NFL films' Sabol knocking at Broncos' door

ENGLEWOOD • The Denver Broncos and the HBO reality show "Hard Knocks" don't seem like natural partners.

The Dallas Cowboys were a perfect fit for the current season of the show, which presents every part of a team's operation through its training camp. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones enjoys having his team in the spotlight. NFL Films produces the show, and its cameras have been at the joint practices between the Broncos and Dallas Cowboys this week.

The Broncos rarely seek media attention but NFL Films president Steve Sabol wants to feature the Broncos next year. He said Denver was his second choice this season, but Dallas was his first and accepted.

Sabol said the Broncos have everything the show wants: a winning tradition, a successful and well known coach in Mike Shanahan and a training camp that is outdoors, which is important for the aesthetic value of the show.

"The Broncos, we'll be knocking on their door next year," Sabol said.

Shanahan said he was asked about doing "Hard Knocks" years ago, but said, "I didn't feel comfortable with it." Sabol said he doesn't remember asking Shanahan about doing "Hard Knocks." Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said he didn't know if he would want to do the show.

"I'm not averse to it, but I'm not all that into it," Bowlen said.

"Hard Knocks" has cameras in training rooms, meeting rooms and on the practice field and shows some uncomfortable situations, such as players getting cut or dealing with injuries. Most NFL teams are uneasy granting that kind of access.

A couple of years ago Wall Street Journal reporter Stefan Fatsis set out to write a book on being a kicker in a NFL training camp. He said about 20 teams turned him down before Bowlen agreed. Most teams told him they were worried he would be a distraction.

"The NFL controls, regulates and restricts media access with as much precision as the plays on the field," Fatsis said.

Fatsis' book, "A Few Seconds of Panic," has some passages that don't reflect too positively on the NFL or Broncos. In one of the more revealing parts, quarterback Jake Plummer ripped Shanahan after he was benched. However, Fatsis said he didn't hear any negative feedback during a visit this year to Broncos training camp.

Fatsis said he was aware of Shanahan's reputation as a controlling coach, but Shanahan gave him unfettered access. Neither Shanahan nor Bowlen asked for any editorial control of the book. Fatsis said he thought Shanahan viewed the book as a diversion for the players in training camp and figured the marketing opportunity appealed to Bowlen.

"I think Pat recognized that, ‘Why not, if someone's going to document a NFL team in the 21st century, why shouldn't it be my team?'" Fatsis said.

Fatsis added that he thought the Broncos might do "Hard Knocks" if they decided it wouldn't be a distraction.

Sabol said teams have different reasons to host "Hard Knocks," which has featured the Ravens, Chiefs and the Cowboys twice. A main reason is the constant attention from the cameras can add some spice to the grind of camp.

Brian Billick coached the 2001 Baltimore Ravens when they were featured on the show's inaugural season. The Ravens were defending Super Bowl champions, and Billick said he thought having cameras around might help fight complacency. He also wanted to bring attention to the franchise, which isn't in a huge media market, and he thought the exposure would dispel misconceptions about his players such as linebacker Ray Lewis.

Billick said he has had other coaches ask him about "Hard Knocks," and he tells them he enjoyed it. He said the cameras weren't obtrusive and the players handled themselves well.

"It was a very positive experience for us," said Billick, who is in his first season as a game analyst for NFL on Fox.

Although the Broncos don't seem open to the idea of hosting "Hard Knocks," Sabol is undeterred. He said he has a great relationship with Shanahan, and is persuaded he can bring the show to Denver.

"I can only speak for the relationship Mike and I have but I think I'd have a shot at it," Sabol said. "In two Super Bowls, the most pressure-packed situations of his career, he wore a mic for us. I would think he'd let us spend a summer with him."Some former Colorado College football players chuckled when the HBO show "Hard Knocks" premiered.

Colorado College roots

NFL Films president Steve Sabol, who played football at Colorado College, was struggling to come up with a name for a new reality show before its 2001 premiere. He finally stumbled upon his idea, pulled from longtime CC coach Jerry Carle's speeches before practice.

"In summer camp he'd say ‘This afternoon we're going hard knocks, so be sure to pad up,'" Sabol said.

Sabol took the name hard knocks, which meant a full scrimmage in Carle's vernacular, and used it for the show. Sabol said when the show began, he got calls from former teammates.

"The guys said ‘That's coach's expression!'" Sabol said. "It got to be an inside joke among us."