Hard Knocks Episode 3

[Just in Atlanta]

1 hour ago, Billsfed1 said:

I don’t know what a slobber knocker is exactly but it sounds like something that they should not be doing with each other. 

[JGMcD2]

10 hours ago, Shortchaz said:

Not to be a drama queen, I hope there isn’t something fishy going on. Seems like dudes aren’t buying in. 

It’s pretty dramatic. We’ve barely even seen the starters - what did you expect, our 3rd and 4th stringers, who might barely be UFL quality, to have a "300 moment" against the Bears’ starters actually trying to prove something?

 

You could've had Winston Churchill or Martin Luther King deliver a speech, and it wouldn't have made a difference. 

[SCBills]

5 minutes ago, JGMcD2 said:

It’s pretty dramatic. We’ve barely even seen the starters - what did you expect, our 3rd and 4th stringers, who might barely be UFL quality, to have a "300 moment" against the Bears’ starters actually trying to prove something?

 

You could've had Winston Churchill or Martin Luther King deliver a speech, and it wouldn't have made a difference. 

Perfect storm of Super Bowl contending team traveling and playing a night game on a long week where exactly 1 starter really plays, and that’s a guy who just came back to practice a few days ago. 
 

Going up against a team, with a new coach, trying to change the culture and build confidence in the preseason. 
 

Still… that performance was SO BAD.  We can’t just brush it away and neither should the staff.  You just can’t look that bad out there.. I don’t care who’s on the field.  

[MikePJ76]

I would like to add that I am disappointed to hear the coaches using the term “Flash” in regards to players.  
 

seems like that is for jackasses like us online.  
 

Everytime I hear the term I cringe.

[Fleezoid]

I'm a little worried that in years to come, Dalton Kincaid is going to go into that weird Aaron Rodgers metaphysical, self-awareness phase. When Dawkins pointed to the hawk flying overhead saying, "look at that bird", and Kincaid responds saying, "yeah, I wish that were me!", I was thinking WTF. Is he the flying version of Mr. Limpet? 

[Utah John]

There's a lot of non-football stuff going on.  Some of it is legitimate team building, like the word game where people were acting out elephant features.  But guys standing around on the sideline chatting about anything other than the game in progress, is not showing that their heads are where they need to be.  The Bills have rolled through the regular season almost every year and seem to think the road to the playoffs is paved with Lay-Z-Boys and pizza.  Thanks guys but that's OUR department.  I am very concerned we're looking at an 11-6 record with the Pats stealing the AFCE because they want it more.

[Shortchaz]

17 minutes ago, JGMcD2 said:

It’s pretty dramatic. We’ve barely even seen the starters - what did you expect, our 3rd and 4th stringers, who might barely be UFL quality, to have a "300 moment" against the Bears’ starters actually trying to prove something?

 

You could've had Winston Churchill or Martin Luther King deliver a speech, and it wouldn't have made a difference. 

That’s reasonable, I just hope there aren’t cracks forming. i.e. I hope all the talk about complacency isn’t the first smoke from something deeper. 
 

like I said, just a thought, not trying to do drama. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

 

13 hours ago, MasterStrategist said:

McD set the tone with a great speech, and made it clear what he wants to start seeing (less complacent attitudes, more intensity/emotion).

 

Babich, Brady, and rest of staff echoed the need for that intensity level to rise.

 

A complete embarrassment might be what we need in the locker room.  We need our leaders to step up inside the locker room and raise the bar/set expectations from here on out.  We have "alpha" mentality guys that will naturally start to become more dialed in, as week 1 approaches.  They have to get that "chip" on their shoulder heading into a physical week 1 against the Ravens.

 

I kind of wonder if every year McD likes them to lay and egg in pre-season to give him something to yell about and to fire up the players themselves.  

Edited Wednesday at 04:03 PM by Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

[BritBill]

Its is very difficult to describe exactly what a crumpet is. 

[Draconator]

2 minutes ago, BritBill said:

Its is very difficult to describe exactly what a crumpet is. 

Give it your best. I know you can. 

[DrDawkinstein]

12 minutes ago, Utah John said:

There's a lot of non-football stuff going on.  Some of it is legitimate team building, like the word game where people were acting out elephant features.  But guys standing around on the sideline chatting about anything other than the game in progress, is not showing that their heads are where they need to be.  The Bills have rolled through the regular season almost every year and seem to think the road to the playoffs is paved with Lay-Z-Boys and pizza.  Thanks guys but that's OUR department.  I am very concerned we're looking at an 11-6 record with the Pats stealing the AFCE because they want it more.

 

Bruh, no one can sit through the 2nd half of a preseason game and pay 100% attention. That is just another unreasonable expectation we have of these players when we forget that they are humans working a job.

 

There is chatter and jokes on the sideline of every game, let alone a preseason where no starters played.

