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August 31, 2016 at 8:55 am #51943
znModeratorHard Knocks, Ep. 4: Rams take human approach to cuts
Dan Hanzus
A few weeks back, I placed a call to Hard Knocks director Matt Dissinger, who was nice enough to give me a few minutes in the middle of the mad dash to put a wrap on the season premiere set to air the following night.
I wanted to get Dissinger’s take on a comment from Cardinals coach Bruce Arians, a vocal Hard Knocks critic who had told me weeks earlier that his issue with the popular documentary series was rooted in what he called “the sensationalism of guys getting cut.”
Dissinger rejected the notion, countering that the public pink slips had always been presented in a measured manner, while pointing out that the exposure had actually helped lead to jobs for many players through the years.
“I don’t believe that we take these things and exploit a player for fun,” Dissinger said. “I think a documentary series is to document what happens, just the same as you would if a player has a great game or if he gets criticized in a meeting. This is not a scripted reality show. We didn’t write the cuts into the show. It’s just a matter of course for what happens in a training camp.”
Dissinger’s comments were in my mind as I watched the penultimate episode of the 11th season of Hard Knocks on Tuesday night. If you’re a fan of the series, you know Episode 4 is traditionally when the Turk first comes calling. Arians’ comments, and Dissinger’s retort, allowed me to watch the episode with a fresh perspective.
What I took out of it was a slightly different approach by Hard Knocks. On Tuesday, we saw the focus placed less on the players who were in danger and more on the team and its process.
“Our employee that tells the player that you need to go see the head coach happens to be Rock Gullickson,” Jeff Fisher explains. “And I think that’s important because it should be personal. No one has worked more with our players more than the strength and conditioning coach.”
Gullickson has been in the game for decades. He was close enough to Brett Favre during his days with the Packers to get invited to the Gunslinger’s Hall of Fame induction this summer. The popular Gullickson feels like a better fit than what we’ve seen in past Hard Knocks seasons, where the turk duties are handled by a younger team assistant with no apparent tie to the player.
“When you grab ’em on that day and say, ‘We’ve got to take this walk,’ you do feel it deep inside,” Gullickson said. “These kids have dreamed of playing at this level for years since they were small kids and all of a sudden it may be over.”
Gullickson hands off the released player to Fisher, who has handled every final interaction with a cut player since he became a head coach. Again, this is different than what we’ve seen in past Hard Knocks seasons. It’s a personal approach by the Rams, one other teams would be wise to follow.
The closing scene of the episode might be the best of the season so far. During a weightlifting session, Gullickson surveys the room while taking periodic glances at his phone. When a name drops in his inbox, that is his cue to grab the player and take him to Fisher.
The anxiety in the room pulsates from the screen. In a particularly deft bit of storytelling, we watch Gullickson approach the area occupied by Austin Hill, known to viewers as The Underdog Wide Receiver With The Precocious Daughter. Hill looks done for … until Gullickson veers left and grabs another player instead. Hill is safe for another day. All of this is done in slow motion with the appropriate background music to achieve maximum effect.
Is that sensationalism? Bruce Arians may argue it is. I call it tremendous storytelling of a dramatic — and sometimes traumatic — aspect of football life.
Odds & Ends:
» Hard Knocks producers should have just flashed ***SYMBOLISM ALERT*** on screen each time we saw black crows chilling at UC Irvine on cut day.
» Is Les Snead OK? I believe we saw him for a flash tonight, but at this point I’m not ruling out a body double covering for a more sinister reality. Snead, the NFL’s most photogenic general manager and a man front and center at various league events, continues to have no presence in this series. What gives?
» I like when Hard Knocks captures football in a way that’s relatable to anyone who’s played the game on any level. Forget about the money and the women and the cars and the fans, sometimes you gotta run gassers when your team commits a bunch of dumb penalties. (The Rams had nine of them in their second preseason tilt.)
» It’s been a tough summer for Jared Goff, whose slow progress has been accompanied by some real pain. No. 1 overall picks are not supposed to take shots like this in a game that doesn’t count:
» The practice fight, which took off when linebacker Alec Ogletree leveled running back Benny Cunningham with a cheap shot, was a beautiful thing to watch unfold in slow motion. There were some haymakers in the mix!
» William Hayes’ dino-truther stance is veering away from entertaining and toward exasperating. I felt so bad for poor Brittany, the dinosaur museum tour guide tasked with making a believer out of a man not interested in education.
