The Weird, Wacky and Awesome World of the NFL - General Banter thread

helimachoptor wrote: »

Coming back from honeymoon, the OH is tired and cranky and she doesn't like flying under normal circumstances and our flight to Toronto was pretty rough so when we were told of the problems with the planes I could see her getting more and more stressed!

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

He's getting on a bit now isn't he? Regardless of playing some indoor league games, he hasn't played since 2010. Then throw his left ACL into the mix and it all smacks of desperation.

On behalf of Tammy and our family, I would like to thank everybody for their tremendous support, love, kind words and prayers during this time of great sadness. Words cannot express our sense of loss.

We loved Garrett so much. He was a wonderful son and brother. He made us laugh, he was a pleasure to be around, he always had a smile on his face, and we will miss him dearly. We will never forget him, and we will remember him with love.

Garrett’s road through life was not always an easy one. He faced tremendous personal challenges with bravery and spirit. As a family, we stood by him and were inspired as he worked to overcome those challenges. Even though he lost the battle that has been ongoing for the last eight years, we will always remember him as a fighter who had a huge, loving heart.

I spoke with the team yesterday and thanked them for their thoughts and prayers. I asked them to continue with their preparations for the upcoming season until I am ready to rejoin the team.

It is in times like these that we lean on our faith, our family, our friends, and our Eagles family. We will do so in the difficult times ahead.

Thank you again for your continued support,
Andy Reid

They blend into training camp scenery like skilled chameleons hunting for that next juicy sound bite.

Their goal is to capture the sights, sounds and – they hope – the true characters of a Miami Dolphins football team that in many ways continues to search for its own identity.

On Tuesday night, the world will be offered a deep probe of an NFL franchise in this latest version of HBO's "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Miami Dolphins."

The show airs 10 p.m. on Tuesdays through Sept. 4 on HBO.

"Am I scared? I'm scared of me on TV, yeah," Dolphins coach Joe Philbin quipped. " I'm scared of me, but I'm not scared of the information or leakage or any of that kind of stuff."

Perhaps some of that concern is generated when Philbin reminds himself a mounted robotic camera is watching him behind the closed doors of his office. Two men sitting in a dark trailer capture his most intimate moments at the Dolphins' complex.

Philbin is seven months into his first NFL head coaching job. Not only is he trying to turn the Dolphins back into a winning franchise after three straight losing seasons, he also must settle a three-way quarterback battle while he continues to make sense of the death of his son, Michael, who drowned a week before he took the job.

Rob Gehring, Senior Producer with NFL Films, and the director of Hard Knocks, said the stories and characters are bound to change on a weekly basis.

Gehring, 35, was a member of the Hard Knocks crews that covered the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys. Those experiences have helped him come to understand what appeals to viewers.

"We're giving you extraordinary access to the team," Gehring said. "I don't know if those are centered around surprising characters. I think it's more you'll get to see how the coaches talk behind closed doors. You'll see the very beginnings of the decision making process when it comes to determining the (53-man roster). ...Obviously, the quarterback battle will be a big component of the show. You'll get to see the seeds of that."

They also hope to capture all of the significant moments as well.

The crew was scrambling on a Saturday night when first-round draft pick Ryan Tannehill arrived at the training facility to end a two-day holdout to sign his four-year deal.

Tannehill revealed to reporters he had eluded NFL Films' cameras unintentionally when he entered the building, but that they soon found him in the locker room in time to capture the deal.

And yes, Tannehill's wife, who has attracted national attention for her good looks, is in the show.

"She'll be in the beginning of the show when we're setting up the quarterbacks with their families," Gehring said. "I'm sure she will appear in future shows. All kidding aside, wives and families are an important part of this. They are the support system that allows these guys to be entrenched here, and we certainly will spend time with them."

One question when the Dolphins announced they would do Hard Knocks was about boundaries. So far, Gehring said, the Dolphins have been "great" and have not put up any fences and barbed wire.

"We have been very sensitive that we will not violate any of that," Gehring said, "not even go near it."

Dolphins players have offered different opinions about Hard Knocks presence, and its potential impact on the season.

"I've seen the show a few times and I think they do a pretty good job at just showing what we go through as football players, as athletes and they do a good job of showing the business side of things," Dolphins running back Reggie Bush said. "I think they will do a good job of just kind of capturing what we're all about."

JaMarcus Hustle wrote: »

Not on until tomorrow Paully!

Oatesy23 wrote: »

Can't wait to watch Hard Knocks tonight! Think I might stay up for the first episode .