Jun 23 2008
EURO 2008 Losers Should Have Learned From Tony Dungy
I touched on this briefly at FanHouse over the weekend, but it’s worth bringing up here again.
Three of the four Group Stage winners at EURO 2008 — Portugal, Croatia and the Netherlands — went out in the quarterfinals last week. The one thing those three teams had in common? They all clinched their groups after two games, then rested their starters for the third to avoid getting anyone else hurt before the Knockout Stage began. Result? They looked tentative and rusty, and their opponents, who all had to must-win third games in the Group Stage, looked sharper and played better.
This same sort of thing seems to happen to the Indianapolis Colts every year, doesn’t it? Most of the time, they clinch the AFC South with a few games to spare, and what does Tony Dungy do? He rests his players to avoid getting any of them injured. Every time he does that, the Colts get bounced out of the playoffs early.
Remember what happened the year the Colts won Super Bowl XLI? Dungy couldn’t rest his players. The Colts had to scrape and claw for playoff position right up until the end of the season, and they didn’t get a bye week in the playoffs, so they had to play right on through. They didn’t lose their edge, and they pushed through until they won it all.
I get that coaches don’t want their players to get hurt, but you know what? Injuries happen in football, and you can’t be scared of them. What’s worse: the risk losing a player to injury in a meaningless game, or the risk of losing your edge because all your players had a game off and bombing out early? This seems even more crucial in a competition as compressed as EURO 2008, which only lasts for a month. Are you telling me that these guys are so out of shape that they can’t play a full six games in 22 days?
So the next time anyone argues for resting players before a knockout stage, point them to the Indianapolis Colts. They’re as good a sign post as anyone here.
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Uh, when the Eagles clinched the NFC East with two games to go in the 2004 season they pretty much shut it down and lost their next two games. What happened then? They finally made it to the Super Bowl (without T.O. for their first two playoff games) and barely lost to the Patriots (and their suspicious ways….)
Now, nobody would argue that they barely lost the Super Bowl instead of winning the Super Bowl because of what they did in weeks 16 and 17, so…is your point still valid?
That happened once with the Eagles. Once. We’re talking about a pattern of behavior for the Colts that stretches over several years.
I know you Philly fans hate everything, but come on!
I dunno, dude. I understand this is partially satire, but something tells me you don’t know much about soccer. I almost entirely disagree with you. Portugal and Croatia did not look rusty, and Croatia indeed suffered an awful loss after going through an incredible feat of fitness in scoring so late in the game. The Dutch even looked tired in the second overtime period having rested 9 (or more?) players in their last group match. Giving the players a five or six day break instead of three is not going to make them look rusty. National teams can often go weeks or even months between meaningful matches, and come out with familiar fire each time.
But, yeah, Tony Dungy is an idiot.
[...] Speaking of soccer, as a fan of the Colts and of the Dutch, how did I let this guy beat me to the punch on this explanation for the Oranje collapse against Russia Saturday? [Dave's Football Blog] [...]
You make a valid point Dave, they did indeed rest players - however I would still point to Russia’s quality in their demolition of Holland not this ‘rusty’ conclusion.
Indeed it’s challenging to learn how to lose. But nevertheless it was a well deserved victory over Germany last night in which the Spaniards displayed speed, tactics and world-class skills. Football at it’s best.
To be fair the spanish rested quite a few players against Sweden and went on to win in dazzling style. I think the other teams lack of world class squad players may have decided this competition.