DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Hard Knocks

Just got done watching episode #1 ... I’m biased, but it wasn’t nearly as interesting for me.

Too much time in hot air balloons, riding horses, and looking at grapes haha ... and Derek Carr just doesn’t inspire much in me.

The new rookie safety Abram ... what a moron/jerk. He might be able to play, but he’d be tough to take as a teammate.

Or course Gruden is Gruden .. loves the camera and the big talk.

I did enjoy looking at some of the players wives tho

Usually it starts out a little slow. As the episodes go on you develop more familiarity with the players and coaches. By the time some of the cuts happen you feel sorry for the guys.

I've watched it every year and while it doesn't give you a lot of specifics, it gets you a lot closer to a team.

But yeah, watching the Browns did make it special.

Ronald Ollie did not last long.

The way they edit shows like that it's hard to say for sure what the real problem was. But from what we did see, it just seemed like he gave up. Like he felt defeated.

Lol not very long no

Can I find this online to watch? Don't have hbo....

I believe the full first episode is on YouTube.

Thanks - will look for it tomorrow

Yes I watched it on YouTube

Actually, when I was in high school I broke my thumb in seven places down close to the wrist. I actually practiced after the injury for almost a week before I would go get it x rayed.

I would have been permitted to play of I could have gotten a doctor to agree to put it in what at the time was called a plasticast. I'm not even sure what that is as I never qualified to get one. I couldn't find a doctor who would approve it because of the severity of the break.

I was a FB and played MLB. It certainly may have had an impact on my carries and receptions, but it certainly wouldn't have had a negative impact on my blocking or run stopping ability.

You can often play with breaks depending on where they are and their severity.

Hard Knocks Recap: Learning More About Antonio Brown's Helmet Saga

https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/08/21/hard-k...m_medium=social

By KALYN KAHLER August 21, 2019
This third episode of Hard Knocks did a much better job than its predecessors at tackling the biggest storyline surrounding the Oakland Raiders' preseason: Antonio Brown, and his head and feet. The episode centered mainly on Brown’s helmet protest and his back and forth with the league on finding a suitable replacement. Jon Gruden seems to be largely in denial that this is a worthy storyline, or at least can’t fathom why anyone could possibly be interested in why the most famous [and expensive] player on the team has been absent for much of training camp.

“We’ve known the whole time,” Gruden privately tells a Raiders staffer, while taking aggressive bites of a granola bar. “He had frostbite, he took four or five days to get it checked out, and we knew about the grievance since the first day of OTAs, which we did. I don’t know what the story is, the [censored] story is around here.”

Gruden’s vow to cuss less is not going well, it seems. He gestures forcefully with his granola bar hand as he continues talking at the Oakland staffer. “We’ve tried everything really, I give the guy credit for standing up for what he believes in. Everybody else does in this country.”

For much of this episode, Gruden appears to be convincing himself to agree with Brown’s point of view. “You gotta love guys who have a lot of energy,” he says, as he stares blankly at Brown warming up in Arizona before the preseason game (he didn’t play).

When Brown makes his dramatic return to Raiders camp, he steps out of his sports car with agent Drew Rosenhaus by his side. “Well we knew it was going to happen, I don’t know why it’s such a big story,” Gruden grumbles when he finds out Brown has returned to Napa.

Brown then greets dozens of Raiders teammates, who all react as if they haven’t seen him in years. He gives out hugs, daps, handshakes, fist bumps. Maybe this is the real reason why he wasn’t in camp, to get an over-the-top welcome reception upon his return as the prodigal son.

Hard Knocks redeemed itself in this episode by showing some of the behind-the-scenes conversations that make the series so unique. Rosenhaus approaches Gruden after practice to discuss Brown’s helmet progress, at this point still thinking they would be able to take advantage of a loophole that would allow Brown to wear a helmet similar to one he wore in the past, as long it was manufactured less than 10 years ago.

“It’s hard,” says Rosenhaus. “Nine years and you kick ass, and you don’t have any injuries. You just—I’m not saying that we handled it the right way, but he’ll kick ass for you and help you win a lot of football games.”

Gruden squints back at Rosenhaus and nods unconvincingly. He fiddles with the cap on his Gatorade bottle. Everything about his body language suggests he’s not buying what the agent is selling.

