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**RoyWilliams** · 08-09-2007, 09:12 AM

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By some unlucky draw of NFL scheduling, the 49ers and the Denver Broncos ended up with the last exhibition game debut of 2007. Their 5 p.m. PDT contest at Candlestick on Monday closes the opening eight-day span of exhibition games, and that bit of scheduling also forced both teams to open their training camps days later than other clubs.

Under guidelines established in the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players, teams must wait 15 days before their exhibition opener to begin training camp.

As the 49ers see it, that gives them eight fewer days to prepare for the regular season than the Steelers and Saints, who played in the Hall of Fame game last Sunday.

"It's a disadvantage because Denver and the 49ers were the latest two teams to (begin camp)," San Francisco coach Mike Nolan said Wednesday. "We're not getting ready for the preseason. We're getting ready for the (regular) season.

"So to say you get less practices going into the season because your preseason game is (last), that's kind of ridiculous. Let's all start at the same time. I don't care if you play in the Hall of Fame game or not."

Nolan said the 49ers and Broncos would probably lobby the NFL and the NFL Players Association to reconsider training camp scheduling, enabling all teams to open at the same time.

The issue would have been mitigated somewhat if the 49ers were able to hold a scrimmage in Santa Clara prior to the game, Nolan said. He discussed the possibility with Denver coach Mike Shanahan. But both sides agreed that, logistically, it would be difficult to house the entire Broncos squad in Santa Clara days before the actual exhibition game.

**BU54** · 08-09-2007, 09:18 AM

The NFL should just have a fixed date to start training camp. Some teams may have more time for practice before their 1st preseason game, but preseason doesn't count. So that should solve that problem.

**Professor** · 08-09-2007, 08:27 PM

it didn't help the Raiders last year, or the EAGLES for that matter

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