Are you ready for some preseason football?

The long, at times interminable, road to the Super Bowl has kicked off, with training camps opening and the first preseason game taking place on August 3 when the Cardinals and Cowboys squared off.

Preseason NFL games have about as much allure as a tie, which is to say, it's as pleasant as kissing your sister. The starters see about as much time as you do standing at the urinal after downing an overpriced beer, leaving most of the game action in the hands of obscure, no-name late round picks and free agents who are a fumble away from being cut and launching a new career selling insurance.

Heck, look at the above photo. We all know Dak Prescott is the Cowboys starting QB, but that sure ain't him. That's Cooper Rush, an undrafted rookie QB with a name that sounds like the villainous frat bro with the collar always up who has never lost a race skiing down the big mountain in an '80s comedy.

The risk of a star player getting injured makes the idea of playing in a meaningless exhibition about as tantalizing as actually coughing up that money for the aforementioned overpriced beer. Still, coaching staffs need to get a read on who is on their depth chart, so someone has to take the field. Who's the diamond in the rough? Who can make a difference on special teams? Who has a surprisingly good grasp on the playbook. Now, may be the time to find out, but does that mean we the fans have to come along for the ride and watch?

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