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Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

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Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Old 08-05-14, 06:22 AM
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Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14


The ninth edition of 'Hard Knocks' will be the first to feature the Atlanta Falcons. 'Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons' debuts Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT. Other hour-long episodes debut subsequent Tuesdays at the same time, with an encore play Wednesdays at 11:00 PM, all culminating in the Sept. 2 season finale.

"We are thrilled that the ninth edition of the Hard Knocks series will spotlight the Atlanta Falcons," says Ken Hershman, president of HBO Sports. "It's exciting to feature a team, a franchise and a city for the first time on Hard Knocks. We are grateful to Coach Mike Smith and the entire organization for agreeing to participate and look forward to what we expect to be one of the most exciting seasons in Hard Knocks history. The series has become one of the few summertime programs that is truly appointment TV and we can't wait for the premiere on August 5."

"We're excited to work with the Atlanta Falcons and HBO Sports on Hard Knocks," says Howard Katz, COO of NFL Films and NFL Senior Vice President of Broadcasting. "We want to thank Arthur Blank, Thomas Dimitroff, Mike Smith and the entire Falcons organization for the trust they have in NFL Films by allowing us unprecedented access into their training camp. The Falcons present numerous storylines with a veteran coaching staff, star players and newcomers all coming together to attempt to rise up back to the top of the NFC."

The cinema verité series will focus on the daily lives and routines of players and coaches as the Falcons, who play in the talent-rich NFC South, conduct the franchise's 49th training camp and prepare for the 2014 NFL season. It will chronicle the efforts of seventh-year head coach Mike Smith and an intriguing mix of high-profile veterans, emerging stars, free agents and rookie hopefuls throughout training camp and the four-game preseason schedule. Each week, players will experience drills, instruction, meetings and fun, while striving to prove they have what it takes to make the team and leave their mark on the NFL. The Falcons have earned a postseason playoff berth in four of the six years that Smith has been at the helm.

"We are excited about the opportunity to give our fans a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to prepare an NFL team for the rigors of a 16-game regular season and beyond," says Falcons Owner and Chairman Arthur M. Blank. "This marks the first time that our franchise will be featured on Hard Knocks and we look forward to showcasing our great players and coaches to football fans all across America."

A 30-person NFL Films crew will be at the Falcons' training camp at team headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga., shooting more than 1,500 hours of footage over the course of the series. Camera and sound crews will have unencumbered access to the players' and coaches' meeting rooms, training rooms, living quarters and practice fields.

"We are looking forward to connecting with our fans across the country as the program chronicles our 2014 training camp," says Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith. "The series will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the competition between players as we build our roster and prepare for the season. We are looking forward to the start of camp in late July."

No other sports reality series can match the critical acclaim, awards and audience numbers posted by the Hard Knocks franchise. Launching with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, Hard Knocks followed up with the Dallas Cowboys in 2002. The series resumed in 2007 with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning a Sports Emmy®. In 2008, the series returned to the Dallas Cowboys, receiving a second Sports Emmy® for production excellence. In 2009, Hard Knocks spotlighted the Cincinnati Bengals and captured two more Sports Emmy® Awards, for Outstanding Edited Series/Anthology and Outstanding Post-Produced Audio/Sound. In 2010, the New York Jets were featured and the series captured three Sports Emmys®, including Outstanding Edited Series/Anthology. Summer 2012 spotlighted the Miami Dolphins, earning the franchise an eighth Sports Emmy®, in the category of Outstanding Post-Produced Audio/Sound. The Bengals were featured again in 2013 and the series captured three more Sports Emmys®, bringing to 11 the number of trophies awarded to the franchise for production excellence. Last summer's spotlight on the Bengals was recognized with the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Editing, Outstanding Music Composition/Direction/Lyrics and Outstanding Post Produced Audio/Sound.

