Dungy tries to treat trip to Tokyo as opportunity
Some teams have claimed an early trip to Japan has hurt them later in season.
Jim Irsay's lobbying efforts with the NFL paid off: His Indianapolis Colts have an Aug. 6 reservation for the Tokyo Dome, where they'll meet the Atlanta Falcons in a preseason game in the league's latest high-profile outreach to Japan.
It's the first step on a six-month journey for the Colts, who report to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind., on Wednesday for the start of training camp. The intended destination is Detroit, site of Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5.
But in the future, perhaps the Colts owner should be careful what he wishes for. Yes, playing in the NFL's American Bowl series will bring international attention to his team. And generally, invitations are a reflection of a team's success, star power or a combination of both.
However, recent trips to Japan for preseason games haven't exactly served as springboards to further success. Consider the history of the 13-game Japan series:
? Twenty-one of the 26 participants reached the playoffs the previous season, but only 11 did so the year they played in Japan. That includes just one of the past six teams and three of the past 10.
? Eight of the 26 suffered losing records in the subsequent regular season, including six of the past eight.
Meaningful facts, or meaningless drivel? We're talking Tokyo, not the Bermuda Triangle.
Coach Tony Dungy won't necessarily need a tour guide when he takes his team overseas. After a record-setting career at quarterback for the University of Minnesota, he played in the Japan Bowl, an all-star game for college seniors. Also, he was the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator in 1994 when they defeated Kansas City in the Tokyo Dome.
He understands the pluses and minuses.
"It's really a good deal once you get there," Dungy said. "Culturally, it will be great. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime (situation) for a lot of guys."
The downside begins with getting there. It's a 16-hour flight, minimum. Then there's the 14-hour time difference between Indy and Tokyo, which means the 6 p.m. kickoff is the equivalent of 4 a.m. for the Colts. And there's no overstating the acclimation process when players arrive in Tokyo and when they return home.
Jon Gruden replaced Dungy as Tampa Bay's coach in 2002 and led the Buccaneers to a 12-4 regular-season record and a Super Bowl championship. The next summer, he and his players boarded a plane to Tokyo. Gruden did so grudgingly.
"I didn't like the travel time," he said. "We're human beings. We're not pieces of luggage.
"I loved it because I had never had the opportunity to go to Tokyo. And I never will go again."
The Bucs were one of the teams unable to build on their Japan experience. Despite winning two of their first three regular-season games, they sagged to 7-9. The Colts helped kick-start Tampa Bay's freefall, rallying for a 38-34 overtime win in Week 4.
Gruden refused to use the Japan trip as an excuse.
"We came out of it with a pretty good start to the season," he said. "All I can say is (the trip) just didn't feel good."
Because of the simple logistics involved, a trip to Japan "does throw a monkey wrench into your (preseason) plans," conceded coach Herm Edwards, whose Jets played Tampa Bay in Japan two years ago.
Training camp is the time for building continuity and developing rhythm. At the very least, a trip overseas interrupts that process.
"We all get a little paranoid about training camp and how we do things," said Mike Holmgren, who has coached two teams that played in Japan and one that played in London. "You like to stick to your routine."
That won't be possible for Dungy and the Colts. After a morning practice in Terre Haute on Aug. 2, they'll leave for Tokyo, arriving around midnight the next day. The team will practice two days, get in some sightseeing, be available for a few fan-friendly outings and square off against the Falcons on Aug. 6. Immediately after the game, they'll fly home.
To help his players recover from the travel, Dungy will give them two days off before resuming practice Aug. 9. Four days later, the Colts host the Buffalo Bills in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Through it all, Dungy will stress the importance of treating the trip to Tokyo as one of five preseason games, even if it is anything but normal.
"A lot of people make a mistake of building it into a problem. Then, your players feel like it is," he said. "You get back and you say how bad it was. Then you start saying, 'Naturally we couldn't recover. Naturally we're going to have a bad year because we had this extra deal.'
"I think you can create that. We're not going to take that approach. It's part of what we have to do. Last year we had to play four games in 18 days. . . . There is a way you can do it and prosper through it, and that's what we plan to do."
Tracking Tokyo
Here is a recap of the NFL's 13-game series of preseason games in Japan. All were played in Tokyo, with the exception of the 2002 game, which was played in Osaka. Included are the scores of the game, the records of the team in the previous season and the records of the team the year they played in Japan. An asterisk notes playoff qualifiers.
Year Teams Previous record Corresponding record
2003 Tampa Bay 30, N.Y. Jets 14 Tampa 12-4*, Jets 9-7* Tampa 7-9, Jets 6-10
2002 Washington 38, San Francisco 7 Wash. 8-8, S.Fran. 12-4* Wash. 7-9, S.Fran. 10-6*
2000 Atlanta 20, Dallas 9 Atlanta 5-11, Dallas 8-8* Atlanta 4-12, Dallas 5-11
1998 Green Bay 27, Kansas City 24 (OT) G.Bay 13-3*, K.C. 13-3* G.Bay 11-5*, K.C. 7-9
1996 San Diego 20, Pittsburgh 10 S.D. 9-7*, Pitt. 11-5* S.D. 8-8, Pitt. 10-6*
1995 Denver 24, San Francisco 10 Denver 7-9, S.Fran. 13-3* Denver 8-8, S.Fran. 11-5*
1994 Minnesota 17, Kansas City 9 Minn. 9-7*, K.C. 11-5* Minn. 10-6*, K.C. 9-7*
1993 New Orleans 28, Philadelphia 16 N.O. 12-4*, Phil. 11-5* N.O. 8-8, Phil. 8-8
1992 Houston 34, Dallas 23 Houston 11-5*, Dallas 11-5* Houston 10-6*, Dallas 13-3*
1991 Miami 19, L.A. Raiders 17 Miami 12-4*, Raiders 12-4* Miami 8-8, Raiders 9-7*
1990 Denver 10, Seattle 7 Denver 11-5*, Seattle 7-9 Denver 5-11, Seattle 9-7
1989 L.A. Rams 16, San Francisco 13 (OT) Rams 10-6*, S.Fran. 10-6* Rams 11-5*, S.Fran. 14-2*
1976 St. Louis 20, San Diego 10 St. Louis 11-3*, S.D. 2-12 St. Louis 10-4, S.D. 6-8.
