Terre Haute, July 28 - It's become a formality of training camp. Players transferring all the comforts of home to their dorm rooms as they hunker down for three weeks of serious practice. Leave it to Edgerrin James to make a grand entrance.
The Colts All-Pro running back was one of the last players to arrive before Sunday's two o'clock deadline. He did it by taking a cab!
James has had his share of traffic violations in his personal car and had his license revoked last week in Florida. He decided to pay the toll from Indianapolis to Terre Haute, and finally explained to reporters why he's been absent from several Colts functions since his season ending knee injury last season. "I'm happy to be here," James said. "It's been a long process and finally I'm able to do some things."
James says he has no doubt that he'll be okay to resume practice. "I wouldn't have showed up if I wouldn't have been all right," James quipped.
James also indicated that there aren't any problems with his current contract, contrary to what club President Bill Polian suggested in the spring when James skipped mini-camp. "No, with that right there, I never liked the incentives," James explained. "That was the only thing I always hated, but it's just a matter of, once you've been hurt, you do everything you possibly can do to be there playing, and you're not able to hit those incentives. That kinda frustrates you, because you know that's not my fault."
James said it wasn't an issue that would keep him from attending camp
The Colts open practice at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology Monday morning and break camp on August 16.