Via Down And Distance:
When the Miami Dolphins turned digital and supplied their players with iPads, they made sure to let the players know that they are strictly for team use. They said that if players visited Twitter or Youtube type sites players would be docked $10,000.
It seems the message has been spread fairly well. Jeff Darlington of NFL.com recently did a great piece on how the iPad can change the way football operations are ran use new technology. Back in the day, the film “drop day” was Wednesdays. With new iPad technology, players will have access to game film two-and-a-half hours after a game. Teams can upload gameplans, schemes, even set alarms for players in the morning to make sure they wake up for meetings.
In the article, Darlington spoke to rookie QB Ryan Tannehill about the iPad use, and he says it’s made things a lot easier. “We went from a playbook that was five inches thick to a thin iPad,” Tannehill said. “It’s a lot easier to carry around and study anywhere. Plus, when it comes to film, you can watch it on the plane, take it to your house, wherever. You don’t have to be at the facility.”
But, be careful Dolphins, the $10,000 dollar fine doesn’t apply to just social media sites. “They gave us a long list of things you’re not supposed to do,” Tannehill said. “Forgetting to bring it to a team meeting will cost you … $10,000. Downloading Angry Birds will cost you … $10,000.”
Dang, that’s an expensive download of Angry Birds.
I give the ‘Fins credit here. If you are issuing something that will help a player, they must treat it as issued product. It’s sole purpose is to make things easier for everyone involved and they shouldn’t abuse the opportunity. Last year the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the first to give the iPad a trial run – things didn’t quite work out for them. I’m not blaming it on the iPad, as the Baltimore Ravens also gave it a run for the money and they were one Lee Evans catch away from playing in the Super Bowl.
Now, more and more teams are jumping on the iPad bandwagon. “I think the entire NFL will be on an iPad platform across the board by the end of the 2013 season,” said Chad Q. Brown, director of business operations for DragonFly Athletics, a company that specializes in digital video exchange services for pro and college football teams. “If I’m wrong, I’d be off by three or four teams at the most.”
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Original Story:
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July 19, 2012
