!!!OFFICIAL 2009 HARD KNOCKS EPISODE #5 THREAD!!!

[oldschooler]

From Mo Egger's blog . . .


MY FIVE WEEK RUN AS AN HBO SUBSCRIBER HAS ENDED

Not the best episode of Hard Knocks, but maybe the most dramatic.

-The show begins with Marvin basically telling them that not everyone will be around after this week.

-Then some practice footage ends with Chad dropping a ball, with Roy Williams giving him crap about it. Chad is not happy about this. Roy informs him he will be on him all year and tells Chad not to be so sensitivie. Chad then promises that he didn't drop two balls all camp. We then get a montage of Chad drops, which looked a lot like his '08 highlight reel.

-Hey look, Paul Brown! A glimpse into Bengals history! Mike Brown reflects on his dad, saying that he was "rather sparse with praise." Never let it be said that Paul didn't prepare his son for adulthood. Then we get the story behind "Who Dey," and hey look it's the 1988 Bengals! The team of my youth! Yay. The Bengals were good then. In the midst of all that though, we get a shot of this clown,

[url="http://content.clearchannel.com/cc-common/mlib/1120/09/1120_1252552416.jpg"][img]http://content.clearchannel.com/cc-common/mlib/1120/09/1120_1252552416.jpg[/img][/url]

-We get a shot of Shayne Graham taking some of his teammates to a steakhouse, and almost unbelievably Andre Smith is one of them! Exactly what he needs, a large piece of cow.

-This from my buddy Rich: Shayne Graham has a steak named after him??? Must be a tender-loin.

The Fui Vakapuna/Chris Pressley running back battle is the storyline.

-There's Carson Palmer doing some rehab. Carson is a quarterback. Plays for the Bengals. Wears number nine.

-Cool part of the show...Marvin and Ben Utecht. Marvin informs Ben there's more to life than football. Ben isn't sure what to do. Marvin tells Ben he will not be playing in 2009. Ben then changes his kid's diaper.

-This show at least makes a preseason game look intense.

-Good stuff with Chris Pressley's mom, wife, and kid watching him warm up, stand on the sideline, then play. Chris' mom is overcome with emotion. Making your mom proud must be cool.

-If you're Gus Parrish on cutdown day, don't you just call Jim Lippincott yourself and save him the effort?

-Love the player evaluation meeting. Gut-wrenching decisions. Guys with careers in their lives.

-During a meeting with Mike Brown, the team owner says he's "a kid in a candy store." And he's not even looking at his stadium agreement.

-It's cutdown time, do the Bengals bring in the new former Bengals in for a face-to-face? No! They get a phone call! All class,our Bengals.

-Those who do make the team get a call from Marvin. That has to be the coolest part of the job, telling someone they made the team. That along with the high rate of pay, prestige, fame, free gear, and other trappings of being a coach in the NFL.

-DeDe's reaction to him making the team? Just barely above a yawn?

-Fui gets tired of waiting for his phone call, so he goes to the stadium to get cut in person. Marvin approaches him, tells him that he worked hard, and that he should keep his head up. Fui then siti there on a and comtemplates murdering Marvin Lewis.

-We end the show with rumbling music and the obligatory "we're gonna kick some ******" quotes from some of the particulars, which being gullible sports fans, pumps us up. It ends with the team picture and Marvin claiming the goals are to go unbeaten at home, to win the AFC North, and be World Champions. Then the closing credits roll and I cancel my HBO subcription.

[url="http://www.1530homer.com/pages/mo.html?an=TY-VAN-BURKLEO"][color="#ff6600"]http://www.1530homer....TY-VAN-BURKLEO[/color][/url]

[oldschooler]

[b][size="5"]Hard Knocks recap: Season finale
[/size][/b]
September 10, 2009 10:30 AM

[i]
Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker[/i]

HBO concluded an interesting season of "Hard Knocks" featuring the [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=cin"][color="#666666"]Cincinnati Bengals[/color][/url] Wednesday night.

Here were the highlights:

[b]Synopsis:[/b] The Bengals wrap up their preseason and experience one of the most difficult days of the year when it's time to reduce the roster to 53 players. Cincinnati goes out and puts a 38-7 thrashing on the [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=ind"][color="#000000"]Indianapolis Colts[/color][/url], as a lot of players perform well and make for some tough last-minute decisions.

