Gametime Not Right Time
May 24th, 2016
Practicing under the afternoon Florida sun not wise in the long run, Bucs coach believes.
Two of the last three Bucs head coaches were big proponents of using the Florida heat to their advantage.
Problem was, Dirk Koetter believes, preparing for gametime in the gametime heat is a disadvantage.
As a result, you won’t likely see the Bucs practicing in the heat of the Florida afternoon during training camp.
After OTA practice this morning, Koetter spent time with the local pen and mic club. It turned out to be a comfortable morning by Tampa standards in late May with low humidity, and weather and how it affects his team was atop Koetter’s mind.
Unlike Raheem Morris and Lovie Smith, who believed practicing in the blast furnace of the Florida afternoon sun got the team prepared for day games in September, Koetter believes that practice eventually saps players of stamina.
“There might be something to that,” Koetter said of practicing in the heat of the afternoon. “But I also think you pick your poison. I think everybody that says that doesn’t live in Tampa, Fla.”
Koetter came to this theory after coaching the past decade in Jacksonville, in Atlanta and, of course, last season with the Bucs.
“It doesn’t take a brain surgeon,” Koetter quipped.
There may be something to that. Notice teams up north all have climate-controlled facilities. When it is cold outside, those teams rarely practice outside.
May 24th, 2016 at 1:11 pm
night practices?!?! Yes!! (please)….I think it would be good for the stamina to not only practice out of the heat but to switch-up the times….rotate from night practices to morning practices, etc.
May 24th, 2016 at 1:12 pm
It doesn’t take a brain surgeon,” Koetter quipped.
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Lmao, classic! Come to think about it coach my scheme does remind me of Ben Carson.
May 24th, 2016 at 1:14 pm
ok…nevermind on the night practices….just saw the morning practice alert…although night practices are also “cooler” (not sure if its as much as morning, probably less) but it also gives the team the opportunity to play under the lights….other than just in preseason games…..with the two night games on the schedule.
May 24th, 2016 at 1:14 pm
I posted this earlier today…
We lose our “heat” advantage when the first 1pm home game isn’t scheduled until 10/30……
May 24th, 2016 at 1:16 pm
No coach managed the heat & conditioning of his players – better than Gruden.
May 24th, 2016 at 1:22 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Pablo spends most of Pablo’s days on top of hot Pasco County roofs……Pablo can tell you that it’s caliente como el infierno…….and, it may be 11 degrees cooler in the manana…..but it’s still caliente como el infierno. Pablo’s firend Hason gets to jump in his pool but Pablo’s Buc favorites…..El Asesino, Haboo & Henkins have to work in the sun like Pablo”
May 24th, 2016 at 1:27 pm
Side Bare: If it makes logical since for the players to practice in climate controlled facilities.
Why not build a stadium w/ a retractable roof.
For example – If you’ve ever watched a game at the Ole’ Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe vs University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
The game experience is like night in day – Especially when kids are involved
May 24th, 2016 at 1:29 pm
I never agreed with the theory. It certainly never gave our Bucs an advantage.
May 24th, 2016 at 1:30 pm
Also, if the idea is to extend the players endurance, wearing them out in the heat doesn’t make sense.
May 24th, 2016 at 1:31 pm
@LUVMYBUCS
I agree 1000%!
May 24th, 2016 at 2:47 pm
That theory may hold water if we played teams of a darker jersey color like Pittsburgh, Sand Diego, New Orleans, at 1pm and we had a ball hogging bruising ground game to wear a defense down then it is an advantage.
May 24th, 2016 at 3:18 pm
The Bucs haven’t played many any, 1pm games in September in quite a while, so any advantage that comes from the extreme heat hasn’t actually been of much benefit in a while. In fact this year we don’t play a 1pm home game until Oct 30th.
May 24th, 2016 at 3:37 pm
We used to practice at 7am at Tampa U. in pre-season camp. It was STILL very hot and humid…
May 24th, 2016 at 3:45 pm
Holy crap it’s what a lot of us have been saying.
Liking this Koetter dude…..a lot.
