Jim Schwartz Is Wonderfully Clueless
September 7th, 2011
Nothing like an arrogant, foolish Yankee to underestimate what a tropical climate is all about, and what it takes to throw on football pads with a 100 degree heat index.
Lions head coach Jim Schwartz scoffs at the notion he should care about game conditions when preparing for the Bucs or any other opponent. It seems Schwartz’s undergarments got all bunched up when asked about dealing with the heat and humidity in Tampa by a Detriot Free Press reporter.
Rather than crank up the heat and practice indoors Monday, the Lions spent the morning working outside on their back practice field in crisp, low-60-degree weather.
“That’s foolishness,” Schwartz said when asked about practicing inside the climate-controlled facility. “We don’t pipe in crowd noise, and we don’t open up the doors and make it cold, and we don’t try to smoke the team out. It’s just a bunch of foolishness.”
Looking at Schwartz’s bio, he doesn’t seem to have spent any work time in Florida. This is a nice edge for the Bucs. Let the Lions keep running around this week in the Michigan autumn and think the heat won’t be so bad.
What a shrewd head coach.
September 7th, 2011 at 11:07 am
lol, the difference between Michigan and Florida is tremendous, they are in for some trouble if they are not prepared for that.
September 7th, 2011 at 11:14 am
Lmao! Now that’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in a while. Come on down , Jim, yer gonna LOVE Tampa at 1:00 pm in September! Those guys will be Gassed by half time!
September 7th, 2011 at 11:14 am
When four players are on IV’s before the second half even starts; then they’ll have a new appreciation for how hot Tampa gets. If the weather report is correct; it will be 91 degrees and sunny on Sunday afternoon.
September 7th, 2011 at 11:14 am
Can you say, “Lack of hydration”
September 7th, 2011 at 11:37 am
its actually another school of thought, some people want to prepare for high temperatures with high temperatures and other people would prefer to overhydrate all week and not stress the body so that you dont show up to the game de-hydrated.
one is psychological ( practicing in the heat) and the other is physiological
September 7th, 2011 at 11:39 am
Yeah, but thepsychological always wins. Your body can go on alot longer than your mind. If you mentally give up, so does your body.
September 7th, 2011 at 11:57 am
It didnt Help us with Dallas and their Blue shirts a few years ago, or the NY Giants, or the Pittsburgh Steelers or the New Orleans Saints.
If that is our key to the game, check out our record at home early in the season the past few years.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Plus if they can Run the ball and we cant .. We will watch our own team getting IVs. Many of the starters have barely played a half and nothing in 2 weeks.
Reality says, The Bucs better not depend on the weather to get a W week 1
September 7th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
They can’t run the ball. They COULD have. But Mikel Leshoure’s injury shot down any chance of that. Our run D will have improved enough to shut down Jahvid Best. He sucks.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
This comes up every year. And its dumb. Just like how the Bucs wear white at home until November. It’s a waste. Schwartz is right not to waste anytime worrying about the heat.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Ha. Clicking through to read that story it gets worse. Anyone that doesn’t think the heat matters in the fourth quarter is clueless.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
Watch for how many players start coming off the field with leg cramps. That will be a good indicator of who’s taking the worst from the heat.
September 7th, 2011 at 1:01 pm
Detroit GM: “Coach Schwartz, the Bucs are wearing their white jerseys this week so we’re going to have wear our home blues.”
Schwartz: “Well why would they do that? Home teams always wear their dark jerseys. That doesn’t make any sense.”
……….you’ll find out soon enough Jimbo
September 7th, 2011 at 1:02 pm
The weather matters, just like playing in cold weather is hard for southern teams. The altitude makes a difference in Denver. In door practices would not help this anyway though. it is hard to make a building humid, and as much as us Floridians hate hearing “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” it really is the humidity that gets the folks from up north. NY, Pitt, and NO all get hot and humid in the summer, so they can work out in it a bit before the season starts. Dallas has very hot weather in the summer as well. Michigan gets hot, but not for very long. It is silly to worry about as the coach though. All you can really do is stay hydrated.
September 7th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Defensive end Cliff Avril joked that the only way to simulate Florida heat this time of year was to sit in a sauna.
This guy has it right.
September 7th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Love it, now I am hoping for a brief midday shower with the rest of the day bright and sunny. Come on down to Florida Jimmy we got some good ol balmy weather and even on the sidelines Jim you will feel it in the 4th quarter. Unbelievable that this head coach is this clueless. Maybe they will leave all of their IV fluid at home too LOL. GOOOOOO BUCS!!!!!!!
September 7th, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Just checked the forecast and while Friday and Saturday are scheduled to be cooler, Sundays forecast is a high of 90. Gotta love it, come on down Jim and bring those dark colored jerseys with ya!!!