Back in Napa, Brown gets a long soliloquy, where he looks into the camera and says what every Raiders fan has been thinking. “There’s too much noise right now. More work, less noise.”

But later in the episode, he seems to forget his own advice. While wearing a new helmet to warm up for the preseason game in Arizona, Brown complains to teammates, “This lid ugly as f---.”

Brown remains in Napa long enough to have a tender moment with his hard-shelled coach as they walk off the field. “Thanks for supporting me coach,” he says. “My f---ing head, my feet, people were after me, you’ve been a constant support and I want to thank you for that.”

Gruden responds in the most Football Guy way: “I know you’ve got a lot of people in your ear, because you’re like a corporation that’s kind of gone global,” he says. “At the end of the day, let’s keep this s— simple. Football comes first. Everybody else is f—ing way behind. You know what I’m saying? You’ve handled all that seamlessly, beautifully.”

Shortly after that feel-good moment ends, Brown is gone again the next day, Sunday, after he gets word that the NFL has determined the newer version of his preferred helmet model does not meet safety standards. The episode ends with general manager Mike Mayock’s disgruntled statement on Brown, where he said the receiver needs to be all in or all out. It would have been nice to see some of the behind the scenes on Mayock’s decision to talk to the media that day, because non-scheduled statements like that are extremely uncommon in the NFL, and the strategy behind that would have been fascinating to hear. Gruden is publicly supporting Brown, while Mayock is publicly challenging him. The difficulty for this season of Hard Knocks is keeping up with the whirlwind 24/7 news cycle that is Antonio Brown. It’s impossible for a weekly show to remain up to date, because, as we know now, Brown is back with the Raiders—for now—and he’s filed a helmet grievance against the league.

FINALLY AN UNDERDOG TO ROOT FOR
We also finally got a good underdog to root for in this episode (sorry Nathan Peterman, I’m just not that interested in your quest to become Oakland’s backup). Hard Knocks introduced us to tight end Darren Waller, who the Raiders believe is an underrated player. Oakland picked Waller off Baltimore’s practice squad last season, where he’d spent the first three and half years of his NFL career. "When I was in Baltimore, I was like a vegetable,” he says. “I was getting high literally every day. Whatever I could get my hands on."

Waller has since been clean for two years. He was suspended without pay for the entire 2017 season for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, and took that chance to go to rehab and commit himself to staying clean. A feel-good story and definitely a guy who will be over-drafted in fantasy leagues.

BEST QUOTES
• Derek Carr with the most Derek Carr response to finding out Brown was back in Napa: “Oh really? Awesome!”

• Gruden: “Knock on wood if you’re with me, okay?” (at least three times this episode, Raiders players must have some sore knuckles by now. Is Gruden just very superstitious?)

• Gruden with a great diagnosis of why backup quarterback Mike Glennon has struggled in the NFL: “You’re eight feet tall, so they can read your eyes. So that’s all they are doing is reading your eyes.”

• “You’re never going to go broke making a profit, I learned that a long time ago.”

• Antonio Brown: “I feel really good. It’s just when it’s really hot, I’ve gotta take my shoes off.” Gruden: “Why don’t you go to a cryo chamber?”

• Mike Mayock, on Gruden’s rendition of the Happy Birthday song. “Sounded like a bunch of Clemson guys.” [A dig at rookie receiver and Clemson product Hunter Renfrow’s pathetic singing from episode one.]

I always find this series interesting to watch. And as I expected, Chucky just takes it up a notch.

j/c:



Going live to Steelers' HQ:

Wow. Unbelievable.

I just finished binge watching this year's Hard Knocks, actually started to feel a little sympathy for AB. The helmet thing that I laughed at from a distance became "I only got one head and one neck", I get it. Then as the episodes went on it seemed like more of a selfish fashion statement. Dude was great with his teammates and the fans though.

Still, the dude is "not quite right", to put it bluntly, and seems way to wrapped up in AB and not enough in his team.

The saga continues...

What an idiot he’s become ... and Oakland is officially a circus

I just want to say how disappointed I am that I won't be facing my fantasy football opponent's best WR this weekend. Its always my wish to beat any opponent's best possible line up, and I really regret any misfortune befalling his players ...

The Steelers are laughing their collective asses off behind closed doors.

