10 Situations All 'Hard Knocks' Seasons Share

If there's one thing that really kicks off the NFL season, it's the debut of the wildly popular Hard Knocks series on HBO, which documents one team as it goes through the trials and tribulations of training camp.

With behind-the-scenes looks at what it's really like to be an NFL player preparing for a new season, Hard Knocks always delivers some memorable moments.

In fact, no matter what team gets featured, a few circumstances always make their way on camera.

With nine seasons already in the books—with the Houston Texans wrapping up the 10th this year—here are 10 situations that each season shares.

10. A Reminder That the NFL Is a Business

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Sorry to start this entire list off with such a buzzkill, but the facts are the facts: Professional sports are just that—a profession—and Hard Knocks regularly reminds us of that.

Over the years, cameras have caught the moment that players are called into a coach's office to hear the dreaded words, "We're going to let you go," ruining that player's hopes of being a part of the team.

From undrafted hopefuls to veterans who are looking to prolong their careers to guys getting traded, fans have seen firsthand what makes the NFL such a cutthroat business when guys can't keep up.

9. The Hidden Talents of Players

As if being in the top 1 percent of human beings who actually get to play a pro sport for a living isn't enough, Hard Knocks' cameras always seem to catch a player doing something that fans had no idea he could do.

Sure, we all know that these guys are talented outside of just football, but when they're amazing us with piano-playing skills or some other creative task, it's really cool to see.

It seems that every season has a moment where a guy displays a voice that could land him a record contract if an NFL deal isn't meant to be.

8. The Impressive Rookie

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Every year a rookie comes along who just blows the mind of the entire coaching staff. More so, it always seems to be a guy that they never imagine doing it.

Unlike first- or second-round selections who are supposed to come in and compete for starting roles or sufficient playing time, when a guy who was drafted in a later round or not at all catches the eye of a coach, it's cool to see the player's story unfold each episode, as he moves from the practice squad to the starting lineup by the time preseason games come around.

Coaches will always ride the self-entitled first-year guys because they expect the most out of them, but it's the promising, little-known rooks who earn extra attention that we like to see.

7. The Quote That Will Never Be Forgotten

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Whether it was Antonio Cromartie forgetting his kids' names while the New York Jets were the featured team in 2010 or Brian Cushing's comment about Starbucks that was part of this most current season, a couple of quotes always go down in infamy.

That's not to say that they're always good ones—Cromartie earned criticism, even though he blamed producers for showing the hiccup.

Like any TV show, some lines are better than others, and Hard Knocks is no different thanks to cameras catching nearly everything players say and do.

6. A Potty-Mouthed Coach

Editor's Note: Video contains NSFW language

It's rare for people to ever stand on the sideline of a sporting event. For those who haven't, I can tell you that a hell of a lot of swearing goes on, whether through trash talk or self-criticism for making a bad play.

As big of culprits as players are, coaches are the absolute worst, as they let their fiery tempers come through when expecting near-perfection from their players.

Marvin Lewis' expletive-laced locker-room speech has long been remembered, and, just this year, Houston Texans' coach Bill O'Brien has mentioned how his mom is actually upset with how much he swears.

Coaches inspire through various techniques, but one of those ways almost always includes bad words that would land them in detention.

5. Big Guys Getting Clowned On

As someone who's just 5'8" and 160 pounds, I have no semblance of what it's like to be labeled a "big guy."

For those who do—like offensive and defensive linemen in football—Hard Knocks always shows them getting clowned on for being so large, with quarterbacks talking about how badly their, well, you know, smell, or how look because they're so massive.

These guys are some of the strongest people in any sport, so I wouldn't want to mess with them, but that doesn't mean that their teammates aren't shy about doing it.

4. The Player Who Steals the Show

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As sports fans know, a few players are always the most popular on a team.

Whether that's because they're the most talented, they have the biggest mouths or have proved to be fan favorites for their blue-collar work ethic, Hard Knocks knows which guys to focus on once the cameras are rolling.

And players eat it up.

One player always stands out more than others, providing hilarious sound bites that get talked about each week.

This year's leading man? Well, it's no surprise that it's J.J. Watt, who, whether on Hard Knocks or not, says some of the funniest things ever heard on the gridiron.

3. Rookie Initiation

Some may refer to this as "hazing," but because we're politically correct, I'll just go ahead and use "initiation" instead.

Regardless of what you call it, Hard Knocks gives an exclusive look at what first-year guys have to do in order to really fit in with the new team.

A popular ritual is to tie rookies up to a goal post with tape as their veteran teammates toss cold water on them, while another involves rooks carrying an abundance of pads from the practice field.

No one said that making it in the NFL is easy, and experienced players make sure they relay that message to their newest teammates by making them pay their dues.

2. Team Building

I don't care if you work on a sales team or are part of an NFL team, in order to have success, there has to be trust involved.

That doesn't mean going out and doing that damn trust fall like we all did at summer camp growing up, but activities that have people get out of their comfort zone a little bit are necessary.

Thankfully, Hard Knocks gets the good stuff from NFL training camps.

While there's a lot of seriousness and responsibility for pro athletes, there's also a ton of fun, with teams doing talent shows, dance contests and singing competitions over the years to allow the personalities, talents and creativity come out of their players.

1. The Inspirational Story

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Everyone loves a good drama, and Hard Knocks makes sure it provides one by focusing on a player each season who inspires the audience—and, in some cases, his teammates.

I mentioned the impressive rookie who always makes an appearance, but more than that is the guy who defies the odds and actually makes the final roster.

Of course, not all movies end with joy, as some of the players that fans root for the most end up either on the practice squad or just straight-up released, throwing us for a curve.

No matter what team is featured, there will always be the inspirational story that Hard Knocks producers focus on for the sake of good theater.