The guy squirting water into Zach Ertz’s mouth is Joe O’Pella. He’s an athletic trainer that’s been with the team for over 15 years at this point.
NFL teams don’t really have water boys, athletic trainers are usually the ones responsible for having water on the practice field and during games, but this post is absolutely hilarious.
A guy who rehabbed my ACL tear in my second year, has a masters degree from Pitt, and has years of experience keeping Eagles players healthy and on the field being called a “Waterboy” is crazy, and I’m already giving him shit for it, but good lord this post is so wildly misleading.
Either way, thought I’d clear the air, that the people with Water Bottles during games actually serve much bigger roles on NFL Teams.
Here is everything Dawn Staley had to say today about Geno Auriemma, his statement, and her perspective:
"No distractions at this time... I grew up in the projects of North Philly. 215, 267 area code. Nothing can derail us, or me, from staying with the task at hand."
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's haunted
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moon's haunted
Here is what I'll say about the Jalen Hurts article. He has had 2 competent offensive coordinators in his career. Both left for head coaching positions after Super Bowl seasons.
He has also had 2 incompetent offensive coordinators in his career. Both were first-time NFL playcallers, both went 1 and done, and neither is even a position coach now.
Hurts has limitations. He has preferences. Every QB does. A good OC works with his QB and meets in the middle to find what works for everyone. Two guys did that. Two guys didn't. The results speak for themselves.
If you want to use those preferences to argue that the son of a coach, who also played for Nick Saban, isn't coachable, that's where you lose me.
The article even acknowledges that both Moore and Steichen came in with a plan about how the offense would function, while lines were more blurred with Johnson and Patullo.
I fully expect Mannion to come in with a plan as well and push back on Hurts' preferences when necessary. He doesn't have the clout of being a longtime coach or an experienced playcaller, which does make it a bit of a dice roll.
But Hurts has a relentless work ethic, and after the way last season ended, I'd expect him to be more open to change, especially if it is coming from someone competent.