September 7th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
I don’t think it matters ALOT but in a tight game against two teams that appear to be pretty equal, it can very well matter…….. especially if they have Blount pounding at you over and over again late in the 3rd and in the 4th.
He is dumb not to prepare a little for it.
September 7th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
He doesn’t pipe in crowd noise???
What was their away game record last year?
The heat might not be an issue…it could rain. But I like his thinking., especially after an easy lockout and limited padded practices.
September 7th, 2011 at 2:17 pm
I just dont buy it .. I think the Heat becomes more of a difference maker a bit later in the season when we are in the 90s and the Northern teams have been in the 50s for weeks already.
If the Bucs cant control the Ground game you WILL see Bucs getting IVs too. The Heat can penalize either team that doesnt have the game momentum
September 7th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Except for Dan, you guys don’t know the first thing about physical preparedness in regards to the heat. There is no preparing for the heat. You don’t get used to the heat, you can’t teach your body how to deal with the heat, you can only deal with it at the time and by hydrating. Yeah, a team can be a little more used to it so they are better at hydrating and staying hydrated, but for the most part it is in each individual person’s physical make-up of how they deal with the heat. It is nothing like preparing for the cold where it is purely mental. There is not a whole lot mental about dealing with the heat. Cramps are not mental, fatigue is not mental, dehydration is not mental. I agree with Schwartz to an extent… although they’d better get their players well hydrated before the game, during and such.
The biggest advantage the Bucs have on the Lions as far as heat goes is the fact that the Lions will be wearing their Honolulu Blue jerseys and the Bucs will be in white. Of course, pewter is darker than silver so that may be a push.
September 7th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
You had me until this.
You are telling me half frozen fingers don’t make it hard to throw or catch the ball? Icy ground doesn’t hurt more?
September 7th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Brandon, I basically said the same thing. Hydration is the key. Also, how does one make a building hot and humid?
I will say though. I was in South bend on Saturday. It was 97 degrees! I was able to cruise around all day with no problem. it was only about 49% humidity. The people from Indiana were having a much harder time dealing with the heat. There is something to “being used to the heat”. I had less issue in my mind because the humidity was not too bad. Oh yeah, and lots of water and Power Zero.
September 7th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Brandon you are an idiot, plain and simple. Do some research to get a little knowledge before speaking on biological matters why don’t you? The human body does indeed physiologically adapt to heat conditions. There is partial adaptation after 4 days of continuous exposure and full adaptation after 10 days with measurable changes in several different physical characteristics. The effect is not small, either, but it is fairly significant. Here’s a link that explains it (scroll down to the section labeled “Acclimation”):
http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/bindon/ant475/heatcold/thermo.htm
September 7th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
Jersey color is not an advantage. Ask the Steelers and Saints. They spanked our ass wearing black.
September 7th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
I work in this heat pretty much every day. I love it yes, but I grew up in the South and the best part of the day is hitting the pool at the end of it. Underestimating this heat is worse than underestimating the cold. You can layer clothes to fight off the cold, but when it’s HOT, you can’t run and you can’t hide. There is no answer other than to grin and bare it, and hope your players don’t suffer heat cramps, heat exhaustion or even heat stroke. That idiot up there wouldn’t know the symptoms of heat stroke if he saw it.
“Hey Coach, I think he’s dead. It must have been the heat.”
This fool must think he’s the second coming of Bear Bryant.
“Three things can happen when you throw the ball,
and two of them are bad .”
Bear Bryant / University of Alabama
September 7th, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Any of you guys ever tried to sprint 100 yards in 20 degree weather? I would rather do it in 90 degree weather, but my cousin from Wisconsin prefers the cold air breathing.
Brandon, I take back what I said, We are not saying the same thing, but the preperation we agree on. The only way for a cold weather team to prepare for the Fl heat and humidity is hydration…same as our guys, but if you think that the heat is not easier on people living and practicing in it you are flat out wrong. This is the same reason southern teams have a hard time winning in open air northern stadiums. Why do you think they call Lambo the frozen tundra?
September 7th, 2011 at 3:48 pm
I hope it’s 95 degrees on game day with 90% humidity and no breeze. The Lions will need a trailer load of IV bags just to make it through 4 quarters.
