“Sundays Aren’t This Hard”
July 28th, 2014
Emerging Bucs wide receiver Tommy Streeter was taken down by cramps late in practice today.
Just before Joe shot this picture, Jamon Meredith was asked teammates how much more time was left in practice. Joe saw several Bucs wilting after two hours in the afternoon swelter today.
Lovie Smith got his wish. His troops were in pads for the second consecutive afternoon and were forced to deal with elements that likely will face the team on opening day against the Panthers, and in Week 2 against the Rams.
Bucs training staff was buzzing around looking for signs of dehydration and tending to guys like wide receiver Tommy Streeter who got serious cramps.
Rookie Austin Seferian-Jenkins got a lot of work today and took a long sideline knee while staff talked to him and made sure he drank water. Unlike Streeter, he bounced back late and showed no signs of trouble on the field.
No. 1 left guard Jamon Meredith (for now) looked like he just came out of a swimming pool, he was so drenched. It sure seemed like left tackle Anthony Collins could have use a cold case of beer and a couch.
It’s been a while, since the Raheem Morris era, that the Bucs had afternoon practices in training camp.
No, Joe doesn’t feel sorry for these guys. The Bucs are going through nothing compared to what the old school Bucs did during the glory years. They had two-a-days and three-a-days at the old University of Tampa stadium. Lovie Smith even appeared to go a little easier on the team today than he had on Sunday. Regardless, it’s worth noting the struggle in the heat.
On the playing field of NFL training camp leaguewide, one leveled by the recent NFL labor agreement, the Bucs are certainly running one of the tougher camps.
“It’s tough out here,” starting right tackle Demar Dotson said. “Sundays aren’t this hard. This is the hardest part of football, right here. Training camp and what we do out here. Grinding. You have to push through it and push through it and push through it. Sundays? That’s easy. Much easier than this. Sunday is much easier than this. This is hard, here. This is the type of stuff where you say, ‘How much longer can I play?’”
July 28th, 2014 at 9:07 pm
It’s easier Sunday’s because you worked your ass off in the OTA’s and Training Camps. So what is the prediction for the most points scored by the Bucs this season? I want to see predictions for that!
July 28th, 2014 at 9:09 pm
What the hell Joe, were you right on top of Streeter taking his photo? Didn’t realize you were so on top of the action.
July 28th, 2014 at 9:21 pm
Good! I think the whole point is for it to feel harder than on Sundays. But like you said Joe, things were much tougher when they were melting during two a days. They have absolutely nothing to whine about. The last thing he said though “How much longer can I play?”, nothing feels better then reaching that point but pushing through it and finishing. Makes you feel like you can accomplish anything. Just got to push through it.
July 28th, 2014 at 9:36 pm
This is one of the very reasons I chose to not play football (along with not having any talent). These practices have to be the closest things to hell on earth. No thank you!!!
July 28th, 2014 at 10:01 pm
“Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”
– Vince Lombardi
July 28th, 2014 at 10:35 pm
I remember three a days at one point.
@Joe
I wonder which camps are the hottest and how Tampa compares to them?
I would imagine the hottest would be Miami, Tampa Dallas, Houston and maybe the Raiders and Rams.
When I looked at national weather, I saw that some states are getting 40s in July. Must be nice!
July 28th, 2014 at 11:00 pm
Lol!
Agreed Hawaiian Buc
July 28th, 2014 at 11:10 pm
Maybe this is why the Bucs are sub zero patsies.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:36 pm
Miami, Houston and the Rams have indoor practice facilities. Dallas has training camp in California.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:53 pm
I thought NOLA had an indoor facility too.
July 28th, 2014 at 11:59 pm
As a FL native I know exactly what a day like that feels like. But I can see how some one who grew up in a climate like the NW can melt in padded practice on a July Tampa Afternoon. Better on the practice field than on season opener. They need to get used to it.
July 29th, 2014 at 7:20 am
I know we have the traditional urban legend here that if we practice in this heat, it will give us an advantage on game day. Maybe it does but I am not so sure. At this time of year, its hot just about everywhere. I would much rather be here at humid 95 degrees than in Northern Virgina at a humid 103 degrees. The difference is by late August, the heat here continues where it abades in most other places. Also if we have to back off of practices because we are dealing with dehydration, cramps and heat, the team might be better off practing indoors where they can actually work harder on football drills and learning their assignments rather than having to back off to fend off heat stroke. You have to play in the heat on Sundays so I know its a balancing act but we might actually accomplish more if they are not trying to practice in sweltering heat.
July 29th, 2014 at 12:44 pm
The hottest part of the day is 10-4. So if they’re practicing at 4:30’ish then they are missing most of the extreme heat. I think the practice time is idea since the team has a chance to recover in the morning, and kinda stretch out with a walk through in the AM.