Ask Tim Graham, version 2.0

[The Dean]

Marv had it right -- he used to mix it up -- some time inside and then some time outside, as well.

 

 

Yup. In the week before an outdoor game, that makes sense. In a perfect world, I guess you would have a weather machine, constantly changing the elements, to minimize their influence.

 

At this time of year, outside provides all the weather changes necessary, IMO.

[The_Philster]

Our teams before Jauron practiced outside once a week when the weather started getting nasty if I recall correctly.

 

Tim, with the drafting of 2 CBs this year, do you think the Bills are getting prepared to move on without Youboty? He plays well when he's healthy but now it's looking like training camp before he's that again.

Also, do you think they're possibly looking at losing McGee next year? The Bills have long had a history of drafting CBs one year and letting another escape in free agency the following

T Smith for Odomes...Burris for Washington...Winfield for T Smith..Clements for Irvin..McGee for Winfield...we even picked up Youboty the year before Clements left...had Youboty contributed more in 2006, I doubt we would've picked up Jason Webster to be honest

[TimGraham]

Then, if you perfected what you can do during the week, it will only be EASIER to do it on Sunday. Since you can't control the weather on Sunday, you shouldn't try to do it during the week.

 

I understand their reasoning for being inside, I'm just saying it is faulty logic.

 

You're assuming a team is capable of perfecting its game plan in bad weather. That's a risky assumption.

 

Teams can guarantee quality practice conditions inside. You practice outside and you're adding unnecessary variables to your week just in case you have to play in it.

[TimGraham]

Our teams before Jauron practiced outside once a week when the weather started getting nasty if I recall correctly.

 

Tim, with the drafting of 2 CBs this year, do you think the Bills are getting prepared to move on without Youboty? He plays well when he's healthy but now it's looking like training camp before he's that again.

Also, do you think they're possibly looking at losing McGee next year? The Bills have long had a history of drafting CBs one year and letting another escape in free agency the following

T Smith for Odomes...Burris for Washington...Winfield for T Smith..Clements for Irvin..McGee for Winfield...we even picked up Youboty the year before Clements left...had Youboty contributed more in 2006, I doubt we would've picked up Jason Webster to be honest

 

I think they're just trying to gather as many corners as they can and hope that they find four they like by the end of the camp because it's such a valuable position. I'm sure Youboty's health played a role in what they did during the draft.

[zazie]

Hi Tim:

 

Now that OTAs are started is there any update on Demetrious Bell? Is it true he is now stronger, maybe enough to play some, early?

 

I know everyone is putting up a brave face with Walker at LT for the season, but I think more than a few of us are still vaguely hopeful and even expecting, Bell to be the LT and Walker back to RT by the start of the season.

 

Has Bell really built an NFL body or was that OBD leading us on?

 

Thanks

[Bill from NYC]

I think they're just trying to gather as many corners as they can and hope that they find four they like by the end of the camp because it's such a valuable position. I'm sure Youboty's health played a role in what they did during the draft.

 

I am glad to see you address this topic Tim. Do you think that historically, and especially under the Levy/Jauron regime, that the Bills waste too many draft resources on defensive backs?

[The Dean]

You're assuming a team is capable of perfecting its game plan in bad weather. That's a risky assumption.

 

Teams can guarantee quality practice conditions inside. You practice outside and you're adding unnecessary variables to your week just in case you have to play in it.

 

 

Actually, since the team plays outdoors in Buffalo (and other northeast cities), I would demand they perfect their game plan in bad weather. I have a pretty good idea they won't do so if they don't set it as a goal. I wouldn't shy away from it because it is hard to do.

 

It would also set a realistic and effective game plan, and force them to know how to be effective in what ever weather they face. It is as much training for the coaches as it is for the players.

[BUFFALOTONE]

It's comes down to quality practices. What if you spend all week practicing in the elements and it's sunny and 55 degrees on Sunday? You wasted a week of prep time trying to weather yourself.

 

Football coaches and athletes try to capitalize on what they can control. You can totally control your practices when you're inside.

 

Thank you.

[The Dean]

Thank you.

 

 

Tell it to the Steelers.

[BUFFALOTONE]

Tell it to the Steelers.

Tell them what exactly?

[wonderbread]

Tell them what exactly?

 

 

That they can keep their parades we don't wan't another cheezy press op for Mayor Brown!

