While it would make for excellent television, the Buffalo Bills should avoid participating in the HBO series Hard Knocks at all costs.
It was reported earlier in the week by Sports Illustrated that the Bills were one of seven teams that are eligible to appear in next summer’s reality TV show that brings cameras into one team’s training camp and follows the teams every move from a look inside team meetings to players being cut.
The other six teams along with the Bills that are eligible are the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Teams are only exempt from appearing on the show if they have a first-year head coach, they had a playoff berth in the past two seasons or they had appeared on Hard Knocks in the past 10 years.
Members of the media have been quick to point out that for the sixth straight season, the team that appeared on Hard Knocks either matched or improved on the previous year’s record and that four of the last six teams to appear on the show went on to win their division.
While that is all fine and dandy, the Buffalo Bills are unlike most teams that have appeared on the show.
Like 16 years without the playoffs different.
And of course, the numbers are skewed.
You’re taking teams with coaches at least in the second year with their squads, who haven’t made the playoffs the previous two seasons; of course you would expect some sort of improvement.
No one is pointing out the fact that in the show’s history, the teams appearing have a record of 82-78 (.513), and have only made the playoffs five out of ten times.
There is no reason, outside of marketing, that the Bills should be willing to be a participant.
The team is coming off of a disappointing 8-8 season and doesn’t need the added distraction of television cameras constantly in their face during one of the most crucial training camps in team history.
The Bills are trying to take the next step forward, and honestly, haven’t won a single thing yet. Cameras around will make the players act slightly different in front of them. Everybody does.
Whether they want to admit it or not.
When the team hasn’t made it to the postseason in 16 years, forget marketing and pushing the team’s image.
The main focus should be on football.
Winning will do a lot more to the Bills’ image than appearing on a superficial reality television show.
