Hard Knocks 5 … including the Joyner story

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September 7, 2016 at 9:37 am #52389

wv
Participant

How Rams’ Jeff Fisher made sense out of nickel role to Lamarcus Joyner
By Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com

LOS ANGELES — The “Hard Knocks” finale opened with Lamarcus Joyner missing.

The Los Angeles Rams couldn’t locate their third-year cornerback, until he showed up in the middle of a walk-through with a T-shirt, shorts and a backpack. Joyner was distraught over his belief that he was not a starter and was ready to quit. “Hard Knocks,” the HBO series that follows the Rams through training camp, captured the closed-door meeting he had with coach Jeff Fisher that day. Here’s a partial transcript …

Fisher: “You want me to start, or you want to start? Because I’m here to help.”

Joyner: “I don’t know, Coach. I don’t have any passion anymore. … I work hard. I do want to be a starter for this team. What’s going on? If y’all don’t need me, let me know. And just release me. Y’all can have y’all money back. That’s what I told them. I said, ‘I don’t play football for money.’ … Coach, I love this game. I can go work at Walmart. I don’t need these people’s money. But while I’m here, I’m not going to waste y’all time with the way I work and what I put into it. So why would I want to let any of them waste my time? Like, what’s my role? Be honest with me.”

Fisher: “The nickel spot, inside. It’s the hardest position to play. It’s harder than outside. It’s the hardest position to play, OK? You’re the best that I’ve had here in years inside. It’s a starting position, OK?”

Joyner: “I don’t even know, Coach. … I don’t know.”

Fisher: “I’m going to tell you a story. You know Steve McNair, right? OK. We’re playing in Kansas City [in 2000]. He takes a shot in the chest. And so we put him in the hospital, and then I go over to see Steve at the hospital. Steve tells me he can’t do it anymore. He can’t play. He’s lost his passion. It’s not fun. OK. So, we get to the Sunday. And he says he’s OK with being the 2. In the Pittsburgh game, the starting quarterback — backup — gets the s— knocked out of him. And we’re down by four, with less than two minutes left to go. And I turn at Steve, and I look at him. And he winked at me — went on the field, four-play drive, we’re in the end zone, and we beat ’em. I realized he had the passion. I had to capture it and get it back. I want Lamarcus back. I want your passion. I have to pull it back out of you.”

A couple of short exchanges later, Joyner and Fisher were hugging, and Joyner ultimately went back to playing football — in the nickel spot, technically as the No. 3 cornerback but basically as a starter.

Lamarcus Joyner
Lamarcus Joyner had a frank discussion with Rams coach about his role on “Hard Knocks.”
The Rams surprisingly cut linebacker Akeem Ayers, who started 11 games last year and went on to join the Indianapolis Colts. The Rams were holding out hope of bringing him back on a restructured contract, but the closed-door meeting that “Hard Knocks” aired might have shed light as to why they were willing to part with Ayers in the first place.

It’s seemingly because they see their third cornerback (Joyner) getting more playing time than their third linebacker (which would have been Ayers).

Last year, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams often ran what some would call “big nickel.” It’s a 4-2-5 set, though what made it “big” was Mark Barron — listed at 6-foot-2, 213 pounds — playing a hybrid position that had him both helping out in coverage and rushing the passer. With Joyner in the game, however, it appears the Rams would run more of a traditional nickel package. Barron and Alec Ogletree would be the two linebackers and Joyner would be the third cornerback, along with Trumaine Johnson and E.J. Gaines, who might miss the Week 1 opener with a quad injury. Maurice Alexander and T.J. McDonald would thus be the two safeties.

It would keep the Rams from having to rely on an inexperienced player as the third linebacker, a group that includes a sixth-round draft pick (Josh Forrest), two undrafted free agents (Nic Grigsby and Cory Littleton) and a second-year player who has yet to start an NFL game (Bryce Hager).

And it appears Joyner is all-in now.

“Let’s play some ‘ball,” Fisher told him as that closed-door meeting was winding down.

Some additional highlights from the fifth and final episode of “Hard Knocks” …

Channeling Montana: Rams defensive line coach Mike Waufle finally realized why Jared Goff wears No. 16 — because, as a kid from northern California, he grew up a fan of Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana.