[Buffalo_Stampede]

It's comes down to quality practices. What if you spend all week practicing in the elements and it's sunny and 55 degrees on Sunday? You wasted a week of prep time trying to weather yourself.

 

Football coaches and athletes try to capitalize on what they can control. You can totally control your practices when you're inside.

 

I understand quality practices, but with all do respect to Dick Jauron, coaches like Mike Tomlin, Andy Reid, and Bill Belichick like practicing outdoors, I respect those guys a little more than Jauron.

 

Maybe the Bills are just preparing for the Jets in Toronto.

 

It just makes no sense.

[Dan]

Marv had it right -- he used to mix it up -- some time inside and then some time outside, as well.

It seems fairly simple to me as well. You're an outdoor team, playing in a city notorious for its bad weather and tricky winds - you have to practice outside to become accustomed to that. But, you'd want to have some practices indoors to work on the details of your game plan. Seems, easy. Mix it up. You get the best of both worlds; more experience playing in the elements and the benefit of finely tuning your game plans in a controlled environment.

[TimGraham]

Actually, since the team plays outdoors in Buffalo (and other northeast cities), I would demand they perfect their game plan in bad weather. I have a pretty good idea they won't do so if they don't set it as a goal. I wouldn't shy away from it because it is hard to do.

 

It would also set a realistic and effective game plan, and force them to know how to be effective in what ever weather they face. It is as much training for the coaches as it is for the players.

 

It has nothing to do with shying away from something that's "hard to do."

 

It's a careless use of valuable time. The CBA spells out specifically how much time a team can be on the field. You don't while away quality practice time on the if-come.

 

I can understand how Bills fans want their players to be Arctic badasses. It's easy to embrace that blue-collar, "Welcome to Buffalo, suckers!" mentality. But it's totally illogical to inflict the elements on your practice time for a slight POTENTIAL edge.

 

The Dolphins practice in 80 degrees every week. They won several key games in the cold late in the season. Any edge is negligible -- and that's IF the weather is bad on Sunday.

[TimGraham]

I understand quality practices, but with all do respect to Dick Jauron, coaches like Mike Tomlin, Andy Reid, and Bill Belichick like practicing outdoors, I respect those guys a little more than Jauron.

 

Maybe the Bills are just preparing for the Jets in Toronto.

 

It just makes no sense.

 

The difference with those teams isn't that they practice inside or outside.

 

The difference is they have great players.

[BUFFALOTONE]

It has nothing to shying away from something that's "hard to do."

 

It's a careless use of valuable time. The CBA spells out specifically how much time a team can be on the field. You don't while away quality practice time on the if-come.

 

I can understand how Bills fans want their players to be Arctic badasses. It's easy to embrace that blue-collar,welcome-to-Buffalo-suckers mentality. But it's totally illogical to inflict the elements on your practice time for a slight POTENTIAL edge.

 

The Dolphins practice in 80 degrees every week. They won several key games in the cold late in the season. Any edge is negligible -- and that's IF the weather is bad on Sunday.

 

I saw the Miami Dolphins practicing in the frozen food aisle at COSTCO while Parcells was heaving snow cones at players. That's how Miami prepares.

[TimGraham]

I saw the Miami Dolphins practicing in the frozen food aisle at COSTCO while Parcells was heaving snow cones at players. That's how Miami prepares.

 

I talked to Tasker about this last year before the Bills-Dolphins game in Toronto, and he remembered a bad-weather game against the Saints. The Bills just knew they were going to crush them. The Saints were going to fold in the snow because the Bills owned that kind of weather.

 

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-4-461...as-a-price.html

[nucci]

I talked to Tasker about this last year before the Bills-Dolphins game in Toronto, and he remembered a bad-weather game against the Saints. The Bills just knew they were going to crush them. The Saints were going to fold in the snow because the Bills owned that kind of weather.

 

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-4-461...as-a-price.html

I hope you are not talking about the game in '89 when the Saints won in the snow? John Fourcade's game of his life.

[TimGraham]

I hope you are not talking about the game in '89 when the Saints won in the snow? John Fourcade's game of his life.

 

Why is it bad for me to talk about that game?

[Lori]

I hope you are not talking about the game in '89 when the Saints won in the snow? John Fourcade's game of his life.

That's precisely the game he's talking about. All right, Tim, you're starting to convince me.