NFLPA Holding Rookie Symposium

I have never put much stock into the NFL’s rookie symposium, because frankly I don’t know how much impact it actually has on the young players. I mean, it seems like every year there are a handful of players who get busted smoking weed or doing something else, so they must not take it seriously. However, the NFLPA must think the thing is pretty important, because they are setting up their own symposium for the end of June after the NFL’s was lost to the lockout. According to reports, the NFLPA will hold their own rookie symposium on June 28-29 in Washington DC.

Here’s the thing about this symposium. It’s a voluntary thing, so it will be interesting to see how many of the drafted rookies show up. In the past, attendance was nearly perfect, and those who didn’t show up were fined by the league. It will be interesting to see what the rookies do here. I hope the Rams’ draftees take the chance to go to this thing, because all joking aside, I think it is pretty important. These guys need to hear from veterans of the league how to handle themselves and their finances once they become a part of the NFL. My guess would be that most players will show up since they don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with their respective organizations, especially since they don’t have contracts yet, but we will just have to see.