“You do a lot of things like him,” Waufle told Goff during a recent practice. “You really do. I got to watch him play in practice all the time; I used to watch him all the time.”

“He was pretty good,” said Goff, the No. 1 overall pick who is currently the Rams’ third-string quarterback and will thus be inactive for the regular-season opener. Sean Mannion, a third-round pick in 2015, is currently the backup to Case Keenum.

Quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke compared the two in a meeting, saying: “Sean, really, I think he’s had an outstanding camp. I liked him as a rookie, but he’s that much better now, in my opinion. I feel comfortable having to put ’14’ in the ballgame. Next will be Jared. I think the kid has made some great strides. I believe reps are his best friend. He has the mental capacity, and I think as he continues to get more reps, it will help him.”

“OK,” Fisher chimed in, “who’s the 2 against the 49ers?”

Silence.

‘I’m cut, brogrinning smiley Those were the words uttered by undrafted rookie receiver Paul McRoberts after he muffed a punt during the preseason finale in Minnesota on Thursday. McRoberts redeemed himself with a leaping catch in the end zone, but he did get cut and was ultimately placed on the 10-man practice squad. “Hard Knocks” spent a lot of time profiling players who were among the final cuts on Saturday, specifically McRoberts, fellow receiver Austin Hill, defensive lineman Ian Seau and veteran center Eric Kush.

“I had a lot of fun here,” Kush, who promptly joined the Chicago Bears, told general manager Les Snead. “That’s what hurts the most.”

September 7, 2016 at 11:30 am #52394

zn
Moderator

Hard Knocks 5 : The Final Edition

off the net from Riverumbbq

Joyner had a well publicized bad week. Whining after his Game 3 eviction because of a fighting penalty, and not being allowed to practice, then whining over who know’s what and got dressed to leave camp. Fisher talked him down and seems to have gotten him back on track.

Westbrooks & Chubb getting called out by coaches.

McRoberts tells team-mates he knows he’s cut immediately after flubbing punt return for fumble. Later his TD reception from Mannion highlites the ups and downs these guys face every minute of trying to make the team.

Kush really shows good leadership on the field and in the locker room, his block frees up a long rush TD. Would have liked to have kept this guy on board.

Rams packing up and moving to Thousand Oaks on the same day final cuts have to be made.

Rock, the grim reaper, back at it for the final :redcard: cuts. Looked as though he was messing with some guys as he approached some players who were safe, they wondered if they were next.

Ends with a production mistake in Fisher’s office, and one of the off camera guys says that’s some 7 – 9 shi*. Fish says yeah, that’s fu*kin 7 -9 shi*. :LOL:

September 7, 2016 at 2:23 pm #52403

PA Ram
Participant

Maybe it’s me but the whole Joyner story struck me as at least a little bit “scripted”.

I still hate that they cut Kush. In the show Fisher even asks–“Who’s out back up center?” Well–they don’t have Arkin OR Kush. So WHO is the back-up center?

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. " Philip K. Dick

September 7, 2016 at 3:05 pm #52405

zn
Moderator

PA Ram wrote:

So WHO is the back-up center?

Rhaney.

September 7, 2016 at 8:38 pm #52411

zn
Moderator

‘Hard Knocks’ Episode 5: Brutality of NFL cutdowns on full display with Rams

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/memories-728178-great-play.html

Tanks for the memories, Eric Kush.

Great little daughter you have there, Austin Hill. Now you’ve got more time to play.

As much as we respect the heck out of your uncle, you just need to get stronger, Ian Seau. Stay in touch. And stay strong.

By Saturday morning, most of the Rams’ final 22 cuts were made, and disclosed to the public. But until HBO cut up and spliced together its final episode of “Hard Knocks” and aired it Tuesday night, viewers might not have achieved proper closure, especially those invested in the docu-series going back to its Aug. 9 beginning.

Episode 5 reinforced the quick and sometimes blunt nature of the business as the Rams, put in the spotlight this year, got to the NFL-mandated 53-player limit before the regular season began. Through this month-long journey, the NFL Films cameras and documentarians tried to also incorporate the fact that the team was kind of operating while the ground was shifting below as they moved from St. Louis to L.A., with stops at camps in Oxnard and Irvine, and then a final trip to Thousand Oaks to set up headquarters.