Each of the last four teams featured on Hard Knocks has improved its won-loss record in the regular season that immediately follows the training camp presentation.
Old 08-05-14, 09:03 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

I always like this show (but somehow totally missed last year's run). Looking forward to watching this. Too bad Tony Gonzales has retired -- I'd bet he'd have been a fun watch.
Old 08-05-14, 09:05 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

I always watch this but I don't know if they could have picked a more boring team this season.
Old 08-05-14, 09:51 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by Decker
I always like this show (but somehow totally missed last year's run). Looking forward to watching this. Too bad Tony Gonzales has retired -- I'd bet he'd have been a fun watch.
They did KC a few years ago, he's got like a Robbins/Sarandon thing with his baby momma.
Old 08-05-14, 09:52 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by My Other Self
I always watch this but I don't know if they could have picked a more boring team this season.
Seriously. Other than Roddy White being borderline insane I can't think of anyone on that team that has a personality. The coach is boring. Their QB is boring. On top of that, it's simply a team that no one gives a shit about.

There aren't going to be many high quality competitions either. Some guys on defense will be fighting for a starting spot. But the Falcons are pretty much all set on offense and that's usually where the more fun competitions come from.

With that said, I'll definitely be watching tonight.
Old 08-05-14, 04:23 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

I will watch it.

The 2001 Ravens and 2010 Jets were the best seasons.

I know nobody likes them but the Patriots would be a team that be featured but I know Belicheck would never do it.
Old 08-05-14, 05:53 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by JeffTheAlpaca
I know nobody likes them but the Patriots would be a team that be featured but I know Belicheck would never do it.
If I were a coach or owner I would never allow it. I can't imagine a bigger distraction for a football team than having TV cameras/crews following their every move in training camp.
Old 08-05-14, 06:32 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Nobody but Jerry Jones wants those cameras there, teams moan and groan about it, but I think if nobody steps up it's like jury duty and someone eventually gets tapped on the shoulder and has to say "Yes".

That said, there was only one team I wanted to see this year:



Old 08-05-14, 07:07 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Looking forward to Ray Donavan telling us all about the Falcons.
Old 08-05-14, 07:10 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by JeffTheAlpaca
I know nobody likes them but the Patriots would be a team that be featured but I know Belicheck would never do it.
Yep, there's some teams we're just never going to see on this series with current coaches and/or owners in place:
Patriots, Steelers, Packers, and probably the Giants too.
Old 08-05-14, 07:54 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Being a huge falcon fan and growing up in Atlanta I'm all over this. I do agree they can be bland. Rumor has it they are trying to step up the toughness and nastiness

Oh and I kind of hope this is Mike Smiths last season. I think he has taken us as far as he can. We need some need blood in there
Old 08-05-14, 07:57 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt
Yep, there's some teams we're just never going to see on this series with current coaches and/or owners in place:
Patriots, Steelers, Packers, and probably the Giants too.
Even if all 352,427 owners' egos were combined they still couldn't outshine Darth Jerrah's.
Old 08-05-14, 08:22 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt
Looking forward to Ray Donavan telling us all about the Falcons.
He's the highlight of the show for me. I absolutely love his narration. He did the PBS show Mysteries of the Dead for the first few seasons as well.
Old 08-05-14, 10:14 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by Sgtsnake
Being a huge falcon fan and growing up in Atlanta I'm all over this. I do agree they can be bland. Rumor has it they are trying to step up the toughness and nastiness

Oh and I kind of hope this is Mike Smiths last season. I think he has taken us as far as he can. We need some need blood in there
I class him with coaches like Jeff Fisher and John Fox. Okay to slightly incompetent coaches who coach not to lose (read too conservative) in the big games. If you have a chance, watch the SoundFX Superbowl edition to see how befuddled John Fox is on the sidelines. At one point in the game, he is nearly praying for Russel Wilson to throw an interception, instead of trying to coach and motivate his team to create a turnover.
Old 08-06-14, 07:14 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by GoldenJCJ
If I were a coach or owner I would never allow it. I can't imagine a bigger distraction for a football team than having TV cameras/crews following their every move in training camp.
If a team meets a certain set of criteria, I can't remember what it is exactly but one is if they missed the playoffs the previous season, they don't have a choice. The Bears were one of the final teams considered for this season and they have always said they would never do the show voluntarily.
Old 08-06-14, 07:41 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by Bill Needle
Even if all 352,427 owners' egos were combined they still couldn't outshine Darth Jerrah's.
Yes, that's why I said and/or.
Old 08-06-14, 08:24 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by ddrknghtrtns
I class him with coaches like Jeff Fisher and John Fox. Okay to slightly incompetent coaches who coach not to lose (read too conservative) in the big games. If you have a chance, watch the SoundFX Superbowl edition to see how befuddled John Fox is on the sidelines. At one point in the game, he is nearly praying for Russel Wilson to throw an interception, instead of trying to coach and motivate his team to create a turnover.
I agree. I thought they would have let him go last season. How many coordinators can we go through before we realize it's the coach that needs to change.
Old 08-06-14, 08:36 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

They still do Hard Knocks? I remember watching them years ago of course with the Ravens, and then I think I watched the 2008 Cowboys which was pretty entertaining.

