HBO’s "Hard Knocks" last night "shined as promised," as the premiere for the five-part series focusing on the Rams was "enlightening and entertaining," according to Tom Hoffarth of the L.A. DAILY NEWS. The series "aims to shine a light on the process of how this Rams' roster will be formed and how positions are won and lost," and it also "manages to inject some light-hearted moments that give it the human balance of how work and play factor into the equation." Rookie QB Jared Goff is "all over the first episode," from QBs coach Chris Weinke "grilling him about the importance of his role, to his admitted confusion about where the sun rises and sets, to admitting during a team stretch he’d like to see if singer Taylor Swift was available to date." Meanwhile, there a standing-room-only showing at L.A. Live last night, with an audience that included former Rams players such as Eric Dickerson and Mike Lansford. NFL Films Coordinating Producer Patrick Kelleher revealed that at 8:00am ET yesterday, they "realized their rough cut was five minutes long, so they had to make some painful final trims." By 10:00am, the script for the show was "ready for actor Liev Schreiber to do the narration" (DAILYNEWS.com, 8/9).
GOFF IN THE WOODS: BLEACHER REPORT's Scott Polacek noted the show features "plenty of football and amusement," and the starting QB battle between Goff and Case Keenum "figures to be one of the defining themes of training camp." The "first lengthy practice film showcased Goff's learning curve." And even with the physical practices, Rams players got a glance at the L.A. lifestyle when "celebrities such as rapper Kendrick Lamar showed up" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 8,10). Weinke is seen on camera telling Goff, "Everybody is watching what you [expletive] do and you can’t hide. It ought to give you chills." In L.A., Lindsey Thiry noted Rams coaches are quick to point out Goff has "never called plays in a huddle, but by the end of the hour-long episode, players and coaches commented, to the eavesdropping microphones, about Goff’s potential after he completed several throws, a few for touchdowns" (L.A. TIMES, 8/10). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Zac Jackson notes Goff "got the treatment from the show’s cameras and producers that you’d expect a top pick in Los Angeles to get." He is the "headliner, even before he’s the starter, and the first of the show’s five episodes started by showing how far Goff still has to go" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 8/10).
STEALING THE SHOW? NFL.com's Dan Hanzus writes, "I have a feeling I'm going to end up liking [Rams coach Jeff] Fisher on this stage." He carries himself "like a well-liked gym teacher who has tenure, can play the political game as well as anybody, and knows the only way he can get fired is if he punches out the vice principal." Fisher has been "untouchable for years, but you get the feeling the stakes got higher with the team's highly publicized relocation back to Southern California" (NFL.com, 8/10).
