A St. Louis Rams Reality Show? --Wagoner

[RamBill]

A St. Louis Rams reality show?
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/7804/a-rams-reality-show

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- While speaking at the Associated Press Sports Editors meetings in New York on Thursday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made it known that "several" teams have expressed interest in appearing on the HBO reality show "Hard Knocks" in 2014.

“There are several clubs that are interested in doing this," Goodell said according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "I just don’t have an update on which club, whether it’s going to be a volunteer or if it’s somebody who is going to have to fulfill the obligation. But I’m sure that decision will be made pretty soon.”

Goodell declined to name the teams that have expressed interest but it's a safe bet the St. Louis Rams aren't one of them. Coach Jeff Fisher has scoffed at the idea of welcoming the circus that goes with the popular training camp reality show in the past and it's unlikely he's changed his mind anytime recently.

From the Rams' perspective, it's probably a good thing if there are indeed teams seeking the opportunity to appear on the show. That's because new league rules which allow the NFL to force teams to appear have pigeonholed the Rams as one of eight teams "eligible" to be selected.

In October, the league set up guidelines that must be met for it to require a team to participate. Those rules allow teams who made the playoffs the previous two seasons, hired a new head coach or appeared on the show in the past decade to opt out of the show. That leaves just eight teams who could theoretically be forced to appear on the show.

The Rams are one of those eight teams, joined on the list by Chicago, Buffalo, Arizona, the New York Giants, Jacksonville, Oakland and Pittsburgh. Goodell went on to say there has been plenty of pushback to the new rules from teams but he hopes all teams can contribute to the project at some point.

From a pure entertainment standpoint, the Rams would be an interesting watch so long as they didn't hold back. The defensive line alone would provide plenty of reason to watch.

Alas, it seems unlikely the league chooses St. Louis with some other, perhaps more interesting options on the list, especially if there are other teams actually willing to take on the project.

 

[Prime Time]

No!!!

 

[Alan]

:X3:

 

[-X-]

I'm torn on this. On the one hand, I'll take any additional TV time with the Rams without question.
On the other hand, I think the smack-cam nonsense would escalate to ridiculous proportions.

 

[ScotsRam]

From a purely personal point of view, any chance to see the Rams in that kind of context would be welcomed. It's hard enough to follow games from afar, training camp is a totally different beast. I am totally reliant on fan reports, and to a lesser extent, media reports.

On the other hand, I don't want that distraction anywhere near the Rams. I can't see a team with that distraction ever winning the Super Bowl, so for that reason, send it to AZ.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

I'm torn on this. On the one hand, I'll take any additional TV time with the Rams without question.
On the other hand, I think the smack-cam nonsense would escalate to ridiculous proportions.

Pie Face Finnegan is no longer on the team. I think that garbage wont fly this year.

 

[-X-]

Pie Face Finnegan is no longer on the team. I think that garbage wont fly this year.

That's a good point, but Fisher didn't really have a problem with it apparently.
He was asked about it last year and it didn't seem to bother him any.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Pass.

I think our team will thrive being a dark horse this year. Let the glitz go elsewhere... until we lock up home field advantage week 16.

 

[Mojo Ram]

It would be very good for the organization PR-wise, obviously since the Rams get none...but for the team itself it would be a disaster IMO.
Young impressionable team, Gregg Williams the former chief of the Bounty gate scandal...hell no.

 

[iced]

Pie Face Finnegan is no longer on the team. I think that garbage wont fly this year.

lol you kiddin' me? Chris Long is known to be one of the biggest pranksters.

 

[-X-]

It would be very good for the organization PR-wise, obviously since the Rams get none...but for the team itself it would be a disaster IMO.
Young impressionable team, Gregg Williams the former chief of the Bounty gate scandal...hell no.

Which is why the league might force it on us.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Which is why the league might force it on us.

Can the NFL do that? Wouldn't they need approval from Kroenke?

 

[-X-]

Can the NFL do that? Wouldn't they need approval from Kroenke?

Ardunno. I just got that impression from this part of the article.

“There are several clubs that are interested in doing this," Goodell said according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "I just don’t have an update on which club, whether it’s going to be a volunteer or if it’s somebody who is going to have to fulfill the obligation. But I’m sure that decision will be made pretty soon.”

 

[StevenG-BR]

I still say the "distraction" argument is blown out of proportion.

