Conjecture/Jet Lag/Fatigue

[msf22b]

It was reported that the team flew home commercial after their New Year's Eve triumph
(Eugene-San Fran-Washington DC- Hartford)

Just counting on my fingers, assuming normal layovers and not researching lay-overs and schedules.
They wouldn't have gotten a flight from Eugene Airport until 8 earliest (Pacific), 10 from San Fran, gets them into DC at 6AM Eastern, at Hartford no earlier than 7:30 and in their beds at 9AM (later?).

Really too bad they didn't have a charter for this one, could have saved 5+ hours.
Whoever put that itinerary together?

The team must have been a mess on Wednesday, even today?

One decent day of practice?

I wonder how many points that's worth to Notre Dame?

And please, don't give me the bunk that they're young and strong and would be unaffected.
That travel schedule is a killer.

 

[UConnCat]

The team had all day Tuesday to sleep. The team practiced Wednesday and according to Geno would spend Thurs and Friday getting ready for ND. Geno and Doty were guests on Geno's show on wtic last night and neither sounded concerned.

They're young and strong and will be unaffected by the travel schedule.

 

[msf22b]

Cat:
Your last sentence is impossible in my view.

 

[Icebear]

Kids will be fine, but Geno may still be asleep.

 

[doggydaddy]

Cat:
Your last sentence is impossible in my view.

If they played on Wednesday or even Thursday, you would have a point. But Saturday? No impact. None. Zilch. Zero. Nada.

Do you sit around all day and think of ways that can hurt this team or do they just pop into your head?

 

[Replicant]

Do you sit around all day and think of ways that can hurt this team or do they just pop into your head?

Probably the latter.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

If they played on Wednesday or even Thursday, you would have a point. But Saturday? No impact. None. Zilch. Zero. Nada.

Do you sit around all day and think of ways that can hurt this team or do they just pop into your head?

I double down with "a sit and pop" hypothesis.

 

[meyers7]

Cat:
Your last sentence is impossible in my view.

Your view is old and weak. Think like a youngin.

 

[msf22b]

ride pagliacci

I used to tour orchestras for a living and we were very cognizant of the effects of travel.
In certain respects (small motor skills), the problems are the same.

So Doggy says there will be no effect, but if (perish the thought), there was a line for woman's college BB, this trip would be part of the analysis. So I repeat my question: How many points is this trip worth to Notre Dame...Doggy says zero, I rather think 5-7.

No real sleep on Monday night, likely disrupted sleep on Tuesday night after a whole day spent sleeping, for some the effect would last 2-3 days..

Of course, the problem might be eased a bit by specific instructions and some chemical assistance (cue: waiting for more scorn).

To say that trip has no effect is irrational.

 

[ChicagoGG]

If you really want to fret some more, they are staying in (gasp!) a hotel since the U is on break....seriously, they are young ,they are fit, they have nutritionists, trainers, strength and conditioning coaches,etc. After they uncramp from the plane ride, they'll be good to go. The world is easier to deal with when you are that young and you are doing what you love with your friends.

 

[ndmb]

ride pagliacci

I used to tour orchestras for a living and we were very cognizant of the effects of travel.
In certain respects (small motor skills), the problems are the same.

So Doggy says there will be no effect, but if (perish the thought), there was a line for woman's college BB, this trip would be part of the analysis. So I repeat my question: How many points is this trip worth to Notre Dame...Doggy says zero, I rather think 5-7.

No real sleep on Monday night, likely disrupted sleep on Tuesday night after a whole day spent sleeping, for some the effect would last 2-3 days..

Of course, the problem might be eased a bit by specific instructions and some chemical assistance (cue: waiting for more scorn).

To say that trip has no effect is irrational.

Especially when they're so entrenched in a normal sleep routine, being college students and all.

 

[Icebear]

I don't know if msf is fretting anything and he probably doesn't want to blow his own horn but the key to the team scaling the present challenges of time, rhythms and rests during the break is for them to stay in tune and maintain team harmony. They need to maintain a solid bass and the right tenor for the game.

 

[FairView]

If they played on Wednesday or even Thursday, you would have a point. But Saturday? No impact. None. Zilch. Zero. Nada.

Do you sit around all day and think of ways that can hurt this team or do they just pop into your head?

Once again, it's easy to see why you are so misunderstood.

 

[msf22b]

One of many studies on the subject from ther Economist...Just Google "studies on the effects of travel on athletes."
I'm finished on this subject.

Despite travelling in relative luxury, disruption to an athlete’s circadian rhythm is unavoidable. Confirming a widely-held rule of thumb, German researchers found that the deterioration in motor function of athletes after long trips lingered for roughly as many days as the number of time zones they crossed. In a competitive context, a range of studies suggests that these effects are meaningful only beyond certain distances. An investigation of Major League Baseball applied the one-day-per-time-zone theory, measuring whether teams enjoyed a “circadian advantage” over opponents who were less in sync with the local time. Teams with a three-hour advantage—the maximum possible in North America—won 61% of their games, versus a 52% winning percentage for both one- and two-hour advantages. Another studyshowed that east-coast teams scored 1.24 more runs than usual in the first two days against teams that travelled in from the west coast.
These effects are similar in other sports. Over the past 15 seasons in the National Football League, visiting teams that travel less than 1,000 miles won 43% of their games, versus 40% when travelling 2,000 miles or more. An older study found statistical significance only among west-coast teams, who saw their away-game winning percentage fall by 16% when playing on the east coast, compared with travelling within their home time zone.
Interestingly, the directional effect is reversed for basketball: teams crossing the country from west to east...

