Honest question, is an old school coach like Parcells bad for team injuries?

[TruBlueCowboy]

We all know how Parcells views "injured" players. I know it's this way in the entire NFL, and football in general really, but Parcells comes from the day when they would purposely hold out on water and other things that we take for granted today.

First it was Henry, who was rushed back from a groin injury. Who freaking rushes a cornerback with a groin injury? That's suicide for the season. He won't recover until the next year.

And now Julius Jones is suddenly looking better. The offensive line still looked bad at times, it wasn't as if they suddenly picked up their game. Julius just looked faster out there. Like the guy who ran last year. We all know Julius was hurt, and many of us made comments that he didn't look like the same ol' Julius.

I feel like some of our young guys play when they shouldn't be playing because they're scared to death of Parcells, and some of the vets play when they shouldn't just because Parcells doesn't tolerate injuries.

Do you think Parcells is hurting the team with his old school mentality on injuries? Do you think he's any different than a younger coach? It's one thing to be tough, but it's another to be realistic and realize that you're only making the team worse by destroying a player everyone counts on.

 

[Juke99]

I've had this concern for a while now.

With the amount of $$$ invested in these players, I think now, more than ever it's important to be careful about putting guys back on the field after they've been injured.

Perfect example here in NY...EVERYONE knows Pennington was rushed back onto the field way too soon. Result? He reinjured the same rotator cuff that put him out last season. His contract is worth $64 million. I'll assume the Jets are going to have eat a substantial part of that if he can't make it back.

The Jones thing from last year bugged me. He broke his shoulder but stayed on the field mostly because he had asked for out of a game during the preseason and took a beating from Parcells.

 

[notherbob]

I, three, have had this concern. Being macho and tough is OK up to a point and that point is where you turn a minor problem into a major one because of bull-headedness. Yes, you do need to play through things. You always have all kinds of nagging little things all season long you just have to play through, but turning aggravation into real injury is counter-productive.

Parcells isn't perfect but on the whole, he's doing very well as the team just gets better every year. Whether they get into the playoffs or not, I'm happy with this year and the upcoming off-season will be most interesting.

 

[Qwickdraw]

Thankfully, the same could be said for Marc Bulger...

 

[ratpower]

We all know how Parcells views "injured" players. I know it's this way in the entire NFL, and football in general really, but Parcells comes from the day when they would purposely hold out on water and other things that we take for granted today.

First it was Henry, who was rushed back from a groin injury. Who freaking rushes a cornerback with a groin injury? That's suicide for the season. He won't recover until the next year.

And now Julius Jones is suddenly looking better. The offensive line still looked bad at times, it wasn't as if they suddenly picked up their game. Julius just looked faster out there. Like the guy who ran last year. We all know Julius was hurt, and many of us made comments that he didn't look like the same ol' Julius.

I feel like some of our young guys play when they shouldn't be playing because they're scared to death of Parcells, and some of the vets play when they shouldn't just because Parcells doesn't tolerate injuries.

Do you think Parcells is hurting the team with his old school mentality on injuries? Do you think he's any different than a younger coach? It's one thing to be tough, but it's another to be realistic and realize that you're only making the team worse by destroying a player everyone counts on.

Good points. I've been griping about BP on this issue for a loooong time. His old school approach is hurting our team on those occasions when players REALLY are injured...groins don't improve in a week....

I'm not saying players can't play with pain but when they are at 50-75%, they end up hurting us more...(see Henry, JJ...).

 

[CactusCowboy]

I don't think Mora is an old coach and Atlanta is really banged up.

 

[trueblue1687]

Most coaches in the NFL (and in college ball for sure) rely almost exclusively on what team TRAINERS evaluations are along with team DOCTORS. It's kinda like when you're out of work for some kind of injury or illness and the Dr. says: "you're ok"...then guess what? You go back to work! Keep the perspective: there's only 16 games to play in a year, a few more if you're lucky and play good. Play everything you've got in order to GET to the post season. "rushing" a player back is nonsense. Having played college football, I can attest to the fact that players who actually play are hurting all season- just have to get over it or find another hobby(career).

 

[NorTex]

Look around the league and you will find that the Cowboys have the same or fewer injuries than most teams.

Dumb thread, IMO.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

This is actually a good thread.

The difference IMO, is that in today's NFL there is not nearly as much depth at any position. The Cowboys, Giants, Commanders, Bills, etc, of old had guys on the bench that would easily be starting elsewhere. Especially in the trenches.

Back in the day players knew how good their backups were and overcame/ignored/played through injuries to hold on to their starting jobs.

 

[InmanRoshi]

I guess no one remembers the Campo era when 1/3 of the team was playing grab *** in the trainers room instead of out on the practice field.

Do you think Belichick or Saban or anyone else on the Parcells tree do it any differently? They don't.

