Ballerific Sports: The Houston Texans Debut On HBO’s “Hard Knocks” : blogged by @niksofly

This season on “Hard Knocks”, HBO follows the Houston Texans.  The first episode is equipped with injuries, plenty of shhh talking  and the infamous brawl that plagued the sports world last weekend. Viewers are quickly taught what makes the organization tick and exactly how much hunger consumes the players. We see J.J. Watt display why the $100 M check was well worth the investment as he toss half a ton tires and work on drills well into the night.

It’s just another day in Houston, unless you are Texans’ staff or the fans who weather the  storm ( more like hell) for a chance to see their team the following day at training camp. HK  spares no film as viewers are introduced to Super Bowl Champ, hero and former Patriot, NT Vince Wilfolk , Texans’ 1^st round draft pick, CB Kevin Johnson as well as the one Watt fan that strained her vocals to remind J.J. that he was hot.  Ballerific Woman, Devi Dev and her hubby, OL Duane Brown, even grace the screen.

We learn that Coach O’brien’s mouth is filthier than mine ( shout out to Bill, you give me hope that  all is not lost for me) , the organization has  bag of lays (more than one chip) on its shoulder for the lack of respect they receive from national media and, oh yeah, one more thing –O’Brien does not give a “F!ck about Georgia, LSU …” or any college team. The way O’Brien dropped the F! bomb, I’m sure there isn’t much he gives a f!ck about except football and winning. O’Brien is dead set on the team not only learning the plays, but the people they share the field with. In a quick quiz, O’Brien checks to see if the rookies know the front of the house as well as the veterans; 1 for the front of the house, 0 for the veterans.  Arian Foster and Reshard Cliett crap out with injuries ( *deep sigh* I really want to see what Cliett was going to do). We only catch a glimpse of Jadeveon Clowney and the battle for the starting position continues between QB’s Ryan Mallet and Brian Hoyer with neither player having a clear edge over the other.

The first day of practice in Houston isn’t pretty, but the team progresses fairly well, so much so that the Texans show out in Virginia their first practice there. It appears to be all good in the neighborhood until one of the Redskins’ (Hall) decides to hit Wideout De’Andre Hopkins after the play. Nukk was not having it and on the following clip, breaks Hall’s ankles.  The glory of a great practice is short lived. The next day the Skins and the weather show no mercy towards the Texans’. Johnson gets bull dozed by a lesser known RB and what we have here is the foundation of why the ‘Skins/Texans brawl ensued.

Quick to recover, the Texans come back for a third day of practice with Washington. A play here, a play there and all hell break loose. The Texans are not here (more like there) for it. The Skins appear to have written a check that their a$$ apparently could not cash.  I was personally looking for someone to catch the fade, but the only fade that was caught was the fade away HBO gave cutting to the Texans veteran CB’s, Kareem Jackson and Jonathan Joseph posted, conversing about the melee.  I’m pretty sure we will see more of the brawl and how O’Brien handles the indiscretion the next episode.

OAN: How can I live in Houston all of my life and not know about the bat bridge? I rewound that scene about six times. Now I have to go check it out. It’ll be on the BA snap chat as well as my adventures in New Orleans as I follow the Texans to the Superdome for a pre season show down.

-Niko Rose