As one football season ends, another begins.
The Rush, the Arena Football League team owned in part by former Bears coach Mike Ditka, opens its 2008 training camp this week looking for its second championship in three seasons.
In addition to 13 players returning from the team that went 12-4, won the Central Division and advanced to the American Conference final, the Rush is bringing in several notable players plus 17 rookies.
Quarterback Sherdrick Bonner, 39, voted one of the 20 greatest players in league history, brings with him a 14-year career with the Arizona Rattlers that has produced 829 touchdown passes and nearly 41,000 passing yards.
The 6-foot-4-inch, 240-pound Bonner will be throwing to all-league receiver Damian Harrell, the AFL’s offensive player of the year in 2005 and ’06.
Harrell spent the last six of his nine seasons with the Colorado Crush and has 893 career catches for 11,902 yards and 296 touchdowns.
All-league fullback Dan Alexander, who set an AFL record in 2007 with 41 rushing touchdowns, is the leading candidate to replace Bob McMillen, who retired after last season.
The players had a three-day mini-camp last week. Training camp will run from Monday through Feb. 19. After five days off, a week of practice with the 24-man roster leads up to the season opener March 3 against the San Jose SaberCats at Allstate Arena.
Wide receiver Rashied Davis was a standout with the SaberCats before making the Bears roster in 2005.
All camp workouts will be at Grand Sports Arena in Hoffman Estates and are open to the public.
First practices run from 7:50 a.m. through 9:20 a.m. After an hour break, the second session goes until 11:15 a.m.
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jmullin@tribune.com
