NFL Offseason: Why Teams Should Do Hard Knocks

It baffles me. It really does. Why is it that so many teams have turned down Hard Knocks, the documentary on HBO leading up to the start of the football season?

Maybe it’s because of the lockout or maybe it’s because teams don’t want cameras on them during every workout. Either way, I believe the positives outweigh the negatives by leaps and bounds.

After watching Hard Knocks for three years, I never got through the episode and said, "Oh, that’s what that team wants to do?” I mean, come on, we already know what every team in the league wants to do anyway because of their strengths and weaknesses. They’re not giving away game plans on the show, so I really don’t buy that argument.

You can bring up another argument that teams can look at the players that a team drops and go pick them up if they like what they have seen. That’s a valid point and like everything else, Hard Knocks has pros and cons.

I can see where people would not like a camera around them all the time, though. I could not imagine Peyton Manning agreeing to do it.

Although every football fan in the world would be glued to the T.V. in anticipation of seeing how Manning prepares during preseason, I just can’t see him being okay with HBO cameras everywhere. Manning is all business, so I can see why he would not agree to that.

There has to be other teams out there besides the Jets, Bengals and Cowboys that are willing to do Hard Knocks, though.  I mean, heck, if more and more teams keep turning it down, I’m perfectly fine with giving it to the Jets again. As long as Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez and Mike Westhoff are still on the squad, it’ll once again be must-see T.V.

Whether it’s the Jets or any other team, I just hope they find a team willing to take part in Hard Knocks. Teams have said that they won’t do Hard Knocks and they never would do Hard Knocks. Here are three reasons teams and coaches should never say never when it comes to Hard Knocks.

Players Get Envious

As we all know, some NFL players love the spotlight. Picture yourself as a prideful superstar in the NFL, and you turn on HBO on a Sunday night and come across Hard Knocks.

They’re working out just like you are except they’re getting on T.V. for it. Does that make the inner T.O. in you go a little crazy?

Another way players could get envious is by watching the way the players interact with their coaches. I can’t imagine any NFL player watching Hard Knocks last year and think to themselves, "Man, it would be cool to play for Rex."

Creates New Fans

I’m not a Jet fan. I’m a New Orleans Saints fan ‘til I die. But I’d be lying if I said I was not pulling for the Jets in the AFC. I did not intend on pulling for them, but I just felt like I knew their personalities and got invested with them through Hard Knocks.

It’s kind of like when you watch a countdown show to a big fight, and you get the fighter’s back-story and you learn about their personality. That gets you emotionally involved with that fighter, whether you like them or not, and you care about the result of that fight more than you did before.

Hard Knocks does the same thing. There’s no telling how many new Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez fans there are now after the show. Interesting personalities generate interest, which generates more viewers, which generates more fans, which generates more money.

Exposure

All it takes is a couple memorable quotes from the show to make it on ESPN, and all of a sudden your team is getting more publicity.

Some teams would prefer to stay out of the spotlight and let the media hype another team up, but if everyone is talking about your team that’s going to generate interest in your squad. You don’t think the Rams, Panthers, Cardinals and Lions could use more publicity? Make that positive publicity.

The exposure could help your team in ticket sales and help garner more viewers for your games.

Closing Statement

Hard Knocks is both entertaining and compelling television. As a fan of football, I consider the show can’t-miss. HBO does a fantastic job with their sports. As far as I’m concerned, their 24/7’s, Hard Knocks and sports documentaries can not be touched.

Teams should get over this perception that all their secrets are going to be exposed on HBO and do themselves a favor by doing Hard Knocks. Teams are turning down HBO and Hard Knocks as fast as Brett Favre changed his mind about retirement the past couple of years. (We’ll never forget you, Brent.)

For the sake of my entertainment and football fans around the world, I hope a team will step up to the plate and take on Hard Knocks, lockout or not. Heck, just give me the Jets again.