Hard knocks:has it changed any of your opinions?

[bsfins]

I'm curious,even though it's only aired 2 episodes....Has watching Hard knocks changed your opinion?

It could be coach,player,the organization in general?

[Phishfan]

Based on what I saw last night, my expectations are Egnew has much further to go than I anticipated.

[Doc-phin]

I was lovin' me some Mike Sherman last night.  Before that, I was kinda thinking "old fart".

That guy has some major authority in his tone.  Awesome!

[tubba marxxx]

I was lovin' me some Mike Sherman last night.  Before that, I was kinda thinking "old fart".

That guy has some major authority in his tone.  Awesome!

Agreed.  I like him more than I like Philbin.  Philbin is coming across as too soft for me.  It's soon, I get that, but he just seems like an "aw shucks" guy and turning the other cheek.

[tubba marxxx]

Also, I love me some Matt Moore after this "behind the scenes" look at him.  He seems like he's a real laid back guy but has a fire on game day.  I think it's a good balance to have in a QB

[MikeO]

What I have learned so far...

1) We have a coaching staff that is professional and knows what the hell they are doing. It will take another offseason at least to drum out the problem players or guys who just suck. Not to mention upgrade the WR area, but they will get it done. Thankfully Miami has roughly 20-25 or so guys in the final years of their deal so Miami can cut the dead weight very quickly. This coaching staff will succeed in Miami. They understand how the NFL game needs to be played in the year 2012 and going forward. They aren't Parcells thought processes of get big guys and just run the ball and play defense. F' that 1980's mindset that is outdated. Might not be this year, but this coaching staff will have success!

2) The fact we have seen very little of Ross and Ireland is a GREAT thing. It is showing the league that Ireland isn't this awful monster he is perceived to be. And only showing Ross for like 5 seconds on episode 1 is exactly the right call. Show that he isn't some hands on owner who is making crazy demands of his coaches and stuff. He has that perception, which is a bad one, and hopefully this show changes that. I think it will.

3) I don't know if Ryan Tannehill is the answer or not, but if he fails it won't be from lack of effort or attitude. The guy is clearly working his tail off. Like when the QB Coach Zach asked the Qb's last night on the field after practice how do they think they each did. Garrard and Moore gave vanilla answers where they really said nothing, but Tannehill was specific with his answer and referenced actual plays.

Saban/Parcells/Sparano drove this franchise into the ground. It won't be rebuilt overnight but I have all the faith in the world Philbin/Sherman/Coyle will do the job. And after watching Hard Knocks they have cemented that opinion for me. Even if Miami goes 2-14 this year I still know we are heading in the right direction. In fact if Miami sucks this year I wouldn't be pissed at all. If we suck but Tannehill shows he is "THE MAN" that might be the best thing ever. Yeah it would suck to go through another long year, but a Top 5 pick and with a bunch of hot shot QB prospects coming out next year Miami might hold a lottery ticket to trade down and get a boatload of picks like St.Louis did this year. Or they can just stay put and take Robert Woods if he is there and solve their WR problem. I am NOT rooting for a big losing season, I am just saying IF it happened it wouldn't be the worst thing in the long run.

[Dave Gray]

I wouldn't say it changed my opinions, because I didn't really have any.

But it's more about filling blanks for me.  I didn't really have opinions of Philbin, Sherman, etc.  So, it's nice to see what kind of guys they are.

The only person I think differently of because of this show is Vontae.  He looks like a dog.

[Brian Fein]

I'm seeing a disturbing trend, here and in other places, with respect to Hard Knocks.

People are using the show as if to say they now know all there is to know.  Meanwhile, there's a week's worth of footage that gets cropped down to an hour, and the HBO production staff can drive the opinions about what they want the stories to be.

For example, everyone things Vontae is a dog, because they showed 30 seconds of him being tired.  No one knows what happened right before that scene, and no one notices that he's standing around with all the DB's at that time.  Not saying its not accurate, but Vontae could make 10 great plays in practice and they don't show them on the show and no one sees them.

Similarly is the Roberto Wallace story.  They made him look terrible on Hard Knocks, but in the game he was very good.  There seems to be a disconnect here between reality and entertainment. 

Not to say there's not some football value here.  We get the fly-on-the-wall view of a lot of stuff.  I like the exposure to Ireland and the coaching staff in player meetings.  I like to see natural reactions (like Philbin's reaction to Samuda's haircut) and I think there's a lot that can be learned from the show.  I am enjoying it immensely.

