AvengerRamblings: "Too Much Information (Or... Why I Hate The Internet In July)"

[AvengerRam]

I remember a time, not so long ago, when the NFL season arrived with the freshness and surprise of unopened gifts on a birthday. The offseason was a peaceful time in which only two events caused my mind to focus on the gridiron. One was the draft, and the other was the publication date of the preview magazines (Lindy’s, Athlon, etc.). Other than those two brief interludes, my mind could turn to other things and away from the games that would not be played until the Summer waned and the leaves began to turn. It was a welcome respite that built to the crescendo of preseason and the climax of opening day.

In this time, a blissful ignorance to the day-to-day minutia was enjoyed. I didn’t need to worry about the progress of contract negotiations – only who had been signed and when. I didn’t need to concern myself with mid-Summer hamstring pulls. There was no misplaced optimism from reports of mini-camp successes. There was no overreaction arising from stories of struggles in practice.

I look back fondly at that time… but its over now.

Now we have the internet. That glorious medium where everyone may express opinions, regardless of quality, report facts, regardless of evidence, and predict the future, despite the lack of an ability to accurately do so. We have reporters reporting on everything and nothing. We have fans giving “spy reports” from every open practice. If a free agent visits, we know about it. If a player is given a contract offer, its immediately known. If a third-string long-snapper misses half a practice because of a cracked toenail, his chances of one day being enshrined in Canton will be seriously debated.

Some think this is a good thing, and from September though early-February, I’d tend to agree. But in July, I’d just as soon go back to those days when I didn’t know that which I didn’t need to know.

Unfortunately, the internet is hard to ignore. As a result, I like many other fans, will find myself gulping down every “report” with the vigor of a starving mastiff presented with a t-bone. I just can’t help myself. I do care when Tye Hill signs. I want to know how Richie Incognito looks in practice. I’ll partake in hypothetical trade analyses. I’ll postulate as to who might be the frontrunner for Special Teams Rookie-of-the-Year. As I said, I just can’t help myself.

Am I better off? I think not. I long for those days past.

I really do.

So has anyone heard anything about the signing status of Claude Wroten?