Hard Knocks Colts (in season)

[wco81]

For the first time Hard Knocks films during season.

My Tivo recorded, haven't watched it yet.

Maybe the coaches and players being intense about game results is more believable than in the other Hard Knocks seasons, since these are actual regular season games.

No big trading camp battles so who are they going to feature for the drama? Will actual stars or starting players give the cameras enough access?


Colts aren't exactly a team with a big national following but it could be interesting if they went over all the criticisms Wentz has been subject to. But probably too controversial for NFL Films to tackle and you know they will likely avoid that.

For instance, if there were anti-vaxxer players and they caused the team to forfeit games and all players to lose game paychecks, that would be entertaining.

Instead, you'd expect sanitized videos in the locker room, like after a team wins and they have post-game speeches and game balls are handed out and the team celebrates. Of course teams already post these types of videos so it will be interesting to see if HK can bring anything new.

[azcatz11]

I used to watch this show religiously. I haven't watched a season in maybe 3 years. I have no idea why either. I prefer other reality shows

[wco81]

Predictably, the in-season Hard Knocks featured some of the stars and their families, so a lot of time for Wentz, his expecting wife and their young toddler daughter.

Same for Darius Leonard's family.

They also had a long segment on the gender reveal for several Colts players.

They went through a quick montage of the team's early season struggles, including starting out 0-3. So the story line is the Colts trying to "climb the mountain" towards the playoffs in the second half of the season.

The first game they show the team preparing for is their week 10 game vs. Jacksonville. They show some of the position coaches evaluating Jaguar players like the DL coach talking about Lawrence's attributes. Special Teams coach showed film of the Jaguars punt protection, highlighted a weakness among the Jaguars players on the line, told one Colt Special Teams player that he should be able to break through and block the punt.

And that's what happened in the game, the guy beat the Jaguar player, blocked the punt, which was returned and recovered for a Colts TD. Now was that filmed BEFORE the game or after the game, after they made the block?

In any event, they didn't feature a lot of the stuff that football nerds would love, like teams breaking down the opponents, getting into scheme and stuff.

After all, they want more than football nerds to watch the show, so they're going to go heavy on the players' life off the field, how they got drafted. So they actually show Reich going to the Pro Day for Wentz in Fargo when Reich was OC for the Eagles. They talk about how they bonded over scriptures and football philosophies.

Very human-interest story focused.

About the only other interesting thing for fans more interested in football than the human interest stuff is them miking up Wentz, Leonard and other players and coaches during the game. You hear the hitting and of course the players talking to each other on the field and on the sidelines.

Very non PG-rated. Contrast that to when they mike up players and coaches in NBA games. I'm sure they're told to not curse, keep it clean. Well lot of swearing by Leonard during the game, which is realistic.


The other thing is, the nature of the game makes for rather boring or sedate lives off the field for players during the season. They always seem to feature married players so they can film them with wives and children. But the reality is, between games, the players have to take it easy as their bodies recover. They're staying at home, mostly sitting and playing with toddlers. Leonard has an injured ankle so he's not doing any more than sitting and lying down at home.

Wentz said after a Thursday Night Game that they get 4-day weekend and he may be able to get good sleep because he didn't take too much hits. Lot of people with regular jobs will try to go somewhere or do something if they get a 4-day weekend.

Would like to see more of the game day and preparations during the week between games but I would guess the Colts and other teams wouldn't want to show too much of their process, like how they communicate during games, terminology they use, etc.

[wco81]

Well they featured Buckner being a leader on the team and delivering on the field.

Kind of tough to watch for 49ers fans but oh well.

Bruce Smith looks pretty good. Decided to stay up in Buffalo after retiring?

Will be interesting if the Colts really do continue their momentum towards the playoffs. What if the team they feature is having a bad season? Might be a tough watch.

[wco81]

Irsay got a lot of toys. All the iconic rock guitars from the biggest stars.

Inherited the team and now has his daughters working on the teams.

[wco81]

One of the biggest chokes of the season, losing to the Jaguars, but they were kind of positive on the sidelines and in the post-game and exit interviews.

Ballard the GM said he's not sure Wentz will be their QB next year.

You would think Reich would be on a bit of a hot seat, the way the team collapsed in the last two games. Then again, they probably felt really good, including the owner, after they beat Buffalo and New England.

So Reich thinks they will be in contention next year. They should but if things go south, then all the good, family atmosphere shown will be a distant memory.

The thing is, they show the players swearing at the practice facility and in the locker room. But they clean it up for the x-rated trash talk that must be going on on the field. Instead it's mostly the wired-up sideline stuff you sometimes get from TV broadcasts of games.

I'd have liked to have just heard the hitting and grunting that goes on in the trenches a bit in regular season games.

[GoRapstheoriginal]

I think they released Wentz? Someone fact check please & thanks.