	5/3	40	61
#61 Paul Elston	RT	R	8/7	8/7	47	81
#56 Clinton Harris	MLB	R	5/2	5/2	27	40
#42 Vincent Tucker	SS	R	16/7	16/7	52	81
#29 Jason Hubbard	FS	R	13/7	13/7	42	69

The Jacksonville Bulls saw significant gains from rounds 1, 3, and 4:

#3 Charles Evans	QB	R	14/4	14/4	66	83
#69 Michael Smith	RG	R	17/4	17/4	42	67
#66 John Irizarry	RG	R	10/4	10/4	39	74

The Tampa Bay Bandits kept pace with their division rivals by hitting the jackpot on four of six picks:

#13 Ernest Seal	WR	R	10/9	10/9	37	68
#12 Edward Conner	WR	R	11/3	11/3	55	91
#50 Ron Hall	LG	R	10/-2	10/-2	32	53
#58 Daniel Middleton	DT	R	14/0	14/0	36	65
#57 Randy Dukes	WLB	R	19/4	19/4	56	80
#30 Brian Newberry	CB	R	9/5	9/5	37	68

The Birmingham Stallions fared nicely with a first-rounder and two third-rounders:

#16 Lee Rice	WR	R	12/3	12/3	55	92
#77 Robert Clayton	RG	R	13/4	13/4	46	71
#73 Anthony Quinn	RT	R	3/6	3/6	34	74

The Charlotte Hornets drafted four fullbacks -- and came up big on three:

#47 Humberto Gray	FB	R	15/3	15/3	44	81
#27 Jorge Knox	FB	R	19/3	19/3	54	82
#46 Carl Hammond	FB	R	19/2	19/2	59	69
#37 Paul Fuller	FB	R	6/-3	6/-3	46	68