 

R-E-L-A-X

[Royale with Cheese]

16 minutes ago, Utah John said:

There's a lot of non-football stuff going on.  Some of it is legitimate team building, like the word game where people were acting out elephant features.  But guys standing around on the sideline chatting about anything other than the game in progress, is not showing that their heads are where they need to be.  The Bills have rolled through the regular season almost every year and seem to think the road to the playoffs is paved with Lay-Z-Boys and pizza.  Thanks guys but that's OUR department.  I am very concerned we're looking at an 11-6 record with the Pats stealing the AFCE because they want it more.

 

Come on....this is pretty ridiculous.  

[Chandler#81]

41 minutes ago, JGMcD2 said:

It’s pretty dramatic. We’ve barely even seen the starters - what did you expect, our 3rd and 4th stringers, who might barely be UFL quality, to have a "300 moment" against the Bears’ starters actually trying to prove something?

 

You could've had Winston Churchill or Martin Luther King deliver a speech, and it wouldn't have made a difference. 

Love the Churchill reference 

[BuffaloBillsGospel2014]

13 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

James Cook… speaks?!

He said “I’m only here so I don’t get fined”. I’m pretty sure or at least thinking it.

[BritBill]

26 minutes ago, Draconator said:

Give it your best. I know you can. 

 

AI can have this one:

 

Crumpets are a type of griddle bread, similar to thick pancakes, that are a popular breakfast food in the UK, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. They are known for their spongy texture and characteristic holes on the surface, which are perfect for holding melted butter and other toppings. 

 

They are lovely with butter on them. The butter seeps through like sweat on a corner's sock. 

Edited Wednesday at 03:01 PM by BritBill

[Fleezoid]

27 minutes ago, BritBill said:

Its is very difficult to describe exactly what a crumpet is. 

 

It's pronounced "strumpets." 

[Draconator]

10 minutes ago, BritBill said:

 

AI can have this one:

 

Crumpets are a type of griddle bread, similar to thick pancakes, that are a popular breakfast food in the UK, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. They are known for their spongy texture and characteristic holes on the surface, which are perfect for holding melted butter and other toppings. 

 

They are lovely with butter on them. The butter seeps through like sweat on a corner's sock. 

I was going to give an awesome reaction until I read the last sentence. 

[Dr. K]

9 hours ago, Sierra Foothills said:

 

Actually it was during that scene where he seemed to allude to the effect that his injuries have had on his play... but I didn't hear what he said.

 

Anyone?

 

 

If you're talking about the "cut scenes" I really respect the organizations decision to not show those. To me that specific aspect of Hard Knocks is a tasteless exploitation.

 

 

I'm not sure what NIL money has to do with McDermott's ability to connect. I agree that the team generally doesn't seem very affected by his speeches.

 

 

It's funny that there were comments at the top of the topic about the quality of McDermott's speech. Relative to his own speaking abilities, it was better than average. But he's a poor speaker so the bar is low. I believe his anecdote in episode 2 about the coach who threw a chair through the window was partly an attempt to mitigate the fact that he can't inspire his players through speech. On the plus side, it also shows that he understands his limitations which in and of itself, is a show of wisdom.

 

 

I agree with your first sentence. Your second sentence is an interesting question. Speech is a very powerful tool when used judiciously. While Marv never won a Super Bowl, he did take his team to 4 straight and his former players have his messaging and philosophies imprinted in their minds till they die. I doubt McDermott's players will remember much of anything he said.

 

I know I can be moved by a great speech and conversely, I often cringe when listening to people who try to, but can't deliver a message intended to move or motivate others.

 

Emotion definitely has a place in pro football and all things being equal, a coach who can inspire with words has an advantage over one who cannot.

 

I would emphasize your use of the word "judiciously." Count me as most definitely against the "throwing chairs through windows" theory of coaching. I've been watching the game for sixty years and I think the emotional speakers and dramatic actors wear out their schtick pretty fast. Once you throw one chair through a window what do you do next? Throw a sofa? Throw a baby? It becomes performance, and players see through that.

 

Marv Levy was not a "throw chairs through windows" coach. He might express anger or frustration, but if you compare him to other head coaches he was way on the intellectual side, quoting Tacitus and poems to inspire his players. 

 

Look at the coaches who have been the most successful: Bill Walsh was way cerebral. Don Shula. Hell, even Belichick was more an strategic than an emotional leader. 

 

McDermott's psychological style tends more "cool" than "hot." Compare the culture of the team and locker room under him vs. that of his predecessor, the much more theatrical Rex Ryan.

 

We'll see how the team responds after the Chicago fiasco. 

[eball]

I thought McDermott’s messages last night were poignant and delivered well. He’ll never be the most exciting public speaker but it seemed to me that he had everyone’s attention. 
 

I also laugh (once again) at those who think they “know” McD is boring or passionless. There’s no doubt he is encouraging his team to be aggressive and in attack mode all game long. 
 

[yall]

1 hour ago, Fleezoid said:

I'm a little worried that in years to come, Dalton Kincaid is going to go into that weird Aaron Rodgers metaphysical, self-awareness phase. When Dawkins pointed to the hawk flying overhead saying, "look at that bird", and Kincaid responds saying, "yeah, I wish that were me!", I was thinking WTF. Is he the flying version of Mr. Limpet? 

I didn't have a Mr. Limpet reference on my Wednesday bingo card.