But hasn't Hard Knocks gotten stale at this point after all these years? I mean what they can show that we haven't already seen at someone's training camp? Now if you pick a team like the Cowboys (who usually have alot of players with personality) or a Rex Ryan coached team, some of the after-Football stuff is good.
Old 08-07-14, 06:34 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Sick of the Cowgirls and don't need a third season with them.

Mike Smith did a good job turning that franchise around and he has been their most successful coach probably in franchise history.

They had a soft schedule in 2012 and they were not ready to win a title with that Swiss cheese defense

I remember watching Brian Cox as a player and now he is a coach. I feel old.
Old 08-07-14, 10:42 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by MrX
If a team meets a certain set of criteria, I can't remember what it is exactly but one is if they missed the playoffs the previous season, they don't have a choice.
Any team can volunteer to be on the show, but a team can be forced to be on the show, unless: a) they have a first-year head coach; b) they made the playoffs at least once in the past two seasons; or c) they've been on Hard Knocks before.

I watched the first episode and was taken aback by the Falcons' facilities. I mean, intellectually, I knew they must have something like what you saw on TV... But I grew up a Falcons fan not too far from their original training location: a crappy Ramada Inn right on the interstate. For most of the year, it was just a shitty chain motel right off I-85. But in late July they'd take over 3/4 of the motel. At some point, they built a small-ish building in the corner of the property to house weight and conference rooms. The Ramada franchisee then sold the property, and it became the Best Western Falcon Inn, with even more space dedicated to the team. Then, in 1998, the team moved camp to Furman University for a couple years until the "new" high-tech camp could be built. The motel faded into obscurity, and I think it was demolished in 2008.

I guess I just remember when NFL football wasn't nearly the big deal it is today... and I'm only 43 years old! I was also a Steelers fan when I was a kid (long story) and my dad was a longtime Oilers fan... so when those teams met in the 1980 AFC Championship game, dad asked me if I wanted to go see the game in Pittsburgh. How's THIS for pre-Internet life: Dad had to go to Georgia State University to get a Pittsburgh newspaper. He called several scalpers who'd placed ads for tickets. All but one turned him down - partly because they didn't want to deal with an out-of-towner... which is totally understandable. But the thing was, none of them could fathom why someone from Atlanta would want to go to the game, as if people hadn't moved away from Pittsburgh, or there wasn't such a thing as "non-native" fans. Nowadays, people from all over the US can use Stubhub to easily buy tickets for any NFL game anywhere in the country; back in 1980, my dad had to convince a scalper that yes, people from other markets really do want to go to games.
Old 08-07-14, 04:42 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

I hope we don't see Kory Biermanns D bag wife from the Real Housewives of Atlanta again.

This is a football show and we don't need that Real Housewives shite.
Old 08-07-14, 08:13 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Originally Posted by JeffTheAlpaca
I hope we don't see Kory Biermanns D bag wife from the Real Housewives of Atlanta again.

This is a football show and we don't need that Real Housewives shite.
His wife was really creepy looking. Not that she's butt ugly. But can you tell there's fake parts in there and the whole package doesn't look right.
Old 08-07-14, 08:54 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Oh God, I forgot that the Real Housewife is married to a Falcon. Please no. She's on my fucking TV way too much as it is. Did you know Bravo gave her her own show? Best I can tell it chronicles her screaming at her husband to change diapers. My wife loves it, natch.
Old 08-07-14, 09:16 PM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

yeah, i don't follow any of those stupid reality shows with women, but it all suddenly came back once i saw her. i wonder if that may be part of the reason they picked the falcons.
Old 08-08-14, 05:41 AM
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Re: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons (HBO) - 8/5/14

Is the first airing of the show on Tuesdays at 10pm (7PM Pacific) rated "MA" with all the profanity still intact?


I noticed the repeats are all rated PG.

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