Is there a hard knocks curse?

[bap1331]

How well have teams performed after filming hard knocks? Looks like the Texans are living in the hard knocks right now right in there with the dolphins.

[ReMeDy]

I believe there is, yes. I could see it causing distractions, especially for young athletes. JJ Watt is also uncharacteristically absent on stat-sheets.

I also believe in the Madden curse, and while it doesn't happen to every athlete on every year, if a curse's success rate is over, oh… 75%, I give it the curse label. Happened to Adrian Peterson last year with the whipping scandal, forcing him to take a year off.

[CR91]

I dont even know why teams do it. it takes away the little time you have to get your team ready for the season

[Derakynn]

I dont even know why teams do it. it takes away the little time you have to get your team ready for the season

At this point, a team is forced to. There is no choice (unless you have been in the playoffs within the last 2 season I think).

[Patagonia Chris]

I believe there is, yes. I could see it causing distractions, especially for young athletes. JJ Watt is also uncharacteristically absent on stat-sheets.

I also believe in the Madden curse, and while it doesn't happen to every athlete on every year, if a curse's success rate is over, oh… 75%, I give it the curse label. Happened to Adrian Peterson last year with the whipping scandal, forcing him to take a year off.

 

Yeah, I agree. I just can't believe Watt's off-season training regime of secluding himself in multi-million dollar "log cabin" isn't paying huge dividends.

[21isSuperman]

I don't think there is.  What I'm confused about is how the league determines who gets picked.  One team must do it each year, but the rules they have for teams that are exempt from being forced to do it are as follows:

1) They have a first-year head coach in place;

I get this one.  You have a new head coach, so you want him to be able to establish his culture and everything without interruption in his first year.  That's fair

2) They have a playoff berth in the past two seasons;

This one doesn't make sense to me.  Teams that don't have playoff births are usually teams who aren't as good.  Why force those teams, who are already struggling, to have to deal with the extra stuff (however little it may be) during training camp?  Shouldn't you force the better teams to do it?  That way, you sort of even out the playing field, but also give fans a chance to see how more successful teams are run behind the scenes.

3) They have appeared on Hard Knocks in the past 10 years.

This makes sense.  You don't want to see the same team/players/coaches year after year.

 

That second rule never made sense to me.

 

As for the curse, I don't think there is one.  The Texans weren't that great last year, so it's no surprise that they aren't doing so hot this year so far.  Atlanta did it in 2014, but they were bad in 2013, so it's no surprise that they didn't do well in 2014.  The Bengals did it the year before, in 2013, and I believe they made the 2014 playoffs.  I don't think there's a curse.  I think the distraction factor is overplayed.

[ReMeDy]

2) They have a playoff berth in the past two seasons;

This one doesn't make sense to me.  Teams that don't have playoff births are usually teams who aren't as good.  Why force those teams, who are already struggling, to have to deal with the extra stuff (however little it may be) during training camp?  Shouldn't you force the better teams to do it?  That way, you sort of even out the playing field, but also give fans a chance to see how more successful teams are run behind the scenes.

 

So we need to have at least one playoff berth either this year or next year, because I have a feeling we'll be getting a new head coach soon, and I'd rather not have the Hard Knocks distraction.

Isn't it possible for all three of those conditions to be met by all 32-teams? In that case, I guess Hard Knocks doesn't happen that season?

[Swan Ronson]

No.

[Synthetic]

No, as all superstitions are ridiculous. The "Madden curse" would probably hold more weight than this, but even that is ridiculous. 

 

 

The Jets were the first team to do Hard Knocks (or one of them). They went back to the AFC Championship following when they did Hard Knocks. 

 

 

The Texans were a joking going into this season, and will remain a joke. Sure, they won 9 games last year, but 9 is not 10, and of those games they won, only the win against Baltimore was against an opponent that posted a .500 record. 

