Hard Knocks

[King Kebab]

As a big fan of the TV show "Hard Knocks", that pre-season delight that leads up to the big Kick-Off of Week 1, it's nearly that time again when we're going to find out who the featured Team in this year's show is going to be. I personally, had high hopes we were going to see my side the Detroit Lions at last, thinking Matt Patricia's debut season as a Head Coach would be a big draw but then I thought how do they actually decide who is going to be on it, after doing a little research I found out that surprisingly, the Teams actually aren't that keen on taking part and a lot of sides actually decline to do it, apart from the Bengals, who did it twice in four years and so because of that the NFL now actually enforce a Team to take part, but will exempt Teams if they meet the following criteria/rules...

(1) A Team cannot take part if they have appeared on the show within the past ten years.

(2) A Team cannot take part if they have a first-year head coach.

(3) A Team cannot take part if they have reached the playoffs in either of the two preceding seasons.

 So that actually shafted the Lions for me on two counts (2+3), so as I found myself bored and with some spare time on my hands I thought I could try and work out who can actually take part, so here's my workings!!!

Hard Knocks - Previous Seasons

2001 - Baltimore Ravens

2002 - Dallas Cowboys

2007 - Kansas City Chiefs

2008 - Dallas Cowboys

2009 - Cincinnati Bengals

2010 - New York Jets

2012 - Miami Dolphins

2013 - Cincinnati Bengals

2014 - Atlanta Falcons

2015 - Houston Texans

2016 - Los Angeles Rams

2017 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2018 - ???

All the Teams = 32 Teams:

Arizona Cardinals, Atalanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

After applying Rule 1 = 23 Teams:

Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

After Applying Rule 2 = 16 Teams

Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins

After Applying Rule 3 = 7 Teams

Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins

So there you go, that's it whittled down, the chosen team doesn't get announced until after the Free Agency Picks and the Draft, so who do you fancy???

Hope it's the Browns myself, that could be comedy gold!!!

 

Eta: a Team can actually volunteer to take part, but as they all apparently hate it, it's unlikely to happen, unless the fucking Bengals fancy another go!!!

 

Should I do a poll???

[steelmen]

Rumour a while back was it was going to be the broncos this year as they can’t say no a second time.

[Bully Wee Villa]

I'd like it to be the Browns, please. Be immense if they actually got a win.

[ICTChris]

Browns would be great, a lot going on in Cleveland - they seem to be moving from accumulating picks to getting players.

I think the 49ers would also be a good watch.  Jimmy G has been given a huge contract, they've signed Richard Sherman and look like an organisation on the up.

[Spain]

Browns for me, followed by the 9ers. Wouldn't be surprised if it was the Chargers though after their relocation like they did with the Rams... although maybe they'll hold off on them until the new stadiums done.

[Brummie Clyde]

Yeah, Browns definitely stand out. Plus as ever they’ll have lots of high draft picks to showcase.

[CountyFan]

10 hours ago, Spain said:

Browns for me, followed by the 9ers. Wouldn't be surprised if it was the Chargers though after their relocation like they did with the Rams... although maybe they'll hold off on them until the new stadiums done.

Eh hem. Until the new Rams stadium is done. Thank you.

[Spain]

51 minutes ago, CountyFan said:

Eh hem. Until the new Rams stadium is done. Thank you.

I did say "the" as opposed to "their"

[Silvio]

TV Execs would want the 9ers surely? Jimmy G, Sherman, Young coach /GM partnership.

[King Kebab]

TV Execs would want the 9ers surely? Jimmy G, Sherman, Young coach /GM partnership.

You would think so, also along with the Broncos, it could be one of the few times when one of the "bigger" teams would be available, you would think that they would be sides that should be in the Play-offs more often or not and if they weren't they would be changing Head Coaches more often, both situations negating any future participation in the show!!!  

You always get the impression that the likes of the Bills or the Browns are always going to be available, at least every second year!!!

