In San Diego, Chris Jenkins notes attendance Thursday at Chargers Park for the opening of Chargers training camp was "announced at 1,867," down from last year's reported first-day crowd of approximately 3,000. One Chargers official said that it was "'impressive' to see that many show up on a weekday morning" this year. But Jenkins notes last year's first day of camp "was also a Thursday." The fact this could be the Chargers' final training camp in San Diego amid talk of a possible franchise relocation to L.A. was "only slightly in evidence" with the size of the crowd. But aside from the "occasional burst of cheers" for a catch by newly acquired WR Stevie Johnson or a carry by rookie RB Melvin Gordon III, the atmosphere throughout Thursday was "noticeably subdued" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 7/31).
ATTENTION DEFICIT: In Richmond, Brandon Shulleeta reports the turnout for the first day of Redskins training camp at Bon Secours Training Center on Thursday was "modest." The team announced attendance at 3,341, the "second-lowest turnout in what is now the third year of the three-week camp." An average of 10,986 fans "attended the camp per day" in '14 (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 7/31).
DEFLATE THIS: ESPN’s Steve Levy reported it would be "a bit of an understatement" to say that the first day of Patriots training camp on Thursday was "open to the public." Levy: "It had a Running of the Bulls kind of feel to it, as more than 10,000 fans blitzed the defending Super Bowl champs’ workout." Meanwhile, people were selling "Free Tom Brady" T-shirts at a booth near Gillette Stadium (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 7/30). ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio said the Patriots camp featured a “raucous, party-like atmosphere, standing-room-only here in Foxboro” (“NFL Insiders,” ESPN, 7/30). NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano said Brady “got a huge ovation" when he took the practice field” (“Inside Training Camp Live,” NFL Network, 7/30).
TALKIN' ABOUT PACK-TICE: In Green Bay, Morgan Van Lanen reports there were "more than 2,000 people at Ray Nitschke Field for the first day of Packers training camp" on Thursday (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 7/31).
