How Are Mustangs Coping With Dallas Heat?

[MrMustang1965]

Lots of media reports here in Houston about how the Rice Owls, Houston Cougars and Houston Texans are coping with the current heat wave. Any word on how the Mustangs are dealing with it and if it's caused any problems? I'm sure our trainers and medical staff are keeping a very close eye on things.

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[ponyte]

100+ degrees is common in Dallas this time of year. My guess is Cash will have the players weigh before and after practice to monitor fluid needs. Also plenty of fluid breaks. Practices can be held earlier in the day and later in the evening to avoid the worse of the heat.

The heat is predicted to drop into the mid/low 90s after the weekend. If so, much of two a days will be conducted in less heat. However, I imagine the fluid monitoring will continue regardless of the temp.

[LA_Mustang]

Yeah, but 108 isn't. The heat and air quality in Dallas today was terrible.

[Mickey]

It would help if they could practice on the grass practice fields, but there is no gtass. What happened to them? They are in pathetic shape. Who ios responsible for this? David Miller?
I went by SMU today and saw the fields for the first time in a long time. Practicing on grass is a lot cooler than practicing on turf. If they don't practice on grass periodically, they will be a tired team by October.

Those are not D1 practice fields. They are not even elementatry oractice fields the shape they are in.

[MrMustang1965]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Mickey:
<B>It would help if they could practice on the grass practice fields, but there is no gtass. What happened to them? They are in pathetic shape. Who ios responsible for this? David Miller?
I went by SMU today and saw the fields for the first time in a long time. Practicing on grass is a lot cooler than practicing on turf. If they don't practice on grass periodically, they will be a tired team by October.

Those are not D1 practice fields. They are not even elementatry oractice fields the shape they are in.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

There were a lot of 'camps' for young kids at SMU this summer. I know I saw at least two for soccer when I was in Dallas a few times and they were using the grass practice fields because Ford was being torn up for the new A-turf. This may...or may not be one of the reasons.


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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[ponyte]

Heat and artificial turf have been around for a long time. There is experience with both in the program. Cash Birdwell has been around for a long time and Cash is very serious about the well being of the players. Cash has been there when the team practice in the middle of the day in the Cotton Bowl with 120+ temps on the turf. Cash was there in the summer of 1980 where 108 degrees was a cool day during two a days (That team was 8-3 and 20th in the nation).

My point is that high temps and turf are not new or unique to this years' practices and at least one person with significant responsibility has seen and experienced many of the scenarios we have mentioned. I have faith that Cash will balance practice with safety and Bennett will prepare this team well.

[ponyte]

Heat and artificial turf have been around for a long time. There is experience with both in the program. Cash Birdwell has been around for a long time and Cash is very serious about the well being of the players. Cash has been there when the team practice in the middle of the day in the Cotton Bowl with 120+ temps on the turf. Cash was there in the summer of 1980 where 108 degrees was a cool day during two a days (That team was 8-3 and 20th in the nation).

My point is that high temps and turf are not new or unique to this years' practices and at least one person with significant responsibility has seen and experienced many of the scenarios we have mentioned. I have faith that Cash will balance practice with safety and Bennett will prepare this team well.

[ponyte]

I apologize for the multiple postings. I was under the impression that my post had not been accepted.

[LA_Mustang]

According to the EPA, ALL people in Dallas should avoid outdoor exertion today. Dallas has been giving the most unhealthy rating possible, purple. All this smog reminds me of SoCal.
<A HREF="http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/airnow.cgi?MapDisplay=WHEREILIVE&MapDomain=tx" TARGET=_blank>http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/airnow.cgi?MapDisplay=WHEREILIVE&MapDomain=tx</A>

I believe practice is scheduled for 3:30pm, which is the hottest time of the day. I'm not sure how the coaches will handle this??

[DiamondM]

The alumni band went down to the field last night just before 8 to play for the team after meetings. There were only a few guys still out working outside -- running with bungees. The turf was not hot AT ALL. (Even took my shoes off to feel it). I think the new field turf is going to retain less heat than the old style carpet (but of course more than actual grass).

By the way, Phil Bennett is a class act and it's clear that he instills that class in his players. We bunch of 20 or so old farts played the spirit songs and sang Varsity, and they were all clapping along and singing Varsity with pony ears up. We did the same thing last year before the band reported. And just like last year, the entire team came over to shake our hands individually and thank us for our support while we told them to beat the hell out of Tech. It was very neat, although I still don't feel like I should be a "ma'am" but I guess that's because I wasn't born in the south.

[ponyte]

Ok, I will allow the Neanderthal in me out for just a few moments. Because the EPA has designated that it is a bad air day and the temp is a little warm, are we to sit our players indoor? We wouldn't want our little girlie man team to muss up their hair now would we?

I am sure all construction work in Dallas has come to a stop and nobody is doing outdoor work in Dallas during the day. After all, it is hot and the air is bad.

I am sure that previous SMU teams (and TCU, Texas, A&M and so forth) have canceled practice because of heat and bad air. No doubt in Southern California teams cancelled entire weeks if not months due to smog.

We have the knowledge and resources to handle the heat and weather. I have faith in our system and I believe practice will continue with enthusiasm and productivity despite a little heat and bad air. Heavens to Betsy! They are football players! Adverse conditions as well as weather are part of it.

[Hoop Fan]

No self-respecting neandrathal that I know ever said 'Heavens to Betsy'.

[ponyte]

Doing my level best to keep it clean.

[Hoop Fan]

Just messin with you, Ponyte, keep it real as they say.

[mrydel]

Don't worry about the players....keep an eye on and an air conditioner near Cash. He's the one that needs to be taken care of. If he is ok the players (remember when you were their age) will be fine.