As seemed to be the case in every installment, Coach Jeff Fisher came out making the best impression for his attempts to inject compassion into an otherwise brutal way to make a living. For the finale, it started with Fisher’s heart-to-heart talk with defensive back Lamarcus Joyner, who some may not have cared whether or not he made the team by the way he pouted on the practice field during Episode 4, but then explained his conflicted emotions. Joyner’s desire to quit sparked Fisher to recall a story about the late quarterback Steve McNair, and it seemed to connect with Joyner.

The same viewer connection came with receiver Paul McRoberts, whose reaction to the death of his step-brother was covered in Episode 3, and his making the practice roster and earning a $7,000-a-week paycheck was a relief. McRoberts was all but resigned to the fact he would be cut after fumbling a punt in the final exhibition game against Minnesota, but then followed it up with a nice TD reception, which may have been the separation point between him and Hill.

The decision to let tank-top diva Kush go as he tried to stick as a center or guard on the offensive line took the most storytelling of the second half of Episode 5. Kush not only met with Fisher but also General Manager Les Snead, who made his first appearance of the series. At least there was some consolation that Kush almost immediately was signed by the Chicago Bears – his sixth team in two years.

The departures of Hill, who did a lot of camera milking, and Seau, who didn’t even seem to show much emotion at all throughout the series, bordered on the cliché.

But as for quarterback Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in April who slipped to No. 3 on the depth chart by the time the final exhibition game ended, the “Hard Knocks” experience probably didn’t win him over a lot of support from start to finish.

A scene of him reclining in a nice home with his Cal jersey framed on the wall might not have best framed his situation. The kid who will turn 22 years old during Week 7 didn’t appear to show a lot of urgency in getting into the starting lineup. He may not be as easy to root for as starter Case Keenum, who came off much better in front of the cameras, with his wife Kimberly.

Then again, the Rams “aren’t expecting miracles in the city of angels,” according to the final line of narration by Liev Schreiber. “But they know that in Hollywood, happy endings happen all the time.”

Whatever that’s supposed to mean.

September 8, 2016 at 12:20 am #52421

zn
Moderator

How Rams’ Jeff Fisher made sense out of nickel role to Lamarcus Joyner

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/30583/rams-cb-lamarcus-joyner-i-dont-need-these-peoples-money

LOS ANGELES — The “Hard Knocks” finale opened with Lamarcus Joyner missing.

The Los Angeles Rams couldn’t locate their third-year cornerback, until he showed up in the middle of a walk-through with a T-shirt, shorts and a backpack. Joyner was distraught over his belief that he was not a starter and was ready to quit. “Hard Knocks,” the HBO series that follows the Rams through training camp, captured the closed-door meeting he had with coach Jeff Fisher that day. Here’s a partial transcript …

Fisher: “You want me to start, or you want to start? Because I’m here to help.”

Joyner: “I don’t know, Coach. I don’t have any passion anymore. … I work hard. I do want to be a starter for this team. What’s going on? If y’all don’t need me, let me know. And just release me. Y’all can have y’all money back. That’s what I told them. I said, ‘I don’t play football for money.’ … Coach, I love this game. I can go work at Walmart. I don’t need these people’s money. But while I’m here, I’m not going to waste y’all time with the way I work and what I put into it. So why would I want to let any of them waste my time? Like, what’s my role? Be honest with me.”

Fisher: “The nickel spot, inside. It’s the hardest position to play. It’s harder than outside. It’s the hardest position to play, OK? You’re the best that I’ve had here in years inside. It’s a starting position, OK?”

Joyner: “I don’t even know, Coach. … I don’t know.”

Fisher: “I’m going to tell you a story. You know Steve McNair, right? OK. We’re playing in Kansas City [in 2000]. He takes a shot in the chest. And so we put him in the hospital, and then I go over to see Steve at the hospital. Steve tells me he can’t do it anymore. He can’t play. He’s lost his passion. It’s not fun. OK. So, we get to the Sunday. And he says he’s OK with being the 2. In the Pittsburgh game, the starting quarterback — backup — gets the s— knocked out of him. And we’re down by four, with less than two minutes left to go. And I turn at Steve, and I look at him. And he winked at me — went on the field, four-play drive, we’re in the end zone, and we beat ’em. I realized he had the passion. I had to capture it and get it back. I want Lamarcus back. I want your passion. I have to pull it back out of you.”

