1983 Training Camp Roundup

Mondays, along with rainy days, tend to get people down. This is often true of the USFL/WFL training camp, which usually demonstrate teams having wasted a high draft pick when it is revealed that pick has "busted."

This was no ordinary Monday, however. Thirteen players over the first two rounds "boomed" when the 1983 camp results were released—exactly the same number as those who "busted."

Oliver Thomas, Oakland

For the purpose of this blog, "busts" and "booms" are defined as losses or gains in potential of three points or greater. The player weights involved are mine.

Oklahoma Outlaws coach RoyceR came up big with his two first-round picks. SS Prince Stone (+7) had the highest gain of any player in the first two rounds and LG Roger Norwood (+5) also boomed. Also smiling was Oakland Invaders coach Cdog13157. The Invaders had picks 6 and 8 in the second round, and both boomed. RB Oliver Thomas (+5) will thus do a nice job taking over for retired superstar Jason Brooks.

The Denver Gold saw two first-round picks, CB Chad Kroeger and TE Tim Horton, both bust. The biggest bust of the draft was Orlando Renegades DT Ralph England, the No. 5 overall pick, who dropped a whopping 15 points, from 88 to 73. The Cleveland Thunderbolts' second-round selection, LDE Jerry Starkey, dropped 11 points to 66.

The commissioner was not immune from busts either. The Southern California Sun's top pick in the second round, LDE Scott Garnett, dropped 2 points to a 68 max.

Preseason games get underway Wednesday and the regular season opener is a week from Wednesday.

First Round Busts

1-5, Ralph England, DT, Orlando Renegades (-15, 86 vol)
1-14, Armando Wells, RDE, Detroit Wheels (-6, 54 vol)
1-19, Andrew Manning, RG, Chicago Blitz (-5, 64 vol)
1-20, Charlie Spencer, MLB, LA Express (-7, 66 vol)
1-21, Chad Kroeger, CB, Denver Gold (-4, 56 vol)
1-23, Tim Horton, TE, Denver Gold (-6, 80 vol)

First Round Booms

1-15, Prince Stone, SS, Oklahoma Outlaws (+7, 94 vol)
1-27, Donald Babb, DT, Jacksonville Bulls (+5, 78 vol)
1-29, Edward Mayberry, WLB, Houston Gamblers (+3, 52 vol)
1-30. Roger Norwood, LG, Oklahoma Outlaws (+5, 64 vol)
1-31, Jeff Hanneman, MLB, New Jersey Generals (+4, 66 vol)
1-32, Tony Dean, QB, Houston Gamblers (+5, 58 vol)

Second Round Busts

2-2, Jeffrey Garrett, RT, Florida Blazers (-7, 58 vol)
2-7, Rudy Herrmann, WLB, Charlotte Hornets (-5, 62 vol)
2-14, Matthew Sermons, RG, Oklahoma Outlaws (-8, 90 vol)
2-20, Jerry Starkey, LDE, Cleveland Thunderbolts (-11, 98 vol)
2-25, Jeff Hinojos, CB, Birmingham Stallions (-6, 56 vol)
2-28, Walter Sterling, DT, Memphis Showboats (-5, 66 vol)
2-29, Donnie Alvarez, DT, Houston Gamblers (-4, 52 vol)

Second Round Booms

2-6, Oliver Thomas, RB, Oakland Invaders (+5, 98 vol)
2-8, Lyle Chaffin, MLB, Oakland Invaders (+5, 88 vol)
2-11, Gary Cottle, MLB, Arizona Wranglers (+3, 48 vol)
2-15, William Milligan, LDE, Pittsburgh Maulers (+4, 90 vol)
2-17, William Sims, SS, Detroit Wheels (+6, 86 vol)
2-18, Curtis Axelson, RDE, Chicago Blitz (+6, 76 vol)
2-27, Thomas Moreau, LG, Jacksonville Bulls (+3, 56 vol)