Broncos Turn Down ‘Hard Knocks’
By Justin Stine
As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of the HBO series “Hard Knocks” that follows an NFL team through the preseason as they prepare for the upcoming NFL campaign. The New York Jets were last year’s featured team, and it was must-see TV every week. I don’t know the status of the show for this season thanks to the lockout, but I do know that the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will not be the team featured if there is a show. According to reports, both teams have turned down requests to appear on Hard Knocks, with the Broncos being the most recent team to take their names out of the hat. So I ask you: What about the Rams?
Personally, I would absolutely love it if the Rams were this year’s Hard Knocks participant. Getting inside the doors and getting to know the players and see the battles for roster spots would be a great way for fans to fall even more in love with this team. The national exposure would be outstanding, and truly introducing the world to Sam Bradford could propel him to stardom. I understand that having a camera crew there at all times can be invasive, but I don’t think it would be enough to affect the team’s preparation heading into the season. There are going to be plenty of position battles, which always makes for good TV, and the personality of a guy like Steven Jackson could carry the show. It doesn’t seem like something this coaching staff would like very much, but as a fan I would rejoice if the team was offered and accepted the spot.