Especially when compared to other teams? I've always known we travel more than most teams due to geography, but I wanted to look into it a bit further. This is in no way a complain-a-thon or a Harbaughesque crying session, just a dying for the season to start way to kill time.
I wanted to compare us to another team more centrally located and I wanted to have at least three years of data. I picked the Chicago Bears. They are in the Central time zone. They go left and right to play teams on the road. They are a big market squad. No other obvious reasons, just thought it would be a fair, random, and interesting comparison.
I used one way air distance statute miles from Seattle and Chicago to the major commercial airport in each visiting city. I understand that sometimes teams fly into satellite airports (Hobby instead of Bush, Midway instead of O'Hare), but my routes should be pretty darn accurate and I used the same criteria for both teams.
I also included the quantity of time zones travelled east in parenthesis by each trip. I think we all agree that it is statistically, if not scientifically, proven that traveling east bound has a more detrimental effect on physiology. If a team played in their same time zone or travelled west to a different time zones, I left it blank. If they crossed one time zone, they received +1. Two time zones+2 and so forth. I used regular season road games exclusively.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHICAGO BEARS
2013:
1. Pittsburg 410 (+1)
2.Detroit. 234 (+1)
3. Washington 587 (+1)
4. Green Bay 174
5. St. Louis. 258
6. Minnesota 333
7. Cleveland. 315 (+1)
8. Philadelphia. 676 (+1)
Total Miles - 2987. Total East time zones crossed -5
2012:
1. Green Bay. 174
2. Dallas. 801
3. Jacksonville 865 (+1)
4. Tennessee. 409 (+1)
5. San Fran. 1840
6. Minnesota 333
7. Arizona. 1440
8. Detroit. 234 (+1)
Total Miles- 6096. Total East time zones crossed- 3
2011:
1. New Orleans. 838
2. Detroit. 234 (+1)
3. Tampa Bay. 1010 (+1)
4. Philadelphia. 676 (+1)
5. Oakland. 1830
6. Denver. 885
7. Green Bay. 174
8. Minnesota. 333
Total Miles- 5980 Total East time zones crossed- 3
Chicago Bears Three Year Totals - 15,063 miles. 11 time zones
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
2013:
1. Carolina 2270 (+3)
2. Houston. 1870 (+2)
3. Indy. 1860 (+3)
4. Arizona. 1110 (+1)
5. St. Louis. 1700 (+2)
6. Atlanta. 2180 (+3)
7. San Fran. 678
8. NYG. 2410 (+3)
Total Miles - 14,078. Total East time zones crossed- 17
2012:
1. Arizona. 1110 (+1)
2. St. Louis 1700 (+2)
3. Carolina 2270 (+3)
4. San Fran. 678
5. Detroit. 1920 (+3)
6. Miami. 2720 (+3)
7. Chicago. 1710 (+2)
8. Toronto (Buf). 2050 (+3)
Total Miles - 14,158. Total East time zones crossed- 17
2011:
1. San Fran. 678
2. Pittsburg. 2120 (+3)
3. NYG. 2410 (+3)
4. Cleveland 2010 (+3)
5. Dallas. 1660 (+2)
6. St. Louis 1700 (+2)
7. Chicago. 1710 (+2)
8. Arizona 1110 (+1)
Total Miles - 13,398. Total East time zones crossed- 16
Seattle Seahawks Three Year Totals - 41,634 miles. 50 time zones
I don't know about you guys but these numbers were staggering. That's right 41,634 to 15,063! 50 east time zones to 11! This coming year, Seattle will travel 14,078 miles and cross 17 time zones to the east. Chicago in the last THREE years, will have travelled 15,063 miles and crossed 11 time zones to the east. In other words, the Bears travelled only 985 miles more and 6 less east time zone crossings. IN THREE YEARS. Remember, these are just one way, it's even more daunting when you think of the return flights.
I know good teams man up and win on the road, and it makes our success all the more impressive, but I really think these numbers need to be looked at before awarding Seattle all these 10am pacific starts. We can compete with any team out there, anywhere, at anytime, but I do think it's silly to say that there is no competitive disadvantage when looking at these numbers. I fly airplanes for a living and can tell you there is nothing worse than an early show on the east coast after having travelled all day. Don't get me wrong, I do it and I do it with pride, but it's a heck of a lot easier working the west coast exclusively. I think our schedule will make our success this year all the more legitimate, but hopefully I gave you a tiny bit of a perspective you didn't have earlier.
