Week in the life of a coach

[NoSaint]

With the fix and Kubiak stuff many of us talked about how insane the expectations and hours worked are for coaches- here's john harbaughs schedule for a week:

 

http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=10012376&src=desktop

 

Insane.

[Captain Hindsight]

Honestly, that looks like a really rough week in grad school for me in terms of time. A few weeks ago I had 3 tests and a take home test and I was there every morning at 7 and left most nights after 11. One week of that was really rough. I might have slept the entire day Saturday I can't imagine doing that for 16 weeks. Its a marathon

[NoSaint]

Honestly, that looks like a really rough week in grad school for me in terms of time. A few weeks ago I had 3 tests and a take home test and I was there every morning at 7 and left most nights after 11. One week of that was really rough. I might have slept the entire day Saturday I can't imagine doing that for 16 weeks. Its a marathon

 

And you don't have wife and kids.

 

For a playoff team I assume you are looking at those hours mid July through possibly even February.... And the straight into free agency and the draft.

 

 

[Captain Hindsight]

 

 

And you don't have wife and kids.

 

For a playoff team I assume you are looking at those hours mid July through possibly even February.... And the straight into free agency and the draft.

Very true. Similar to military family is probably the closest analogy

[Mr. WEO]

The hours are long, but not physically demanding. Majority of time, by far, is spent watching film or in meetings. Doesn't participate in or seem to have any home/family obligations for much of the week.

 

Contrast that with people who work multiple jobs on their feet all day while getting paid far less and raising a family. Just saying...

 

And there is no evidence that Fox's condition is related to his job. It's likely congenital. Ditto Kubiak's TIA--doubtful related to work.

[TheFunPolice]

The hours are long, but not physically demanding. Majority of time, by far, is spent watching film or in meetings. Doesn't participate in or seem to have any home/family obligations for much of the week.

 

Contrast that with people who work multiple jobs on their feet all day while getting paid far less and raising a family. Just saying...

 

And there is no evidence that Fox's condition is related to his job. It's likely congenital. Ditto Kubiak's TIA--doubtful related to work.

 

What happens when a garbageman has a heart attack on the job due to the physical stress and long hours in the weather when it's 95 degrees out at 9am?

 

Nobody hears about it, because he isn't on TV all the time.

 

What happens when a line cook drops on a Friday night in the kitchen during the intense fish fry rush? Tons of stress, have to be on your feet moving all day long, often with no real breaks. Late nights, early mornings.

 

Nobody hears about it, because he isn't on TV all the time.

 

Lots of people have stressful, physically demanding jobs, and they are not paid millions of dollars a year. Harbaugh could retire any time he wants and live a life of luxury and wealth.

 

The garbageman and the cook (if they survive the heart attack) will have a choice to make: go back to working 60-80 hours a week on their feet for $10/hr, or "retire" and live off a couple hundred bucks a week from disability or unemployment.

 

Forgive me if I don't hop on the "coaching is killing these guys" bandwagon.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

With the fix and Kubiak stuff many of us talked about how insane the expectations and hours worked are for coaches- here's john harbaughs schedule for a week:

 

http://m.espn.go.com...376&src=desktop

 

Insane.

 

One of the things I wondered about is whether Chan Gailey really had the stamina to put in enough hours or if one reason we looked so unprepared/unadjusted is that he didn't? Chan was no older than Belicheck, Norv Turner, Shanahan etc - but Chan was also filling the roles of both OC and HC. You can bet Harbaugh's OC and DC are working close to the kind of hours he does.

 

It's actually fairly impressive that he manages to work out regularly and spend time every week with his Dad and talking to his brother, but man does his wife and kid get short-changed. He may read a book and play basketball with her on Friday, but he's certainly not helping her with her layup, attending her band concerts, or driving her to school and listening on the way.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Hopeful

[3rdand12]

One of the things I wondered about is whether Chan Gailey really had the stamina to put in enough hours or if one reason we looked so unprepared/unadjusted is that he didn't? Chan was no older than Belicheck, Norv Turner, Shanahan etc - but Chan was also filling the roles of both OC and HC. You can bet Harbaugh's OC and DC are working close to the kind of hours he does.

