I remember when training camp was different from how it is conducted today.
With the Denver Broncos Thursday morning concluding their first training camp practice of 2011, all my seasons and all my camps put me in mind of the many changes in this aspect of professional football.
The late 1970’s are not exactly the Stone Age of modern society, but in terms of what has changed—and progressed–in the National Football League since then, there is a light year’s difference.
Now the collective bargaining agreement limits the number of practices, as well as the number of practices in full pads, and training staffs carefully look to the health and nutrition needs of the players.
In the hot summer weather, hydration is always critical.
So it might surprise some readers to learn that back in the late ‘70’s, water was not allowed on the field. There was no water intake during practice because it was not allowed. Old wives tales about cramping up due to too much water, as well as a prevailing culture of manly behavior, discouraged what any doctor would say is a basic.
The Broncos of those days would have practice stopped for a popsicle break, with coolers of popsicles brought out onto the practice field for a quick respite.
But that was it. You better get your hydration from that popsicle, because that is the extent of it.
And speaking of practice, there were two of them every single day, all in full pads, almost all of them with some degree of hitting. And by every day, I absolutely mean Saturday and Sunday as well.
No days off, no afternoons off, no late mornings.
And of course, these practices, usually at some small college located in a rustic community, led up to not four, but five or even six preseason games—and the team generally returned to the routine of camp life after each of those games before ultimately breaking camp.
Try this on for size in your football memory back—the 1976 Denver Broncos played seven preseason, or exhibition, games, as their prelude to a 14-game regular season schedule. Seven preseason games, ah, those were the days.
Or not. Not, I think.
The days were long, the nights were unending with meetings, and I remember one writer commenting on the length of camp by noting that “we’ve been eating at this cafeteria for so long now, even the ice cream tastes like chicken.”
The off season in those days had no lifting program, and for that matter, many teams had no strength and conditioning coach. Players got into shape for the season in whatever manner they deemed best.
One player used to run up and down the stadium steps several times every day to work on his legs. Another liked to take his family to the beach so he could run in the sand for several miles every morning.
They worked real hard, don’t get me wrong, but without supervision, without insurance, and without a coach.
Not exactly like the NFL of today.
After the morning practice today I noted our fine Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy having lunch with his family—a great family moment.
But I can remember when you saw no one having lunch with his family, any day of camp, because the families just were not welcome. No breakfast, no lunch, no dinner, no way.
And back in those days, rookie intimidation was a million ways different from today, with now being a time when it virtually does not exist.
But I can remember the days when a young rookie kicker was excelling in training camp. Then the veterans arrived. Veteran kicker, veteran snapper, veteran holder, all 10-year players and good friends.
The next day, for that rookie, the snaps were a little off, the holds a little shaky. But all the holds and snaps were just perfect for the veteran kicker, an exceptional kicker even if kicking blindfolded.
It did not take long for that shaken rookie to be gone, never to be heard from again.
So a lot has changed in these decades, all for the better. The game has grown in so many positive ways, particularly in terms of health, including medicines, training techniques, and equipment.
Every Golden Age of pro football has been special, but there is no time in the past as good as the present in terms of how everyone learns, practices and endures a training camp.
Tags: Jim Saccomano, Training Camp
Correct,
Confirmed: Nnamdi to the Eagles. Done.
OMGGGG…
Asomugha signed with the Eagles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nnamdi deal: 5 yrs, 60 million, 25m gtd.
Thank goodness we don’t play the eagles this year!!
At least he is in the NFC now.
Eagles, NFC.
Nnamdi, Asante and DRC … this is a ridiculous offseason. how much capspace do eagles have? They are just buying up players … unfreaking believable. TRB out…
I’m with you on that bay!!! The raiders just got sooooo much weaker!!! Let’s kill em on Monday night football baby!!
There is an echo in here, it must be Friday night, haha.
…. WELL … Ill be getting the Eagles DST in fantasy lol. TRB out…
It looks like the Eagles might be the team with a shot at giving Green Bay a run for their money in the NFC.
Now that Nnamdi is signed we`re gonna see other FA`signings that will fallow. Nnamdi was like a stop light until he agreed with a team. Now comes the next tier of FA`s.
I think WE are the only team with a stop light, LMAO!
So many FAs have gotten agreements it’s not even funny.
I agree Bay. So when are we going to sign some FAs? Don’t we have a ton of cap space?
musta been gone for a while nalen … we do NOT have cap space. And its not like we are full of superstars or nothing either but 2 first round picks back to back before rookie wage scale will do that to ya i guess. TRB out…
Tnalen…
Dude we’ve sign McGahee and Jarmon!!!! Is that not enough for you??? I mean we’ve been EXTREMELY active. LOL!!
And Jarmon was not an FA signing, it was a trade! Double LOL.
Namdi is an iggle… Didn’t see that one coming!
LMAO!
I’m confused? We did sign Willis then? WTF is going on?
This one just for TRB.
Looks like Marshall might of been the instigator once again:
Charges dropped against Brandon Marshall’s wife.
South Florida prosecutors have dropped charges accusing the wife of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall of stabbing him.
Nogami-Marshall would only say that she acted in self-defense.
We may have many problems but at least we don’t have that one anymore.
Yeah, so is the latest McGahee seems to be a Bronco now, but nothing from this website yet so who really knows, transparency? I need to go see my optician because I can’t see anyhting.
And it would be nice if we don’t call him Willis because every time I hear that I think of my boy Willis.
The term should be invisibility!
So. We have M. Willis and Willis M.
This is too much for me to wrap my brain around.
And the season that will be remembered for injuries has started:
Tough day for Broncos rookies.
Safety Quinton Carter was driven off the field on a cart (he climbed onto the cart on his own) with an apparent leg injury.
Carter, who signed his contract Thursday evening, was participating in his first full-speed practice, and working with the first-team defense.
We will update Carter’s status at the end of practice.
But that’s not all:
First-round draft pick Von Miller walked with a slight limp as he made his way to the locker room in the middle of Friday’s practice.
Miller spent more than 10 minutes stretching his right leg or hip with head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos before eventually leaving the field with another trainer.
And all that with no pads on…
Just saw on Facebook (of all places), Bucky, TE Daniel Coats have been released and RB Mike McLaughin was waived
This week is simply not one to remember other than McGahee.
we`ll see more waved or released, this is only the beginning.
This is more like cleaning the lockers than waiving.
Sndvl, thats nuts. Only in Bronco-land. What you talking about Willis! LOL
Anyway, that’s hardly interesting at this point, but thanks anyway sndvl, need all the info we can get, we knew about Bucky already and the other two were not much more than locker room space takers.
If your going to clean lockers get out the DW-40.
Wow, I guess no one cares the rookies got injured…
There`s gonna be more casualtys, that meaning more players getting the axe.
Tough crowd.
I`m more concerned over Miller at this point.
There`s gonna be alot of pulled hammies and the such just like you said.
Dinner time.
Man this is not great news!! The injury bug is hitting us already?? These are key guys who we are expecting to step up. What do we have to do to shake this injury bug?!
Ok better news…. Miller suffered a bruise and Carter suffered heat stress!
This just in Brandon Mebane stays with Seattle, 5 years, 25 million, 9 million signing bonus.
Melloo, good news, thanks.
You’re welcome strand and yes it is great news!! Now we need these guys to stay healthy!! Injuries killed us last year.
Also I thought we were gonna go after a bruising back? So why are we trying to get McGhaee?
ooops, On Mebane deal, 9 million guaranteed and not bonus.
new blog guys
We have McGahee, at least that’s the latest.
No we don’t, not yet, ooops, second false alert, haha.