Hard Knocks Episode One: Fullbacks, Tight Ends and Pissitivity
by Josh Kirkendall on Aug 12, 2009 11:30 PM EDT
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PrintIf you watched Hard Knocks on Wednesday night, you learned a new word. Pissitivity, which includes five levels of being pissed off, through the eyes of Chad Ochocinco Johnson. As a side note, we learned that level four is "losing your keys mad." You also learned that if you drop a pass, that Carson Palmer will kick you in the balls.
The first episode of Hard Knocks was fun. Through the first ten minutes, the show put things into gear, focusing on the team's OTAs where players were separated into two teams competing through a variety of competitions; such as bench press, three-point contest, punt catch, football toss, the sledge-push relay and tug of war. Fast forward to the day before training camp, which shows, what Marvin Lewis called a "tail gate" party of Bengals personnel (front office, coaches, etc) playing cornhole, eating and drinking. We saw Andrew Whitworth eating (healthy foods?) with his wife, packing and getting ready. Chris Pressley walked with his son on the field of Georgetown College. Carson Palmer and Chad were seen driving into Georgetown, stopped by the attendant asking for ID. Both were shocked. It was funny.
The second quarter of the show focused hard on the team's first week of Training Camp. Much of it was about the Tight Ends and Fullbacks. Reggie Kelly's injury was shown, as was his upsetting reaction when he learned that he would be out for the season. Mostly everyone shown after the injury shows a lot of levity; knowing that what he brought to the lockerroom can't be replicated. Kelly said he would stick with the team, mentoring the young guys. You expected anything differently from the guy that Jordan Palmer called the "spiritual leader of the team"? Chase Coffman was hounded by tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes, forced to do pushups during films for one of many screw ups. However, he received the best compliment of the night when one of the coaches said he was making significant improvements everyday. Ben Utecht's injury was shown soon after Kelly's, in which you saw the team completely collapse, worrying about him. This was minutes after it showed Utecht, Coffman, Daniel Coats and Darius Hill together, working together after practice.
Several fights broke out. Mostly scrums that lasted until separated by teammates and all was Pleasantville again. Tank Johnson struck up a conversation with a young water boy (or ball boy) asking the kid if he would fight if his team finished 4-11. After the kid said no, Tank told the kid that there's big kids in the fourth grade, so they're going to eat dinner together and talk.
The show shifted to fullbacks, detailing Jeremi Johnson's history of weight issues and returning from an injury that wiped out his entire 2008 season. J.D. Runnels, who running backs coach Jim Anderson called "bull dog", was showed being waived by the team towards the end of the show. Interestingly, he was waived at 5:30 AM by Director of Football Operations, Jim Lippincott, who immediately went into the process of a waiver -- while Runnels was still removing sleep from his eye. Lippincott took Runnel's playbook with him and set it outside a door. It was outside. Unsecured. A quick note. When we read that players are waived, you never see the emotion human factor. I started feeling bad for a guy that we rarely talked about. Chris Pressley was an interesting feature, talking about his childhood, growing up poor in New Jersey with a single mother. His son was born while he was still in high school and the opening feature of him walking with his kid, talking football, was neat. Another side note on Pressley, that dude is built like a train. Actually, trains say that they want to be built like that guy.
We learned that Roy Williams hates Oklahoma Drills and was buried by Maurice Purify -- it was kind of embarrassing. I would have liked if HBO expanded the feature on the Oklahoma Drills.
Chad Ochocinco Johnson had some moments -- if you didn't know that Chad can actually be a very funny person, you do now. Head coach Marvin Lewis grins that Chad's always on that computer, twittering and doing ustream. Carson Palmer was shown at one point talking Chad up, saying they can't take plays off. We also learned about "child, please", which is a nice way of saying "fuck you." Rey Maualuga points out that Gus Parrish looks like American Idol's Randy Jackson with his glasses. He does. It's freaking scary. They momentarily featured Andre Smith working out and losing weight in Alabama. Smith talks about wanting to move on about perceptions of him.
Oh, and did you see how much Chris Crocker got underneath Chad Ochocinco's skin? Classic.
