More Training Camp Questions

[danimal]

I have a few more questions about training camp. I'm trying to figure out how important it is to sign your rookies and your veteran holdouts before training camp.

There may not be clear answers to any of these questions, but just curious to hear what all of you have observed.

1. I've noticed that rookies will unmask during training camp whether or not you've signed them. Is the unmasking more accurate if you've signed them, or does it not matter?


2. Are the benefits derived from training camp (e.g., practicing passing/rushing/defense/special teams, injury avoidance, team cohesion, team chemistry, team motivation) stored in some team "rating" that is then applied to individual performance regardless of whether they participated in training camp, or are the benefits applied to each individual? The latter would imply that individuals who do not participate in training camp do not benefit from it.

I am aware of two instances in which the individual benefits are visible - team activities may increase each individual's loyalty, and film study may increase the number of formations a QB knows. But apart from these, are there other benefits that are applied individually?

For example, if a WR does not participate in training camp, would he still benefit from the time spent on passing plays and the time spent in the training room to avoid injuries, and would he still benefit from the team-wide boost to cohesion, chemistry, and motivation?


3. Does the participation of certain individuals affect the magnitude of these team-wide boosts to passing/rushing/defense/special teams, cohesion, chemistry, and motivation? Or to ask the question another way, does signing new players after training camp dilute these team-wide benefits in any way?

The effects on team cohesion are more visible and probably can be tested, but the other effects would be very difficult to test. At this point, I'm just looking for any observations you have from personal experience.

[RedKingGold]

I have a few more questions about training camp. I'm trying to figure out how important it is to sign your rookies and your veteran holdouts before training camp.

There may not be clear answers to any of these questions, but just curious to hear what all of you have observed.

Unfortunately, as you have already guessed, the answers are not very clear-cut. However, I'll do my best.

1. I've noticed that rookies will unmask during training camp whether or not you've signed them. Is the unmasking more accurate if you've signed them, or does it not matter?


I think the "general" belief is that the unmasking results for un-signed rookies are warped post training camp. I just discovered this recently asking some people in various FOF MP leagues that I'm in, whose opinions I trust.
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2. Are the benefits derived from training camp (e.g., practicing passing/rushing/defense/special teams, injury avoidance, team cohesion, team chemistry, team motivation) stored in some team "rating" that is then applied to individual performance regardless of whether they participated in training camp, or are the benefits applied to each individual? The latter would imply that individuals who do not participate in training camp do not benefit from it.

I am aware of two instances in which the individual benefits are visible - team activities may increase each individual's loyalty, and film study may increase the number of formations a QB knows. But apart from these, are there other benefits that are applied individually?

For example, if a WR does not participate in training camp, would he still benefit from the time spent on passing plays and the time spent in the training room to avoid injuries, and would he still benefit from the team-wide boost to cohesion, chemistry, and motivation?

Again, I have yet to see anyone quantify if an un-signed player receives benefits via TC. Intuition tells me it would not based on the screwiness of ratings with un-signed players along with the "real-life" analogies that hold-outs in camp "may" struggle to get caught up with the rest of their teammates (the validity of that argument is debatable, but the argument still exists).

Other than that though, no one knows.

3. Does the participation of certain individuals affect the magnitude of these team-wide boosts to passing/rushing/defense/special teams, cohesion, chemistry, and motivation? Or to ask the question another way, does signing new players after training camp dilute these team-wide benefits in any way?

The effects on team cohesion are more visible and probably can be tested, but the other effects would be very difficult to test. At this point, I'm just looking for any observations you have from personal experience.

From what I know about cohesion, it's generally weighted based on your own personnel changes vs. changes in other teams. Thus, cohesion appears to be elastic among all teams at all times. So, any time you start a player you did not start before or was not previously on your team, you will likely suffer a dip in cohesion. Likewise, if there is turnover in teams with higher cohesion above you and you retain your similar starters, you will receive a bump in cohesion.

Thus, since the "team functions" choice of TC only appears to affect team chemistry and not cohesion and b/c cohesion changes with starter changes at any point during the season, I doubt there is much of a TC effect on cohesion.

Hope that helps.

[danimal]

Thanks, RKG. The color is very helpful, especially regarding the warped unmasking for unsigned rookies. Glad to hear that this is the case. Otherwise, scouts would essentially get a free look at the entire draft class.