Gruden and Mayock both have had positive relationships with NFL Films during their careersgetty images
The Raiders are appearing on HBO's "Hard Knocks" this season, but coach Jon Gruden and GM Mike Mayock are "hesitant to allow cameras in the room for positional meetings, or when delivering dream-crushing news to players," according to a source cited by Jon Becker of the San Jose MERCURY NEWS. Mayock said, "We're on the record as saying the Oakland Raiders did not invite the Hard Knocks cameras in. You all know that. That's where we are." He added, "Hard Knocks is an intrusion." However, NFL Films VP & Coordinating Producer Ken Rodgers "isn't worrying right now about any reluctance by the Raiders to permit intimate access." He said that the production team has not "broached the subject with Mayock or Gruden, both of whom have had long positive relationships with NFL Films." Rodgers said, "We don't even discuss those sort of things until they get closer" (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 7/27). In S.F., Scott Ostler wrote he hopes "Hard Knocks" films the "no-holds-barred fights between the show's producers and the team officials over what the crews can film and what they can't" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/28).
FEELING CLAUSTROPHOBIC: THE ATHLETIC's Richard Deitsch writes Mayock is a first-year GM with a "very big job ahead of him, and a first-year NFL GM is probably the last person on earth who would want 'Hard Knocks' cameras following along." There are 32 NFL Films staffers "embedded at the Raiders’ training camp in Napa who will procure roughly 1,750 hours of footage over the 42 days working on the series." The production "includes six manned cameras and 14 robotic cameras." HBO started shooting fulltime in Napa on July 20, and "shot some off-the-field footage with select players." The show will debut on Aug. 6 at 10:00pm ET (THEATHLETIC.com, 7/29).
HARD TO MISS: NFL Panthers coach Ron Rivera said of the team's appearance on Amazon's "All or Nothing" series, "There truly were cameras everywhere." He said, "There were times when I really couldn't express myself the way I wanted with the cameras there. And sometimes, I just didn't care." Rivera: "It's very hard. People tell you, 'Oh, you won't even know the cameras are there.' Well, you do" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/28).