 

[Alexander]

I guess no one remembers the Campo era when 1/3 of the team was playing grab *** in the trainers room instead of out on the practice field.

Do you think Belichick or Saban or anyone else on the Parcells tree do it any differently? They don't.

I was about to say the same thing when I read the title to this thread.

The Campo Cowboys were masters of the whirlpool.

 

[conner01]

if the trainer clears you to play, then you play.jones has been fine and was not gonna get stronger watching. playing was the only wat for him to get baqck to form. henry is a little different but the trainers said he was ready and he got reinjured. happens alot with groins but the other option was ir. and when you are in a playoff hunt you don't want to have that if at all avoidable

 

[Dave_in-NC]

NFL players of today are much softer than those before them. Parcells might think you need to earn your money. Ide agree. None of us know the extent of any "injuries" that these guys have. Im glad he doesnt allow them to milk it myself.

 

[Sabu1]

I guess no one remembers the Campo era when 1/3 of the team was playing grab *** in the trainers room instead of out on the practice field.

Do you think Belichick or Saban or anyone else on the Parcells tree do it any differently? They don't.

Oh so true. My how we forget the recent past so easily. And everyone's God, Jimmy Johnson never tolerated injuries either.

 

[Clove]

Certain injuries must take time. Other injuries you can rush them back. IMO, BP plays guys that have injuries that should sit out for a considerable amount of time before coming back.

Ankle injury won't matter much with some interior linemen to play on, but not Half Back or Corner or WR.

Groin injuries are the same with the guys who run extremely hard on every play.

 

[silver]

He's old school but then again who is new school? Mariucci? Norv Turner? New school coaches end up getting fired most of the time. I'm trying to think of new school coaches and can't come up with many. I can think of a lotta old school types though, mostly the succesfull ones like Cowher, Bellichick, Holmgren, Reid, Gibbs, and Fox. This is football. Players play hurt. That's part of the game.

 

[zagnut]

We all know how Parcells views "injured" players. I know it's this way in the entire NFL, and football in general really, but Parcells comes from the day when they would purposely hold out on water and other things that we take for granted today.

First it was Henry, who was rushed back from a groin injury. Who freaking rushes a cornerback with a groin injury? That's suicide for the season. He won't recover until the next year.

And now Julius Jones is suddenly looking better. The offensive line still looked bad at times, it wasn't as if they suddenly picked up their game. Julius just looked faster out there. Like the guy who ran last year. We all know Julius was hurt, and many of us made comments that he didn't look like the same ol' Julius.

I feel like some of our young guys play when they shouldn't be playing because they're scared to death of Parcells, and some of the vets play when they shouldn't just because Parcells doesn't tolerate injuries.

Do you think Parcells is hurting the team with his old school mentality on injuries? Do you think he's any different than a younger coach? It's one thing to be tough, but it's another to be realistic and realize that you're only making the team worse by destroying a player everyone counts on.

The flip side of this position is we might not even be in contention for a playoff spot if Julius or Henry were not "forced" back in the game they we in. Not that I've ever been anywhere near a war, but I look at Parcells like I look at a battlefield General (i.e., the end result is what's important and some of you aren't necessarily going to be here at the end.).

I've actually felt we've had remarkably few injuries and nagging hurts the past 3 years. Every team deals with this. Football is physical. Twisted knees, bruised ribs, and high ankle sprains come with the territory.

 

[wileedog]

Perfect example here in NY...EVERYONE knows Pennington was rushed back onto the field way too soon. Result? He reinjured the same rotator cuff that put him out last season. His contract is worth $64 million. I'll assume the Jets are going to have eat a substantial part of that if he can't make it back.

And yet Herm Edwards is the complete antithesis of Bill Parcells when it comes to player relationships/management.

So is it a Bill problem, or a league problem? Or perhaps just the nature of the beast given only 16 games that mean all or nothing?

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

Thanks for the input fellas and please don't think I'm saying players shouldn't play hurt. What I am saying is when the doctors and other medical experts are telling you there's 90% chance playing a guy early will limit the rest of his season, you shouldn't chance it. Sports medical science has progressed far these days, and just as athletes can recover from injuries that used to destroy careers, doctors also have a better idea of what the human body can take. Just because fellas did it in the 60's, doesn't mean it should fly now. And I don't think it's because we're spoiling players, I think it's because players are twice as big as they used to be. Guys get hurt a lot easier, I hope Parcells is taking this into consideration when he rushes guys like Anthony Henry and Julius Jones onto the field.

 

[Sitting Bull]

This is a great thread and I think the answer is "yes." I think JJ's injury last year was exacerbated by pressure to stay in and I was horrified watching Henry limp around on his bad groin a few weeks back (which easily could've cost us the game). I'm pro-Parcells in many ways, but this is one area where I feel he overplays his hand. If you have a team full of your guys, there shouldn't be many slackers that need that type of "motivation."