[King Kebab]

Just an update, to say that there are actually only 6 legible Teams for the 2018 Season and not 7 as I previously said, as obviously the Bills made it to the Playoffs this year, so that was my f**k up, sorry!!!
And also to say that the options are looking like they are actually going to be down to four as a couple of Teams have basically told HBO to "do one" and have no interest in participating. The GM of the 49ers John Lynch has came out and said;
"It's not something we would be really excited about," Lynch said, via NBC Bay Area. "I love the show, but I think some thing are best left behind closed doors. I fundamentally have a problem with cutting players and things of that nature [on camera]. It's not something we'd be thrilled about."
Apparently, the Ravens also want to stay as far away from Hard Knocks as possible. The team actually used an excuse to get out of the show last year. Ravens told league last year that their ongoing facility renovations would prevent them from being able to hold all the necessary HBO manpower and equipment for show. Plus, no fans were at practices, which would've hurt the entertainment value of show. And this year the Ravens again want no part of the show and will do it only if they're absolutely forced to be on it!!!
So that just narrows it down to Four;
Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Redskins!!!

[ICTChris]

Apparently it's the Browns.

[Bully Wee Villa]

YAS.

[King Kebab]

Apparently it's the Browns.

Nothing definite yet!!!
And they don't particularly want to do it!!!
https://articles.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2018/05/john_dorsey_against_doing_hard.amp

[die hard doonhamer]

As a big fan of the TV show "Hard Knocks", that pre-season delight that leads up to the big Kick-Off of Week 1, it's nearly that time again when we're going to find out who the featured Team in this year's show is going to be. I personally, had high hopes we were going to see my side the Detroit Lions at last, thinking Matt Patricia's debut season as a Head Coach would be a big draw but then I thought how do they actually decide who is going to be on it, after doing a little research I found out that surprisingly, the Teams actually aren't that keen on taking part and a lot of sides actually decline to do it, apart from the Bengals, who did it twice in four years and so because of that the NFL now actually enforce a Team to take part, but will exempt Teams if they meet the following criteria/rules...
(1) A Team cannot take part if they have appeared on the show within the past ten years.
(2) A Team cannot take part if they have a first-year head coach.
(3) A Team cannot take part if they have reached the playoffs in either of the two preceding seasons.
 So that actually shafted the Lions for me on two counts (2+3), so as I found myself bored and with some spare time on my hands I thought I could try and work out who can actually take part, so here's my workings!!!
Hard Knocks - Previous Seasons
2001 - Baltimore Ravens
2002 - Dallas Cowboys
2007 - Kansas City Chiefs
2008 - Dallas Cowboys
2009 - Cincinnati Bengals
2010 - New York Jets
2012 - Miami Dolphins
2013 - Cincinnati Bengals
2014 - Atlanta Falcons
2015 - Houston Texans
2016 - Los Angeles Rams
2017 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2018 - ???
All the Teams = 32 Teams:
Arizona Cardinals, Atalanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins
After applying Rule 1 = 23 Teams:
Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins
After Applying Rule 2 = 16 Teams
Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins
After Applying Rule 3 = 7 Teams
Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins
So there you go, that's it whittled down, the chosen team doesn't get announced until after the Free Agency Picks and the Draft, so who do you fancy???
Hope it's the Browns myself, that could be comedy gold!!!
 
Eta: a Team can actually volunteer to take part, but as they all apparently hate it, it's unlikely to happen, unless the fucking Bengals fancy another go!!!
 
Should I do a poll???

Your list of eligible teams isn't quite right, the bills aren't in there thanks to their playoff trip.

Browns or 49ers would be my pick.

[King Kebab]

Your list of eligible teams isn't quite right, the bills aren't in there thanks to their playoff trip.

 

Browns or 49ers would be my pick.

Keep reading, I noticed that and changed it later on (post #11)!!![emoji6]

The 49ers or Browns would be my pick as well but neither of them want to do it, but that doesn't really matter as the NFL can and will tell them to do it if they want to, it's actually looking more and more like it's going to be the Browns, which should make for some interesting watching as they are obviously a shambles but have now been bolstered by some good picks!!!

The only way out of doing it for them is if they sack Jackson and avoid it through the " new Head Coach" rule, but it's probably a bit late in the day for that now!!!

 

[Brummie Clyde]

None of the teams will want to do it, but one will have to.

Hopefully it’ll be the Browns.

[ICTChris]

Confirmed as Browns.

[Bully Wee Villa]

Great stuff. I'll definitely watch it this year.

[King Kebab]

It's official now!!!