The identity of this year's team on HBO's "Hard Knocks" is justly treated as breaking news around these parts. That meant we had to put together a post as quickly as possible without a ton of depth about why the Miami Dolphins should be a cool team to follow.
And since no one is going to stop us from doing another post, here are a few of the storylines we're looking forward to on "Hard Knocks":
A first-time head coach under the spotlight
Joe Philbin has a lot to deal with in his first season as an NFL head coach. He's dramatically changing schemes on both sides of the ball. He has a quarterback battle, an inherited general manager and a roster that might not really fit well together yet.
Now he'll have cameras following him around all day. There has never been a first-time head coach on "Hard Knocks" before. Philbin is one of the least-known coaches in the league, but that's about to change in a major way.
A culture of secrecy opens up
"Hard Knocks" would have never happened in the Bill Parcells era. Heck, the Big Tuna openly worried about his quarterbacks becoming too "Hollywood." While Parcells' lieutenant, Jeff Ireland, remains as general manager, this decision shows that owner Stephen Ross is running the show. Ireland will have no choice but to welcome the show.
Philbin comes from Ted Thompson's Green Bay Packers organization. It's hard to imagine them ever considering allowing cameras in their building. This is a win for Dolphins fans.
A three-way quarterback battle
We have the overachieving incumbent whom no one respects: Matt Moore. We have the veteran at the end of his career but looking for one last shot: David Garrard. And, of course, we have the hot-shot rookie with the photogenic wife. (Yes, Lauren Tannehill figures to be a big part of the show, just like Kelli Croyle was for the Kansas City Chiefs' "Hard Knocks.")
Local Boys
It's always hard to predict what storylines will emerge, but don't be surprised if the cameras follow former University of Miami products Lamar Miller and Olivier Vernon as they try to navigate life at the next level in their hometown.
The Reggie show
Look for reality-show veteran Reggie Bush to get a lot of airtime and say overly optimistic quotes that are written about the next day. Vontae Davis, Karlos Dansby, Cameron Wake and Jake Long are other veterans who could emerge.
Finally, we'd like to thank the Dolphins for agreeing to do "Hard Knocks" after so many high-profile teams turned down the show.
"It'll be a great opportunity for the fans to connect with this football team," Philbin told NFL.com's Jeff Darlington. "They can see where we are right now and where we're headed."
