FOXSPORTS.com reports Cardinals coach Bruce Arians is "leading the charge" against the league's newly adopted policy in which it can compel teams to participate in HBO's "Hard Knocks." Arians is "prepared to fight back against any attempt to force his team onto the 24/7 all-access show." Arians said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday, "It’s a total distraction, and I think it’s an embarrassment to players." Arians when asked if he would fight any attempted league mandate over his team said, "All the way" (FOXSPORTS.com, 10/10). 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said yesterday of the team potentially appearing on "Hard Knocks," "If that’s something we were in position to do, then we’d certainly do it." He added, "It’d be good if there was a, kind of a criteria." Harbaugh even wondered if the "selections would be based on how a team finished the previous year," comparing it "to how coaching staffs are chosen for the Pro Bowl and Senior Bowl" (49ERS.com, 10/9). Meanwhile, CBSSN's Jim Rome said, "Roger Goodell needs to bail out. If you're forcing teams to participate, ‘Hard Knocks’ has been knocked out and it needs to be put down" ("Rome," CBSSN, 10/9).
CULTURAL EXCHANGE: In Cleveland, Tom Reed reported the Browns have "a chance" to play in one of the NFL's games in London '14, as the team is "set to have 2014 'road' games" against the Jaguars and Falcons, two of the home teams for London named on Tuesday. The league "has yet to stage one of its 'International Series' games between division rivals," which increases the Browns' "odds of being selected." WR Davone Bess said, "I’m sure everybody is different, but for the most part it’s an opportunity to get abroad and be able to see a different part of the world." G Shawn Lauvao said, "It’s good for the league. It brings good publicity for the game and I think it would be good culturally for guys." LB Quentin Groves said that it also would "serve as a chance for the team and players to expand their brands" (CLEVELAND.com, 10/9). ESPN's Max Kellerman said, "The NFL needs to make inroads internationally wherever and whenever they can, and if they're responding well in Britain, then you've got to go there" ("SportsNation," ESPN2, 10/9).
INSINCERE CONCERN? In Chicago, Steve Rosenbloom wrote tonight's Giants-Bears game is "in keeping with the NFL’s hypocrisy about player safety concerns." It is "hard enough to recover in seven days, and here they are, being ordered to play after about a half-week." The NFL "puts players in danger and acts as if nobody’s noticing," then "puts it on TV" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 10/9).