You saw Mike Brown and Katie Blackburn in several pieces. Katie was shown, looking bewildered at why they offer so much money ($33 million) and don't think that's enough. This is the person that has significant involvement with player negotiations. Brown made the suggestion that maybe they should give defensive end Chris Harrington a look at Tight End while the team was going through their rough patch of injuries. Jonathan Hayes shot that down, calling Harrington "stiff". Thank you Jon.
All in all, if you're a Bengals fan, it was everything we expected it to be. A look behind the scenes on the team. Did you guys see it? What did you think?
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I did see it, and did another one of the coaches say that Chirs Harrington had great hands and could run well to for a tight end. I think this was right after what Jon Hayes said, almost calling him out.
Did anyone else get this feeling?
by Greener's eyes on Aug 12, 2009 11:47 PM EDT reply actions
Knocks...
Loved it! Almost cried when I saw Reggie there on the table …even though I knew he was done a week and a half ago. Really liked that it was alot of ball and a little “personal” side. Wanted to see more of the meetings…Chase bit was funny. Also liked thae fact that dudes are out there after hours (TE’s) working on the game
i hated seeing Mike Brown's with his hand elbow deep in the team
Like when he asked if Harrington could be moved to TE, why? Harrington wouldnt make the team at TE. Why not sign a Vet? $$$$$
I wonder if he was influental in the Shirely switch…
Then Willie Anderson said this on Twitter “WillAnderson79Yeah Right! Mike Brown won’t let them cut Jeremy Johnson. He made the coaches go find him in Kentucky this offseason.”
He has too much influence, i know he is the team owner. But leave it to the coaches, please
"Ghiaciuc's play was a distraction"
He was dictating
…wasn’t he? And then VP whatsherface acting like the whole contract issue is on Andre.
Further
Does anyone think it’s weird a freaking owner is telling the COACHING STAFF a defensive player would be a better tight end, along with VP Clueless attending the meeting? They tried to shoot him down, but it didn’t sound like Brown was buying what the coaches were saying.
Imagine that.
And it’s obvious Katie Blackburn has NO BUSINESS discussing NFL salaries. Ever.
Just throw some pads on Jon Hayes
He still looks like he could throw some people around
It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.
Loved it
The whole Andre Smith negotiation thing has me on a whole new pissitivity level!
I think the kid Tank Johnson was talking to is Jay Hayes’s son; he was hitting some dummies behind Carson last week on NFL Network. I, too, almost cried upon seeing Reggie Kelly’s reaction to his injury, because that guy really has given a lot to this team over the years and it’s been often ignored. I’m also in agreement with the rest that hearing Mike Brown talk about switching Harrington to TE made me “losing your keys” mad (that’s a pissitivity of four, correct?).
Great stuff for us Bengals fans
Not sure if it’s that entertaining for the rest of the world, but I don’t care. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to really watch the team get ready for the season.
Ocho looks good. I was really feeling for JD. He got the shaft IMO with fattie Jeremi, who, for some unexplicible reason, can’t get into shape for his pivitol moment of an NFL Career
I wish I had seen it
But don’t have HBO…….thought about getting it for this…but then thought, no way.
Sounds like it was a pretty good start though.
I don't have HBO either.
look at another thread for a suggested avenue. hint hint.
by UpStateMike on Aug 13, 2009 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Child Please
Classic Mike Brown’s Bengals.
WTF Mikey you trying to be coach, GM, and frugal owner all at the same time.
This franchise is screwed. No free agents coming here-I don’t blame them. Uncapped seasons coming the Bengals will never compete.If I wasn’t a die hard Bengals fan I would be making fun of this MiCkEy MoUsE franchise like everone else. Things as stupid as making them pay for a TV in their room-I’m level five pissitivity. Get a freaking indoor practice facility so the team can practice when it’s storming. Katie Blackburn AKA daughter of Mikey/Mickey is such a frickin hippocrit. She is not suppose to say anything about negotiations in public-let alone point fingers. Andre came away a lot classier (not that I don’t agree with Katie’s premiss that they’re overpaying ).
Oh by the way I loved the show-I was actually giddy. Cudos to HBO. Sorry for the rant-Mikey needs to be cornholed.
i like how they practice outside
you have to get use to the humidity…..especially those guys that are from California and other nonhumid places..