A couple of short exchanges later, Joyner and Fisher were hugging, and Joyner ultimately went back to playing football — in the nickel spot, technically as the No. 3 cornerback but basically as a starter.

Lamarcus Joyner
Lamarcus Joyner had a frank discussion with Rams coach about his role on “Hard Knocks.”
The Rams surprisingly cut linebacker Akeem Ayers, who started 11 games last year and went on to join the Indianapolis Colts. The Rams were holding out hope of bringing him back on a restructured contract, but the closed-door meeting that “Hard Knocks” aired might have shed light as to why they were willing to part with Ayers in the first place.

It’s seemingly because they see their third cornerback (Joyner) getting more playing time than their third linebacker (which would have been Ayers).

Last year, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams often ran what some would call “big nickel.” It’s a 4-2-5 set, though what made it “big” was Mark Barron — listed at 6-foot-2, 213 pounds — playing a hybrid position that had him both helping out in coverage and rushing the passer. With Joyner in the game, however, it appears the Rams would run more of a traditional nickel package. Barron and Alec Ogletree would be the two linebackers and Joyner would be the third cornerback, along with Trumaine Johnson and E.J. Gaines, who might miss the Week 1 opener with a quad injury. Maurice Alexander and T.J. McDonald would thus be the two safeties.

It would keep the Rams from having to rely on an inexperienced player as the third linebacker, a group that includes a sixth-round draft pick (Josh Forrest), two undrafted free agents (Nic Grigsby and Cory Littleton) and a second-year player who has yet to start an NFL game (Bryce Hager).

And it appears Joyner is all-in now.

“Let’s play some ‘ball,” Fisher told him as that closed-door meeting was winding down.

Some additional highlights from the fifth and final episode of “Hard Knocks” …

Channeling Montana: Rams defensive line coach Mike Waufle finally realized why Jared Goff wears No. 16 — because, as a kid from northern California, he grew up a fan of Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana.

“You do a lot of things like him,” Waufle told Goff during a recent practice. “You really do. I got to watch him play in practice all the time; I used to watch him all the time.”

“He was pretty good,” said Goff, the No. 1 overall pick who is currently the Rams’ third-string quarterback and will thus be inactive for the regular-season opener. Sean Mannion, a third-round pick in 2015, is currently the backup to Case Keenum.

Quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke compared the two in a meeting, saying: “Sean, really, I think he’s had an outstanding camp. I liked him as a rookie, but he’s that much better now, in my opinion. I feel comfortable having to put ’14’ in the ballgame. Next will be Jared. I think the kid has made some great strides. I believe reps are his best friend. He has the mental capacity, and I think as he continues to get more reps, it will help him.”

“OK,” Fisher chimed in, “who’s the 2 against the 49ers?”

Silence.

‘I’m cut, bro:’ Those were the words uttered by undrafted rookie receiver Paul McRoberts after he muffed a punt during the preseason finale in Minnesota on Thursday. McRoberts redeemed himself with a leaping catch in the end zone, but he did get cut and was ultimately placed on the 10-man practice squad. “Hard Knocks” spent a lot of time profiling players who were among the final cuts on Saturday, specifically McRoberts, fellow receiver Austin Hill, defensive lineman Ian Seau and veteran center Eric Kush.

“I had a lot of fun here,” Kush, who promptly joined the Chicago Bears, told general manager Les Snead. “That’s what hurts the most.”

September 8, 2016 at 1:19 am #52424

Zooey
Moderator

zn wrote:

PA Ram wrote:

So WHO is the back-up center?

Rhaney.

Right, so why didn’t anybody say that? I was wondering where Rhaney was the entire 5 episodes. They put all the attention on the 3rd-string guy right from the beginning. I don’t understand why we got so much Austin Hill, either. I was wanting to stab myself in the eyes at the end of the final episode.

They picked guys to follow who were unlikely to make the team from the very beginning, and added a few guys – McRoberts, Joyner, the guy with the girl in his room, Hayes – when they made some kind of story splash. I would have preferred that they had followed Robinson, Quick, and Ogletree for their stories, Donald and Gurley for their potential star power. We got nothing on Brockers, Johnson, Cunningham, the TEs. I understand they can’t cover everybody, but why the hell did we spend 5 episodes on a bunch of guys who aren’t Rams any longer? Kush was a Peronality, but the other guys were drips.

