I didn't mean to frighten anyone away with that headline. No, I'm not referring to myself when I say "looking good in shorts," though my wife my argue that I do and that's all that matters to me.

But I digress.

What I am referring to with the "looking good in shorts" headline is the tendency to overreact to news coming out of OTA's and minicamps at this time of year. This can happen both positively and negatively. Hearing about players who are in the "best shape of their career" is common at the start of summer. Those players inevitably wind up getting hurt. Or so it seems. Even if they avoid injury, it's best not to overreact to June hyperbole. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard about a player in the best shape of his career in June, I'd add a gym onto my house so I could get in the best shape of my career. You need to be in good shape to write, you know.

Seriously, players are running around with shorts on in minicamp. And there's no contact. Well, ok, there's not supposed to be any contact per league rules, but it's a thinly-veiled secret that there's already some contact going on prior to training camps. Still, there's not a lot of contact, and until players are out there in full uniform going full speed and hitting one another it's hard to make any sweeping judgments. Being in shape is different than being in football shape. Ask any player.

Therefore, when I hear about guys like Marques Colston or Reggie Bush looking good in Saints minicamp this past weekend, I have to stifle a yawn. It means almost nothing. Both are coming off of microfracture knee surgeries... and I have yet to see a player not have trouble coming back from said procedure. I will await final fantasy evaluation until the reviews trickle in from training camp and preseason games. Similarly, the Colts Anthony Gonzalez hurt his leg over the weekend in practice. Yawn! The word is he might be back in practice this week and the last I checked they don't play a game that counts until September.

There are exceptions, of course. Brian Westbrook undergoing ankle surgery that may sideline him much of the preseason is news. Big news. I have heard some say that he will be absolutely fine by the time the season starts. I have heard others suggest he will not be 100 percent all season. Judging by the number of injuries he has had, the length of time they have lingered (he injured this ankle last September), and the fact that he turns 30 before the season starts, I am officially concerned.

As a rule, however, remember that while it is important to stay abreast of the news at this time of year so that you know what to look for once training camps begin, it's imperative not to overreact to the little injuries and the glowing reviews of players looking good in shorts.