Belicheck Going Au Natural...

[jakethebake]

Looks like Coach B. is getting sneaky. Letting Mother Nature do the work for him to slow down Indy's offense. Discuss.

Edit: In case you haven't heard, he's not covering the field this week and letting the rain & snow turn it into a mudpit.

[WC64]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patr...ield_uncovered/

Patriots keep Gillette Stadium field uncovered

January 12, 2005

FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- The Patriots practiced indoors today rather than on their wet outdoor fields. The Gillette Stadium field remained uncovered through today's rain and, with colder temperatures expected later this week, it could freeze before Sunday's playoff game with the Indianapolis Colts.

That could make it tougher for Colts receivers to get open and catch passes from record-setting Peyton Manning. But Patriots safety Rodney Harrison said it shouldn't matter since those receivers have played well in wet weather already.

There was no update on the condition of Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour. He missed the last game with an injured knee. He is expected to be listed on the first injury report of the week scheduled to be issued later today.

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

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© Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Im calling the FBI.

[Broken Glass Can]

Good for him. Football should be played in nature, and why not let it get muddy, having the choice of field conditions is part of home field advantage. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[WC64]

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© Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Im calling the FBI.

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What are you talking about? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[B00T]

Why dont they just have helicopters dump gallons of water on top of the field Saturday night.

[WC64]

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Why dont they just have helicopters dump gallons of water on top of the field Saturday night.

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Suggest that to Belicheck and he might do it. He must really be worried this time around so he has to try anything to give his team an advantage.

[jakethebake]

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Why dont they just have helicopters dump gallons of water on top of the field Saturday night.

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Yea. That might be over the line. Shula pulled this same thing against the Jets back in `83.

[B00T]

Is that legal though? This really was, or something like it was done before? I said it as a joke but with some logical backing...I was only 3 back then, dont remember Shula doing anything like this.

[Joe Tall]

How much influence could it actually have? I'm Cali right now so I'm not sure what the weather is been/or is predicted to be but this effects both teams equally, I'd say.

[jakethebake]

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but this effects both teams equally, I'd say.

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It doesn't though. It impacts the offense much more than defense. So if you're the team trying to win with offense, it impacts you more.

[WC64]

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but this effects both teams equally, I'd say.

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It doesn't though. It impacts the offense much more than defense. So if you're the team trying to win with offense, it impacts you more.

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Exactly, so if affects the Colts a lot more than it affects the Patriots which is why it is cheap and borderline cheating in my opinion (although I am not biased at all lol).

[Joe Tall]

It impacts the offense much more than defense. So if you're the team trying to win with offense, it impacts you more.

But the Pats game plan is to keep the Colts-O off the field. So, the Pats are trying to win it w/a ground attack and maintain long drives, offense.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

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but this effects both teams equally, I'd say.

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It doesn't though. It impacts the offense much more than defense. So if you're the team trying to win with offense, it impacts you more.

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Exactly, so if affects the Colts a lot more than it affects the Patriots which is why it is cheap and borderline cheating in my opinion (although I am not biased at all lol).

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It is a bit cheap, but it is well within their rights as the team with home field advantage.

[WC64]

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It impacts the offense much more than defense. So if you're the team trying to win with offense, it impacts you more.

But the Pats game plan is to keep the Colts-O off the field. So, the Pats are trying to win it w/a ground attack and maintain long drives, offense.

[/ QUOTE ]

It would impact the passing game more than the running game in my opinion so it still helps the Pats.

[Lazymeatball]

Well it's pretty obvious that the Pats have more experience playing on crappy grass field conditions compared to the Colts who play in a Dome. Also compare the fact that the Pats play better in January than the Colts, probably due to their cold weather experience. Remember, the Colts Division rivals include the warm climates of Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. The forecast for Sunday at kickoff is a high of 33 degrees, nothing frigid compared to the Pats Titans game off last year, but it should be interesting to see how the field conditions affect the Colts high powered offense.

[Joe Tall]

S'up Lazy, how you been?

The forecast for Sunday at kickoff is a high of 33 degrees

Kick off is at 4:30 so I'm sure it'll be in the 20s by then, what's the low? It'll will only go down.

[jakethebake]

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Kick off is at 4:30 so I'm sure it'll be in the 20s by then, what's the low? It'll will only go down.

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I'm starting to think the Pats have more chance than I gave them credit for. If it's in the 20s they got a good shot.

[WC64]

Another thing to mention about not covering the field. Doesn't this make the field less safe for players on both teams? What happens if someone gets hurt because of the field conditions that could have been somewhat prevented?

[kenberman]

I think there is very little difference between a game time temperature of mid 20's and mid 30's.

Oncee you get down to around 10 or below, then that is much colder than what these guys normallly walk around it. But mid 20's is really no different than mid-30's.

Now, if it pouring rain, then that is another matter.

[Bluffoon]

It worked too.

[jakethebake]

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I think there is very little difference between a game time temperature of mid 20's and mid 30's.

