5 reasons for why the Bills should do the Hard Knocks Series

I hate the New York Jets. I hate their wannabe GQ, overrated quarterback. I hate their stupid, young, immature fans, who act like the franchise has set the foundation for winning, even though they haven’t won a title in 40 plus years. I hate the Fire Marshall Bill guy and the stupid J-E-T-S chant. Can you tell I have a lot of built up anger towards them?

Now, there is one thing that I do like about the Jets and that’s the show “Hard Knocks” on HBO. It’s a funny and compelling, albeit, probably half-fixed show. However, the one thing the series accomplishes is that it gives the team a higher profile. Considering how much I hate the preseason, the show would give me something to look forward to in August, which leads me to the premise of my article: Why should the Bills be featured on Hard Knocks?

Now, before I get emails that the Bills and the NFL wouldn’t want to do business with each other, lets just pretend that both parties involved were chomping at the bit. So, without further ado, here are five reasons why HBO and the Buffalo Bills should get together.

Normally for the Hard Knocks series, the show always has a tendency to make the 52nd and 53rd man on the roster resemble a “Rudy” type character. However, do we really care about that roster spot? Its not like the guy is going to do anything for your football team. Frankly, the underdog teammate has been played out and beaten to death on the series and in every lame football movie made. However, with the Bills, you wouldn’t have to endure the “Rudy” crap. Of the Bills 22 starting positions, five of those jobs (QB, tight end, wide receiver, OLB and corner) were up for battle this training camp. That would make for some compelling television when it comes to team evaluation meetings. Not to mention, you’d have a few versions of Vernon Gholston on the team (James Hardy and Aaron Maybin). Do I even have to mention Marshawn Lynch’s popularity with the city? Trust me, there are some subplots on this team that could get exploited.

4) Ralph Wilson

Since the series debuted with the Baltimore Ravens, the ownership of every team that has been featured has had a prominent role on the show. Guys like Jerry Jones, Woody Johnson and Mike Brown have been viewed as the Snooki of the series. The show is pretty much dictated around the coaches and upper management. They are the ones that set the tone for the series. So, with that being said, wouldn’t you be interested in seeing how Ralph Wilson would act around his coaches and players? The Bills have pretty much hid Ralph Wilson from the general public and some have viewed him as being a guy that just doesn’t care anymore. Something tells me that if Ralph was put in a situation where we would see him at work, many fans would be able to see that he actually cares. Hey, you never know, maybe Ralph Wilson can be viewed in the same light as Betty White. You gotta understand, old people are in right now for television shows.

Here’s the biggest accomplishment that the series has done for each player featured: You actually get to know them beyond the bogus press clippings that they offer to the media. I don’t know about you, but how many players on this Bills team do you like? Lee Evans, CJ Spiller and Eric Wood….maybe George Wilson? That’s really all I can come up with. So, I think if you were to see players open up about their interests off the field and what they would want to contribute to the team, a Buffalo fan would really be open to it.

Let me just put it this way: The other day on Twitter, Chad Ochocinco was tweeting about his take over of an Apple Store at the Galleria Mall. Fellow Twitter members from Buffalo were going ape sh#t about it. Hell, you would have thought Obama was going to Duffs and buying wings again. I’ve always said, the best way for an athlete to get to the heart of the typical Buffalo fan is to just blow up the city as if it were Las Vegas. So, wouldn’t it be cool if someone like Stevie Johnson or Trent Edwards decided to hangout on Chippewa street and enjoy the finer things in life? I think if that content makes air (PG-13 version), fans would like this team a whole lot more.

OK, lets be honest: If you were a Jets fan watching Rex Ryan swear up and down the sideline, it would make you want to go out and buy tickets. The HBO series is th
e epitome of what I hate about training camp and preseason football: It’s pure hype beyond control. It’s all about having the 45th guy on the roster look like a million bucks. Hell, the first episode of the show made some damn rookie fullback, named The Terminator, look like a billion bucks. That’s hype.

Now, just think of the ways Chan Gailey has enhanced football in August for fans. He told a bunch of kids to get lost by defending his long haired, sideburn quarterback. He must have broken out the 1950’s manual on “How to have an intense training camp.” In a nut shell: Fans have reacted quite positively towards Gailey’s methods.

Can you imagine if we had a weekly show dedicated to Gailey reaming out his players? Telling his guys that they were sloppy? Telling them that they have to get better?

As someone who works in television, I can tell you from firsthand experience that those soundbites would be exploited to the max. Hell, forget about the T.O. hype from last year, this would surely get Buffalo fans excited about the upcoming season.

Face facts: The Buffalo Bills aren’t even a blip on the radar of the national media. No one cares about us. Not ESPN, not Sports Illustrated, not even the NFL. I know that most Buffalonians may not care if they aren’t getting the plug nationally (Think NHL to ESPN), but I like to talk junk to fellow New Yorkers about the Bills. If I could go up to them and look for respect (which they don’t give anyway), maybe they would tell me that Chan Gailey really impresses them through the Hard Knocks series.

OK, I know what you’re thinking: Who cares about your damn banter with New Yorkers?!!?

Fine. However, the bottom line would be that the TV show would make the Bills become a focal point during the preseason. There always seems to be a water cooler moment for football fans when it comes to the Hard Knock series. Sure, a lot of it has to do with mega markets like Dallas (twice featured on the show) and New York, but if the show is produced to its fullest in hype, then maybe the Bills could get that sort of PR. Hell, any publicity is good publicity.