[b]Ocho drop-o:[/b] Bengals receiver [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2584"][color="#000000"]Chad Ochocinco[/color][/url], who has been one of the biggest stars of the season, tells a lie right off the bat by saying he's dropped only two passes all summer. Veteran safety [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=3536"][color="#000000"]Roy Williams[/color][/url] calls him out on it and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer gives Ocho a "Child please!" When HBO rolls the tape, the network shows a half-dozen drops from Ochocinco, proving Williams and Zimmer correct.

[b]Funny moment No. 1:[/b] The league provides the Bengals with rules of communicating through the Internet. While Bengals coach Marvin Lewis goes down the list of social-networking sites, he says, "Facebook, whatever that's called." It's safe to assume Lewis doesn't have a Facebook account.

[b]Funny moment No. 2:[/b] The show went into the origin of the "Who-Dey" chant, which started with the good Bengal teams of the 1980s. Said rookie linebacker [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=12455"][color="#000000"]Rey Maualuga[/color][/url], who played for USC and is from California: "It's a little corny. But, you know, it's part of the program."

[b]Rise and fall:[/b] Rookie tight end [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=12536"][color="#000000"]Chase Coffman[/color][/url] continues to baffle Cincinnati's coaching staff. The third-round pick began training camp slow and way behind on the depth chart. It then appeared he was making strides in the middle of camp, as injuries to the position helped propel him. But Coffman has continued his roller-coaster ride and fallen back to third string, according to the coaches, as they prepare for the regular season.

[b]Cut time:[/b] The Bengals had to cut 20-plus players to get down to their 53-man roster. There were very few surprises, with the exception of keeping both [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10496"][color="#000000"]Brian Leonard[/color][/url] and [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10341"][color="#000000"]DeDe Dorsey[/color][/url], which I agree was the right call.

[b]Grade:[/b] B

[b]Why:[/b] Naturally, roster cuts were the biggest part of the show, so most football and Bengals fans knew the ending before tuning in. Still, it was interesting to watch the process. In the best scene of the show, it was surreal to watch the coaching staff discuss and determine the future and livelihoods of so many people. Then viewers also got to see the process of each player waiting to be called. Overall, it was a great job by HBO to put a spotlight on a team few football fans cared about on a national scale. Any victory for the Bengals is a victory for the AFC North.



[url="http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post?id=2767"]http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post?id=2767[/url]

[Cat]

5 episodes wasn't nearly enough... i wish they could follow through the season, but I know that isn't possible.

I enjoyed every bit of this, and I still laugh my ass off when I watch the rookie talent show. One thing I liked, was getting more info about the coaches, and I really, really like Zimmer a whole lot more. i think the only coach that didn't get much camera time was Sheppard.

I hate for it to end... but damn I can't wait until Sunday!!!

[#22]

The owner of the Precinct (Jeff Ruby) is one of the bigger Grade-A assholes in the region, and that's really saying something. He's like Cunningham or Deters in that he will do absolutely anything to get on the air.

[Cricket]

[quote name='#22' date='10 September 2009 - 12:27 PM' timestamp='1252596431' post='800193']
The owner of the Precinct (Jeff Ruby) is one of the bigger Grade-A assholes in the region, and that's really saying something. He's like Cunningham or Deters in that [b]he will do absolutely anything to get on the air.[/b]
[/quote]


Yeah, didn't he shoot Lee Harvey Oswald?

[Actium]

[quote name='Jumpy' date='09 September 2009 - 11:19 PM' timestamp='1252552771' post='800081']
Did some searching and found that The Cardinals picked Fui up. Good for him. And he gets to block for Beanie Wells!! ::
[/quote]

I think he was signed to the Cards' practice squad.

I wish him luck--I like him and found myself rooting for him (and a lot of guys) form their Hard Knocks appearances.

