There's Little Chance the Baltimore Ravens Appear on "Hard Knocks" Again

The Baltimore Ravens were the first team featured on the HBO series "Hard Knocks" back in 2001 when they were coming off of a Super Bowl victory.

The show, which follows an NFL team during training camp and the preseason as they make important personnel decisions, ran for two years, then took a multi-season hiatus and now has been going strong since 2007 (save for last year, when the lockout necessitated they cancel).

Now, HBO seems eager to revisit teams featured in the past, the Ravens included. This time, it may be a joint season featuring the John Harbaugh-led Ravens and the Jim Harbaugh-led San Francisco 49ers.

At the time, the Ravens were coached by the media-friendly Brian Billick who welcomed HBO's cameras with open arms. But this time around, with Harbaugh running the show, it seems unlikely he'd be as enthusiastic.

In fact, Harbaugh's reaction to this potential overture by HBO (which hasn't been confirmed—the Ravens' media relations department says the network hasn't contacted them) could be downright antagonistic.

There's a reason just a handful of teams have allowed cameras to film their preseason preparations—paranoia. And rightfully so. Who knows what those cameras may capture that give their opponents a leg up during the season.

Things like early depth charts, game planning and changes in strategy could easily wind up on television for all to see, and could give rival teams an advantage.

Even if said worry about advantages are real or imagined, it doesn't matter—that worry is there. The plan for training camps is all about eliminating distraction and building (and in the Ravens' case, maintaining) a winning football team.

And there are few things more distracting than camera crews wandering about, airing the team's dirtiest of laundry practically in real-time.

These sound like things Harbaugh would prefer to have no part of. So while it sounds compelling to have the brothers' teams featured on "Hard Knocks" this year, HBO is barking up the wrong tree.


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