I just hope people remember that Hard Knocks is a TV show and not to let the HBO production staff dictate your full opinions on what's happening with the team.

[suck for luck]

The point you just made is exactly what I was thinking when I read Mike's post above; specifically re: Ross & Ireland.

[bsfins]

I understand Brian's point,but I'm not throwing away the stats,and what I've seen between the white lines...Just because I saw it on Hard Knocks

IMO,If you read camp reports (I keep wanting to put Ozzie,and Izzy) Omar and Izzy say this, Armando say that,then Ben Volin talks about this.Then it's like they make a 1 hour show about the things we're reading...Vontae being a dog? We already knew he wasn't doing good,and was behind Marshall on the depth chart (Not the Starter at this time)

We Knew Chad Johnson was arrested,and released before watching the show...

Yeah the Roberto Wallace nickname was a bit surprising,but also very revealing too.We always have that group of guys,(Marlon Moore,Wallace,Pruitt are good examples IMO) that are good enough to take roster spots,but never really doing anything during the season.They seem to be on the team for 2-3 years,practice squad,depth,but rarely make any impact on the season,a lot of times being inactive game day...I understand developmental guys,but there are times I wanna know why? When are they going to step up.

We make judgments on players based on the three hour block we see on Sunday& by their stats.We may lose to New England 45-17,and think this guy sucks,that guy sucks...Yet we don't see all the work and prep they put in throughout the week...

Our opinions get shaped by the little we see during the game,what the coaches and team want us to know,and the stuff the writers tell us....Hard Knocks is no different,except it's hard to deny it when you see it with your own two eyes...

IMO it's just another thing that adds,or detracts from all the other things we read,or see...

I was prepared to learn about players that I barely knew their names....Hogan being a perfect example...

My answers are....
David Garrard,My opinion of him is better as a leader,being the Veteran qb....He doesn't shake my concerns and reservations about him coming in...

The QB battle itself,isn't near as adversarial,as I thought it would be...A lot of people thinking the loser is getting cut.

Like already mentioned, I knew nothing other than Philbin,and Sherman's Resume...I like seeing their fiery side...

[BigDaddyFin]

The only thing driving me crazy about it (aside from I didn't want them on Hard Knocks in the first place) is that I find myself screaming at the television about this TE we picked up who runs a 4.4 and can't block.  MOVE HIM TO RECIEVER ALREADY.  But they haven't shown me as much of the defense as I would like. 

[Brian Fein]

^^ I also can't figure out why they haven't give this guy time at WR.  Makes no sense.

[MikeO]

I'm seeing a disturbing trend, here and in other places, with respect to Hard Knocks.

People are using the show as if to say they now know all there is to know.  Meanwhile, there's a week's worth of footage that gets cropped down to an hour, and the HBO production staff can drive the opinions about what they want the stories to be.

For example, everyone things Vontae is a dog, because they showed 30 seconds of him being tired.  No one knows what happened right before that scene, and no one notices that he's standing around with all the DB's at that time.  Not saying its not accurate, but Vontae could make 10 great plays in practice and they don't show them on the show and no one sees them.

Vontae being a #1 draft pick and the highest paid CB being demoted to 2nd string is what makes me think he is a dog. Showing up to practice "drunk" last year when Brandon punched him also got him the "dog" label. Hard Knocks confirmed everything!

[MikeO]

^^ I also can't figure out why they haven't give this guy time at WR.  Makes no sense.

Because he is a TE. Tight Ends don't just switch to WR.

Also he went to Missouri and Missouri Tight Ends have bombed out in recent years when going to the NFL. They have a "reputation" of not blocking at all and struggling on this level because of the college system they play in. Miami KNEW THIS when they took Egnew. He is a project with many aspects of the game. So its not a total shock. If he was well rounded he wouldn't have fallen to Rd 3! The kid can't block and probably never will be a top flight "blocker". That is OK as long as he can make plays in the passing game. Miami doesn't need Egnew to be John Mackey or Ozzie Newsome. They need him to be the next Aaron Hernandez type. Listed as a tight end in your program but very seldom does he line up next to a tackle and play the traditional tight end role. They split out him, have him in the slot...etc.

[fyo]

^^^ The reference is to Les Brown, I'm assuming, who has NEVER played tight end.  He played basketball in college and receiver in high school.