No More Practices At The Trop?
May 29th, 2012
Much has been written about how the Bucs will work to capitalize on the typical extreme heat at Raymond James Stadium for early season games.
Of course, there’s no proven way to go about conditioning for extreme heat that doesn’t run a risk of taxing players’ bodies to a point where it does more harm than good.
So talk of this heat preparation really doesn’t get Joe excited, as Joe doesn’t think it means a hell of a lot for 2012, or in general. The Bucs play plenty of warm weather teams and nearly all teams are use to practicing in extreme heat during training camp. For example, the Panthers come to Tampa to open the season. They’re sure used to heat. And the next home game is the Redskins on Sept. 30 at 4:15 p.m.
But heat tolerance can be a slight edge, so surely it’s worth exploring.
Woody Cummings, of The Tampa Tribune, delved into this via his recent beat column. Cummings notes that team practicies in air conditioned surroundings in St. Pete are likely history.
“That has to become our advantage,” Schiano said of the Tampa area’s taxing heat indexes, which regularly soar to more than 100 degrees through September and sometimes into November.
“When you get teams out there in that stadium and it’s really hot and you push the envelope, I think it becomes an advantage and that’s something that is important to me.”
So important, the Bucs can probably say goodbye to those once-a-week trips to climate-controlled Tropicana Field they made under Morris to escape the heat. As long as Schiano is in charge, the heat will be on and it will likely be on high.
(Insert your own Peter King thermostat joke)
The “push the envelope” Schiano references above is intriguing to Joe. Perhaps Schiano was referring to Bucs opponents because he has made it clear he wants a punishing, plodding ground attack versus any sort of hurry-up offense or modern NFL assault.
Of course, so much of the Bucs’ potential heat advantage would come in the fourth quarter when, hopefully, it’s a tight game or the Bucs have a lead and haven’t been drained from mounting a furious comeback. Fans haven’t experienced one of those in quite a while.
May 29th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Practicing in 100+ heat not only gives us an advantage on really hot days but should improve the conditioning in general. I like schianos decision of not being comfy and cozy at the trip the bucs need to get uncomfortable and start playing bucs football. I like schianos mentally and physically tough attitude, an attitude that should produce players that won’t quit!
May 29th, 2012 at 12:44 pm
Lot of benefits to practicing at the Trop, from preparing on turf to staying a little fresh. I hope Schiano knows how to handle everything on his plate.
May 29th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
One thing ive learned playing football in high school is that when you practice hard in heat like this in tampa, its a huge challenge. And we became closer teamates because of it because we had to pick eachother up through the grueling heat. I think this could be a good thing as far as mental toughness and making our team a tight knit group.
May 29th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Its not so much the heat as it is the high humidity levels in the Tampa Bay area that WILL provide an advantage. Go Coach.
May 29th, 2012 at 1:05 pm
He’s already got them showing up to meetings with two rehydrating beverages… this guy has the details down…
Use everything you can to your advantage…
May 29th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
So does that mean in the cold weather we crumble?
May 29th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
we hear about this every season …. then some team in a dark jersey gives it to us in September or October from a cold climate.
May 29th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
@ jvato24
EXACTLY
May 29th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
@bucfanjeff…
No – that’s when all we do is run the ball.
May 29th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Practicing too much in the heat can also be a disadvantage. Have to be careful there’s enough left in the tank on Sunday….
May 29th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
I don’t buy this one bit. I think if anything the Bucs are at a disadvantage. By October, temperatures fall and hover in the mid 70’s to 80’s and worst case scenario, its still in the 50’s by December.
It becomes a perk for the cold-weather teams to fly down to Tampa and play a nice (relatively) warm weather game and not have to deal with weather of “the North.”
What ever supposed advantage the Bucs have is probably at its best during August, or pre-season as they call it in the NFL. Maybe September too, but anywhere outside of Seattle, Minnesota, and Buffalo, it is hot as heck until August as well. It’s not like other teams don’t have to deal with heat.
Humidity is the difference maker, but this is still present everywhere up the east coast, and even in other parts of the country where you would least expect it. The Joe’s should know, even St. Louis gets surprisingly very humid in the summer thanks to two major river confluences. Most major cities lie on water in a way shape or form, and “global warming” sure isn’t making things easier on anyone.
Long story short, the Bucs get more conditioning, sure, but I don’t think it makes a difference. If anything we have to be MORE mindful of cramps, heat stroke and dehydration. I personally think its a disadvantage.
May 29th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
“we hear about this every season …. then some team in a dark jersey gives it to us in September or October from a cold climate.”
Exactly. The Bucs need to start wearing the red jerseys at home to start the season. Suck it up.
May 29th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Practicing in the heat does NOTHING to improve conditioning. Nothing whatsoever. If anything it will force players to not play or practice as hard and be in worse shape. Anybody here that thinks being in the heat will get you in shape are probably the same tools that go to the gym and sit in the sauna to get in shape… it doesn’t work, hard work does work, that’s what I want to hear about.
Hopefully, Schiano is planning on using the hurry-up as well, because a pounding running game wears down a defense late in games, but a hurry-up offense can get a defense winded in the span of one drive.
