Archer | Conditioning takes priority with Parcells

[Bluefin]

Todd Archer: Conditioning takes priority with Parcells

05:09 PM CDT on Thursday, July 8, 2004


To Bill Parcells, the off-season is about getting your team in shape. Training camp is about getting ready for the season.

I've covered the NFL since 1997 - three seasons in Cincinnati, three seasons in Miami. This was my first off-season in Dallas, and I was surprised to see just how little on-field work Parcells puts his team through.

He had one minicamp for the rookies and first-year players following the draft in April. He had a veteran minicamp in June followed by four on-field activity days. The Cowboys were on the field with their coaches less than any team in the NFL.

It's not surprising. It's how Parcells acts. He could have used an extra minicamp last year because it was his first year, but he didn't. He believes he has plenty of time in training camp to get his team ready for the Sept. 12 opener at Minnesota.

The Bengals had an off-season program but very few players attended. Some cited the Cincinnati weather in the winter, the poor facilities and the strength program for not showing. The result: the Bengals won 13 games in the three years I covered the team.

The Dolphins use as many of the on-field training days as any team in the league. They have a very good conditioning program, and unlike Cincinnati, the weather is always good. Normally, the Dolphins get off to a very good September start and fade in December. Some players believe it's because they are worn out when the games matter most.

Here, the weather is good, the facilities are good and the training is solid. Players make the required 40 days of conditioning work with ease. Even Antonio Bryant had enough workouts before his on-field spat with Parcells.

Having veterans on the field under hot conditions with no pads, he believes, does little good. What good does it do La'Roi Glover, a perennial Pro Bowler? The offensive and defensive linemen get next to nothing out of the on-field work because it's not done in pads and it's not done at full speed.

The work is good for quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs to develop timing and chemistry. Even defensive backs and linebackers can get something out of it.

But not enough to warrant the overkill.

Parcells is a big believer in two-a-days in pads. That's the old school in him. Most teams have two practices a day but very few wear pads all the time.

If you look at Parcells' teams, they do not suffer nagging injuries during a season. There are very few hamstring or groin pulls. His teams are in shape and the results are, generally, very good.

Parcells is all about getting his players ready for Sundays in September through January. Not March through July.

[Anthrax]

Parcells is a amazing coach. I look foward to the Eagle Cowboy games this year and years to come, this rivaly should heat up a bit more since both teams are in contension and fighting for a diviosn title.

[TheHustler]

that was a good read. hopefully we are as lucky with the injury bug this year as we were last year.

[jimmy40]

Originally Posted by TheHustler

that was a good read. hopefully we are as lucky with the injury bug this year as we were last year.

We we're extremely lucky last year.

[big dog cowboy]

Originally Posted by jimmy40

We we're extremely lucky last year.

It wasn't an accident it was by design.

[MichaelWinicki]

Originally Posted by big dog cowboy

It wasn't an accident it was by design.

Yeah BDC some of it was by design, but truthfully we were luckier than we should have been.

[TheHustler]

Originally Posted by big dog cowboy

It wasn't an accident it was by design.

haha. parcells may put his players in a better position to stay healthy, but injuries happen to everyone. they can happen on the simplest plays. ie: al johnson last year.

[Bluefin]

Yeah BDC some of it was by design, but truthfully we were luckier than we should have been.

Dallas did have their share of injuries in the secondary right before the season started and the offensive line had some problems, but Bill Parcells' troops have annually had fewer long term injuries than most NFL teams.

Parcells seems to dictate a lot of his own luck, IMO, but some of it does remain to chance.

[Skeptic]

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

Yeah BDC some of it was by design, but truthfully we were luckier than we should have been.

Meh.

Give credit where credit is due.

Parcells knows his stuff.

[SALADIN]

Originally Posted by Bluefin

Dallas did have their share of injuries in the secondary right before the season started and the offensive line had some problems, but Bill Parcells' troops have annually had fewer long term injuries than most NFL teams.

Parcells seems to dictate a lot of his own luck, IMO, but some of it does remain to chance.

Agreed Bluefin. And let us not forget that unlike years past, players had to play hurt or they wouldn't be around that long.

Parcells doesn't give injury passes.

[Bluefin]

Originally Posted by SALADIN

Agreed Bluefin. And let us not forget that unlike years past, players had to play hurt or they wouldn't be around that long.

Parcells doesn't give injury passes.

Very true.

A lot of players would've missed games with a coach such as Dave Campo on the premises.

Larry Allen comes to mind, and I seriously doubt we would've seen Willie Blade back with the team or see him hurry back from a pre-season knee tweak to miss only one egular season game.

Parcells turned both Willie Blade and Daleroy Stewart into productive football players after they hadn't played a down their first two years in the league.

They needed a hardass coach to push their buttons and get them on the field playing.

Not only do Parcells' players want to please him and earn his respect, they are afraid of what might happen if they miss time with an injury.

Antonio Bryant was a starter until he was sidelined late in camp with a thigh contusion.

AB's replacement, Terry Glenn, got off to a fast start and Bryant never got his starting spot back.

If a starter goes down and his back-up gets the job done, Parcells will not hold the job for the starter.

[MichaelWinicki]

Originally Posted by Skeptic

Meh.

Give credit where credit is due.

Parcells knows his stuff.

Skeptic, I do give Bill P. credit.

But the fact is a devastating injury like an ACL or an Achilles tear can happen so innocently.

We've already lost one player for the season.

[Nors]

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

Skeptic, I do give Bill P. credit.

But the fact is a devastating injury like an ACL or an Achilles tear can happen so innocently.

We've already lost one player for the season.

Bickerstaff is not a devestating loss.
Parcells minimizes injuries but injuries are a part of the game.

[MichaelWinicki]

Originally Posted by Nors

Bickerstaff is not a devestating loss.
Parcells minimizes injuries but injuries are a part of the game.

I agree Bickerstaff isn't a devastaing loss, but he is a loss none the less. You tack on a couple more before the start of the season and it is already worse than last year.

[SALADIN]

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

I agree Bickerstaff isn't a devastaing loss, but he is a loss none the less. You tack on a couple more before the start of the season and it is already worse than last year.

I think thats why there's been such an emphasis on coaches and GM's making the right personel moves in this age of FA and the salary cap.

Teams can't load up anymore. This isn't like UT, OU, USC or "this U" were if your starter goes down there isn't that much of a drop off between him and his backup.

In the NFL, if your starting QB or shut down CB goes down then you got some problems. Can you imagine the bind this team would be in if T-New went down?

The draft is so much more important now than it was 20-25 years ago. Even at positions where you seem 'set' you have to find a player who can come in and not just be able to hold his own but to start.

Easier said than done but that's why proven GM's (Donahoe (sp?) and coaches Parcells and Gibbs get paid the big bucks.