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Secrets of the sideline: take a trip the NFL bench area, where the men are large, the rules are strict and the accoutrements are many

Sporting News, The, Sept 6, 2004 by Albert Dickson

An NFL sideline is at once an office and a hospital room, a spy's perch and a psychiatrist's couch, a fraternity house and a cafeteria. The bench area is 40 yards of turf or grass where the players sit and talk when they're not smacking each other upside the head.

You know the sideline is full of blood, sweat, tape and attitude, but a fax machine, Maalox and candy bars? This truly is a multifunctional space and always has been, but not to the degree it is today. Talk to a man who has been lifting the heavy loads and moving the big boxes for decades and you'll learn that while the game has changed, the load has changed even more.

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"When I first started, there were a couple of buckets of ice water on the bench with a ladle and a stack of Dixie cups," says Todd Hewitt, who just finished his 36th NFL training camp--26 as the Rams' equipment manager, another 10 tagging along while his father did the same job. "Now some guys even complain about the taste of the water."

And it had better be the right water. League-wide edicts also govern Hewitt's domain; if unapproved corporate logos are visible, for instance, big fines could follow.

The examination of an NFL sideline is a study of minutiae. Each piece of gear facilitates the top physical and mental performances of players and coaches. Stocked with benches, tape, smelling salts and enough Gatorade to drown in, the sideline is an operational base that allows a team to perform at its best.

As important as any sideline piece, HEADSETS allow the coaches on the field to keep in touch with the coaches upstairs.

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It's easy to spot GATORADE logos on the sideline. The little libation secret for some teams is Pedialyte. Yes, that stuff your baby won't drink is said to be faster at replenishing electrolytes, especially for the big, fat guys. Legend has it the Eagles once used pickle juice to prevent cramping during a hot game in Dallas.

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Attach these pads to an injury or a sore spot and the ELECTRICAL STIMULATOR will increase the blood flow to that area, speeding the healing.

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ENERGY BARS are ready in case a player needs a snack before the returns to action.

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Most of the taping is done before the team takes the field, but dozens of rolls of TAPE are stored behind the bench--just in case.

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Making players comfortable in open-air stadiums can be a challenge. A reminder for home teams: If you want CLIMATE CONTROL for your players, you must provide the same amenities to the guys on the other sideline.

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If a player takes a hit that leaves him down but not out, he is taken to a PORTABLE MASSAGE TABLE for a rubdown or smelling salts.

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It's not a good thing when the SCISSORS come out, because that's generally when the bench goes into hospital mode.

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FAXES provide an aerial view of a play soon after it is completed, giving coaches timely information that helps them adjust game plans and schemes.

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It may be more popular in Denver, but visit any NFL sideline and OXYGEN will be a critical part of getting players ready for the next set of downs.

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A box full of SCREWS, NUTS and BOLTS sits beside a powered screwdriver and helmet in case a trainer has to replace a cage or chin strap.

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Custom-made MOUTHPIECES sit just behind the bench. You don't want any store-bought mouthpiece for a guy who just signed a multiyear deal.

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A box full of NFL-SANCTIONED APPAREL is kept readily available for the coaches' and players' fashion needs.

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Each team brings bags of FOOTBALLS for warmups. Come game time, the home team must provide 12 kicking balls and 24 game balls for an indoor game and an additional 12 game balls for an outdoor game, just in case the weather gets nasty. The refs get the kicking balls before the game so those girly men with the single-bar cages don't doctor them.

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NETS make it possible for kickers and punters to get loose without having footballs flying into the stands.

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Those muscles can get pretty tight when you're waiting to play. A few minutes of PEDALING can be the difference between an injury and a start in the next game.

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The tiny SPEAKER inside this helmet is a quarterback's audio lifeline to his coach. Note to fans: When the other team's quarterback is pressing his hands against the sides of his helmet, your screaming is making a big difference.

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Natural grass fields require the use of a CLEAT CLEANER. Beneath the cleaner, note the carpet that covers the floor for the entire bench area on grass fields. It keeps the bench from becoming a swamp during rainy games.

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Secrets of the sideline: take a trip the NFL bench area, where the men are large, the rules are strict and the accoutrements are many

Sporting News, The, Sept 6, 2004 by Albert Dickson

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