If you’re a fan of swearing and football, the first episode of “Hard Knocks” was for you.
The 10th season of the HBO show chronicles the Houston Texans as they make their way toward Week 1 of the NFL season. And if Tuesday night’s opening episode is any indication, it appears Texans fans are in for quite the ride.
— One of the stars of the first episode was J.J. Watt. He did everything, from flipping a 1,000-pound tire 65 times in one day to solidifying his role as the vocal leader of the defense.
— Coach Bill O’Brien asked his mother not to watch “Hard Knocks” because of all the swearing he does. We’re not sure if she ended up watching or not, but he wasn’t joking about some of the colorful language he used on the show.
— O’Brien spent the first part of the episode talking about the lack of outside respect for the Texans. “Let’s be honest,” O”Brien said. “This place has no respect in the league, just so you guys are all aware of that. Turn your TV on. No one talks about the Houston Texans.” That certainly could change, thanks to “Hard Knocks.”
— Former New England Patriot Vince Wilfork also was prominently featured. He showed off his basketball skills and made plenty of jokes in some of the lighter moments of the episode.
— Wilfork and O’Brien weren’t the only people with Patriots ties featured on “Hard Knocks.” Romeo Crennel, Mike Vrabel, Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer also were on the show. Mallett and Hoyer are in a quarterback competition, so there’s a good chance a former Patriot will start at QB in Houston.
— Arian Foster’s injury also came up. “Personally I feel bad for him, but listen very carefully,” O’Brien said to his team. “This is the National Football League and injuries happen every day. That’s why you have a competitive roster. The next guy has to stand up. If you listen to ESPN, (it’s like) ‘Oh s–t! Why the f–k are we even playing the games?’ Like f–k that. We’re a competitive football team. We’re going to work our asses off.”
Thumbnail photo via Amber Searls/USA TODAY Sports Images