And Seau must have no measurable personality at all, since we got his whole extended family frequently, but nothing of him except highlights from games.

I do appreciate Fisher a bit more. I admire that he handled every single cut personally, and all of his interactions seemed to be from a place of wise, experienced, and compassionate authority. He came across as trustworthy and respectable; firm, but fair.

Goff – still comes across as a kid. At least he doesn’t come across as an Entitled, Spoiled Kid, like Manziel. He seems solid. But there was also something kind of empty about him. Everything he said was what he was supposed to say. It’s like he worked harder on studying how to script saying all the right things than he did on hanging onto the football. He did not come across as “bright.” No interesting jokes or insights, or anything like that. Which isn’t a bad thing. I’m just saying. I mean…his idol, Joe Montana had no discernible personality, either.

I dunno. Not a fan of Hard Knocks, and as the Rams’ have used up their 15 minutes of fame on the series, I will never have to watch another episode of the show. I had to watch it. It was the Rams. But I am glad it was only 5 episodes and not the entire season.

September 8, 2016 at 2:00 am #52425

InvaderRam
Moderator

PA Ram wrote:

Maybe it’s me but the whole Joyner story struck me as at least a little bit “scripted”.

i think it was scripted. like most of the show was.

September 8, 2016 at 2:04 am #52426
InvaderRam
Moderator
Zooey wrote:

I dunno. Not a fan of Hard Knocks, and as the Rams’ have used up their 15 minutes of fame on the series, I will never have to watch another episode of the show. I had to watch it. It was the Rams. But I am glad it was only 5 episodes and not the entire season.

i don’t know. there’s always “all or nothing”.

wouldn’t at all be surprised to see the rams on that show.

and don’t forget “hollywood and football”.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by InvaderRam.
September 8, 2016 at 3:32 am #52428

zn
Moderator

8 takeaways from the season finale of ‘Hard Knocks’ with the Los Angeles Rams

Pete Blackburn

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8-takeaways-from-the-season-finale-of-hard-knocks-with-the-los-angeles-rams-090716

The fifth and final episode of this season’s Hard Knocks aired on HBO Tuesday night, bringing an end to the latest installment of the annual series that takes football fans behind the scenes of an NFL training camp.

This year’s series has followed the Rams as they return to Los Angeles and try to establish a new identity both on and off the field. But just as the Rams have had some pretty unspectacular seasons of football in the past few years, this has been a pretty unspectacular season of television. The first four episodes were mostly vanilla, and the finale was never going to undo that regardless of what went down.

That being said, some drama finally arrived and brought some brief reminders of why we watch the show in the first place. Let’s jump into the final takeaways.

Time to grow up, Lamarcus Joyner

Last we checked in with cornerback Lamarcus Joyner, he was being a big baby and refusing to practice because he wasn’t getting enough reps in camp. Tuesday’s finale kicked off with the 25-year-old threatening to quit the team during a meeting with head coach Jeff Fisher.

“I want to be a starter,” Joyner told Fisher in his office. “Ya’ll can have your money back. I don’t play football for money. Coach, I love this game.” He told his coach that he would be happier if he quit and went to work at Wal-Mart. (I wish Fisher called his bluff there.)

Fisher told Joyner he wanted him to be the nickel cornerback because he thought it was the hardest position to play. Then, he shared a story with Joyner about how, back in 2000 as head coach of the Titans, he thought Steve McNair lost some passion for the game after taking a big hit. Eventually, Fisher saw it come back, and he said he wanted to bring it back out of Joyner as well.

Ultimately, Joyner and Fisher were able to clarify their stances and work it out, and the cornerback returned to the field soon after. These probably the most interesting and revealing moments of the entire series this year, as fans don’t often get an inside look at how conflicts like this one find a resolution. This is exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes stuff that makes Hard Knocks valuable and interesting. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a whole lot of it this year.

Musical. Montages.

I can’t pinpoint when exactly Hard Knocks decided they’d have a musical montage featuring pointless super slo-mo closeups every 10 minutes, but that was a thing this season and it got old pretty quickly. We can probably chalk that up to the Rams being super boring and HBO needing to fill time.

