Hard Knocks

The Steelers have reportedly stated they would hate being on the show. Might be the only way for them to avoid being forced into it is to remove Tomlin.

They haven't been in the playoffs in 2 years and they haven't been on the show in a decade (or ever).

Teams possibly in the running for next year based on current standings and pending coaches are

Saints, Cards, Packers, Bears, Commanders, Broncos, Steelers, Titans, Patriots

The Colts are in the playoffs right now, but if they miss they'd be another option.

 

Speaking of Hard Knocks , I didn't know it started this early. HBO just dropped the 1st episode with the Giants. It is all about the beginning of the off season things like letting Barkley walk and finding his replacement, and their open DC position after wink gave his FU to the head coach and quit. And then they go into scouting for the draft.

I ran into the full episode on YouTube tonight. Here is the link to the video posted on youtube. Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants 7/2/2024 | HBO New York Giants July 2 2024 FULL 720 (youtube.com) I am not posting the video here, because I don't know how legal this is to be on youtube.


Barkley's end of episode scenario may be what the Steelers and Najee go through next year.


Also, I am looking forward to seeing some Russell Wilson footage, as I remembered that Russell's 1st stop after being released by Denver was with the Giants. Rumor was that the Giants would not guarantee him the starting job, but Pittsburgh would.

 

I dont think we "gauranteed" him anything. Tomlin said he is in pole position to earn the starting job. It's still a competition. Fields, by all reports at this time, is not ready to be the #1. Wilson probably saw more opportunity and a better situation in Pittsburgh than New York and battling it out with Daniel Jones and Drew Lock. He still needs to earn it.

 

I always wanted to see the Steelers on it but I think it would be a distraction for the players.

 

Really, because I heard that Tomlin called Kenny Pickett to inform him that Russell Wilson would be the starting QB, and that is when things went off the rails for Kenny.

Here; I have already posted this crazy tweet somewhere else here on the board.
John Frascella (Football) on X: "BREAKING, EXCLUSIVE: The FULL details of the Steelers drama involving Kenny Pickett, Russell Wilson & Mason Rudolph have emerged (Giants also involved!): 1. The Steelers met with Russell Wilson the Friday before they ultimately signed him. He did NOT sign that day because he https://t.co/hsJ2PxMLDR" / X

The FULL details of the Steelers drama involving Kenny Pickett, Russell Wilson & Mason Rudolph have emerged (Giants also involved!):

1. The Steelers met with Russell Wilson the Friday before they ultimately signed him. He did NOT sign that day because he refused to sign unless he was guaranteed to be the starter.

2. My source says THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE GIANTS. Russell Wilson did not sign with the Giants because they refused to guarantee him the starting job.

3. In the meantime, Mason Rudolph negotiated a contract to remain with the Steelers, but when he met with them that Sunday they pulled the rug out from under him! Pulled back the deal!

4. When Wilson wouldn’t initially sign, the Steelers’ plan was to have Pickett & Rudolph compete for the job.

5. Rudolph & Pickett had already made plans to start practicing together that Monday.

6. Instead, Rudolph called Pickett that Sunday night and told him the Steelers decided to go a different direction. His deal was off the table.

7. Pickett tried calling Mike Tomlin that Sunday night, but coach did not answer.

8. Tomlin returned Pickett’s call on Monday, AFTER the news came out that the Steelers were signing Wilson.

9. Tomlin told Pickett that Wilson was the guaranteed starter. THERE WAS NEVER GOING TO BE A QB COMPETITION.

10. Pickett was very unhappy with Tomlin and the Steelers, then he demanded a trade. All per my trusted source. Just… WOW.

 

You need to work on your critical thinking skills. This is some guy with no credibility claiming to have a source. It is closer to how I think things went down, but this just isn't credible.

 

I 100% believe this...

1. The Steelers met with Russell Wilson the Friday before they ultimately signed him. He did NOT sign that day because he refused to sign unless he was guaranteed to be the starter.

2. My source says THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE GIANTS. Russell Wilson did not sign with the Giants because they refused to guarantee him the starting job.

There would have been plenty of other teams Russell could have gone to, that were not as good as the Steelers, that would have Guaranteed Russell Wilson the Starting Job. Because money was not a consideration of where Russell signed it would have been all about the GTD for the starting Job and the Talent on the team. Just a guess, but I think his wife was the reason Russell went to New York first.

I can't wait to see this playout in front of cameras on Hard Knocks, maybe in the next episode.

 

I know a few Giant fans (dumb ones, they think I can record Hard Knocks for them like I did when VHS was still a thing) that mentioned what you did. No idea where they got their info from.

Makes sense him coming to us seeing how we have no QB. It would have been stupid for him to go to Giants. Can't see him beating Jones.

 

I know you believe it, but that's a low bar, too.

 

None of this would shock me.


It will also not shock me when the Steelers are gonna be the "talk of the town" in the National Sports Media should this be true either.

 

Watched episode 2 last night. They were at the Combine. That looks like a fun event to attend.

 

it's very good!

 

Got a little glimpse of the combine interviews and how they asses these guys.

 

Yeah, I'm finding this one enjoyable. The Giants brain trust are comedians in training.

 

What I find funny is they're saying all the things behind closed doors that we all know GMs and management said, but put on the public face like they never considered it!

They all do it! You can't let everyone know your intentions before you close a deal!

 

That was funny when they found out the salary cap was going up to $255, when they were forecasting it to be $229; and nobody asked the question if they wanted to use that extra money to sign their best offensive player in Barkley.

WOW, they never even made an offer to Barkley; just told him to test the free agent market and let them know his offers from other teams. I will be curious to see if Barkley ever calls them back with the Eagles offer, or just signs with the Eagles and never gives the Giants a chance to match. "Hey, I have this offer from the Eagles, do you want to match this offer, or play against me twice every year?"

I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they find out Barkley has signed with the Eagles.

 

I thought they addressed it well though. From their perspective they made an offer last year and they don't want to overpay considering what some of the other RBs got so far. They did have that internal conversation though. Then they went out in the public and made a statement that was extremely bland like they wanted him there no matter what.

 

Holly Hell. Did I miss understand the first 5 minutes of Episode 3???

The GM is on the phone to Barkley's agent and the Agent tells him that for a 3 year deal at 12.5 million a year with $25 million guaranteed, Barkley will sign and be a Giant. The GM then calls the owner and never mentions the offer the Agent just gave him over the phone.

And the owner John is like the only guy in the room that seems to want to keep Barkley in the first 2 episodes. How pissed is the owner going to be when he watches this episode and learns that the Giants had an ofer from Barkley, but the GM never told the owner about it.

First 5 minutes of Episode 3.

Also, WOW, they were happy to sign Drew Lock for $5 million. I think the Giants would have been better off signing Mason Rudolph to be there backup QB.

 

One of the more interesting Hard Knocks. I stay invested in it for my friend who is a Giants fan but to cheap to pay for MAX.

 

Episode 4: Draft Day, did we really need a short episode that ends on a "To Be Continued"?

Great camera work at the LSU Pro Day, so much better than the NFL had at the combine. I loved the way Nabers was catching that ball at his Pro Day. Scouts were like, yeah that guy is going to be a stud.

 

Asses… cue the donkeys

 

Yeah, weakest episode so far.

 

I wonder how many of those player Evalution interviews were done after the draft?

Next week has to be the Russell Wilson Episode.