The importance of the Parcells conditioning program

The Josh McCown column that I told you about yesterday is up on the Herald's site so if you are interested in reading what McCown has to say about this coming season and his chances to win the starting quarterback job, take a quick jump here http://www.miamiherald.com/614/story/525218.html and then make your way back.

Something I didn't get into in the column that really fascinates me is the Dolphins' new training regimen that Bill Parcells brought to the team. One of the first things Parcells was surprised with and knew he had to change when he became Lord Dolphin was the number of injuries the team suffered last year.

There were a ton, and for a team with limited depth, they were fatal. No exaggeration. The injuries killed the Dolphins season.

I've written before on this blog what folks like Bill Belichick (the freaken, fracken cheater) and Sean Payton say about the Parcells offseason regimen. They swear by it. McCown, who has played for three other NFL teams before joining the Dolphins, also is impressed.

"Everybody has a different way of doing things," he said. "And I’m not the one to say what is right or wrong. For me this system as far as the offseason approach seems very, very detailed down to the way we stretch, the way we warm up, even how we cool down. And obviously the workout and the running in between seems very detailed and says how we’re going to approach this thing.

"Throwing is something I'm doing here. It’s very detailed on how they expect me to perform and it’s specific for the things I needed to do to get better whether it’s footwork or my release or whatever the case may be. It seems a very detailed approached. They don’t just say, ‘It’s OK for you to do things your way.’ It’s the way they think is the best way to get it done. That’s the way they want you to do it.

"And they really hammer that in. For me that’s a little different and it’s exciting. I hope its beneficial and I think it will be because I like the changes I’ve made as far as myself and the way I approach football and the way I approach a day in the offseason."

If you understand how quickly this offseason workout routine makes converts of guys coming from other teams, if you recognize that assistants in the Parcells coaching tree have taken the system with them to their new teams when they become head coaches, you should then see why Parcells thinks it is so important.

Agree or not with its effectiveness, but Parcells believes in it. He apparently swears by it. That is the reason I think he was so angry and disappointed that Jason Taylor isn't participating. I believe Parcells thinks Taylor is not maximizing his chances to have a great season in 2008.

That is the bottom line.

Taylor, always in shape, may disagree. He can argue it's a voluntary program and he ain't volunteering. But the debate is not the point.

The point is Parcells thinks Taylor would be better for this team after going through his conditioning program rather than the Edyta Sliwinska (pictured) offseason program. I am not saying Parcells is right or Taylor is right.

I am just trying to make you understand why Parcells is so torqued-off by the issue. It's like the offseason program is Parcells' baby and somebody just ignored his baby.

Anyway, it also is interesting to me that after McCown admits in my column that he is adjusting his footwork and release, that makes two Dolphins quarterbacks who have been trying to do that this offseason. Remember that coach Tony Sparano said earlier this offseason John Beck was adjusting his release.

How long before Chad Henne is adjusting his release, I wonder?