Friday, August 21, 2009
CINCINNATI (AP) — The first two episodes of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” showed the rest of the country what Cincinnati Bengals fans have known for a long time: No one challenges how the Brown family runs its forlorn franchise.
Owner Mike Brown agreed to let the cable network feature his team in this year’s training-camp series, hoping it would boost the Bengals’ image. So far, the lasting images have come from two brief, behind-closed-door moments that illustrate how things work.
Whether it’s picking the players or signing the draft picks, the family calls the shots.
The first glimpse came from a staff meeting after two tight ends got hurt. The camera shows Brown sitting at the front of the room, watched by coaches and other team officials. Brown starts the meeting with a surprise.
“This is a wild thought,” Brown says, then suggests they move defensive end Chris Harrington to tight end.
Coach Marvin Lewis physically recoils at the suggestion, his mouth dropping open for a telltale second. He wearily rubs his left hand across the top of his head, but says nothing.
Brown asks for a response from the assistant coaches, who are caught off-guard. They say that Harrington moves a little stiffly, but has good hands and is fast. That’s exactly what Brown wants to hear.
Brown decides to try his experiment.
“Probably what it means is we’ll go with two fullbacks at the end and three tight ends instead of four,” Brown says. “It just is a little different way of getting lined up, but I think that’s where this takes us.”
The camera pulls away. End of discussion.
The vignette lasted only a minute out of the initial one-hour show, but reinforced perceptions of how the organization is run. When the owner offers his “wild thought,” everyone speaks carefully — or not at all — so as not to contradict the boss.
Like the four previous “Hard Knocks” series featuring other teams, this one has tried to show players in unguarded moments as they compete for jobs.
When players reported for dorm assignments at Georgetown College in Kentucky, one newcomer was flabbergasted that there was a rental charge for televisions — $93 for a 26-inch screen, $122 for a 32-incher, $183 for 42 inches.
The cameras also showed director of football operations Jim Lippincott knocking on fullback J.D. Runnels’ door at 5:30 a.m., waking him to tell him he’s been released.