McCarthy Puts the Team Ahead of Himself
By CHRIS HAVEL
It is mid-August and the Green Bay Packers’ two-a-day practices already have come and gone.
Gee, we hardly knew ya.
It is a sign of the times, of course, given the players’ high salaries and an NFL salary cap that restricts teams from replenishing an injury-ravaged roster.
It also is a testament to Packers coach Mike McCarthy’s determination to do what he believes is best for his team regardless of his critics. Some believe the Packers’ practices are too soft, and the drills aren’t nearly as demanding as they should be, and the coach has turned training camp from boot camp into Club Med. They suggest the result is a team that lacks toughness, work ethic and wherewithal under duress.
McCarthy can deal with those allegations.
What he prefers to not deal with is a bedraggled, haggard and injury-ravaged roster even before the season begins. McCarthy’s decision to hold night practices, demand less hitting and give players the first three Wednesdays off was researched, thoughtful and – as it turns out – a most prudent course of action.
I believe it is a stretch when he suggests three Wednesdays off in August can translate to a fresher team in December, but I agree there is a method to his madness.
Night practice is good common sense.
Players respond better when they practice in shells and shorts in the morning, meet in the afternoon and practice hard in the evening. They go to bed tired and grateful for a good night’s rest.
It is a much better alternative than practicing in pads in the morning and the afternoon, and then boring players to death in endless, monotonous meetings leading up to bed check. By the time the players/zombies make their way back to their St. Norbert College dorm room, their bodies are worn out but their minds are racing.
Worse, if they had a particularly poor performance, they have to try to sleep on it.
By practicing in the evening, the players’ sheer exhaustion makes it easier to put their concerns aside until the next morning rather than fretting after being chastised in a meeting. The fact that the evening practices are fan friendly, and fiscally responsible, are merely bonuses in the grand scheme.
McCarthy’s decision to lighten up on the hitting—and to accept what criticism that might go with it—shows wisdom beyond his years. He is more interested in protecting his players’ health than impressing fans with his hard-nosed approach.
McCarthy dangled the Wednesdays off as a carrot in return for high attendance and attentiveness during the off-season team activities in June. They responded by studying and working, and he rewarded them for it. The fact that it probably reduced the number of serious injuries due to fatigue is a bonus.
I’ll say this for the Packers’ coach: He is his own man. He isn’t going to be swayed by public opinion or media criticism. He researches his decisions, values input of those he respects, and proceeds full-speed ahead.
That doesn’t make him right. It doesn’t even make him a winner.
It does, however, mean that he possesses arguably the most important trait of any top-notch NFL head coach: He puts the team ahead of himself.
At last glance, the Packers’ training camp injuries were sharply down from past seasons. Tight end Tory Humphrey’s broken ankle was regrettable but probably unavoidable. Otherwise, the missed practice time has been limited to injuries that are associated with intense physical workouts at least once and occasionally twice a day.
Throughout camp, McCarthy continued to emphasize the importance of players getting into the weight room. He intended to maintain not only their health, but also their strength for the long season ahead.
As McCarthy’s Packers prepare for Saturday’s exhibition game against Seattle at Lambeau Field, they do so feeling fresher and healthier than any team in recent memory.
It doesn’t mean they are going to improve upon their 8-8 won-loss record of 2006, but it does give them a fighting chance to hit the season running. Given their grueling schedule, they need a fast start in order to take the next step.
McCarthy’s handling of the 2007 training camp has made it possible.
Chris Havel is a freelance writer, best-selling author and host of northeast Wisconsin’s top-rated sports radio talk show, Sports Line, heard Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sports Radio 107.5 FM and 1400 AM THE FAN. He writes a weekly column exclusively for Packers Fan Tours’ Website throughout the 2007 season.
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