going hard. But I also want them in-between reps
visualizing the next moment that they're getting
into.
"That may be (the equivalent of) a TV timeout
or whatever during a game. We try to functionally
stay in the moment in the weight room all the time.
It's a big part of our development. We want to keep
them moving and helping and supporting the other
guy that they're lifting with.''
Simon has set the bar very high. "We're going
to be the hardest working team in the Big Ten and
the hardest working team in the country,'' he said.
"They were right there before but subtle nuances ―
new to our training and conditioning ― are going
to push us over the edge.''
The intent, Simon confirmed, is to find that winning edge, particularly in tight games.
"Sometimes it's that person who was pushed a
little harder in training and was held a little more
accountable to all the minor details,'' he said. "At
the end of the game when you're starting to wear
down to an extent, my hope is we're the ones giving
more because it took more to get to that point.''
That can be a product of better or more advanced
training and preparation.
"We're asking you to give a little bit more and
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we gave a little bit more to you,'' he said. "On that
fourth-and-1 when we need a stop or we need the
first down, there's a belief it's going to get done and
a belief that we outworked you (the opponent) before we even put our hand down on the field.''
Such a commitment, Simon feels, is going to
get this team over the hump. Although he grew up
in Maryland (Lexington Park) and went to school
there (Frostburg State), he does have a working
knowledge of the Badgers. "Everybody knows that
Wisconsin football is a big deal,'' he said.
Simon's knowledge of Badgers can be taken even
more literally.
"The other day after we finished a run, I asked
them (the players), 'Does anyone know what a badger is, what a badger stands for, the story of the
Badgers, per se?''' he said. "No one knew. To their
credit, no one tried to fake an answer, either.''
Simon instructed them to check out the Badger
statue outside Camp Randall. "Whether you watch
Animal Planet or not,'' he went on, "the badger
is the hardest working animal in the forest. It's a
grinder, it's a fighter, it's a tough animal. It fights
hard to protect its turf, and its family.
"That's what we're going to be here.''
Simon sez ...
