Does Sports Science Actually Work? Does it Matter?

[J. David Wannyheimer]

We heard in the off-season that the Dolphins were going to attempt to reduce injuries by going with a heavy emphasis on sports science and nutrition in 2015, and that was a field in which Mike Tannnenbaum was supposedly trying to fashion himself as something of a guru. Well, we've debated it on this board and opinions were pretty mixed. However, the fine individuals over at mangameslost.com compiled all of the injury statistics in the NFL for the 2015 season and determined that the Miami Dolphins were the second least injured team in the league this season.

But, they also pointed out that St. Louis and Tennessee were also in the top five least injured teams, and hey, they also stink.

Link: http://www.mangameslost.com/nfl-regular-season-end-games-missed-due-to-injury-january-4-2016/


I really don't know what to think about this one. On one hand, reducing injuries is pretty great, but on the other hand, we still stink.

 

[Stoobz]

Smoke and mirrors.

 

[utahphinsfan]

Sport science is good when it comes to nutrition, psychology, & stats.

Injury prevention... not so much.

 

[Daytona Fin]

Len Dawson rarely missed a game, sports science, pfff

 

[fishfanmiami]

I think it's good but way down on the priority list behind such things as basic blocking and tackling. Healthy players that are not very good are just that.

 

[LANGER72]

Len Dawson rarely missed a game, sports science, pfff

Nothing like a spliff and a Fresca!

 

[spiketex]

It works in a whole range of other sports. I think there are a number of reasons why the team declined this year, but putting the blame on the sports science guys is probably wrong. However, I think that the psychological aspect of all of the analysis may make the players feel special, and this may be a negative.
Many years ago, when I was living in Australia, there was an Australian Football team (North Melbourne Kangaroos) that took the nutrition aspect extremely seriously. They got a world famous nutritionist to design, control and monitor all of the players diets. For the time it was a big $ investment. However, while the players all got statistically healthier, the team went backwards in number of wins and a couple of years later the nutrition excellence experiment got dropped. There was a theory at the time that it made the players feel special, pampered and privileged but the key to success on the field was actually making them tough, hungry and desperate. Just a thought...

 

[fishfanmiami]

That's interesting.

 

[jc4005]

In a game where there are large bodies colliding everywhere at extreme velocities, nothing in the world could make them safer besides better equipment/armor.