HBO Hard Knocks: What to Watch for in Season Finale

As the 2012 NFL season gets ready to kick-off on Wednesday, HBO and the Miami Dolphins will wrap up the eighth season of Hard Knocks with what is sure to be a gut-wrenching experience for people who love drama and watching players get cut. 

Following the Dolphins on this journey through the preseason has brought about some of the most memorable moments in the show's history--Chad Johnson's release being chief among them. 

Here is what we are expecting to see from the final episode of the 2012 edition of Hard Knocks. 

CUT DAY

As painful as it is to watch a coach tell a player that he is not going to be part of the team as the regular season begins, it does make for great storytelling on television. 

The hardest part about seeing Dolphins coach Joe Philbin give a player his walking papers is knowing that they will be scrambling to find a job and paycheck to help provide for their families. 

We know that nine players were released on Aug. 31, so it will be interesting to see how the show depicts the end of their careers with the Dolphins. We may not get to see all of it happen, as there are time constraints, but what happens on screen will be fascinating. 

LESSONS FROM A WINLESS PRESEASON

We are all guilty of paying too much attention to preseason stats. When in a fantasy draft, I have actually heard people quoting preseason stats before making a pick. Needless to say, I did quite well in that league. 

Back to the point, the Dolphins are still a team very much in need of positive vibes heading into the regular season. They did not find any this preseason, as they went 0-4, including a 30-13 loss against Dallas that will feature prominently in this episode. 

Not only did the Dolphins fail to win a game, but they were outscored 96-43. Things could get ugly this season for them, so it is up to the coaching staff and players to take something, anything, away from the Cowboys game that can be a positive. 

THE NEW ERA BEGINS

All the preseason numbers might tell us something, but this is the moment that all 32 teams have been building towards since the New York Giants defeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. 

The Dolphins just happened to have part of their journey chronicled on television. This is a franchise very much in transition, as they welcome a new head coach and quarterback into the fray. 

As the season closes, it should be about a new dawn coming to Miami. There are always questions that have to be answered, but optimism should be building with what this franchise hopes to build. 

Even in a season that will feature a lot more bumps than bruises, it should make for fascinating television. 

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