 

It's actually fairly impressive that he manages to work out regularly and spend time every week with his Dad and talking to his brother, but man does his wife and kid get short-changed. He may read a book and play basketball with her on Friday, but he's certainly not helping her with her layup, attending her band concerts, or driving her to school and listening on the way.

didnt Gailey have a heart condition already ?

[BuffaloBillsForever]

With the fix and Kubiak stuff many of us talked about how insane the expectations and hours worked are for coaches- here's john harbaughs schedule for a week:

 

http://m.espn.go.com...376&src=desktop

 

Insane.

 

Meh! If we documented every conversation, meeting, every activity and bowel movement we had in a day it would seem stressfull to the reader too! The only thing I see is that he spends a more than the "average" away time from the family. This is no different than a lot of professions though and they make 1/20th of his salary.

 

What about the prosector that drinks himself to death because of what he sees daily in his cases and the stress of being shot on daily basis?

What about the dishwasher making MINIUMUM WAGE that has 3rd degree burns all over his arms and lower body from a deep fryer?

What about he roofer working on a roof when we feel 100 degrees on the ground? Dying of dehydration.

 

The only thing weaker than this thread is the week in the life of John Harbaugh.

 

What happens when a garbageman has a heart attack on the job due to the physical stress and long hours in the weather when it's 95 degrees out at 9am?

 

Nobody hears about it, because he isn't on TV all the time.

 

What happens when a line cook drops on a Friday night in the kitchen during the intense fish fry rush? Tons of stress, have to be on your feet moving all day long, often with no real breaks. Late nights, early mornings.

 

Nobody hears about it, because he isn't on TV all the time.

 

Lots of people have stressful, physically demanding jobs, and they are not paid millions of dollars a year. Harbaugh could retire any time he wants and live a life of luxury and wealth.

 

The garbageman and the cook (if they survive the heart attack) will have a choice to make: go back to working 60-80 hours a week on their feet for $10/hr, or "retire" and live off a couple hundred bucks a week from disability or unemployment.

 

Forgive me if I don't hop on the "coaching is killing these guys" bandwagon.

 

+100000000

Edited November 25, 2013 by BuffaloBillsForever

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Lots of people have stressful, physically demanding jobs, and they are not paid millions of dollars a year. Harbaugh could retire any time he wants and live a life of luxury and wealth.

 

The garbageman and the cook (if they survive the heart attack) will have a choice to make: go back to working 60-80 hours a week on their feet for $10/hr, or "retire" and live off a couple hundred bucks a week from disability or unemployment.

 

There are people who work 2-3 jobs to make ends meet. Most of them aren't working full-time at any one job and yes, some of them are working 60-80 hrs/week. Maybe more counting the travel time. Typically, trash collectors and highway department employees who are municipal employees aren't working extended weeks. They get reasonable vacation and benefits and while they work overtime during bad weather, they also get extra time off during slow times of the year. The problem with most entry-level, no training jobs isn't the excessive hours, it's the fact that the employers want to keep every employee working few enough hours that they aren't required to provide benefits, but make the employee's hours flexible enough that it's hard to work the 2-3 jobs needed to bring in good money.

 

Harbaugh, by his diary, is working more like 110 hrs a week (counting his workouts and drive time as "time off"). From personal experience, I can tell you there's a big difference between a 60 hr week (which is only 5 12 hr days with 2 days off, or 6 10 hr days with 1 day off), an 80 hr week (a bit under a 11 1/2 hr day 7 days a week, or 6 13 1/2 hr days) and 110 hr week.

 

A 60 hr week is pretty common in technical fields and not too onerous. Still have time for a family, social life, and can log 8 hrs of zzzzz's most nights. An 80 hr week starts to hurt if you keep it up for more than 6 weeks or so. 110 hr week, week in and week out for 16 weeks - I can't imagine. The only explanation can be passion, deep abiding passion for what you do.