 

[Kibitzer]

In my professional past, I had the opportunity (25-30 years ago) to meet and do some modest collaborative work with a Dr. Crane in Stamford. He was not only a professional pilot (a zillion hours) but a flight surgeon of some renown. He was the expert who first identified/discovered/defined "jet lag" as "circadian desynchronosis" (not certain of the spelling, sorry) and he had written extensively about it in various publications, plus being called upon to lecture about it often. He was then The Expert on jet lag by whatever name.

The very brief summary of his findings:

Jet Lag (or Circadian Desynchronosis) occurs only east-west or west-east as you cross time zones.​

​

No north-south or south-north effects, BUT. . .​

​

The experience of flying in any direction would be draining (psychologically, emotionally, etc.) because time spent in the passenger section of a plane is in itself time spent in a hostile environment.​

​

Finally, the normal time for a typical human to "overcome" jet lag would be one day for each hour of time zone change.​

​

Thus, a cross-country flight would require an average of about three days for typical bodily systems to acclimate to new time zone/surroundings. To factor the additional effect of the hostile environment while in the plane(s) and the hassle of changing planes, losing sleep, anxiety about baggage, or disrupted meal times would not be possible in general terms -- every individual and every air travel experience is unique.

​

 

[pinotbear]

I don't know I'd is fretting anything and he probably doesn't want to blow his own horn but the key to the team scaling the present challenges during break is for them to stay in tune and maintain team harmony. They need to maintain a solid bass and the right tenor for the game.

"What's all this I hear about violins on television? I think music is good for children!"

"No, no, Miss Letilla, it's violence on television, not violins."

"Oh. .. nevermind!"

 

[EricLA]

Is it possible that jet lag and fatigue could be an issue? I supposed anything is possible. However, is it likely? No. Anyone who travels from one coast to the other knows there isn't really an issue when you return unless you were in the other time zone for so long that your body had to adjust.

The kids were out here for what - 5-6 days max? Probably did some sleeping on the plane and when they arrived back in CT on Tuesday, they had the day to nap and relax before resuming a normal schedule on Wednesday. To be honest, the break in practice, etc. probably did them some good as kids like KML, Moriah, and Morgan got an extra day to recover from their flu/injuries (altho i think we were told Morgan is 100%?).

Either way I think it's a fair question, but given that they have 3 complete days of preparation before Saturday, I can't see where it's a big issue. You could also ask given the holiday and travel time for ND to Connecticut, how much will ND be affected by that?

It seems to me that the folks who do the game scheduling have done this before and are well aware of how traveling, jet lag, time zone differences, etc. affect the student athletes. It's not like this is the first west coast trip UCONN has ever taken. It would be a different story if the game took place in China or something...

 

[FairView]

How did jet lag affect the vast majority of the team that crossed multiple time zones -- closer to game time -- before the Stanford game?

 

[FairView]

I don't know if msf is fretting anything and he probably doesn't want to blow his own horn but the key to the team scaling the present challenges of time, rhythms and rests during the break is for them to stay in tune and maintain team harmony. They need to maintain a solid bass and the right tenor for the game.

I was going to try to add a few notes, but it looks to me like you know the score.

 

[Icebear]

I was going to try to add a few notes, but it looks to me like you know the score.

No, you are pretty sharp but this whole thing could fall flat.

 

[FairView]

No, you are pretty sharp but this whole thing could fall flat.

Regardless of the situation, I am sure that Geno and the staff will compose a plan to ensure Every Good Ballplayer Does Fine and the team does not lose FACE.

 

[OneTrickPony]

My experience commuting between the coasts is that coming east is harder than going west...three days for full adjustment coming east...one for each time zone...and 1 day to adjust going west. That's based on the theory that the human body has a 25-hour Circadian rhythm...which is why we always feel a little short of sleep everyday (e.g., we are always losing an hour). When you fly west you offset that one hour...going east it adds to the deficit.

The primary aid to adjusting the rhythm is sunlight...helps to reset the body clock.

My guess is the ladies will be in good shape by game time, and that the east coast teams generally have a better home advantage over west coast teams than vice versa...

 

[Phil]

I've crossed enough time zones that I can confirm that west is far easier than east. I know about the theory of the 25 hour rhythm, but I haven't heard it as a reason why west is easier than east. Maybe, but I think it is simply easier to shift a rhythm forward than back.

Another thing to consider when thinking about jet lag - even going east, I usually feel fine the second day, but feeling fine means I can accomplish my usual work, which doesn't involves throwing a ball throw a tiny hoop many feet away. It is easy to imagine that one can generally feel OK for normal functions, yet have some tiny issues that change a swish into a clang.

 

[Icebear]

I've crossed enough time zones that I can confirm that west is far easier than east. I know about the theory of the 25 hour rhythm, but I haven't heard it as a reason why west is easier than east. Maybe, but I think it is simply easier to shift a rhythm forward than back.

Another thing to consider when thinking about jet lag - even going east, I usually feel fine the second day, but feeling fine means I can accomplish my usual work, which doesn't involves throwing a ball throw a tiny hoop many feet away. It is easy to imagine that one can generally feel OK for normal functions, yet have some tiny issues that change a swish into a clang.

Yeah, and if you make an error there are thing like backspace and erasers.

 

[vtcwbuff]

There are too many factors involved to cite anything but generalities when it comes to jet lag. They are individuals that will have differing responses. They are young athletes. They have several days to recover. Come game time they will be so pumped that if there are any residual effects they will will disappear. IMO I don't think they were on the West coast long enough for their bodies to adapt fully to the time difference. For such a short trip it might just be a return to normal.

In the military I never experienced jet lag although I made lots of coast to coast and overseas trips. It just didn't bother me. When I was in my 50's I used to fly to Europe every couple of months. Jet lag kicked my butt. It would take 3-4 days after arrival before I felt normal. The funny thing was that coming back (E-W) never bothered me even if I had been away for weeks.