I took my family to the Phoenix Zoo Zoolights tonight so please excuse this quick and dirty review being a bit delayed. The sarcasm for Hard Knocks had to take a backseat to riding a camel and spinning on a carousel an inordinate number of times. Without further ado, here are my quick hitting thoughts from an awkward episode 4.
- We finally get some behind the scenes content on the Sean Kugler situation. Most revealing was the fact that the Cardinals TE coach, Steve Heiden, just switches jobs midseason. This is obviously not ideal but the team seems to respond well to Heiden. Heiden doesn't know the terminology or at one point seemingly doesn't know who Max Garcia is.
- Kyler Murray's return is documented. We get some Kyler joking around with teammates and more of that would go a long way for the beleaguered QB.
- Every time we see Kyler communicating with teammates in practice, it just feels like this should be better.
- Thanksgiving takes place during the game week and celebrating Thanksgiving while being an NFL players looks like it SUCKS.
- We keep hearing Cardinals players move the goal posts for the season. "Control our own destiny" "We have to take care of business". Hard Knocks started with Kliff preaching about the 3 NFC West games and going 2-0 to set up a big game against SF and that obviously did not work out well. It feels like Cardinals players are saying things to try and convince themselves the playoffs are still possible but don't really believe it.
- DeAndre Hopkins time volunteering with his teammates at a women's shelter is shown and its a great reminder of how much incredible charity work gets done because of professional athletes. I've been fortunate enough to emcee a bunch of philanthropic events put on my athletes foundations and the impact is real.
- Also, Kliff Kingsbury's girlfriend looks exactly like you'd think Kliff Kingsbury's "girlfriend" would look. That's both a compliment and a burn. Something tells me this will be just a one episode cameo for the young lady.
- AWKWARD timing for an Isaiah Simmons puff piece. Can we please permanently ban the idea that Simmons can cover slot receivers? Simmons covers receivers like Levi Brown blocked pass rushers.
- Budda Baker is shown giving another inspirational speech. No one has looked better on the show than Budda but the team is about to be 0-3 after his big speeches, which is pretty funny.
- Now we get to the Chargers game action. We see Kyler's INT on a "schematically f*cked" 4th down call. On the sideline, DHop is shown apologizing to Kyler, who mostly ignores Hopkins. Kyler's bedside manner is just bad.
- The Cardinals agony is shown and Simmons is at the center of it.
- Kliff's post game speech was cringe. Its pretty clear he has no messaging or conviction left but he has to say something.
- Budda Baker breaks the team down by telling them they have 5 weeks left. Sometimes this can be a rallying cry but now it sounds like kids counting down the weeks before summer vacation.