 

At least for the most part his sleep schedule isn't screwed up by "flexible shifting" as ATCs undergo

[NoSaint]

 

 

There are people who work 2-3 jobs to make ends meet. Most of them aren't working full-time at any one job and yes, some of them are working 60-80 hrs/week. Maybe more counting the travel time. Typically, trash collectors and highway department employees who are municipal employees aren't working extended weeks. They get reasonable vacation and benefits and while they work overtime during bad weather, they also get extra time off during slow times of the year. The problem with most entry-level, no training jobs isn't the excessive hours, it's the fact that the employers want to keep every employee working few enough hours that they aren't required to provide benefits, but make the employee's hours flexible enough that it's hard to work the 2-3 jobs needed to bring in good money.

 

Harbaugh, by his diary, is working more like 110 hrs a week (counting his workouts and drive time as "time off"). From personal experience, I can tell you there's a big difference between a 60 hr week (which is only 5 12 hr days with 2 days off, or 6 10 hr days with 1 day off), an 80 hr week (a bit under a 11 1/2 hr day 7 days a week, or 6 13 1/2 hr days) and 110 hr week.

 

A 60 hr week is pretty common in technical fields and not too onerous. Still have time for a family, social life, and can log 8 hrs of zzzzz's most nights. An 80 hr week starts to hurt if you keep it up for more than 6 weeks or so. 110 hr week, week in and week out for 16 weeks - I can't imagine. The only explanation can be passion, deep abiding passion for what you do.

 

At least for the most part his sleep schedule isn't screwed up by "flexible shifting" as ATCs undergo

 

Yea, I don't get the faction of the board that seems to want to portray being an nfl head coach as no big deal. As I said in the last thread, there are plenty of jobs that are as stressful or more but as you tallied up - 110 hours a week without travel time is essentially 3 full time jobs.

 

Just because others are also in unhealthy work schedules, I'm not sure why it's considered off limits to discuss football coaches on a football board. I've yet to make the argument that it's the hardest or most stressful job in the world, simply that the expectations that come with the job likely aren't conducive to being a well adjusted, physically and mentally healthy person.

 

 

[BuffaloBillsForever]

Yea, I don't get the faction of the board that seems to want to portray being an nfl head coach as no big deal. As I said in the last thread, there are plenty of jobs that are as stressful or more but as you tallied up - 110 hours a week without travel time is essentially 3 full time jobs.

 

Just because others are also in unhealthy work schedules, I'm not sure why it's considered off limits to discuss football coaches on a football board. I've yet to make the argument that it's the hardest or most stressful job in the world, simply that the expectations that come with the job likely aren't conducive to being a well adjusted, physically and mentally healthy person.

 

It's not that it is no 'big deal" its just that its really no different than the stress everyone else feels on a daily basis. It just occurs in different ways and not in a public spectrum. Also factor in people making 1/20th, 1/130th, 1/40th or less of what Harbaugh makes in year.

Edited November 25, 2013 by BuffaloBillsForever

[Mr. WEO]

Yea, I don't get the faction of the board that seems to want to portray being an nfl head coach as no big deal. As I said in the last thread, there are plenty of jobs that are as stressful or more but as you tallied up - 110 hours a week without travel time is essentially 3 full time jobs.

 

Just because others are also in unhealthy work schedules, I'm not sure why it's considered off limits to discuss football coaches on a football board. I've yet to make the argument that it's the hardest or most stressful job in the world, simply that the expectations that come with the job likely aren't conducive to being a well adjusted, physically and mentally healthy person.

 

Wasn't denigrating your post NoSaint. Just saying that others linking this to Fox and Kubiak are being opportunistic and inaccurate. By Harbaugh's own description, the vast majority of his time is spent sitting around--in fact most of that time is spent watching film.

 

Does his job require that he spends all this time at the facility, even sleeping there? Clearly it does not. He chooses to, as do others I'm sure. He feels it helps him prepare. That's fine. But that is contrary to other professions that require as many hours for years at a time, under much more stressful conditions than those of an NFL HC.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

This is a fascinating article.

 

a few observations:

 

1) this goes to show you how much of a CEO a head coach is. there just isn't enough time to be way into the weeds of game planning. You have to think that those head coaches that call their own plays either totally burn out, or cause other parts if their team to suffer due to lack of attention.

 

2) I am impressed that harbaugh works out every day. I know that if I worked 19 hours a day, exercising would be out the window.