I wanted to compare us to another team more centrally located and I wanted to have at least three years of data. I picked the Chicago Bears. They are in the Central time zone. They go left and right to play teams on the road. They are a big market squad. No other obvious reasons, just thought it would be a fair, random, and interesting comparison.
I used one way air distance statute miles from Seattle and Chicago to the major commercial airport in each visiting city. I understand that sometimes teams fly into satellite airports (Hobby instead of Bush, Midway instead of O'Hare), but my routes should be pretty darn accurate and I used the same criteria for both teams.
I also included the quantity of time zones travelled east in parenthesis by each trip. I think we all agree that it is statistically, if not scientifically, proven that traveling east bound has a more detrimental effect on physiology. If a team played in their same time zone or travelled west to a different time zones, I left it blank. If they crossed one time zone, they received +1. Two time zones+2 and so forth. I used regular season road games exclusively.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHICAGO BEARS
2013:
1. Pittsburg 410 (+1)
2.Detroit. 234 (+1)
3. Washington 587 (+1)
4. Green Bay 174
5. St. Louis. 258
6. Minnesota 333
7. Cleveland. 315 (+1)
8. Philadelphia. 676 (+1)
Total Miles - 2987. Total East time zones crossed -5
2012:
1. Green Bay. 174
2. Dallas. 801
3. Jacksonville 865 (+1)
4. Tennessee. 409 (+1)
5. San Fran. 1840
6. Minnesota 333
7. Arizona. 1440
8. Detroit. 234 (+1)
Total Miles- 6096. Total East time zones crossed- 3
2011:
1. New Orleans. 838
2. Detroit. 234 (+1)
3. Tampa Bay. 1010 (+1)
4. Philadelphia. 676 (+1)
5. Oakland. 1830
6. Denver. 885
7. Green Bay. 174
8. Minnesota. 333
Total Miles- 5980 Total East time zones crossed- 3
Chicago Bears Three Year Totals - 15,063 miles. 11 time zones
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
2013:
1. Carolina 2270 (+3)
2. Houston. 1870 (+2)
3. Indy. 1860 (+3)
4. Arizona. 1110 (+1)
5. St. Louis. 1700 (+2)
6. Atlanta. 2180 (+3)
7. San Fran. 678
8. NYG. 2410 (+3)
Total Miles - 14,078. Total East time zones crossed- 17
2012:
1. Arizona. 1110 (+1)
2. St. Louis 1700 (+2)
3. Carolina 2270 (+3)
4. San Fran. 678
5. Detroit. 1920 (+3)
6. Miami. 2720 (+3)
7. Chicago. 1710 (+2)
8. Toronto (Buf). 2050 (+3)
Total Miles - 14,158. Total East time zones crossed- 17
2011:
1. San Fran. 678
2. Pittsburg. 2120 (+3)
3. NYG. 2410 (+3)
4. Cleveland 2010 (+3)
5. Dallas. 1660 (+2)
6. St. Louis 1700 (+2)
7. Chicago. 1710 (+2)
8. Arizona 1110 (+1)
Total Miles - 13,398. Total East time zones crossed- 16
Seattle Seahawks Three Year Totals - 41,634 miles. 50 time zones
I don't know about you guys but these numbers were staggering. That's right 41,634 to 15,063! 50 east time zones to 11! This coming year, Seattle will travel 14,078 miles and cross 17 time zones to the east. Chicago in the last THREE years, will have travelled 15,063 miles and crossed 11 time zones to the east. In other words, the Bears travelled only 985 miles more and 6 less east time zone crossings. IN THREE YEARS. Remember, these are just one way, it's even more daunting when you think of the return flights.
I know good teams man up and win on the road, and it makes our success all the more impressive, but I really think these numbers need to be looked at before awarding Seattle all these 10am pacific starts. We can compete with any team out there, anywhere, at anytime, but I do think it's silly to say that there is no competitive disadvantage when looking at these numbers. I fly airplanes for a living and can tell you there is nothing worse than an early show on the east coast after having travelled all day. Don't get me wrong, I do it and I do it with pride, but it's a heck of a lot easier working the west coast exclusively. I think our schedule will make our success this year all the more legitimate, but hopefully I gave you a tiny bit of a perspective you didn't have earlier.