What does this process entail that truly distracts anyone? It's basically a camera crew filming practice combined with interviews... Things that go on regardless of HBO's presence. If anything, the fact that practices are airing on national tv should make the players eager to get it right and not choke.

Teams have had good and bad years with Hardknocks. Which tells me it really doesn't make a difference.

But I'll let Fisher and the professional coaches make the call. I'd love to see the Rams on Hardknocks though.

 

[bluecoconuts]

Fill it with Hekker and Long playing Fifa.

 

[Prime Time]

Hard Knocks choice coming soon
Posted by Mike Florio on April 26, 2014

Getty Images

Eight teams can be tapped on the shoulder and assigned the obligation of appearing onHard Knocks this year, whether they want to or not.

On Thursday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at a meeting of the Associated Press Sports Editors that a decision on a team is coming soon.

“There are several clubs that are interested in doing this,” Goodell said, via Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I just don’t have an update on which club, whether it’s going to be a volunteer or if it’s somebody who is going to have to fulfill the obligation. But I’m sure that decision will be made pretty soon.”

The Bills, Bears, Cardinals, Giants, Jaguars, Raiders, Rams, and Steelers can each be drafted to accept the assignment under rules that the NFL passed last year.

All others teams fall within one of the three exemptions: (1) teams that have appeared on Hard Knocks in the last 10 years; (2) teams with new head coaches; and (3) teams that have made the playoffs in either of the last two years.

Goodell acknowledged that he has detected some resistance from teams.

“To be fair yes, sure,” Goodell said. “That’s one of the reasons why we passed the policy that we did is to get every team the opportunity to do this. We understand that it’s an additional responsibility, that it’s an additional thing to film out around your [training] camp and some clubs prefer not to have it.

“But it’s important for all clubs to contribute to it in some fashion. I think we designed a very interesting concept that allows teams if you have a coaching change not to have that be an issue, but also have some kind of rotation to it.”

That still may not be enough to get teams to agree to do it. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has said that he’d fight an involuntary assignment “tooth and nail,” due in part to his reluctance to publicize the act of firing employees.

“I think when players are released, some of the things that are said between coaches and players are too personal, and nobody else’s business,” Arians has said.

Amen to that. Of course, broadcasting Hard Knocks without the players getting cut would be like showing auto racing without the wrecks or hockey without the fights. People want to see the most real aspects of reality TV; keeping the cameras out of such interactions results in a less compelling product.

Still, the cameras should be kept out of such interactions. Especially since Commissioner Roger Goodell has said he’d like the process of cutting players to become more humane.

 

[mr.stlouis]

If Finnegan throwing pies could ruin our season, we'd be in the running for the #1 pick with this bullcrap.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Eight teams can be tapped on the shoulder and assigned the obligation of appearing onHard Knocks this year, whether they want to or not.

I'm sorry but that's a horseshit NFL policy.
Team ownership should be God in deciding what goes on within the confines of his or her operation/business. Period.

 

[Prime Time]

Bruce Arians on Hard Knocks: “I don’t want to be on reality TV”
Posted by Michael David Smith on May 2, 2014

AP

The NFL can force teams to do Hard Knocks if they haven’t been on in the last 10 years, they don’t have a new head coach and they haven’t made the playoffs in the last two years. The Cardinals are one such team. And Cardinals coach Bruce Arians will not be happy if his team is forced to let the cameras into training camp this summer.

“I don’t watch reality TV,” Arians told theArizona Republic. “It does nothing for me so I don’t really want to be on reality TV. I would have to change totally how I coach. It would not be acceptable to a lot of people, and I’ve been down the road with some people.”

Arians has previously said that he’d fight any effort by the league to force his team on HBO, and he still feels that way.

“I think it’s a total distraction to what you’re trying to accomplish,” he said, “because everything about Hard Knocks is getting on television and being an individual. And it’s a team game.”

Unfortunately for Arians, fighting it wouldn’t work. The Cardinals — along with the Bills, Bears, Giants, Jaguars, Raiders, Rams, and Steelers — can be forced intoHard Knocks. If no team volunteers and the NFL decides that the Cardinals would make the most interesting reality show, Arians will be on reality TV whether he likes it or not.

 

[Sum1]

I'll make this point again...it distracted the New York Jets all the way to the AFC Title game.

I'd take that...