Shows you how much they must have hidden/lived with for the past few years as well

GM Mike Mayock at his press conference: “Antonio Brown is not in the building today. He’s not going to be practicing. I don't have any more information. When we do, I’ll get it to you. That’s it for today."

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1169676488075071489

Ha ha ha...Is this Htrae?

This will literally come down to them choosing AB or Mayock

This is going to end with Antonio Brown on the Patriots isn't it?

j/c:

I think AB is dealing w/serious mental issues. He's spiraling out of control.

Hopefully the Roughnecks, of the XFL.

AB has been trying to get suspended or sent home for a month. He threatened to retire not to long ago. I think once he got that huge signing bonus, he's trying to find a way out of playing for the Raiders (and maybe the NFL altogether).

I told a friend, he probably thought he'd be playing in Vegas this year. When he found out it's still in Oakland, he's bailing on them.

I think you have a point. And to take it a step further, I think the Steelers knew and hid that fact.

Yeah, this is the actions of an out of touch, or perhaps even crazy, person

Could it be that he's just prima donna? And that the Steelers organization, like the Pats, tries to squash individuality and preaches how everyone is replaceable except the star QB. He was silenced for so long that he's going full "Dennis Rodman" (look how much of a personality I am, I should be a super star, face or heel).

Oh you could certainly be right. I'm not qualified to diagnose anyone. Just like everyone else, I'm just looking at the circumstances and coming to my own conclusion based on that.

It’s be a short lived experiment.

AB cannot get out of his own way.

AB has already lost out on $500k, reportedly hasn't been paid a dime
by John Breech @johnbreech

If Antonio Brown ends up getting released by the Raiders, there's a chance his career in Oakland will end without him ever receiving a single paycheck from the team.

That's right, even though Brown signed a three-year, $50.125 million deal in March that included $30.125 million in guaranteed money, he still hasn't received a single cent due to the way that his deal was structured, according to Pro Football Talk.

When he signed his deal, Brown's guaranteed total included a $1 million signing bonus plus full guarantees for the 2019 ($14.625 million) and 2020 ($14.5 million) seasons for a total of $30.125 million. Although most players get their signing bonus shortly after they put their signature on their contract, that wasn't the case with Brown.

According to PFT, Brown's signing bonus was actually structured as two separate workout bonuses of $500,000 each. To earn the 2019 money, Brown had to show up for 85 percent of the team's offseason training activities this year, which he did not do. Since he didn't meet the criteria, the Raiders didn't have to pay him the bonus, which means Brown was out $500,000 before he even got to training camp.

To get the other $500,000 bonus, Brown would have to show up for 85 percent of the team's offseason training activities in 2020, although he might not get that chance to earn that, because the Raiders might end up getting rid of him before next season.

Brown is currently on thin ice in Oakland and that's mainly due to the fact that he got into a heated incident/altercation/argument with general manager Mike Mayock at practice on Wednesday. The argument happened less than 24 hours after Brown shared a letter from Mayock on social media that Mayock obviously didn't want shared. The letter noted that the Raiders were going to fine Brown more than $54,000 for missing two practices.

That being said, fines should be the least of Brown's worries right now and that's because he's now facing a team suspension. If the Raiders go that route, there's a chance that Brown could end up seeing the rest of his guaranteed money voided, which means he'd lose out on $$29.625 million after already losing out on $500,000. Once the money is voided, the Raiders could theoretically cut him without taking any sort of salary cap hit.

The Raiders have basically been dealing with Brown's drama since the day he arrived in Oakland, and it's starting to feel like the only way this drama is going to end is if the team gets rid of him.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Maybe the Raiders knew what they were doing (or at least had some insurance written into the contract just in case AB went full "AB").

i love a good train wreck in the nfl. glad it aint our team.

Too bad it’s not Pittsburgh.

I'm glad it's not the Steelers. Something has happened to him mentally. He used to have an extremely high work ethic with the Steelers I hope he gets his act together.

Reading that, I have to wonder if Brown knew all of that beforehand? Or will he come to his senses now? I don't know.

I mean, did he know he could lose the entire contract by doing what he's done?

Yeah he certainly seems WAY worse now than ever before .. like he has no sense of reality

Just crazy... some speculating he wants to come to Houston... please dear god no...