Football: Nike Combine is coming to Long Beach on Saturday

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Get your stop watches out and watch the hype begin, because the Nike Combine is coming to Long Beach Veterans Stadium on Saturday.

This is where many of the top football players in Southern California come to be tested for speed and strength and agility, then get written up as big-time players.

I’m not an enthusiastic fan of combines, but they serve a purpose in generating excitement and debate. I prefer to rank players based on performance during the season, such as how well they tackle, how well they catch passes under pressure and how well they throw a football while being chased.

But this is part of the recruiting process in 2010. A good 40-yard time will get noticed. My advice is if you’re not in shape, don’t show up. A bad performance is not good.

-- Eric Sondheimer