HBO's "Hard Knocks" premieres tonight, and the Buccaneers' "transition from cautious to open has been smoother than HBO has seen" in 12 seasons of the show, according to Tom Jones of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. "Hard Knocks" Director Matt Dissinger said, "This team never batted an eye. I don't think we've had an issue with a single person. Everyone has seemed to embrace what we're trying to do here.'' He added, "This team, more than any we've ever been around, accepted us with open arms. We've found the team's stars have been very accessible. They have been very charismatic and compelling." Dissinger noted his crew has "been off the field with almost every marquee player on the team," including DT Gerald McCoy and WRs DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans. Dissinger: "We've gotten to meet their families, their kids. That's probably show one right there.'' Jones notes audiences should expect to see "plenty" of Bucs coach Dirk Koetter and QB Jameis Winston (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/8). Jones also noted while Winston, Evans, Jackson, McCoy and Koetter all "will be featured," audiences "never know what other players could emerge as stars." Often it is a "little-known player with an outside chance at making the team" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/7). NFL.com's Ed Sherman noted there are "350 hours of footage" shot per week at Bucs camp. NFL Films Coordinating Producer Ken Rodgers said of focusing on the Bucs this season, "Football fans are knowledgeable that something good is taking place in Tampa, but they might not know all the details. That's what delivers the best Hard Knocks" (NFL.com, 8/7).
TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW? THE MMQB's Peter King wrote NFL Films and HBO have "done so much of this inside-the-team stuff (with the 'Hard Knocks' and now the [Amazon] 'All or Nothing' franchises) that there’s virtually no buzz about this year’s series." HBO is "going to have to have a killer show for this to get the attention it’s had in previous years" (MMQB.SI.com, 8/7). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio said of the show, "If 'Hard Knocks' was truly an independent production, my god would it be compelling, because I guarantee you there is plenty of stuff that they're not letting us see because the NFL owns the company that is making this documentary. It's not nearly as transparent, it's not nearly as informative, it’s not nearly as real as it could be" ("PFT," NBCSN, 8/8).
