George Herron
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Hard Knocks: Bengals Part IV.
Posted by George Herron on September 3, 2009
Four episodes down and only one more to go.
HBO’s Hard Knocks was on again last night and this was not one of my favorite episodes. The episode before this one was really good and I felt a little let down after watching this one. That’s not to say this one was bad, it wasn’t. In typical Hard Knocks fashion they did a great job of catching candidness and made me look at certain people in a different way.
So here are observations from part four:
- Did anyone else notice that Katie Blackburn was VERY careful to make sure that she referred to Andre Smith as a “right tackle” when talking to Alvin on the phone? Pretty sly! She of course does that because left tackles are paid a lot more because typically they are protecting the quarterbacks blind side.
- I loved to hear Marvin on the phone talking about Mike. Marvin was very candid about Mike’s stubbornness and was trying to explain to whoever was on the phone that getting in a pissing match with Mike was useless! Of course Marvin has had to put up with it for 8 years now, on issues like Chris Henry. I have noticed that Mike and Marvin don’t spend a lot of alone time talking about decisions. Maybe they do and Hard Knocks just hasn’t shown it but I was hoping to see more interaction between those two. Although, I am not totally surprised that there isn’t more interaction.
- I loved Chad’s phone number trick. I am sure to all you women out there it is pretty creepy and he just armed stalkers everywhere with a means to communication and still well outside the restraining orders range.
- Tank Johnson looked like a special ed. kid when he was “boxing” the sled. I was cracking up. Then I was VERY happy to see that he was talking about Bill Walsh and what a great coach he was, it was as if he had just read the blog I posted last Saturday. Take that TONY!!! But I thought it was pretty telling, the conversation that Tank and Zimmer were having. I have liked Tank since first seeing him on this show and thought that he was a good guy. But it would appear that he feels like Cincinnati is just a pit stop for him and he doesn’t really care. Zimmer was in his ear about showing more effort and trying to not look so empathetic. Zimmer really wants this to be a TEAM and I like that. I hope Tank can get on the same page, because I feel it is important too.
- Chris Pressley is doing everything he can to make this team. Including hitting people so hard that he actually broke the face mask on his helmet and had to have it replaced. They guy is doing exactly what he needs to, he is getting in holes and hitting people hard. I mean he is almost throwing himself at defenders, it is nice to see that kind of effort. The Herron house is rooting for him.
- runpee.com. A hilarious idea of Jordan Palmer’s. I guess holding a clipboard all the time lets your mind wonder a bit! But all in all a pretty great idea!
"Which way did he go George, which way did he go?"
- Did anyone else notice Anthony Collins getting chewed up in the Rams game. That sucks, I have been praising him a lot and he looked absolutely horrible against the Rams. He was getting beat, missing blocks, it was as if Levi Jones snuck in and put on Anthony’s jersey.
- Nice to see Tom Nelson doing anything he can to get a job, including looking pretty good returning punts. Funny to see Tom and wife/girlfriend taking a carriage ride in Cincy, he seems like a pretty cool guy. Tom, like Chris Pressley has found some fans in the Herron house. What is it about undrafted guys that makes you want to root for them to make the team? Especially two guys that are just grinding like these two are. They really speak to that blue collar attitude.
- I loved seeing Carson roaming the sidelines talking to Bernard Scott and Jordan about having a short memory. He also followed up with Bernard after Bernard’s big run and told him that was a great football play. He really seems like he is a great teammate.
- It sickened me immediately following all the paper work signing the first thing Alvin said to Andre was, “Congratulations, you’re a multi millionaire.” Of course Alvin,all you are thinking about is the money. That has been VERY clear from the begining. You can’t at least lie and say, “Congratulations, now you can get on the field with your teammates and start to contribute?” He just proved what everyone already knew, he is a douche bag and money was his only concern not Andre’s best interests.
Next week will be the final installment and I will be sad to see it go. It was so nice to see some of the inner workings of this football team. It has given me a much better perspective on Marvin. I was kind of at my wits end with him, but seeing him coach, seeing him interact, seeing him yell, it has all really changed the way I view him as a head coach.
Chad said it, for the Bengals to be succesful, these three need to step up this year.
After watching Marvin in the locker room following the loss to the Rams I was amazed. He had the right to be that pissed and it was nice to see him just lay into those guys. I know if I would have gotten yelled at the way Marvin yelled after that game, you wouldn’t have to worry about me messing up again the rest of the year! If Marvin yelled at me like that I think I would have killed a man for him. I doubt that most of the men in that locker room feel that way but I hope some of them listened and actually took that to heart, I’m not sure how they couldn’t.
jesyisms said
I’m pretty disgusted with Alvin’s demeanor and really think that he is a crappy agent. Well, maybe I’m wrong and maybe he is a good agent because he is making Andrea a “multi-millionaire” WOW, can’t really believe that was the first statement out of Alvin’s mouth when Andre finally signed. I did think it was hilarious that once Andre did sign that Mike Brown, Marvin Lewis and others made comments or remarks to Andre about the money, ha!
I’m really sad to see this season of Hard Knocks ending, I’ve really enjoyed the ability to see more of the “behind the scenes” and getting to know the players and team more as a whole.