I love how HBO is portraying Mike as a dumbass b/c that is what he is and always will be. His daughter looked astonished that Andre Smith was going to make that much. I wish I could tell that dumb bitch that every year the contract’s go up 10 – 12 percent from last year’s picks. She should know this! Unbelievable.
"I love how HBO is portraying Mike as a dumbass"
I don’t think that they’re doing it purposefully either. It’s just coming off that way. LOL
Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.
by Josh Kirkendall on Aug 13, 2009 9:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Portrait is accurate
old fat guy (who has an older fatter guy around to make him looks somehow slimmer) who in inept and shouldn’t be involved in any actual decisions.
by UpStateMike on Aug 13, 2009 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
Child Thank You
Featherman, you certainly don’t sound like a fan, but then I do understand the negativity, I’m just trying to avoid it. First of all it is MB’s team and he can run it any way he wants to. If it were your’s you would do it your way too. Second your level 5 pissivity at MB for making players pay for TV should be directed at Georgetown College as all dorm, parking and facility charges are determined by and paid to them – not the Bengals. They are in this to make money. Not enough Fitz and Zimmer for me. It is fun to actually see these guys faces and get a more personal view of them. I am looking forward to next week.
" My enemy said "Love your enemy". I obeyed and loved myself." Gibran
Jeff Fitzgerald is intense
Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.
by Josh Kirkendall on Aug 13, 2009 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Level 5-pissitivity not directed at TV s in dorm rooms so much as the "culture" that the Bengals reflect.
Little things like paying Georgetown to have TVs in the rooms and not IDing your star players and not burdening your coaching staff with inane roster/coaching suggestions might make it more appealing to play for the Bengals. It’s true ownership can do what they want but I hope they want to win. The way things have been done and continue to be done is not working in terms of wins. Mike Brown needs to evolve and do things the way successful franchises do them.
Being a Bengal fan,Mike Brown has been a great influence on developing my fan behavior.I would have liked to watch the show,but it’s on HBO and that cost $$$,so that’s a no-no.Use to go to training camp,but that take several gallons of gas and that cost $$$$ so that’s a no.As long as the Browns continue that same pattern I will not make any investment as a fan.If they don’t like paying $$$ for a high draft pick,why not trade down (see Patriots) and try to get several #2 picks ??? The Smith thing is just an annual tradition with the Bengals.
i agree
or how about just not making the pick and keep falling back if no one is offering you a good trade.
the guys picked in the teens make way less than the top 10’s. pass on the picks and spend the money on a veteran that is worth it.
i heard marvin lewis swear for the first time, he actually can get mad?
"Ghiaciuc's play was a distraction"
I loved the part with the linemen and Paul Alexander in the film room
Paul Alexander reading question number 18: “When do you not run a 40 yard dash with your shirt off?”
I think it was Whitworth without missing a beat- “When you are Andre Smith.”
LMFAO
It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.
child please
don’t have hbo, but my bro DVR’d it. It sounds like it was an awesome show. can’t wait to see it.
3 yards and a pile of dust
Five Levels...
Level 3 is actually “losing your keys mad.” Level 4 is “losing your wallet mad.”
http://twitter.com/OGOchoCinco/status/3274966811
http://twitter.com/OGOchoCinco/status/3275868624
Was a great show, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Child Please!
This episode showed that Mikey Boy and Fat Lip are just plain idiots. I really enjoyed how the narrator was saying how good Runnels is looking and fat and out-of-shape Jeremi Johnson is, then a few minutes later, the Bengals are cutting Runnels. It’s an ability thing, you know….
Evidently, Mikey Boy has a soft spot for Jeremi, and that’s why he wasn’t cut.
Oh, and Katie looked clueless. “I don’t know WHY this guy won’t take our generous offer that’s less than the guy drafted behind him is getting.” Yeah, Al Davis is insane and set the market too high, but ya gotta adjust to that.
"T-Virus and AGon hitting 1-2? CHILD PLEASE!"
--- Ochocinco
by cesarhernandez on Aug 13, 2009 10:34 AM EDT reply actions
Disappointed.
