The Monday Mommy: The Bengals to Be Featured on Hard Knocks. Meh.
“We don’t want to see smooth practices and great run-throughs. The fans tune in for the drama and train wrecks, not the X’s and O’s.”
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HBO officially announced what some of us already knew, the Cincinnati Bengals will be the team featured in this season’s version of Hard Knocks. Sigh.
This documentary-style show features one NFL team and the trials and tribulations that franchise goes through during the training camp process. It provides an in-depth look at the team as it prepares for the upcoming football season.
Hard Knocks began in 2001 and has filmed eight seasons since its inception. Some have been glued to your television exciting with tons of drama while others have been pretty boring and non eventful. Not surprisingly, teams with an intoxicating blend of controversy, star power and personalities usually make for the most interesting and well watched seasons.
The Bengals have been there before. Cincinnati appeared on the series in 2009, and HBO won a pair of sports Emmy Awards as a result. Hard Knocks with the Bengals had the highest ratings of any former version of the series.
So, why am I not excited about Hard Knocks Bengals 2.0?
Maybe it’s because they are no longer the same type of team that was in the locker room in 2009. Gone are the divas and “poor character” guys. There will be no more Chad Johnson antics, as least for now. The train wreck that has been the Bengals is now replaced with a younger yet more mature squad.
The humbleness of wide receiver A.J. Green is refreshing, but does not exactly equal riveting television. Quarterback Andy Dalton is like a hot water heater. He’s solid, efficient, does what needs to be done but just isn’t sexy. I don’t mean it in the physical sense, but in his presence on the football field.
Sure, this team has the potential to win the AFC North this season. Yawn.
We don’t want to see smooth practices and great run-throughs. The fans tune in for the drama and train wrecks, not the X’s and O’s. Good topics for Hard Knocks include a good quarterback controversy, a rookie puking his guts out after getting schooled on a play or even the old veteran trying to rehab and make a comeback. Throw in a hot girlfriend and fans are usually pretty happy as well.
I can think of a few other cities whose teams could provide the viewers with a more exciting training camp. How about taking us inside the inner workings of the Dallas Cowboys again? Watching Jerry Jones muddle around and insert his authority everywhere would be phenomenal content for the series. It could also feature Tony Romo out to prove his worthiness to the doubters and haters of the football world.
While it would never happen in a gazillion years under the current regime, the New England Patriots would be a dream to watch during training camp. Tim Tebow aside, there is still enough material for a double run of the series. Can you just imagine if they gave us access to the inner workings behind the curtain?
The 49ers would also be a solid choice to put on display. San Francisco’s quest to reach the Super Bowl for a second year in a row along with sophomore quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s first camp as the starter is reason enough for folks to tune in. Add in a host of new free agents along with the veterans and this could be a great television.
For what it’s worth, I am not convinced that the 2013 Bengals will give us the level of scandal fans are looking for from the series. It is however, a possibility that I can be proven wrong and it would not be the first time.
For fans of Hard Knocks, let’s hope now is one of those instances.