May 29th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Snook Says:
May 29th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
“we hear about this every season …. then some team in a dark jersey gives it to us in September or October from a cold climate.”
Exactly. The Bucs need to start wearing the red jerseys at home to start the season. Suck it up.
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This comment is effing stupid.
It’s a matter of human performance science. You don’t perform as well when you’re hotter. Why would anybody voluntarily take on the extra heat stress when they didn’t have to? Especially when the goal of the game is to win, not to “suck it up”.
May 29th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Brandon is not smart..if they dont hard hard if its too hott the bye bye..they know what sign up for..its tampa..duh
May 29th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
I have never seen the Gators or seminoles Change jersey colors due to temp … I think its hot regardless of what you wear .. The only way the heat is an advantage is if you are actually winning or the game is close and you go no huddle.
But in reality … That is just playing smart and it will take the wind from any team in any climate.
May 29th, 2012 at 3:04 pm
Wearing the white provides no competitive advantage. Sorry, buddy.
May 29th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
So many coaches have come in here and thought that if we practiced long and hard in the heat we would have a huge advantage. It can be but more often than not it’s a mistake thus overworking the players in the heat. When Sunday comes around they are not as fresh as the team they are playing. The trop. was a good idea players liked it and when they did it at the beginning of last year they had good results on Sunday.
Science actually shows that teams or individuals competing wearing red won more than any other color. They concluded that they must of felt stronger, more invincible and intimidating.
May 29th, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Here is a link to the study;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/6097954/Why-teams-in-red-win-more.html
May 29th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
javato:
About 10 years ago Florida State opened against Colorado in a day game. Bobby Bowden broke out the white jerseys and forced the Buffaloes to wear black. It was pushing well over 90. The Buffs literally wilted in the third quarter.
May 29th, 2012 at 3:48 pm
I remember Donovan McNabb puking on the field once because of the heat. Back when he was still wit the Eagles. It was so F’ing hot that day.
May 29th, 2012 at 4:02 pm
@HAND,
The McNabb puke was classic. We were at that game and it was one of my favorite moments. As a doctor, what do you think about the heat and conditioning argument? No seriously.
@Brandon,
I hear what you are saying about the heat but I can’t really agree, regardless of what Science says. I have spent long periods of time in the desert, and it takes some getting used to. It may be a mental thing, more than physical, but after a couple of weeks, your body starts to adapt to it. The first week or so was brutal, and looking at thermometers with the mercury sitting on 130 degrees makes it even worse mentally. I can only speak from my experience, but I have also worked many years in the heat and sun, and I have seen many guys fall out like flies that were not acclimated to it. I have also worked in extreme cold conditions and at least when it is cold you can bundle up for the most part. But when it is super hot, you can’t run, you can’t hide, you have to grin and bare it, and take a mind over matter approach.
May 29th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Was the puke game where Bryant hit the long field goal?
May 29th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Trust me, there is no heat like Florida heat. I’ll take Las Vegas heat over Florida heat/humidity any day. A few years back I went to the first game of the season, and I have never been so hot in my life, and I was just sitting in the stands. I have no idea how the players can run around in pads and knock the crap out of each other for 60 minutes in that furnace of a stadium.
That being said, most of the teams we play are from similar, albeit not quite as hot, climates. I don’t think it is that significant of an advantage, but it definitely a factor.
May 29th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Not really that big of an advantage. Its hot every where in the summer mostly the last I checked.
May 29th, 2012 at 4:21 pm
If Heat were going to play a factor, it would more likely be in October/ Early November after the teams north of us become to acclimate to 50s when we can still days in the 90s and FULL on humidity.
Septemeber is still hot everywhere to some degree …
Or maybe not … I have been in FLorida my whole life and think snow is a myth so I could be wrong lol
May 29th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Reminds me of Bear Bryant his first year. Anyone see the movie? Didn’t half the team become injured by the end of training camp?
May 30th, 2012 at 1:12 am
Schiano owns Beer-swilling Peter King.
Schiano is so deep in King’s head he needs a coal-miner
style lantern to light the way through the dark, dank passages.
May 30th, 2012 at 2:49 am
McNabb puked from eating too much Campbells Soup.
I agree with Brandon about the heat. It is darn near humanely impossible to practice really hard in this heat.
I have seen northern teams in much better shape then us on many occasions.
May 30th, 2012 at 11:04 am
SB2013new1 Says:
May 29th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Brandon is not smart..if they dont hard hard if its too hott the bye bye..they know what sign up for..its tampa..duh
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Uhhh, yeah. I’m not smart. Well, I’m not smart enough to figure out this drivel that you tried to pass off as your post.
May 30th, 2012 at 6:04 pm
To say we don’t have an advantage by practicing in the heat is like saying the Packers don’t have an advantage in December. Apparently no one posting goes to home games because it’s hotter than#@!! sitting there with no breeze and the sun beating down on you. Add a dark jersey to that and you have serious heat. Of course it’s an advantage if you’re in shape to play in that kind of climate.