 

3) kind of interesting that harbaugh interfaces with the owner, GM, and scouts during the week.

 

4) overall, this is not a sustainable schedule or life.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1) this goes to show you how much of a CEO a head coach is. there just isn't enough time to be way into the weeds of game planning. You have to think that those head coaches that call their own plays either totally burn out, or cause other parts if their team to suffer due to lack of attention.

 

2) I am impressed that harbaugh works out every day. I know that if I worked 19 hours a day, exercising would be out the window.

 

3) kind of interesting that harbaugh interfaces with the owner, GM, and scouts during the week.

 

4) overall, this is not a sustainable schedule or life.

 

I think point 1) is key. Chan tried to be OC, way into the weeds of offensive game planning by all accounts, and HC. Look at the quality of our D.

[NoSaint]

 

 

Wasn't denigrating your post NoSaint. Just saying that others linking this to Fox and Kubiak are being opportunistic and inaccurate. By Harbaugh's own description, the vast majority of his time is spent sitting around--in fact most of that time is spent watching film.

 

Does his job require that he spends all this time at the facility, even sleeping there? Clearly it does not. He chooses to, as do others I'm sure. He feels it helps him prepare. That's fine. But that is contrary to other professions that require as many hours for years at a time, under much more stressful conditions than those of an NFL HC.

 

Wasn't directed at you particularly, while you were gone a couple folks really dug in (as I'm side you see in this thread already). I just found it interesting that some are chalking it up as "yea whatever we all get stressed." I won't pretend to say its a causation of any given situation but the last few years we've seen a lot of medical and personal family issues among the group. Not sure how it'd compare to the gen pop of middle aged men but divorces, dead children, I think it was like 5-6 that had to be taken to hospitals excluding the situation with the colts last year.

 

I guess I don't have a huge point other than I find it amazing the dedication surrounding the game and sacrifices made in the name of being the best at a game. Normally we talk about players but it's everyone on the team. Working 110 hours a week half the year certainly comes at a high cost, even if well rewarded.

[T master]

All's i got to say is he had better get one hell of a pay check cause no matter what satisfaction you get out of it is what you give up worth it ??

[Mr. WEO]

Wasn't directed at you particularly, while you were gone a couple folks really dug in (as I'm side you see in this thread already). I just found it interesting that some are chalking it up as "yea whatever we all get stressed." I won't pretend to say its a causation of any given situation but the last few years we've seen a lot of medical and personal family issues among the group. Not sure how it'd compare to the gen pop of middle aged men but divorces, dead children, I think it was like 5-6 that had to be taken to hospitals excluding the situation with the colts last year.

 

I guess I don't have a huge point other than I find it amazing the dedication surrounding the game and sacrifices made in the name of being the best at a game. Normally we talk about players but it's everyone on the team. Working 110 hours a week half the year certainly comes at a high cost, even if well rewarded.

 

I agree

[4BillsintheBurgh]

Wasn't directed at you particularly, while you were gone a couple folks really dug in (as I'm side you see in this thread already). I just found it interesting that some are chalking it up as "yea whatever we all get stressed." I won't pretend to say its a causation of any given situation but the last few years we've seen a lot of medical and personal family issues among the group. Not sure how it'd compare to the gen pop of middle aged men but divorces, dead children, I think it was like 5-6 that had to be taken to hospitals excluding the situation with the colts last year.

 

I guess I don't have a huge point other than I find it amazing the dedication surrounding the game and sacrifices made in the name of being the best at a game. Normally we talk about players but it's everyone on the team. Working 110 hours a week half the year certainly comes at a high cost, even if well rewarded.

You don't think washing dishes is the same stress as leading 53 men plus a staff of what, another 20+ against a counterpart with your job on the line in a sport that is a multi billion dollar conglomerate every week? Shocking.

[Just Jack]

2) I am impressed that harbaugh works out every day. I know that if I worked 19 hours a day, exercising would be out the window.

 

It helps him that he has access to a full fitness facility at work, not like most of us that may have to drive somewhere to work out. Plus doing it at the team headquarters, even while working out he could have discussions with players and coaches.