"Hard Knocks," the popular documentary produced by NFL Films and HBO covering one team through training camp, is having trouble finding a host team. Sound familiar? It should. Last season, the show covered the Miami Dolphins after pursuing other fruitless leads.
The problem with "Hard Knocks" is that it's simply intrusive. Yes, it gives fans unprecedented access to a team leading up to the start of the season, but the cost far outweighs any PR benefits. Coaches, players, and in most cases owners, are unwilling to subject their teams to such a distraction so close to the beginning of real football.
This season, teams seem particularly unwilling to participate in the show, although it seems likely that a low profile team such as the Bills or the Browns will eventually agree to entertain the show. Obviously, the producers target high profile teams first. Last year, for instance, the Jaguars openly volunteered for the show, but HBO gave them the proverbial, "Thanks, but no thanks."
This year, it's the Seahawks that are shooting down the possibility of starring on the popular show.
"We understand the interest in this show, but would not want to bring a ton of attention to ourselves," Seahawks general manager John Schneider told the National Football Post.
As a fan, I want as much national coverage of my team as possible. As a fan that wants my team to win games, I want "Hard Knocks" far far away from any training camp action. Some, if not most, players handle added attention and pressure very well. It's the small percentage of players that will turn the show into a circus that I'm worried about, and as a potential Super Bowl contender, the Seahawks have no reason to draw any added attention to themselves.
So the search for a team to feature will continue, and as I mentioned, they'll probably find a team willing to participate, but it's also a safe bet that the team they find won't exactly be making a Super Bowl run this season. Those teams know to stay away and get on with their business.
