Fortunately for me, it’s appropriate to put her photo up given the subject matter: the season finale of HBO’s Hard Knocks was on TV last night.

Aug. 17, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; An Arizona Cardinals fan holds a sign relating to Chad Johnson and ex wife Evelyn Lozada and Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb against the Oakland Raiders in the fourth quarter during a preseason game at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Raiders 31-27. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

In no particular order, here’s what struck me:

Chad Johnson really is a “real man” after all. How can that be, you ask? He head-butted his WIFE!!

Yes, that’s true, he did. And he may have already been cheating on her as well. However, towards the end of the show, they did a segment on him. He’s working out on the beach, with the sand strengthening every leg muscle because of the soft nature of the footing. He’s running with parachutes, he’s standing waist-deep in the ocean with a medicine ball over his head, trying to force/walk through the surf. He’s doing everything he can to get into top shape for anyone who might decide to take a chance on a 34 yr old WR whose already shaky reputation has taken its own slap in the face – all because of the decision he made in a fit of anger one night not long ago.

What really got me was the close-up shots of his face as he sat on some high-school football field bleachers admitting that everything that happened was his own fault.

“The Dolphins, I let them down,” Johnson said. “I messed up. I got to suffer the consequences. I made that bed, I got to lay in it. So basically, I got to start all over.”

An emotional moment for sure, but it wasn’t the only sob story. Defensive tackle Isaako Aaitu was cut on the final round when the teams all had to get down to their 53-man roster by last Friday night at 9 pm. He was devestated. Furthermore, he was picked up by the New York Jets…where he tore his ACL and MCL in his very first practice and was waived.

Talk about “Hard Knocks!” Ouch.