Oh Mike Hart, you funny boy!
Here's a scenario for you:
Picture a competitive situation where you are a vet and a few rookies have just joined your team. Now this doesn't necessarily have to pertain to sports. You can think of perhaps the PTA (you are in charge of Teacher Appreciation Week and newbie is in charge of bringing candy), Girl Scouts (Junior to a Brownie), your job (you have a desk and a window, they have a cubicle. It's simple office hierarchy.), even the school lunch room (you obviously sit at the cool table cause you know people, they just sit). Ok, got it? Competitive situation, you're a vet, they're a rookie... and done. Good. Moving on.
Now this rookie, who has done nothing but be selected to join your crew, has a great deal of potential. A real star this young one! However, don't we all know (as former rookies) everyone must pay their dues? Earn our keep in the club, prove we're worthy. Rule "Suck it up and take it" 101.
And yes we all have been in a situation where we realize our genius is superior to the current leader. We take a moment, glance around and think: "You're kidding? This idiot is running things? Pssshhttt... I could do wayyy better." But most of us know better. We politely smile and nod our head while listening to said leader. We volunteer, ask if we can do more, and bury our complaints. When asked: "Who wants to __________ at 6am?" Our hand involuntarily shoots up and offers. We earn our spot one stupid early morning after another to prove we belong. We keep our mouths closed. Hello. The reason a rookie doesn't get to do it is because there are older much grumpier people who've been around way longer and have rightfully earned their position to complain. If there's one thing that puts a target on a rookie's back, it is the act of speaking. Period.
So imagine how the vets of the Indianapolis Colts, the XLI Super Bowl Champions mind you, must have felt after hearing what their prized new little rookie Mike Hart said about them! From Profootballtalk.com
“Indianapolis is a different organization. You watch ‘Hard Knocks’ on HBO and you expect to be hazed and a lot of those things, but the Colts are a lot different. It’s not as bad as I thought — we don’t get taped, we don’t get hazed with the Colts.”
Oh that's nice. Wait, he keeps going.
"The only surprise is it's not as tough as I thought it was going to be, as far as practice and those type of things," he said. "It's more laid back."
GASP.
Are you crazy kid? What?! Of course it seems laid back. They also tell you it's voluntary. Don't believe it. This cake walk you think you are munching on right now is going to turn into a brutal hell in a few weeks. Snap your finger and wish you could take it back, take it all back right away. Claim you were misquoted or that the reporter simply misremembered what you said!
You've just made yourself the "fresh meat" target of not only the guys on your own team, who perhaps now find it their responsibility to physically remind you that you're now playing with the big boys, but also the target of every defensive guy you will play on the '08 schedule. Well done.
Prepare to be taped, hazed and laid out all season long. This isn't Michigan kid. You're playing in the NFL where the only thing laid back is the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. And that my friend, you have to earn.
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Tiffany Simons is NBCSports.com's host extraordinaire. Watch Fantasy Fix, NBA Buzzer Beater, MMA Fight Weekly and Irish Live with Tiffany at the helm. The Florida State grad shares her thoughts here on all things sports.
Wow, you should give up writing. Who really cares about what he said, nothing said was a big deal anyways.
If you knew anything about the difference between a college football practice and a pro football practice, then you wouldn't hae written this story. It's just something else for you writers' to make Indianapolis sound like the greatest and most professional football team in the NFL.
Give me a break, don't you have a manicure appointment? You are in the wrong profession.....
Things have not kicked into high gear just yet. When they start with the two a days, flim sessions, weight room, full contact, then he will start sweating bullets. Right now is nothing to get worked up over, but best believe he will have to earn his keep. Word of advice rook, keep your mouth shut and your ears and eyes open, don't be another Vanderjerk.
Tiff- Nice to point this out. I hope he gets his @ss handed to him!
Andrew- Let's see your blog or online videos. Got any? Didn't think so. Go elsewhere.
Mike Hart is gonna have his sweet talking butt rode to the ground in the summer heat.
Tony Dungy is one of the true gentleman coaches in the NFL that treats his coaches and players like mature men and expects them to do likewise by and towards each other. Is Mike Hart missing something by not having to participate in any juvenile rituals? Is he less of a man or football player or violated an good-old boys code by daring to speak honestly by what his perceptions are? Please tell me what heinious errors he comitted with his words?
Mike Hart is a tough kid, so I think it probably comes easier for him than other guys.. But, its like Skip said, things aren't into full gear yet, and pretty soon practice is going to suck.
Andrew- It seems you have some animosity towards female bloggers.. Its pretty unfair to tell her to go get a manicure when she makes a fair point that Mike Hart shouldn't be going around telling the older guys its too easy. Not to mention the fact that you didn't even bring up a good point in response to her blog. You never even said what was the difference between a college practice and a pro practice, but i doubt your qualified to make an assessment anyway.. As for your troubles with women: "If you havin girl problems i feel bad for you son, i got 99 problems but a b*tch ain't one"
Washington- You are absolutely correct with your categorization of Coach Dungy, without a doubt he is always a class act. However his class and the example he leads tends to be spoken through actions. Maybe Mike Hart should take notice of such a great example.
Did Hart commit a heinous error, as you asked? Of course not. However this is also a young man who has admitted: "Obviously I talk. I talk a lot, everyone knows that."
My feelings are he should speak on matters when he has earned the right to stand on that soap box and speak. If come September he still feels things were pretty easy, then fine. But it'd probably be in his best interest to wait and see for himself.
I totally love listening to these newbies thinking that it isnt as hard as they thought at the beginning of Mini-Camp, then you hear them huffing and puffing in the cameras come mid-August for the slightest amount of sympathy, but they dont get any...which leaves a smile on my face. Ill be looking forward to seeing how Mike Hart's season turns out for him through the website YOUbeQB.com. YOUbeQB.com has a really cool game called Fantasy Training Camp that allows you to become the offensive coordinator of your favorite team, customize a unique playbook, see how you match up against the Pro’s, and challenge your friends! Also check out the Top Ten Lists and the Blog for up to date news, notes, and commentary in the NFL.
B!tches ain't nothing but tricks and hoes.