[Jamie_B]

[quote name='Rumble In the Jungle' date='10 September 2009 - 01:22 AM' timestamp='1252556559' post='800099']
that was hilarious
what was really funny to me though was when Marvin tried to call DeDe and he called the same lady again and she said "Didn't i tell you you called the wrong number again" and hung up on him i balled out laughing lol
[/quote]


The first episode of Tank's Hood Cribs....


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9mZE74QI_s[/media]

[Rumble In the Jungle]

[quote name='Jamie_B' date='10 September 2009 - 02:00 PM' timestamp='1252602019' post='800229']
The first episode of Tank's Hood Cribs....


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9mZE74QI_s[/media]
[/quote]

[Jamie_B]

[quote]I"m gonna miss Tank Johnson's surprising humor. In the segment about Ochocinco being "the NFL's Twitter king," Johnson said: "You've got New York, you've got Chicago, you've got Los Angeles, and you've got Ochocinco, the fourth largest media market in the country right here."[/quote]

Yeah that was hilarous, Tank is one funny dude.

[oldschooler]

[b][size="5"]Hard Knocks: Episode V
[/size][/b]By C. Trent Rosecrans on September 9, 2009 9:58 PM

I'm going to be sad to see this series end. I think it's been well-done and just about everything the Bengals had hoped it'd be (you know, besides helping sell-out Sunday's game).

So, as it's about to start and I watch Derek Jeter with a full count and my DVR will move me to HBO once it's time to start. Another foul ball, and I'm not gonna get to see if Jeter gets the hit record.

* The season finale of Hung? I think it's been OK. Not much more. But better than Entourage, man, has that show gotten old and boring. Not sure why I've watched it all season, habit, I guess. Really, could they come up with at least one new plotline?

* Joe Buck Live, that worked well, didn't it?

* Previously on Hard Knocks -- Chad, Chad, Chase, Chase, Lippy, Lippy, Nelson, Nelson, Lynch, Pressley, Whit, Leonard, DeDe, Gus, Marvin. Sounds about right.

* The DLP asked if Marvin's said stuff for the cameras, and I really don't think he has.

* One other thing about the Hard Knocks, they've sure made Cincinnati look pretty, you gotta give them that.

* I actually do feel let down that I know who's gone and had those spoilers. As Marvin talks to the rookies and second-year players, he tells them that there are still jobs out there, but they cut out the "except for you, Gus." Poor Gus Parrish, but, well, you know, he just wasn't good enough.

* I'm surprised Mike Zimmer went with the "child please" instead of "fuck you"

* I'm curious what Ochocinco's going to say about the drop montage

* Chad's living room is pretty busy, don't you think?

* Glad to see more on Paul Brown.

* Would Paul Brown be sparse with praise for the way Mike Brown is running this team? Yeah...

* "A low spot" 18 years is more than a low spot.

* Rey's right, Who Dey is corny.

* Wow, an Odell Thurman sighting in teh Who Dey montage. Those were the days, weren't they?

* Jeff Ruby doesn't miss a camera, does he?

* I'd like to have heard more abotu Rashad Jeanty. He's one of the most respected guys in the locker room.

* It's cool that Chris Pressley's girlfriend, mother and son were able to get out here -- I hope it was on HBO's dime.

* Poor Ben Utecht. I talked to him on Monday. You can tell how much he's hurting from this decision. He really wants to be a Bengal, I know that.

* Oh, the save a life, save your job comparison for Lynch -- as soon as they started that, I knew they were going there.

* You can just feel how proud Chris Pressley's mom is. That's really great.

* I love "yeah-fuckin'-hoo"

* I'm still surprised there wasn't more on Quan Cosby.

* If they picked a team on the Who Dey chant after the Colts game, they wouldn't have 53.

* Wow, that's some gross water in the Ohio River

* I'm guessing most people on the defense think Mike Zimmer doesn't like them. Me? I like Zimmer.

* "Second fullback or DeDe?" That's what I thought it came down to as well. I think they made the right choice.

* Oh, Mike Brown meeting.

* Nice to see Chris Pressley got a "Child Please" shirt.

* Wow, that DeDe or FB choice came down to the end, didn't it?

* The wrong number for DeDe is classic. DeDe was at the hotel, tells you what he thought his chances were.

* I like that Fui and Pressley talked to each other.

* They could have used more DeDe Dorsey, the guy is really funny.

