SUMMER SPOTLIGHT
RAIDERS TAKING THEIR TURN ON HBO’S REALITY SERIES
Are the Raiders ready for their closeup? We’re about to find out.
Oakland’s soon-to-be-departing NFL team is the featured attraction this summer on “Hard Knocks,” HBO’s annual training camp reality series, which premieres Aug. 6. And if recent editions of the show are any indication, quarterback Derek Carr and company won’t be all that camera shy.
“There was a time when some old veterans were wary of being in our spotlight,” says Ken Rodgers, the senior coordinating producer of “Hard Knocks.” “But these days, the players have grown up with the show and in the era of social media. They’re not intimidated or frightened by it. They’re used to baring their souls.”
With the help of Rodgers, we answer some frequent questions about the show:
WHAT EXACTLY IS “HARD KNOCKS?” >> Produced by NFL Films, it’s an unscripted series that delivers a behind-thescenes look at an NFL team as it endures the daily rigors of training camp. Fortified by unparalleled access, the show spotlights interesting players, position battles, playful rookie hazing, roster cuts and more.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE? >> Lots of snarling and sneering and “Chucky”-doll glares from Raiders coach Jon Gruden. Of course, the show will also capture players on the practice fields and in meeting rooms, training rooms and their living quarters.
But seriously, if you were in charge, wouldn’t you keep at least one camera permanently trained on Gruden — arguably the NFL’s most telegenic coach?
“The great thing about John,” says Rodgers, “is that he’s entertaining without trying to be entertaining.”
DOES THE SHOW EVER VENTURE OUTSIDE TRAINING CAMP?>> Absolutely. As Rodgers points out, the machinations of an NFL training camp often can be “a complete bore.” So the “Hard Knocks” directors hunt for intriguing slice-of-life glimpses of players and coaches as they interact with their families and/ or pursue outside interests.
Often these segments involve players who aren’t big-time stars. One of the most moving storylines of last season’s series with the Cleveland Browns’ series focused on journeyman (and former Stanford Cardinal) Devon Cajuste and the fierce bond he shares with his father, Gregory, who has struggled through a series of medical woes.
DO YOU HAVE TO BE A DIEHARD
FOOTBALL DEVOTEE TO ENJOY THE SHOW? >> Casual fans will find something to love, as well. Like any good reality series, “Hard Knocks” strives to tap into high-stakes drama and the emotions that come with it. Critics have praised the show for the way it “humanizes” NFL stars.
“We’ve found that people respond so much to the show because it reminds us that the players are more than fantasy-football pieces — that they’re not all that different from us,” Rodgers says. “They’re working very hard to get a job, to keep a job and provide for their family under really stressful conditions.”
HOW DO THEY PULL IT OFF? >> A 32-person production crew embedded in Napa is expected to shoot 1,750 hours of footage — 350 per episode — over 40-plus days. They’ll rely on six manned cameras and 14 robotic stationary cameras. There are no second chances, no re-takes. It’s all real.
Each day, at NFL Films headquarters in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, Rodgers and his team sift through the footage in search of compelling material. A 58-minute episode is assembled over the weekend, a script is drafted, music is scored, and on Tuesday morning, “Ray Donovan” star Liev Schreiber narrates the script. Final touches are made and the episode airs on HBO that night.
It all adds up one of the fastest turnarounds in reality TV. HOW WERE THE RAIDERS
PICKED? COULDN’T THEY HAVE
REFUSED TO GO ON WITH THE SHOW? >> Not really. The NFL essentially forces one team to participate every summer. The only way a team can avoid it is if it 1) has a first-year head coach, 2) has made the playoffs in the past two years, or 3) has been on the show over the previous 10 seasons.
That left only five eligible teams this year: the Raiders, 49ers, Washington, New York Giants and Detroit Lions.
The Raiders with Gruden, their impending move to Las Vegas, and controversial newcomers such as Antonio Brown and Richie Incognito, made them the clear-cut choice. And so it was, “just comply, baby.” HOW LONG HAS ‘HARD KNOCKS’ BEEN AROUND? >> The series premiered in 2001 with the Baltimore Ravens. Since then, the Cowboys (2002, 2008), Chiefs (2007), Bengals (2009, 2013), Jets (2010), Dolphins (2012), Falcons (2014), Texans (2015), Rams (2016), Buccaneers (2017) and Browns (2018) have been featured on the show.
IS THERE AN EPISODE I ABSOLUTELY CAN’T MISS? >> One of the hallmarks of every “Hard Knocks” season comes near the end of the series when the team makes its final cuts. It’s an emotional high point as roster hopefuls who have invested their blood, sweat and tears into their NFL journey are forced to readjust their sights.
“It can be as difficult to film as it is to watch,” Rodgers says. “But it’s something we all can relate to — what it’s like to chase a dream and the challenges involved.”
BUT DOESN’T THIS KIND OF
TV “DISTRACTION” HAMPER A TEAM? >> Not usually. Seven of the last nine teams featured have equaled or improved their win-loss record. Last year, the Browns went from a winless season to coming within half a game (7-8-1) of a .500 finish.
Of course, we should note that the Browns were 2-5-1 when head coach Hue Jackson, who had been a prime star of “Hard Knocks,” got fired. WHEN AND WHERE CAN I SEE IT? >> “Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Oakland Raiders” premieres at 10 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, on HBO with the first of five hour-long episodes. Other episodes debut on subsequent Tuesdays at the same time, with encore airings Wednesday nights, culminating in the Sept. 3 finale.