» Rams offensive line coach Paul Boudreau on center Eric Kush: “Kush, he’s got a little dirtbag in him and that’s good.” Only in football can the term “dirtbag” be seen as a compliment. Where I grew up, dirtbags were kids in Metallica T-shirts who smoked cigarettes and hung out behind Walgreens during school hours.
» I still can’t believe the Rams gave Tavon Austin that fat contract extension, but I will say Austin is a “pint-sized but pugnacious dynamo” (to borrow a phrase from narrator Liev Schreiber) equipped with a captivating Little Man Complex. When Austin inexplicably picks a sideline fight with Hayes, defensive tackle Dominique Easley can only laugh and rhetorically ask, “Why you so little?”
» Nothing sounds better than a $74 order from In-N-Out. I’ll ride or die with the Double Double Animal Style.
August 31, 2016 at 8:56 am #51944znModeratorCuts provide “Hard Knocks” some much-needed juice, drama
Zac Jackson
Cuts provide “Hard Knocks” some much-needed juice, drama
In a “Hard Knocks” series that’s provided little in the way of drama or must-see characters, it was almost like the show needed the always compelling and sometimes numbing roster cut scene that closed Tuesday’s fourth episode.
Spice things up by showing guys get their dreams crushed? Hey, whatever it takes.
If you’ve been watching — this year or in prior, more entertaining years — you could see it coming at the beginning of the fourth episode when the show’s producers introduced Rams strength coach Rock Gullickson, who serves as the team’s turk.
When cut day comes, Gullickson is the guy who tracks down the players and takes them for a walk to see head coach Jeff Fisher. The show’s narrator even pointed out that in 2016, “cuts are high tech” as Gullickson checked his phone for a text message informing him which players he needed to escort out of the weight room.
Across the league, teams had to cut their preseason rosters from 90 to 75 by Tuesday afternoon. By Saturday, every team has to be down to 53 players. “Hard Knocks” showed Fisher cutting a handful of players, and the producers also caught candid shots of journeyman wide receiver Austin Hill believing that Gullickson was coming for him.
“Hard Knocks” promises full access and raw stuff fans normally don’t see, and the cut scenes provide both. Fisher told the cameras he’s personally released every player his team has cut since he’s been a head coach in the NFL, and in his conversation with recently released tight end Benson Browne he told the story of a player trying to get the team to pay for his flight to Hawaii.
“But he wasn’t from Hawaii,” Fisher said.
One player told Fisher he didn’t know his next move. Another asked for a candid opinion from Fisher on whether he should continue to pursue football. Fisher told center Brian Folkerts that the good news was that a lot of teams are looking for interior linemen right now.
“Anytime you release any player, it’s not easy,” Fisher said. “Some will come to the realization that their childhood goal is over and I need to go on with my life.”
Said Gullickson: “You do feel it deep inside that these kids have dreamed about this since they were small kids and all of a sudden it may be over.”
Overall, Hard Knocks is limping to the finish. But Austin Hill is still around — “he survives another week,” cameras caught Fisher saying at the end of this episode — and so are the HBO cameras.
At least for a few more days.
August 31, 2016 at 8:58 am #51945znModeratorHard Knocks Season 11, Episode 4 Recap
By misone
Episode four of Hard Knocks with the Los Angeles Rams was a feisty one, as well as a reality check…
First and foremost, Aqib Talib ain’t shit….
We finally got some more airtime for Los Angeles Rams Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Rock Gullickson. This guy is intense as all hell at the scouting combine year in and year out, but it took four weeks for HBO to realize this. Someone needs to be fired. I kid, I kid.. However, the timing makes a lot sense, considering his role in collecting playbooks. There’s no bigger reality check these young players have had in life than that long walk to the head coaches office with your dream on the line.
Rookie franchise QB Jared Goff called a play and didn’t know what it was. That’s not what bothered me.
What bothered me was Offensive Coordinator Rob Boras took the blame saying that he should have been in the huddle with him. To hell with that. Did we draft him to coddle him? What happened to the expectations of learning the damn plays? When was saying “I don’t know the plays” a good enough excuse to get the coach to say I should have been there holding your jock strap? How about you ask someone in the huddle what the play is, or will you get in a game and call a play and not know where you are going with the ball?
WR Tavon Austin — one of the smallest players not only on the team but in the league — continues to have one of the biggest personalities on the show. His mouth coupled with his tough guy demeanor keeps the cameras on him regularly. This time pretend fighting with DE William Hayes.