May 24th, 2016 at 3:47 pm
DB55..lmao don’t trash Carson like that. He’s 20 times more smarter than Lovie.
May 24th, 2016 at 3:51 pm
The florida sun and humidity is extra brutal on everything let alone the human body, stuff can last outside for a long time in other states but put it in your yard in florida and see how long it last, I have done this with many things that should have lasted a long time but not much lasts very long here in the florida sun and humidity….. Its got to be better for you not to practice in the midday in the summer..
May 24th, 2016 at 4:36 pm
I have believed for years that the Buc’s wore down as the season went on because they were forced to practice in training camp in the afternoon. I say all pad practices should be in the morning or at night. There should be more night practices. Now for an ounce of logic, we have won 8 regular season games in the past two years, many from teams who came down from the north, many who have climate controlled practice facilities.For years we’ve pushed this crap that teams from the north will wear down in the Florida heat. Show me the evidence.
May 24th, 2016 at 4:45 pm
its only a advantage if we are undefeated at home….we haven’t been in a while so we need to conserve our energy so we can become undefeated at home…GO BUCS!!!
May 24th, 2016 at 4:57 pm
Imo this shows where the glaziers priorities fall.
A. Renovate the stadium for a chance/hope to get a SB in TB
Or
B. Build a practice facility for the health and well being of your team.
Why not do both at the same time?
May 24th, 2016 at 5:44 pm
87
You right my bad. Lol
May 24th, 2016 at 5:49 pm
Ideas like staying out of the Florida sun are more proof coach Koetter is a bright guy. In the past the intense heat was said to be to the Bucs advantage. Not that I noticed, cast that theory where the sun don’t shine. Smart move imo.
May 24th, 2016 at 6:30 pm
I work outside year round here in Tampa, in the heat, in the sun….WITHOUT pads on. It is in no way an advantage to practice in this heat all week. Yes, maybe one practice if that to remind them of what is coming, but that may even be unnecessary considering we have a lot of 4 o’clock games this season. It drains you, it kills you. These guys are human and it is brutal out there. This coach actually has common sense and he uses it!!
May 24th, 2016 at 6:48 pm
Smart move, Coach!
Hows that indoir practice facility coming along?
Just living in Florida, gives you the heat advantage others have talked about.
Dehydrating the team, time and time again- leads to chronic exhaustion
Which is how the team has played for Raheem and Lovie
May 24th, 2016 at 9:59 pm
You want to keep tour team fresh for the long grueling season. Dealing with the heat is an inevitable thing, but you want to keep your guys safe and fresh for the season. Working out in the high heat is not conditioning them. It is making them more exhausted faster.
I do labor intensive work for 8 hrs 5 days a week. I can tell you that the heat just wears you down faster and qhen you only have 2 days off, it is not enough time to recover. Football players go harder than i do, and they do it 7 days a week. When are the resting? That 1 bye week? It is not enough. It doesnt matter what condition you are in. Your limit is your limit. And football players push to their limit every day. Give the guys a break and let them enjoy a cooler day of work. Sure it might not be a huge difference, but it will help them recover faster when they arent burnt out.
May 25th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
practicing the heat has conferred a tremendous homefield advantage to the bucs in recent years. just look at all those heat-addled teams that have come to RJS in the past 3 years or to get steamrolled by the highly conditioned buccan…oh, wait.
May 25th, 2016 at 2:21 pm
Frankly, I’m hoping this leads to fewer injuries.
May 25th, 2016 at 3:48 pm
I’ve always said this for years. It don’t take a brain surgeon. We probably had great teams for the last past years but wore them down from practicing in that heat. Schiano had the teams doing sprints in that heat. Rah was a coach with Gruden and still wore the teams down when he got his opportunity. Lovie came in and implied the same methods. Then Dirk Diggs comes in here last year probably figures it out then got his opportunity and switches that shhh. Dumb arses! Father Dungy did it too..
Dirk Koetter For President! Mike Smith for Vice President!
Side Bar: I think the both of them want to get back at Mr. Blank for what happened in ATL. Thomas Dimetroff hint…remind me of what Mark Dominic did to us.