 

Rest easy, the Texans are just a bad team. Hard Knocks isn't going to help them, it just highlights how poor their coaching staff is and how the entire team is just JJ Watt, and even he can't save their horrific defense from losing to Old Dogs like Hasselbeck, Gore, and Andre Johnson. 

[shakedownstreet]

not sure about hard knocks. but hard knockers could be a curse, depending on how you look at it

[21isSuperman]

So we need to have at least one playoff berth either this year or next year, because I have a feeling we'll be getting a new head coach soon, and I'd rather not have the Hard Knocks distraction.

Isn't it possible for all three of those conditions to be met by all 32-teams? In that case, I guess Hard Knocks doesn't happen that season?

If we get a new head coach, we'll be exempt.

 

It's technically possible, but not likely for all 32 teams to meet the rules.  In that case, you'd have 6 teams from each conference making the playoffs each year, giving you a total of 24 different teams.  You'd then need the other 8 to all have new head coaches that offseason.  It's an extremely unlikely situation, but it is possible.  For example:

2015 AFC playoff teams: Patriots, Colts, Bengals, Broncos, Steelers, Chiefs

2015 NFC playoff teams: Packers, Seahawks, Giants, Falcons, Cardinals, Vikings

2016 AFC playoff teams: Jets, Texans, Ravens, Chargers, Bills, Titans

2016 NFC playoff teams: Lions, Rams, Eagles, Saints, Cowboys, Panthers

 

That means all of the following teams would have to fire their head coach and have a new one for 2017: Jaguars, Dolphins, Browns, Raiders, Bears, 49ers, Redskins, Bucs.

 

It's a possible situation, but it's extremely unlikely.

[Qwiz]

S.Watt is doubtful for tomorrow due to illness....you might be onto something, Bap.

[crazycolt1]

I think it would be called a distraction more than a curse. Everyone changes when having a camera and mic on them. Human reaction. Plus having none football people all around you during that time. It seems the rules kind of dictate of what teams can be used so the play off teams are not used. Is some of the stuff said and done because of the camera or things that should be said and done omitted because of the camera?

[Bubbz]

No, the texans have repeatedly shown themselves to be on of the worst franchises in the hisotry of the league. I got a lock of undeserved flack for predicting them to be worst in the league this year. Trash as usual/

[bap1331]

At this point, a team is forced to. There is no choice (unless you have been in the playoffs within the last 2 season I think).

 

as a matter of fact, why HAVENT playoff teams been chosen? HOnestly, nobody really cares to see the Texans or Dolphins. Nevertheless the Bengals. LOL.

[oldunclemark]

I've not watched every year but I'm guessing the top teams don't agree to the show

[aaron11]

Not a curse, those teams were never any good in the first place

[aaron11]

as a matter of fact, why HAVENT playoff teams been chosen? HOnestly, nobody really cares to see the Texans or Dolphins. Nevertheless the Bengals. LOL.

I think the idea is to boost interest in less popular teams. The top teams don't need any help

[Superman]

I've not watched every year but I'm guessing the top teams don't agree to the show

 

Up until recently, any team could decline Hard Knocks. It's not like HBO has ever had the ability to just force a team to do it.

[Narcosys]

multi-million dollar "log cabin"

It sounds like there's an oxymoron in there.

[Valpo2004]

I don't think it's a curse. . . it's a distraction piled on top of the fact that it's often put on teams that arn't doing very well anyways.  

[Valpo2004]

as a matter of fact, why HAVENT playoff teams been chosen? HOnestly, nobody really cares to see the Texans or Dolphins. Nevertheless the Bengals. LOL.

 

I think a major part of the show is the whole underdog label.  They try to play that up.  Plus I think they want to listen to a coach who might be on the hotseat try to figure out how to make his team into winners and try to change the culture.

 

I honestly think playoff teams would be boring TV.  These teams usually have established leaders and coaches and everyone knows what they are doing and just get to work.

 

A lot more is going on with teams that don't win.