William Hayes inception

Speaking of needing to fill time, we got to watch Will Hayes watch an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in which Kimmel talked about the defensive end’s love for mermaids and showed scenes from previous episodes of Hard Knocks. Seriously, we got to watch Hayes watching Hard Knocks on Hard Knocks. It was weird.

Todd Gurley hits the Pro Shop

The Rams second-year running back actually visited the Vikings’ Pro Shop to buy an Adrian Peterson jersey that the Vikes’ running back could sign after the Rams’ final preseason game in Minnesota. A couple of teammates ribbed Gurley for the move, but he defended himself.

“What’s wrong with buying another man’s jersey, bro?” asked Gurley. “That’s what’s wrong with y’all. People got too much pride these days.”

It’s not uncommon to see players exchange game jerseys on the field, but I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a player hitting up the team store before a game to purchase another dude’s jersey.

A heartbreaking muffed punt

Heading into the finale, one of the biggest complaints I had regarding this season of Hard Knocks was the lack of emotional depth or high stakes. The finale brought those stakes, as a lot of the players profiled through the previous four episodes had to fight for a spot on the final 53-man roster.

The last preseason game is where a lot of those jobs are won and lost, and wide receiver Paul McRoberts knew that. After not getting much of a chance to impress while lined up on offense, he decided he needed to make his impact felt on special teams. Unfortunately, his desperation backfired when he attempted to return a punt that clearly should have been fair caught and ended up fumbling away a turnover.

Knowing he’s on the bubble, McRoberts’ reaction to the mistake was pretty devastating. After competing intensely for a spot all training camp, he recognized that he could (and likely would) be undone by that one mistake. It was brutal to watch, but that’s the kind of stuff that makes Hard Knocks great. Or at least used to.

Fortunately for McRoberts, he went on to make a nice touchdown grab later in the game and would eventually be signed to the Rams’ practice squad. Other guys weren’t so lucky, which brings us to …

Final roster cuts

Hard Knocks always highlights several fringe roster players, making the round of final cuts pretty dramatic and interesting for viewers. This season’s finale provided a number of harsh realities for familiar Rams players, as several who were focal points of the series ultimately didn’t make the team.

Ian Seau, the nephew of late Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau, was cut. Austin Hill, the undrafted free agent wideout competing against McRoberts, was cut. Eric Kush, the goofy center who loves tank tops more than anybody in the world, was cut.

For what it’s worth, the conclusion to this year’s Hard Knocks provided a pretty interesting juxtaposition of fates. While not making a roster means coming up short on a lifelong dream for some, it’s not always the end of the road for others.

Kush took his release pretty hard but was signed almost immediately by the Chicago Bears, his sixth team in the past two years. Linebacker Brandon Chubb didn’t make the 53, but joined McRoberts on the practice squad, which was a win for him. Hill, however, didn’t get any such breaks. He was left in “limbo,” stuck at home with his family while he waits for a call from another NFL team. It’s a call that may never even come.

“I’ve been cut multiple times and you always think it’s going to be easier each time, but it’s not,” Hill said.

The face tattoo pays off

Rams defensive end Ethan Westbrooks is a guy we saw getting chewed out on several occasions during this season. It wasn’t a sure thing that he’d make the final roster, but he did.

That’s extremely good news for him, considering he got a face tattoo with the hopes that it would motivate him to make it in the NFL and not have to pursue another, “normal” job with a tattoo on his face. It looks like he’ll get to put off that worry for another year.

Hello, Hollywood

After preseason officially wrapped up, we got to see some of the guys loosen up a bit. Cameras followed rookie wide receivers Austin Spruce and Mike Thomas as they hit the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where they danced with (and failed to tip) a Michael Jackson impersonator, took pictures with fans and made fun of a way-too-skinny SpiderMan impersonator. Call it too little too late if you want, but it was one of the few standout examples of personality from a very vanilla Rams team this season.

September 8, 2016 at 8:42 am #52431
PA Ram
Participant
Zooey wrote:

Right, so why didn’t anybody say that? I was wondering where Rhaney was the entire 5 episodes. They put all the attention on the 3rd-string guy right from the beginning. I don’t understand why we got so much Austin Hill, either. I was wanting to stab myself in the eyes at the end of the final episode.