Look, I’m a fan. I was a fan at 2-14, and I’m a fan now. I bleed black and orange. And I never take part in blanket statements like “Mike Brown Sucks”.
At 10pm last night I was optimistic, the pieces were in place, the defense looked solid. I was feeling like a real shot at at least a wildcard, if not the division should Pittsburgh stumble because Roethlisberger, I don’t know, shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.
At 11pm I thought “this team is playing up to 7-9”.
It could very well be just the way HBO put things together. I’ve watched every Hard Knocks they’ve ever done and this one felt awkward and meandering. Part of that problem is most definitely that there’s not a strong central character they can build around. Jerry Jones last year, and Carl Peterson the year before in KC, all the way back to Ozzie Newsome in the beginning, they told the story from the front office down. I suspect they found Mike Brown so utterly unsympathetic that they couldn’t do that and the whole show felt like it had no goal.
The Best
Carson Palmer leading. No not “I’ll kick you in the balls”. He knows he’s mic’ed and drops his voice so they have to subtitle him. Chad is complaining about something and Carson… leads. “Hey, listen to me, you can’t take ANY plays off, we don’t have the time.” And Chad nods.
Chris Crocker being utterly unfazed by, as Marvin said “Ocho!”
The 100% lack of any mention of five year old arrests.
The Good
Seeing Chad eating decently. Last time we saw Chad eating was on a CBS pregame show when he drove through mcdonalds and ordered sausage mcmuffin and biscuits and gravy. Last night it was chicken breast, brown rice and vegetables.
Andrew Whitworth, I love this guy. I think he’s going to have a breakout season.
Chad is always quotable.
Seeing the O-Line inexplicably holding meetings in what appeared to be a sports bar.
The questionable
Carson and his little brother with a lip full of tobacco. Just what I want, my QB looking like an ignorant redneck.
Jim Lippincott leaving a playbook outside. Note to Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Baltimore scouts, if you want a leg up, just hang around the Georgetown dorms at about 5:45 in the morning.
Andre Smith, his agent and Katie Blackburn. I’m not going to jump on the “just pay him” bandwagon. This is a bizarre year for everyone with next year theoretically uncapped. Oakland screwed everyone by blowing up the slotting. There is, as of right now, no draft next year without a deal. Both sides need to be creative. The Bengals actually have a better point in wanting to pay reasonable increase over last year’s #6 and not an extra $6mil just because Al Davis is batshit insane.
Opening with “How does a four win team prepare?” and having the answer be, apparently, tug of war and basketball. For an hour I waited for an answer and didn’t get it.
The Confusing
After a week and a half of people saying how Jeremi Johnson seemed to have turned it around, that he came to camp able to work, and eventually, that he had won the starting job, it was confusing to see them make a big deal about his weight.
The Bad
Mike Brown’s “speech”. He told them that the team was disappointed in last year with the same level of intensity behind “Waiter, my chicken is undercooked.” Not exactly a “we few, we happy few, we band of brothers” monologue.
A complete lack of fire from anyone.
Rey Malalauga, the best rookie acquisition by any team this year (I’d have drafted him at 6) was largely absent, only shown wandering around campus looking for his room. Luckily previews for next week seem to show he’s got more screen time.
The Embarrassing
Roy Williams complete incredulity at being shown a rate sheet to rent a TV. Made the team look cheap and out of touch.
The “this is why the Bengals are a laughing stock” embarrassing
Jim Lippincott. Every Hard Knocks I’ve ever seen they do a bit on “The Turk”, someone going to a player’s room and telling them that the GM or owner wants to see them, bring their playbook. The player is given time to adjust, to gather themselves. It’s still difficult, but they’re not blindsided. Lippincott apparently thought it was OK to knock on a guy’s door at 5:30am (a guy who is in a football training camp every day and likely to be exhausted) and giving him, all at once “We’re waiving you today, I need your playbooks, are you flying back to phoenix?” The guy would have had to stop and think about what day it was and he’s being asked his travel plans ten seconds after being told that he needs to HAVE travel plans. When Runnels manages to scrape together a “did they say why?”, Lippincott bristles with “Numbers. Oh, and Ability. We never cut someone for any other reason than ability” to which Runnels can only say “Wow.” Classless. If this is the way the organization treats its players, there’s no doubt why they can’t win.
