It’s a Hard Knocks Life
May 31, 2019
By Jay Evans
The HBO television show Hard Knocks is the exact showcase the Redskins need in order to escape the tasteless and futile reputation that they have built over the last two decades. Disregarding the reservations held inside Redskins Park, the national attention will greatly improve their public perception and offer a new perspective on the Redskins the general public has disregarded for years.
Annually shot during the preseason, the Hard Knocks production features one team and biographically records the interpersonal lives of coaches and players on and off the field. In the thirteen seasons that have aired, Hard Knocks has turned roster hopefuls into lovable cult heroes and illuminated the innerworkings of NFL franchises, producing a tantalizing watch for fans.
The Redskins should cherish the opportunity to be on the show if they are selected, because in the process they would find themselves in the news cycle for the first time in three decades. The Redskins have shied away from the media spotlight because of negative press and instability of management, but they can’t keep running from the attention and expect respect.
The HBO product is about substance and it’s not entirely clear whether HBO or the individual teams retain the final rights on the cutting room floor. This is a reality television show, but unlike predictable trashy tabloid filled house of 20-somethings, the producers haven’t yet scraped together a program intent on embarrassing the performers. The teams featured are generally presented via rose colored glasses. It is in the best interest of the show to reveal the featured talent in positive light, and exaltation is heaped upon overachievers with great stories.
Danny Amendola was an unknown, undersized, undrafted wideout attempting to make the Cowboys roster in the 2008 edition. In 2009, Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson’s McDonald’s diet and dating tips were meme worthy before such a thing existed.
Viewers will never forget the 2010 season, which featured Rex Ryan and the New York Jets. A then unknown Danny Woodhead battling for a roster spot, Rex screaming “The Terminator” in a grizzled voice at the eponymously named rookie John Connor, and Antonio Cromartie unable to remember the names of his nine children (He now has 10 even after receiving a vasectomy). Nor will the fans forget about William Hayes’ blessed soul debating the existence of dinosaurs and mermaids.
For years the Redskins have been reluctant to be featured on the popular reality show, outright refusing in 2013 and boldly declaring they would “never be on Hard Knocks” as recently as 2016. The show gives viewers a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of members of an NFL team. The influx of television cameras and boom microphones, understandably, could be a nuisance, but these are individuals who are used to added scrutiny, and thus this cannot be accepted as a valid excuse.
The results for teams on Hard Knocks are a mixed bag. Six teams got better than they were in the prior season, five fared worse, and two finished with exactly the same record. Five teams made the playoffs following their appearance on the show and four teams fired their coaches.
The theft of state secrets is another fear and the rampant paranoia is justification that comes about when teams wish to have their names withdrawn from the presence on the show. I will tone down that hyperbole. This isn’t Chernobyl (insert HBO plug here) and any counterintelligence can be dissected from All-22 film study. The football strategy is typically of the least importance on Hard Knocks and HBO knows its characters keep eyeballs tuned in rather than the game.
The Redskins roster is loaded with characters, as are the front office and coaching staff. It’s no secret that the franchise has suffered from poor media relations and negative press for decades. The Redskins, rightfully so, were terrified of being publicly embarrassed – aside from the embarrassing product that has been presented on the field.
Dan Snyder is regularly regarded as one of the worst owners in all of sports. The embattled team president, Bruce Allen, is unpopular enough that the hashtag #firebruceallen was so prevalent it was trending on Twitter. The stadium was half empty for much of 2018 after the team finally acknowledged the decades long waiting list for tickets was a complete farce.
No other time in Redskin history could be better suited for Hard Knocks to feature the Redskins. The team in desperate need of some goodwill needs the opportunity to flourish in front of an auspicious audience. Their presence could immensely improve the public perception of a floundering, once proud franchise. Imagine seeing a mature, sincere Daniel Snyder in a roundtable discussion admitting past wrongdoings with Allen and Jay Gruden planning to restore glory.
Jay Gruden, full of quips, was in mid-Hard Knocks season form in front of microphones this week when answering questions about the possibility of Hard Knocks. He pleaded for the show to choose his brother and come next year because if the Redskins don’t make the playoffs, “I probably won’t be here.” If Jay is that loose in front of the cameras now, what may he be like when HBO catches him off the podium?
The show’s viewers will salivate over the juicy fodder provided by defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, and Rex “The Dude” Ryan. A profile of up and coming offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell and offensive line coach Bill Callahan are sure to pique interests.
The 15th overall pick, quarterback Dwayne Haskins, is a huge draw for the casual fan and the ensuing battle for the starting job against veterans Case Keenum and Colt McCoy is must see television. Adrian Peterson is in the twilight of his career and one of the team’s primary mentors of Derrius Guice. A focal point would be Derrius finalizing his recovery and his gravitas would be Twitter trending-worthy. Veteran defensive backs Landon Collins and Josh Norman would undoubtedly ham it up and relish the bright lights of the production.
Jonathan Allen could launch himself into star status with more no frills quotes like the one he fed us recently, insuring the d-line is going to “kick some ass.” 2018’s Mr. Irrelevant, Trey Quinn, who would provide impromptu dance lessons, and the 2019 sixth round pick, Jimmy Moreland, displaying his omnipresent feistiness, as they compete for roster spots would be late round darlings on the show. All of these factors might drag the Redskins up from the familiar disreputable position they have found themselves for too long, and suddenly the collective could ask, are the Redskins likeable?
There’s no question that the team has characters, but it’s possible that the Redskins’ dreadful record of performance during primetime exposure might improve through the increased scrutiny the show would bring. With the knowledge the cameras are pervasive, the Redskins would have to perform and that preparation could provide wonders for overcoming their competition anxieties.
The ineptitude on nationally televised games isn’t Jay’s fault or any one member of the team. The abysmal record predates them all. What is well established is the definition of insanity – repeating the same thing over and over again all while expecting different results.
Put the Redskins on Hard Knocks. It is time to see this organization, warts and all. What are they truly scared of? Confront your fears and face the national spotlight. The public might think the franchise is a bunch of bumbling luddites, but, frankly, it’s too late for that already. The general audience doesn’t pay any attention to this team. Why pretend this team has something to hide? Force the show upon the Redskins and put them in front of the HBO subscribers. As long as they keep the status quo, the Redskins’ play is immaterial.
I’d rather be hated than insignificant. Yet that is precisely where the Redskins find themselves: inconsequential. The Redskins have avoided the attention of the Hard Knocks cameras due to a systemic fear of embarrassment, but the unheralded adulation has never been acutely levied in the conversation either.
HBO’s unconditional access into the Redskins would inexorably unhinge the talons of the covert operation managers who have steered the Redskins for the better part of the Dan Snyder era. Perhaps the best thing that could happen to the Redskins would be a reality television show that unveils the intrapersonal functions and enlightens us to the Washington Redskins.