Grid Effect

First off, let me preempt this post by saying I’m not even a rabid fan of The NFL. This website is a college football supporter (we tend to find the NFL a little too corporately hypocritical and serious for our sports entertainment), in fact, if it wasn’t for fantasy football we would watch the first few weeks of the NFL, sleep in and such weeks 6-14, then watch the last three weeks and the playoffs with a modicum of interest until the Eagles lost. So, needless to say, any sports fan can appreciate this series, it isn’t tailor made strictly for NFL fans.

And that was evidenced by the premiere. For those who do not know who Herm Edwards is, he was the former coach of the New York Jets. When the team was slumping a few years back, a reporter asked him about the possibility the team is tanking the season to ensure a high draft pick that was to follow. Edwards lost his damn mind and started screaming repeatedly, “you play to win the game!” Since The Jets fought back that season and actually made a decent playoff run, it is now a go-to quote whenever anyone questions the motives of a player or coach, and as sports personalities are wont to do, this outburst is perceived as some insightful prose that embodies the NFL psyche. Yeah, completely misconstrued.

Not to take anything away from Herm, he is a respectable NFL coach, hallowed by many for his ability to maximize the value of his players and is a great motivator. However, his ability to read/manage a clock has arguably cost him several pivotal games over the years, and it seems to all tie in, in some weird, convoluted way that I’m entirely too tired right now dissect. But his beaming, sometimes unintentionally funny personality is only the tip of the iceberg.

We have former girlfriend beater Larry Johnson, holding out to renegotiate his contract and at the time working out with college and professional football whipping boy, Brady Quinn, who just can’t seem to avoid the public eye. Kyle Turley, a disgraced offensive lineman who defended his onfield infractions a few years back by saying Aaron Brooks, a quarterback who’s suffered several professional hardships over the years and was Turley’s teammate at the time, was screaming like a “little girl” when Turley rushed to his defense. One of the lesser known players described his mini-camp lifestyle being that of a prison, then was shows playing “Guitar Hero” moments later. This is Hard Knocks.

Other highlights include Brody Croyle epitomizing every stereotype I’ve come to believe about those from the deep south (”the weddin’ time is a stressful time on the women-folk”), and his wife, whose name I’ve managed to forget, embodying everything I regret about not attending an SEC school for my worthless English degree (Honestly, I can categorically say that she looked better than any coed Ohio State had/has to offer). And another no-name player dancing in a remarkably disturbing manner (akin to that of your common exotic dancer), much to the bemusement of his teammates. It was quite possibly the most latently homosexual behavior I’ve ever seen in a locker room. And that is some stealth competition.

Again, this series isn’t built strictly for your NFL fanatic. It definitely doesn’t hurt to be familiar with the personalities, but if you simply enjoy mocking professional athletes, you can definitely get some entertainment out of Hard Knocks. Much like any reality show, there is a bevy of worthwhile embarrassment here.

Mad Men recap coming after lunch.