I've heard the story told in two different ways. At a presser last January, John Harbaugh said he had consulted with his trainers and his medical doctors, and that he was advised the high-altitude lower-oxygen-density effect of playing in Denver would be minimized if his team landed in Denver the day before the game, and spent no more than 18 hours in the Denver atmosphere prior to the game.
Other coaches do it differently— they want to fly into Denver as early in the game week as possible and "acclimate" to the conditions of relative oxygen deprivation for at least 3 days prior to the game.
It's just one extra variable Chip Kelly has to decide upon this week as the Eagles (1-2) prepare to attempt an upset against the Denver Broncos (3-0) in a late afternoon (4:15 P.M. EST) game in Denver on Sunday.
Harbaugh's team of medical and physiological experts had convinced him that the "burn" of cardio activity for a visiting team in Denver's thin atmosphere would be directly proportional to the amount of time you were exposed to it.
Fair enough. But I thought I'd go to the home team in Denver to get their opinion.
Here's what I dug up:
"I'm telling you — it's not a myth. It really isn't," Denver rookie running back Montee Ball said. "Speaking of when I first got here and was running around, it was very difficult the first two weeks to catch my breath. For now, we as Broncos players, we love the altitude because it's an advantage for us."
Linebacker Shaun Phillips played in Denver as an opponent in nine consecutive seasons as a San Diego Charger, and he acknowledged that it's something opposing teams have to account for.
"It's definitely an advantage (for the Broncos), but I just always felt that if somebody else is doing it, then I can deal with it. That's always been my attitude here," he said. "But to this day, I still suck air a little bit. It's pretty tough."
Now that he's a member of the Broncos, practicing at high altitude on a daily basis, Phillips said he notices a difference. But "even when you get a day off, it's obvious again during the next day of practice."
The main issue, Colorado native Mitch Unrein explained, is that less oxygen reaches the body at higher elevations. So not only is it harder to breathe, muscles get fatigued faster and players tire out quicker.
"I’ve lived here my whole life and I don’t think you ever really get used to trying to play in this altitude," the defensive tackle said. "Obviously, we’re more accustomed to it just because we practice in it every day. But for teams that come up here, I know it’s a struggle for them just to try to catch their breath after a long drive and just trying to keep fresh after every play.”
“That stuff burns," linebacker Danny Trevathan agreed. "If you’re not used to it, it sneaks up on you. You think you’re fine, but then once you get to running around, you feel that extra burn in your lungs."
The topic was addressed in the Philadelphia Eagles locker room this week, particularly because the Eagles offense — not to mention the Broncos offense — likes to move at such a quick tempo.
Former Cal linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who made a trip to Boulder, Colo., in college to take on the Buffs, said he developed "cotton mouth pretty fast," according to CSNPhilly.
“It takes about 15 to 30 minutes to get used to it. That’s what I remember most,” he said. “I definitely felt it."
Eagles cornerback Cary Williams, who played in Denver in the playoffs last season as a member of the Ravens, said "it was tough" to get acclimated to the altitude.
Head Coach John Fox recalled coming to Denver as an opposing coach, and noted that "early, you feel it."
"It’s probably the best home-field advantage in the NFL," he said. "That’s why I think our home record is so good.”
To that point, the Broncos have lost just once in their past 10 regular-season games at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
As for just how much of a factor it will be for the Eagles on Sunday, Phillips took a wait-and-see approach.
"We'll find out," he said.
As a former biology major, and a college road-tripper who hiked in the Rockies, I do know there is a big difference going from sea level or even 1000 feet above sea level to going to over 5000 feet above sea level. A lot of elite distance runners train in Colorado because it takes more work for the lungs to run at that altitude than it does at sea level… (this also explains why Kenya and Mexico have created many elite long distance runners due to the high elevations in those countries).
Yet high elevation also can help people go faster, jump higher, and to make the ball travel farther, etc. (this explains why the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City had numerous World Record performances – some of which still stand 40 years later).
One of the more dramatic examples of high elevation affecting a sporting event was in the NCAA basketball championship game (1983, I think) between NC State and Houston, which took place in New Mexico at an elevation of about 6000 feet — The high elevation probably helped contribute to one of the greatest upsets in NCAA history, because it likely canceled out some of Houston's high-speed leaping skills advantage and helped NC State's slow-down strategy.
It is likely that the Broncos do have a definite home field advantage — it is telling that many American Olympic athletes train in Colorado Springs, not too far from Denver. The elevation can wear out people who are not used to it (as anyone who has ever traveled from a sea-level location to a high altitude location can note). Denver also has pretty poor air quality and tends to have low humidity — both factors that make sporting events more difficult for both athletes and fans… (dehyrdation takes place faster — like when Arizona played outdoors, they used to have a real advantage, but it was so hot that fans wouldn't want to attend the games…so they had to enclose their stadium).
Yes, there is thin air there. I've been there, I went hiking there as well. After a few days, it is not easy! You have to be used to it for at least three weeks to adapt to the altitude. From a football standpoint based upon what players say, it's tougher to breathe, players' stamina wears out quicker, opposing players tend to leave the game more sore than usual.
But there is something to John Harbaugh's theory— if you fly in late, spend as little time as possible there, and get out of Dodge quick, the effects of the higher altitude are minimized. I experienced that little physiological trick myself on a 1-day business trip to Denver back in the '90's. I even got in a round of golf to test the theory.
Some of the Denver/high-altitude edge is in the minds of their opponents. It has become a psychological implant weapon of sorts. It's in the head of every visiting player that plays there.
But our guys should also remember— you can kick the ball farther, throw the ball farther, and run just a little bit faster in a mile-high altitude. This is scientific truth. Psychologically, you are entitled to use that knowledge to your own advantage as a visiting team.
Nick Fierro gave a symbolic pep talk to the team yesterday in the Allentown Morning Call:
"— Be patient. Concentrate on your job only. Stay true to your scheme and technique.
Then, if all goes well, maybe you'll be rewarded with a misplay or two on which you can capitalize."
That's the Nick Fierro I like… that's the former college football player talking…
This is the message being repeated like a transcendental meditation mantra by one Philadelphia Eagles defender after another this week about the approach to keeping Peyton Manning from turning any contest in which he plays into a runaway victory for his team.
INJURY UPDATE
Broncos: CB Tony Carter (ankle), S Duke Ihenacho (ankle) and LB Lenon Paris (thigh) did not practice; CB Champ Bailey (foot) and TE Joel Dreessen (knee) were limited.
Eagles: S Patrick Chung (shoulder) did not practice.
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