But when you are four weeks into camp and emotions are high, and you have LB Alec Ogletree on your team, pretend fights eventually become real ones. Tree absolutely lowered the boom on RB Benny Cunningham for no reason other than boredom. That caused Cunningham to immediately charge him sparking a team brawl. Moments later, RB Todd Gurley being the good teammate and friend he is went after Tree on his next rep. Tree didn’t take it too kindly sparking an even bigger brawl. However, Head Coach Jeff Fisher didn’t stop practice on the first brawl, but clearly Gurley, who isn’t be touched, caused a delay. Who can blame him…
The bright side to the brawl is we found out that you should never expect Jared Goff to have your back in a brawl…though that’s probably a smart career move.
DE Eugene Sims has no clue how to spell fajita, which was awesome considering how comfortable and confident he was in his error.
You have to love to see Austin embrace Rams Owner Stan Kroenke before the game against the Denver Broncos. It was a surreal moment as you realize just how much playing this game can change a guys life. His appreciation was evident, and he even said as much during the embrace telling him, “Thank you. You changed my life.”
That’s what this show is all about. Showing the stuff that goes on when the helmet is off that you don’t always catch during the game.
Random Stat of The Week:
DT Aaron Donald finished his college career with 66 tackles for loss and 315 yards, as well as 29 sacks.
Now only two years into the NFL — yes, the NFL…you know, the game’s highest level — he already has 38 tackles for loss (good for second best in the NFL over the last two seasons), for 166 yards, and 20 sacks. Granted you play more games in the NFL than college, so lets look at the game totals. He played 51 games in college which breaks down to 1.3 tackles for loss a game and .56 sacks a game. But in the NFL, the elevation in talent has not slowed him one bit. In fact it looks like it has made him even greater. In 32 games he has averaged 1.2 tackles for loss and .62 sacks a game. And from a year to year basis, he has improved on each by 6 for tackles for loss, and by 2 for sacks. By my count, the world should be expecting a huge year from Mr. Donald.
August 31, 2016 at 9:12 am #51947znModeratoroff the net fromNERamsFan
Great episode, arguably my favorite one!
Hayes and the whole dinosaur thing should be it’s own tv show lol…
The contract extension with Tavon was awesome and his appreciation for Kroenke was truly awesome. I almost got choked up watching him have a moment with Coach Fish.
Rock is arguably the most respected head strength and conditioning coach in the league. Would love to see him have Favre guest visit at a practice, would be great for Goff.
And finally, the whole Austin Hill saga NEEDS to end. I truly have had enough of his side story, can’t wait to see his selfish ass get cut… Sorry I just can’t root for the kid.
Please Lord no injuries!!!
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August 31, 2016 at 1:45 pm #51954
PA RamParticipantAnd finally, the whole Austin Hill saga NEEDS to end. I truly have had enough of his side story, can’t wait to see his selfish ass get cut… Sorry I just can’t root for the kid.
Please Lord no injuries!!!
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I don’t get the hatred toward Austin Hill. He seems like a genuinely nice kid trying to make an NFL team. What is “selfish” about him? Maybe I missed something.
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. " Philip K. Dick
August 31, 2016 at 3:57 pm #51958znModerator‘Hard Knocks’ details Rams’ recent fight
Alden Gonzalez
ESPN Staff Writerhttp://www.espn.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/30470/hard-knocks-details-rams-recent-fight
IRVINE, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams running back Benny Cunningham was trotting harmlessly down the field after finishing his route in a practice drill when suddenly middle linebacker Alec Ogletree threw his right shoulder and leveled him to the grass. That sparked the fight that broke out at Rams practice last Wednesday, which finished with superstar Todd Gurley on the ground and was captured by HBO’s “Hard Knocks” cameras in Tuesday’s episode.
Shortly after the incident involving Ogletree and Cunningham, Gurley caught a pass from Case Keenum and went right after Ogletree, then sprung up and wrestled him down. Several players went at it again. And at one point, running back Chase Reynolds was swinging his fists at linebacker Brandon Chubb despite being without a helmet. When Rams coach Jeff Fisher gathered his players in a circle, he told them the following:
“Let’s start out by saying this — this is a practice script, OK? We can’t get enough f—ing reps as it is because of the way this whole thing is set up. Every f—ing rep means something. Every single call, every single rep. You young guys aren’t getting reps. Some of you guys aren’t even getting into a game. Practice is f—ing important, and when you get into that s— there, you’re not thinking about a rep, you’re not thinking about practice — you’re thinking about bulls—! And I’m not standing for that. Take a deep breath, get your s— together, and we’re going to finish this practice. Now let me see your poise, let me see your respect for each other. We’re going to finish this day.”