I’m normally accused of being an ignorant fanboy, but last night shaved about four wins off my expectations.
Hope next week is better.
"Seeing the O-Line inexplicably holding meetings in what appeared to be a sports bar."
hahahahaha it really did
"Ghiaciuc's play was a distraction"
by Joe Goodberry on Aug 13, 2009 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
the worst part about Lipincott's Turk scene
is that if they show him cutting anyone else, he pretty much has to do it the same way, or people will start to ask why he was such a dick to Runnels. I actually winced when he laid down the we never cut people unless it’s lack of ability line. That was freaking harsh.
I’ve thankfully never been fired, but I can’t imagine a worse way to hear you’re canned then by getting the “you’re fired, oh, and you suck”
Well, I know where it came from.
By the collective bargaining agreement players can only be cut for ability reasons. I’m sure Lippincott said “Numbers” then had a mental meltdown and though “Oh shit, I need to give a reason that matches the rules!”
That part was harsh, but it wasn’t what bothered me the most. It was that he ambushed this poor kid at 5:30 in the morning and gave him no time to absorb things before he started to ask him about his travel plans. Travel Plans? The guy didn’t even know he was traveling ten seconds earlier. So here’s a player, reeling in shock with a camera up his nose. When Jerry Jones cut someone the player was summoned, so that by the time they were on camera they had some time to get their bearings, probably talk to a wife and/or agent.
The fact that Mike Brown, Marvin Lewis, Bratkowski or even Jim Anderson couldn’t have given the kid a proper meeting was ludicrous. Runnels got “You’re fired, a van will be here in 90 minutes, don’t let the door hit you on the ass.” Classless.
4 things
First, I don’t see another time to cut him. once the decision is made you should cut him before the next day’s practice. Its better to let him sleep than do it the night after a long days practice, but, you don’t want him talking to other guys and poisoning the situation and starting rumors while he is pissed off at the team.
Second it had to be Runnels. He was the 3rd FB, and had little chance of moving up. Johnson has moved up to the top of the depth chart. You can’t cut a draft pick at FB this early, you have to give him a chance. And Pressley is practice squad eligible while Runnels is not.
Its always numbers in training camp unless its money. The team only has 80 roster spots. They filled one with Parrish and needed a spot for sherry so they have bodies at TE. FB had so many bodies that Pressley couldn’t get any reps. 27 more people have to be cut before the season, about 1/3rd of the team.
Firing someone is never easy. I have done it a fair amount and it is never easy. NOt if they deserveit, not if they know its coming. Never easy.
I have no problem with them cutting him.
Nor do I have a problem with them cutting him before practice. But as the guy with the air horn proved, there was at least another hour and 45 minutes before anyone was supposed to be up and moving. You send someone, even Lippincott, to say “Coach Anderson wants to see you, bring your playbooks”. Or Mike Brown, or Paul Brown II, someone, anyone other than the guy who makes the notification. This gives the player a bit of time, especially when they’re going to have a camera up their nose, to gather their thoughts. At 5:30 in the morning 45 seconds after being in a deep sleep I doubt Runnels could have told anyone what 2+2 was.
People get cut, it’s a rough biz. But if I were a free agent thinking about signing a bengals contract and I saw that, I’d think twice.
Cheap Bengals
I have never thought the Bengals are as cheap as they are made out to be. Carson Palmer is one of the Highest paid players in the NFL. WHen their contracts were signed, I think that SHayne Graham, Willie Anderson (RT not OT), and Jeremi Johnson were the highest paid player at their position. They also extended Ochocino twice for big money. The Bengals do refuse to do deals with future dead space built in. Contracts like Albert Haysneworth’s which everyone expects to amount to a 4 year 49 million deal, but is written for over 100 million. I have always thought of them as more frugal than cheap.
I also think it is rare that a good player makes it to free agency unless they think they are better, and worth more, than they are. Guys like TJ who think they are a number one reciever when they aren’t. It is very rare that a free agent exceeds their previous performance with a new team.
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