* They had some gorgeous days to shoot here, didn't they?

* Overall, a great series. This wasn't the best episode yet, but was a good wrap-up. It seems amazing that it was only five episodes. NFL Films and HBO -- really, that's a dream team. I'm looking forward to next season already.

* Tank Knocks. I like it. I'd watch Hood Cribs with Tank Johnson.




[url="http://cnati.com/blogs/ctrent/2009/09/hard-knocks-episode-iv-a-new-hope.php"]http://cnati.com/blogs/ctrent/2009/09/hard-knocks-episode-iv-a-new-hope.php[/url]

[oldschooler]

[size="5"][color="#0d5e96"][b]Bengals embrace "Who-Dey" on "Hard Knocks"[/b][/color][/size]
By [color="#0d5e96"]Ken Paxson [/color]| Thursday, September 10, 2009, 11:29 AM

Watching 50-plus grown men who get paid millions huddle up and shout the "Who-Dey!" battle cry — with head coach Marvin Lewis leading the way — sure made me feel a lot better about teaching my kids the silly song.

I always thought "Who-Dey!" was reserved for fans and dismissed by players and coaches.

To see them actually embrace it the final episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks: Training Camp With The Cincinnati Bengals," was liberating for a life-long fan like myself.

There were multiple clips of the team in the locker room before and after games and practices screaming in unison: "Who-dey, who-dey, who-dey think gonna beat 'dem Bengals? Noooooobody!"

This episode was the best, in my opinion, because HBO took the time to explore a little bit of Bengals' history. They talked about the origin of "Who-Dey" and got reaction from coaches and players — some saying it was odd to say it until you get used to it, while someone else remarked that it "gave them chills."

HBO also explored the legacy of Paul Brown, who the announcer termed the game's greatest innovator, noting his creation of the passing pocket, facemask and use of film as a training tool.

I enjoyed the first half of the show a lot more than the second — mostly because for me there was little drama over who made the team. That news was made on Saturday, so there wasn't much suspense as they showed players on the bubble waiting for phone calls on cut-down day.

However, it was still a fast-paced, insightful episode. Here are some quick hits:

[list][*]Safety Roy Williams went after Chad Ochocinco after a dropped pass: "Ain't nobody else going to get on you so I am," he shouted at Chad. "I'm gonna push you." Ocho reacted by saying he hadn't dropped more than two balls all camp. HBO responded by showing at least 6 drops.[*]Shayne Graham and injured first-round pick Andre Smith were shown at "The Precinct" restaurant. Apparently Graham has a steak named after him there. Someone associated with restaurant came to the table, bantering with Andre, saying he would name a 64-ounce "heavily marbled" steak in Smith's honor, but he'd "have to lose some weight first."[*]Carson Palmer was doing throwing exercises with a medicine ball, later saying "This should be the best year of my career. I've never been more comfortable than I am now. This is our year."[*]Marvin got hung up on when called the wrong number as he attempted to get in touch with De De Dorsey. "I must have transposed those numbers," he mumbled.[*]Owner Mike Brown at the final personnel meeting: "I'm like a kid in a candy store. I want to keep them all."[*]Unknown player: "A storm is coming. Some won't be able to take the rocking ship. Others will batten down the hatches and be ready for anything."[/list]

The show closed out with the players lining up for the team picture and Lewis saying: "Our goal is to be undefeated at home, win the AFC North and eventually be world champions."

The question is — is eventually now, or as usual some other year? We start to find out Sunday.





[url="http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/bengals/entries/2009/09/10/bengals_embrace_whodey_on_hard.html?cxtype=feedbot"]http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/bengals/entries/2009/09/10/bengals_embrace_whodey_on_hard.html?cxtype=feedbot[/url]

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='TheBeaverHunter' date='10 September 2009 - 09:00 AM' timestamp='1252584038' post='800130']
I wonder why Marvin said wait to call Fui? Did he want to tell him face to face? He didn't really say a whole lot to him though. I felt sorry for them making him wait like that.
[/quote]


the impression I got was that they wanted other teams to find out he was waived as late as possible, hoping that teams will have put claims in on other players and not have room to claim him too.