The Rock says: The star of Episode 4 was Rock Gullickson, the longtime strength and conditioning coach who is in his eighth season with the Rams and has now been in the NFL for 17 years. Gullickson is the coach who spends the most time with players, guiding them through their workouts and even snapping the ball for the quarterbacks. The episode included footage of Brett Favre’s Hall of Fame speech, during which he thanked Gullickson, who coached for three years in Green Bay.
When the Rams make cuts, Gullickson is the one who informs the victims they need to see Fisher in his office. Gullickson was shown summoning tight end Benson Browne, kicker Taylor Bertolet, center Brian Folkerts, defensive tackle Zach Colvin and defensive back Michael Caputo, five of the 15 players waived by the Rams when they officially trimmed their roster to 75 players on Tuesday.
“What are you always looking at me for?” Gullickson told undrafted receiver Austin Hill and a group of other players. “You guys are all clear. Take a deep breath.”
The final cuts are on Saturday, though.
Growing pains: Remember Jared Goff’s first drive in Saturday’s preseason loss to the Broncos, which ended with the rookie quarterback trying to run for a first down but coming up just short with an awkward-looking slide? Keenum chimed in from the sidelines: “Hey that might have been the worst slide I’ve ever seen, bud.”
Goff explained that the brace on his left knee got caught in the grass.
Earlier in the show, quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke told Goff: “I know that you know this stuff, but you’re not an expert at it yet. Not that anybody is an expert, but for example, Case has been around it longer. The more reps you get, the wider your vision becomes, the slower the game is for you. It doesn’t just happen; it has to happen through reps and experience.”
Mermaids and dinosaurs: Veteran defensive end William Hayes was noticeably excited to spot the mermaid who came to see him at practice. But he was skeptical and sarcastic while taking a personal tour at a dinosaur exhibit in Orange County. Hayes was told about the tyrannosaurus rex and said, “You don’t see how ridiculous that sounds?” He was shown a dinosaur egg and said, “It’s a rock.” And then he was led to pieces of dinosaur feces, a development so unfathomable Hayes had to share it with teammate Eugene Sims via FaceTime.
“There’s no way this even logically makes sense,” Hayes said as he walked out.
Off to the side: Scrappy, 5-foot-8 cornerback Lamarcus Joyner was upset that he did not receive first-team reps during practice and was shown watching those reps off to the side by himself and pouting. The assumption here is that those reps instead went to E.J. Gaines that day.
“That’s how you gonna act?” secondary coach Dennard Wilson asked as Joyner walked away. “That’s how you gonna act?”
Previously, Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was shown saying Joyner is “one of the best press-cover guys I’ve ever coached.”
Surf’s up: Special teams coordinator John Fassel knows how to make an entrance. He arrived in the meeting room one day lying flat on a surfboard, carried by several of his Rams players, with a bucket hat on his head, sunscreen on his nose and fins on his feet. Then he led “Special Teams Jeopardy” for the fifth straight year. Sims (“fajita”) and left tackle Greg Robinson (“lasagna”) misspelled words and were thus ridiculed.
August 31, 2016 at 7:11 pm #51960
InvaderRamModeratornot sure what kind of drama one gets from these cuts when we already are privy to the cuts WELL BEFORE the episode even airs…
i don’t know. hard knocks is a pretty crappy show. i mean i’ll watch the rest of it, but i hope they’re never on it again.
also love how arians rip hard knocks when we’re subjected to his stupid macho expletive filled rants on all or nothing. i shut that shit off after 1 episode. i really hope the rams aren’t on that show. as it is i might have to take a peak at hollywood and football. god i’m weak.
September 1, 2016 at 3:17 pm #51994
joemadParticipantRookie franchise QB Jared Goff called a play and didn’t know what it was. That’s not what bothered me.
What bothered me was Offensive Coordinator Rob Boras took the blame saying that he should have been in the huddle with him. To hell with that. Did we draft him to coddle him? What happened to the expectations of learning the damn plays? When was saying “I don’t know the plays” a good enough excuse to get the coach to say I should have been there holding your jock strap? How about you ask someone in the huddle what the play is, or will you get in a game and call a play and not know where you are going with the ball?
I thought the same thing… Boras is as green as Goff.
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