Brooks Says Competition Absent From Workouts
June 16th, 2011
Don’t get confused here: Bucs icon Derrick Brooks many times has talked about the value of building team camaraderie through OTA days and now via player-only workouts.
Joe’s all on board with that, which is a primary reason Joe didn’t hesitate to hold captain Jeff Faine accountable for saying he didn’t see why he belonged at Josh Freeman’s Tampa workout sessions.
However, Brooks doesn’t want fans to think these player workouts are anything close to a substitute to OTAs even for veterans, so he explained yesterday alongside the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig, on WDAE-AM 620, during their weekly “Legends” hour.
It’s an excellent take.
“You can only conditition a certain way when you’re under the microscope, when you’re under the coach’s watch. Your body responds differently; your mind responds differently,” Brooks said. “You can’t [simulate] that. You can do the best you can through the player-only workouts going on right now. And that’s going to have a certain seat at the table. And I respect … each player that’s doing it. But you can’t replace the work that’s going to have to get done under the watch of the coach. You can’t, because your body, everything about you responds differently and the competition level, that picks up. You’re not necessarily competing out there in player only workouts. Who are you competing in front of? Who are you competing for?
Brooks went on to predict more early-season injuries than ever before in 2011 because of players not being as mentally and physically prepared as in previous seasons.
“Your body’s not going to have time to process what it has over months of under being under the microscope [like in previous seasons],” Brooks said.
Brooks makes a great point. Nobody’s competing right now, as they would be in OTAs or even in the One Buc Palace weight room, where the strength coach can deliver feedback to Mark Dominik and Raheem Morris. Only a year ago, the Bucs coaches watched Mike Williams compete in rookie camp and determined he was their No. 1 receiver and groomed him as such.
Time will tell on Brooks’ injury prediction. All the more reason for NFL hatchetman Roger Goodell to ensure football returns by July 4.
June 16th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
I agree with him 100% but still think there is great value to the team, or just some players, getting together and having these workouts. Whether it is team building or just seeing who needs more conditioning, it all adds up.
June 16th, 2011 at 1:57 pm
I think a better use of their time and efforts tight now is in the weight room. Especially Faine… at least until the lockout gets lifted…
June 16th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
I agree with Brooks about the psychological and motivational benefits of competition – and that will come primarily from training camp and preseason. What he didn’t mention was the most difficult transition for a rookie coming out of college is learning a new system – that is the playbook. Remember how long it took Benn to learn the playbook. What Freeman is doing is teaching the playbook to the skill positions. Trust me, he is not using last years playbook. Some players (Freeman) got the new playbook during the brief break in the lockout following the draft. I believe the player-only workouts and the planned mini-camp led by Freeman are beneficial if not mandatory!
June 16th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
I don’t have to even mention agreeing with Brooks, that is a given with me! When Brooks talks, I definately listen!
As for the play book, I think that it is included under what Brooks is saying. Afterall, the playbooks are designed by the said coaches and are part of what they’re looking for under the microscope.
June 16th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Yes, that’s true