Oncee you get down to around 10 or below, then that is much colder than what these guys normallly walk around it. But mid 20's is really no different than mid-30's.

Now, if it pouring rain, then that is another matter.

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That's not what the stats say. I forget the source, but someone did a study on this, and certain radio sports guys quote it all the time. The cut-off where it starts to make a diff is in the low 30s.

[jakethebake]

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Another thing to mention about not covering the field. Doesn't this make the field less safe for players on both teams? What happens if someone gets hurt because of the field conditions that could have been somewhat prevented?

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It's football. Play it the way God meant it...in the mud. If you can't, then you shouldn't.

[Joe Tall]

But mid 20's is really no different than mid-30's.

Well, this funny thing happens to water when it gets below, 32 degrees. It freezes. /images/graemlins/blush.gif

[jakethebake]

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It worked too.

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Yep. A lot of Jets fans still claim it wasn't nature. They say Shula had 'em get out the hoses though. Who knows for sure...?

[kenberman]

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But mid 20's is really no different than mid-30's.

Well, this funny thing happens to water when it gets below, 32 degrees. It freezes. /images/graemlins/blush.gif

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BART, in this house, we obey the laws of THERMO-DYNAMICS!!!

The temperature would be a big deal if there is going to be precipitation, which doesn't look likely.

W/ no rain to freeze, the small temperature drop won't be that big a deal. It's not like the field is going to completely freeze or anything.

[Bubbagump]

I hope his plan backfires on him.

GO JETS!!! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Lumpy]

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I hope his plan backfires on him.

GO JETS!!! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

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OK, who the hell let the Jet's fan into Mass.?

[WC64]

Maybe they should just play hockey instead then /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[jstnrgrs]

It seems to me that if they let it rain on the field all week (without practicing on it), then when is freezes this weekend, it will create a rock hard fast track. Sounds like sonething that could work to the colts advantage.

[WC64]

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It seems to me that if they let it rain on the field all week (without practicing on it), then when is freezes this weekend, it will create a rock hard fast track. Sounds like sonething that could work to the colts advantage.

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Maybe if they could wear ice skates

[BottlesOf]

That and the Colts play in a climate controlled Dome, whereas the Pats are mor accustomed to playing in bitter cold and poor weather.

Bellichek is an angle shooter, GO JETS!

[sublime]

I'm starting to think the Pats have more chance than I gave them credit for. If it's in the 20s they got a good shot.

a good shot? they are favored to win the game. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[sublime]

Exactly, so if affects the Colts a lot more than it affects the Patriots which is why it is cheap and borderline cheating in my opinion

bordeline cheating? what? its thier stadium, until saturday they control whatever goes on there. it will be the next excuse as to why the patriots win.

[jakethebake]

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I'm starting to think the Pats have more chance than I gave them credit for. If it's in the 20s they got a good shot.
a good shot? they are favored to win the game. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

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Doesn't mean they'll win. I couldn't figure out before how Manning woudln't just destroy the Pats' secondary.

[sublime]

Doesn't mean they'll win. I couldn't figure out before how Manning woudln't just destroy the Pats' secondary.

and how is the colts secondary going to stop the pats passing attack? the patriots still have some good players in the secondary and its not like these guys are playing for the first time, they have been playing all year. also, the defensive line/blitz packages are just/almost as important as the "personal" in the secondary.

[sublime]

W/ no rain to freeze, the small temperature drop won't be that big a deal. It's not like the field is going to completely freeze or anything.

it will be at LEAST 10 degrees colder than anything the colts have played in this year (bears nov 21, 41 degrees, little to no wind)

factor in how the field is no doubt going to be crappy and how can anybody not think this will affect the colts a LOT more than the pats?

the patriots are built for this weather, the colts are built for domes (on both sides of the ball)

[jstnrgrs]

It's not cheating any more than playing all your home games indoors on carpeting.

[kyro]

quit whining like a little bitch. football was meant to be played in shitty weather. go watch men's gymnastics or something.

[Lazymeatball]

There is a big difference between mid 30's and mid 20's. Mid thirties is bearable for short periods to any New Englander, Mid 20's is pretty damn cold for anyone, but not unbearable like mid teens.

And by the way, frozen ground plays nothing like turf.

Also by the way, field conditions won't play as much of a part as it would seem as the Pats have had no problem winning in the RCA dome recently either.

[WC64]

I wasn't saying that the field conditions would have that big an impact on the game anyway. It just seems cheap to me though that Belichick would do it purposely when under normal circumstances they would cover the field during the week if the weather is bad. If the Colts lose the game it definitely won't be because of the field. Either way this game looks to be the best game of the weekend and I can't wait to watch it.

[Lazymeatball]

Yes, it is definetely the best matchup of this weekend, given the history of the two teams, and the momentum of the Colts. I love to watch the Colts, Peyton Manning's offense is amazing, I just prefer watching how Tom Brady gets it done, but my location may have something to do with that.