SAEX Blog: Are the Cowboys getting soft in the Alamodome?

[WoodysGirl]

August 02, 2007


Tom Orsborn: Are the Cowboys getting soft in the Alamodome?


Working out twice a day is becoming a thing of the past in the NFL.

The Cowboys began camp on July 24 with only six two-a-days scheduled. With seven days of camp remaining, only two two-a-day sessions remain (Saturday and Aug. 6).

Buffalo has the fewest two-a-days in the league this summer with just three. Washington has only five. Five teams - Kansas City, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville and Chicago - join Dallas with six.

San Francisco has the most (13). Seattle, Tampa Bay and New Orleans each have 12. Houston has 11.

Cowboys coach Wade Phillips says camp is no longer about conditioning because teams have so many minicamps and OTAs (organized-team-activity practices) during the offseason.

Most of the Cowboys seem to be in great shape, but I wonder if they will wilt in the sun when they return to Dallas after 16 days in the air-conditioned Alamodome. And keep this in mind: Unlike Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips apparently doesn't believe in wind sprints. The team hasn't done any during camp. With Parcells, it was camp staple, especially at the end of practice.

 

[peplaw06]

Tom Orsborne... another reader at the Zone.

 

[superpunk]

Tony Romo says "No."

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm a bit suprised that he does not have them running the wind sprints. I guess we will see how these guys do as the season moves along.

 

[Stautner]

I'm a bit suprised that he does not have them running the wind sprints. I guess we will see how these guys do as the season moves along.

I thought Hatcher tweaked his hamstring running sprints?

 

[Doomsday101]

I thought Hatcher tweaked his hamstring running sprints?

Evidently not if the report is true that Phillips is not having them run sprints. I'm not knocking Phillips for this but it does come as a surprise to me because I have always been accustom to teams running sprints as part of getting into football shape.

 

[Royal Laegotti]

They're really in Santone so Jethro: can have a marketing excursion. IMO

I don't know why they don't just call it "marketing camp"!

 

[rathalarge]

From the videos I've seen of camp, and from watching the Cowboys' camp special on NFL Network, the guys seem to be in great shape! I've been watching the Packers' training camp, and ours is at a much faster pace. Wade has said that the guys have taken it upon themselves to work hard, and remember that there was alot of off season activity going on at the Ranch! We will find out by seasons end!!

 

[WoodysGirl]

Evidently not if the report is true that Phillips is not having them run sprints. I'm not knocking Phillips for this but it does come as a surprise to me because I have always been accustom to teams running sprints as part of getting into football shape.

The drill occurred during a special-teams practice Monday. Stewart made the linemen run sprints, and Hatcher strained his left hamstring while running. Hatcher, who tied for the team lead in quarterback pressures with seven last season, missed Tuesday's practice. His status is day-to-day, but he was walking with a slight limp

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91354

 

[Stautner]

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91354

This is what I recall reading.

Maybe it's not a teamwide thing, but it seems that some have run sprints.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

I have had the same thoughts that it could make us soft........it is nice for fans to sit in that A/C and watch practice.....we have it made.

I hope it does not hurt our team.

 

[thewireman]

I just hope the circus that seems to have infested this training camp doesn't effect the players

 

[Stautner]

I have had the same thoughts that it could make us soft........it is nice for fans to sit in that A/C and watch practice.....we have it made.

I hope it does not hurt our team.

I think whatever effect it has will be temporary and minor.

Most players spend much of their offseason working out in air conditioned gyms, and within a few weeks games will start.

TC is a short period in the overall training process - I just can't see that there will be any lingering effects.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I just hope the circus that seems to have infested this training camp doesn't effect the players

What circus?

 

[Stautner]

:huh2:

What circus?

I'm wondering too. This seems to be a pretty calm training camp as far as I can tell.

 

[thewireman]

What circus?

I don't mean all the time, just from what I have read about the annoying Rowdy on his four wheeler, the singing choir at a TC and whatever else.

 

[Stautner]

I don't mean all the time, just from what I have read about the annoying Rowdy on his four wheeler, the singing choir at a TC and whatever else.

Oh, you mean the normal TC circus.

Unfortunately that kind of nonsense is going to be a part of it every year, but I'm pretty sure that stuff is kept away from the players during practice.

 

[Idgit]

Tony Romo says "No."

 

[YosemiteSam]

The drill occurred during a special-teams practice Monday. Stewart made the linemen run sprints, and Hatcher strained his left hamstring while running. Hatcher, who tied for the team lead in quarterback pressures with seven last season, missed Tuesday's practice. His status is day-to-day, but he was walking with a slight limp

I've quoted WG, but this is an indirect response.

A sprint and a wind sprint arn't exactly the same thing. To do a "Wind Sprint" you do not even actually have to sprint. All you have to do is increase your level of exercise long enough to increase your breathing rate and return to your normal level of exercise without stopping to rest after the "wind sprint".

For instance. If you were swimming, you start swimming faster for 20-30 seconds. Then, once you you start to get winded (ie the wind part of wind sprints) you return to your normal rate of swimming. The trick to wind sprints is to get "winded". The part that actually helps you is the fact that you are still exercising (back at normal levels) during recovery of the wind sprints.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

I was there yesterday, and at the end of practice, the team split up and ran sprints in groups.........linemen with linemen, qb's w/qb's, db's with db's, etc. But I guess that the reporters are in such a hurry to get a story, they don't notice that.