September 7th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
McBuc, I have never ran sprints in 20 degree weather, but I have worked construction, outside, in Buffalo, in the winter. Being from Florida we worked 6-1/2 day weeks (1/2 day Sunday for Bucs’ games) , dark to dark in the cold and snow. My crews at the time could in no way work the same hours at the same production rate in the Florida summers. Don’t get me wrong, I hate the cold, but on sunny days when it was 20 degrees, our production was phenomenal and we could shed clothes as needed to adapt to the temperature changes. Cold is Cold and wind makes it worse, but when you lay block walls on a concrete slab in 95 degree heat, as you get higher and with no air flow, it will reach 120 degrees very rapidly. The Bucs don’t always win with the heat advantage, but it is clearly an advantage, and only a fool would dismiss the dangers of extreme heat, like Coach Schwattts.
September 7th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
@BicMac, physical activity in the cold isn’t the issue. I know this post is about the heat but just wanted to point out what your describing isn’t an issue in the cold, it helps warm you up actually. What McBuc is pointing out is that running in that cold weather affects your lungs not your muscles. Running in cold weather when your not used to it can make you feel like you have severe asthma.
September 7th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
That “clueless” coach beat the Bucs’ asses when they were in must-win mode last year, and he did it with his 3rd string QB.
Get over yourselves people.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:34 pm
I know when I moved to Florida from Hawaii in college, I struggled mightily with the heat. I moved to Florida for basketball, but I had a really difficult time playing outdoors in Florida. The heat made me feel nauseous. I pretty much avoided playing outdoors at all costs, because I just simply could not handle it. I don’t know how much it will affect the Lions, but to say is a non-factor is a bit naive. I can guarantee you as soon as they start warm-ups, they are going to know they aren’t in Detroit anymore. I hope it works to our advantage.
September 7th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
My knock wasn’t on the good McBuc, but on their Coach for being stupid IMO. Both heat and cold are issues and neither should be taken lightly. As for the Bucs, I think No Huddle Offense + 90 degree heat can lead to success. The forecast is for 90 degree temps with a 40% chance of rain. The rain may keep it a little cooler, but definitely increases the humidity which just makes it that much worse. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.
September 7th, 2011 at 11:43 pm
Wow, I’m waiting for a response from Brandon, FLboyInDallas straight called your ass out. Brandon seems like a really cocky dude, always bragging about your predictions and what not.
September 8th, 2011 at 6:55 am
Micj, you are right, that was my point. Bigmac is right as well. I i did concrete work in the summers in my late teens, my dad owned the company. I did it over a couple winter breaks as well and found it easier in the winter. But man, running in cold weather is brutal…just like running wind sprints in Denver is. Climate plays a role, it is not the end all though. I am sure the coach is not discounting it to his team, but there really is no way to train for it, unless they head to FL a week ahead of time.
September 8th, 2011 at 9:35 am
No need to pipe in crowd noise… Thanks NFL for adding a 9th home game again this year to the regular season. Only people that’ll be gassed will be the Bucs OL due to the fact that Detroit will be able to rotate their whole DL and keep them fresh all the way into a meaningless 4th quarter.
September 8th, 2011 at 1:11 pm
@Bucnjim
Wow, a whole 91 degrees and humid down there in Tampa? That was like all last week here in Michigan. And sunny you say? I guess they’ll just have to put on some eye black. Man, what are the Lions going to do? How will they know to handle the heat? And sunny you say? I guess the Lions will just have to put on some eye black.
Maybe you could get some fans to come watch the game and see the Bucs lose, instead of everyone having to find out what happened in the sports pages on Monday morning.
September 9th, 2011 at 8:19 am
You Bucs fans are a bunch of idiots. Have you ever been to Michigan in August/ Early September? The humidity is pretty high and it’s normally around 90. In fact, in my hometown the humidity is 89%.
September 9th, 2011 at 11:16 am
@SuhdestroysFreeman
um yes I have, and I’ve been to florida as well and quite frankly its not even comparable
September 9th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
Well, you can go on about how the Lions will not be prepared for the humidity and hope that helps the Bucs win, or you can realize that these guys are already very finely trained athletes. Sorry, but cranking up the heat in the practice facility is not going to make all that much difference in the game when compared to executing your game play. You can deal with the heat by just hydrating well during the game.
Sports writers and couch potatoes worry about the heat. Real coaches know the game will be won by teams that execute on the field.
September 9th, 2011 at 8:21 pm
@MichiganBucsFan your screen name implies that you have been in Michigan before. Maybe you are too far removed from it. The Lions had training camp this season during some days that were sell over 100 degress and 100 percent humidity. You seem to forget that Michigan is surrounded by water just as Florida is. We have a million little lakes here too. The humidity in Michigan is not really any less than Florida on very hot days.
The other misconception is that we do not get very hot days in Michigan, well that is just wrong. Just at the end of August we had a stretch of several days over 100 degrees in a row.
Sorry, but you folks are really overblowing this whole thing and the guys that think it will be a determining factor in the game are wonderfully clueless.