Training Camp Practice Numbers

[pbmax]

JSO is out with the Guide to Packers Training Camp. It actually is an interesting read, with quite a bit about how parts of Training Camp have changed.

But this was the stat that I found most interesting:

2000 - 51 open practices
2001 - 41
2002 - 49
2003 - 46
2004 - 37
2005 - 38 (17 in pads)
2006 - 28 (15 in pads)
2007 - 24 (15 in pads)
2008 - 22 (13 in pads)
2009 - 25 (18 in pads)

So my dismissals aside, it appears Bedard had a point last year about the light schedule.

We may not be comparing apples to apples here, as these are just the open practices and we are missing the closed practice numbers (so we can't know the total). But what we do know is that McCarthy has upped the number of pads practices to the highest number in his tenure (even higher than Sherman's last year).

[GBRulz]

For those that haven't been to GB recently, you will really be impressed with the new field set up behind the Don Hutson Center. It looks pretty sweet. There are also several rows of parking directly behind the bleachers, too, which will eliminate a lot of pedestrian traffic across Oneida St.

I hope that doesn't cut down on the number of players who ride bikes because first of all, unless they block the street off, there really isn't anyplace for the kids to line their bikes up and plus, it's farther away. I agree with the article about the number of players riding bikes is declining and more are riding in vans. Kinda sucks for the kids, that's always been one of the best traditions of training camp.

[GrnBay007]

For those that haven't been to GB recently, you will really be impressed with the new field set up behind the Don Hutson Center. It looks pretty sweet. There are also several rows of parking directly behind the bleachers, too, which will eliminate a lot of pedestrian traffic across Oneida St.

I hope that doesn't cut down on the number of players who ride bikes because first of all, unless they block the street off, there really isn't anyplace for the kids to line their bikes up and plus, it's farther away. I agree with the article about the number of players riding bikes is declining and more are riding in vans. Kinda sucks for the kids, that's always been one of the best traditions of training camp.

Damn, gonna miss you being in GB GBR!! There is still time for you to change your mind!!

[woodbuck27]

For those that haven't been to GB recently, you will really be impressed with the new field set up behind the Don Hutson Center. It looks pretty sweet. There are also several rows of parking directly behind the bleachers, too, which will eliminate a lot of pedestrian traffic across Oneida St.

I hope that doesn't cut down on the number of players who ride bikes because first of all, unless they block the street off, there really isn't anyplace for the kids to line their bikes up and plus, it's farther away. I agree with the article about the number of players riding bikes is declining and more are riding in vans. Kinda sucks for the kids, that's always been one of the best traditions of training camp.

Damn, gonna miss you being in GB GBR!! There is still time for you to change your mind!!

That's nice to read. You two will have other times.

GO PACK GO!

[Fritz]

Two things:

How do people feel about the increased practices-in-pads? Good - it'll toughen' 'em up, dammit - or bad - they'll gete worn down and prone to injury? Or other?

Secondly, I always wanted to see Gilbert on some junior high kid's bike...

[pbmax]

Two things:

How do people feel about the increased practices-in-pads? Good - it'll toughen' 'em up, dammit - or bad - they'll gete worn down and prone to injury? Or other?

Secondly, I always wanted to see Gilbert on some junior high kid's bike...

I like the ratio of pads to shells, but the number of practices seems low compared to Shermy. Given the extra time off, more practices in pads makes sense.

As I recall, Sherman had short practices, I wonder if McCarthy's are any longer. The other thing I would like to know is how many of those were special teams only. If that happened every other day (or say twice a week) then you can lop off about 20# of Sherman's total and then compare.

The odd thing is that Sherman, after all those practices, still got off to slow starts. McCarthy hasn't started out on fire either, but it certainly hasn't gotten worse with fewer open practices.

[Patler]

Maybe I read it wrong, but I thought the numbers were the # of practices open to the public, and the # of practices open to the public that were in pads. I don't think it is the total number of practices and the total number of practice in pads, just the ones open to the public.

That said, MM going with a 2-1-2 schedule has reduced the total number of practice a lot, plus he has given them a bunch of Wednesdays off.

[pbmax]

Maybe I read it wrong, but I thought the numbers were the # of practices open to the public, and the # of practices open to the public that were in pads. I don't think it is the total number of practices and the total number of practice in pads, just the ones open to the public.

That said, MM going with a 2-1-2 schedule has reduced the total number of practice a lot, plus he has given them a bunch of Wednesdays off.

No, I read it the same way. They seem to be discussing only the number of open practices. So it is difficult without additional detail to conclude anything except the ratio of pads versus non pads in open practices.

I think the piece, rather than critiquing the approach to getting ready for the regular season, was pointing out how opportunities to watch had been declining. I'd love to know more (about the length of practices, the number of special team practices in past regimes) but that would require a deep search through the not always free JSO archive.

[Rastak]

Maybe I read it wrong, but I thought the numbers were the # of practices open to the public, and the # of practices open to the public that were in pads. I don't think it is the total number of practices and the total number of practice in pads, just the ones open to the public.

That said, MM going with a 2-1-2 schedule has reduced the total number of practice a lot, plus he has given them a bunch of Wednesdays off.

I think this is the current trend in the NFL. Less is more in training camp given the year round training and the money involved.

[GBRulz]

Damn, gonna miss you being in GB GBR!! There is still time for you to change your mind!!

Can you alter the WI winters ? lol

I have the "PODS people" coming Sept 26. I've got about two months left here. I'm going to really miss it during football season, but the other 8 months out of the year....not a chance, lol.

[bobblehead]

I'm such a firm believer in the "you are what you practice" mentality that I think more in pad practices are better. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating full game tempo hitting for 2 hours, but contact is necessary. It teaches you how to twist your body and avoid the collision. It is necessary to develop tackling technique. You have to practice in the cold to be ready to play in the cold and you have to practice contact to be ready for contact. If I had my way they would shorten the practices but involve more hitting. Then they could have long walk thru practices to learn the playbook and such.

[pbmax]

Damn, gonna miss you being in GB GBR!! There is still time for you to change your mind!!

Can you alter the WI winters ? lol

I have the "PODS people" coming Sept 26. I've got about two months left here. I'm going to really miss it during football season, but the other 8 months out of the year....not a chance, lol.

What if we convinced Partial to shovel the driveway for you?

[CaptainKickass]

Damn, gonna miss you being in GB GBR!! There is still time for you to change your mind!!

Can you alter the WI winters ? lol

I have the "PODS people" coming Sept 26. I've got about two months left here. I'm going to really miss it during football season, but the other 8 months out of the year....not a chance, lol.

What if we convinced Partial to shovel the driveway for you?

Hey -

Why did the snowman get aroused after the winter storm?

.


.


.


-Cause he saw the "SnowBlower" coming toward him.

[MichiganPackerFan]

Hey -

Why did the snowman get aroused after the winter storm?


-Cause he saw the "SnowBlower" coming toward him.

What's the difference between Snowmen and Snowwomen?

Snowballs!!!

[MJZiggy]

Damn, gonna miss you being in GB GBR!! There is still time for you to change your mind!!

Can you alter the WI winters ? lol

I have the "PODS people" coming Sept 26. I've got about two months left here. I'm going to really miss it during football season, but the other 8 months out of the year....not a chance, lol.

May you have a better experience with PODS than I did...