They picked guys to follow who were unlikely to make the team from the very beginning, and added a few guys – McRoberts, Joyner, the guy with the girl in his room, Hayes – when they made some kind of story splash. I would have preferred that they had followed Robinson, Quick, and Ogletree for their stories, Donald and Gurley for their potential star power. We got nothing on Brockers, Johnson, Cunningham, the TEs. I understand they can’t cover everybody, but why the hell did we spend 5 episodes on a bunch of guys who aren’t Rams any longer? Kush was a Peronality, but the other guys were drips.

And Seau must have no measurable personality at all, since we got his whole extended family frequently, but nothing of him except highlights from games.

I do appreciate Fisher a bit more. I admire that he handled every single cut personally, and all of his interactions seemed to be from a place of wise, experienced, and compassionate authority. He came across as trustworthy and respectable; firm, but fair.

Goff – still comes across as a kid. At least he doesn’t come across as an Entitled, Spoiled Kid, like Manziel. He seems solid. But there was also something kind of empty about him. Everything he said was what he was supposed to say. It’s like he worked harder on studying how to script saying all the right things than he did on hanging onto the football. He did not come across as “bright.” No interesting jokes or insights, or anything like that. Which isn’t a bad thing. I’m just saying. I mean…his idol, Joe Montana had no discernible personality, either.

I dunno. Not a fan of Hard Knocks, and as the Rams’ have used up their 15 minutes of fame on the series, I will never have to watch another episode of the show. I had to watch it. It was the Rams. But I am glad it was only 5 episodes and not the entire season.

Once again, Zooey–your incredible insight and observational skills are on full display here on the board. I agree with you 100 percent. The show wanted drama and so they picked some bubble guys to follow, hoping maybe one would make it and they could have the happy stuff and knowing some wouldn’t and they could play at the heartstrings.

I can’t really stand “reality” television.

Having said that–I do believe that there is the possibility some stars did not want to be bothered. And the Rams may have said: “Keep Gurley out of it,” or some such thing. We don’t know. But yes–there is certainly story editing. When they asked about the center and we didn’t get an answer someone probably said: “Rhaney is our guy”. But it wasn’t shown because it wasn’t part of the “story” they were telling.

So it was typical “reality” television in that sense.

Who knows what is real.

Goff certainly doesn’t seem like the brightest bulb–but I’m sure they checked his wonderlic score. But when Gruden had his sit-down with Goff and Wentz thought Wentz did better. Just my impression. And Goff is struggling to learn the playbook apparently. Maybe sitting out the game will motivate him to really get it. Still–I think he shows flashes of terrific athletic ability and I love his arm. Was he a legitimate 1st pick of the draft? Probably not–and that doesn’t help the pressure put on him. But he’s here now and has a lot of potential to be very good. He has to get his brain engaged on a lot of this and step away from the spotlight of HBO and the game for a bit. He’s under a LOT of pressure. He wasn’t just the 1st pick–he was traded for and a LOT was given up for him. This raises very lofty expectations–even unfair ones.

Sitting out right now is the best thing for him, IMO.

If the Rams struggle and are limping toward .500—put him in–no pressure. And let him learn. but he shouldn’t carry the weight of the team and playoff expectations right now. Let Keenum do that.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by PA Ram.
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. " Philip K. Dick
September 8, 2016 at 9:07 am #52437

nittany ram
Moderator

Fisher: “The nickel spot, inside. It’s the hardest position to play. It’s harder than outside. It’s the hardest position to play, OK? You’re the best that I’ve had here in years inside. It’s a starting position, OK?”

Weird to me that Joyner didn’t realize that the nickel spot is essentially a starting spot in today’s NFL. Heck, it has been for some time – going back to before Joyner watched his first game. Nickel backs are probably on the field for 2/3rds of the snaps. The LB Ayers got cut because he makes too much money for how little he plays because the defense is in the nickel more often than not. And none of this is new to this year. The nickel has essentially been the base defense of NFL teams for a coupla decades.

PA is right, that whole Joyner sequence seemed off. It didn’t seem real. From complaining that he wasn’t getting reps with the starters to walking onto the field with his backpack to the meeting with Fisher – all of it seemed contrived.

September 9, 2016 at 3:34 pm #52496

bnw
Blocked

The highlight of the series was Hayes’ beliefs on mermaids and dinosaurs and his mermaid fan.

The upside to being a Rams fan is heartbreak.

Sprinkles are for winners.
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