After nearly every NFL franchise declined to be on the HBO show ”Hard Knocks”, one team was more than willing to accept the offer to be featured on the show: The Miami Dolphins. Like most die-hard fans, I love anything and everything to do with the Dolphins.

Not this time.

Did you ever stop and think that maybe there’s a reason as to why every team that HBO asked to be on the show declined? It’s a distraction that no team wanted to be a part of. The decision to appear on the show is getting mixed reviews from players, as well as the front office.

Tight end Anthony Fasano was the most out-spoken player to voice his opinion on the decision, telling SiriusXM NFL Radio, “I wasn’t too thrilled, to tell you the truth. I think we were informed at a team meeting, and there were a lot of groans when it was announced. But we’re going to have to deal with it and try not to let it be a distraction”. General Manager Jeff Ireland was also not too thrilled with the decision.

New Head Coach Joe Philbin is excited to have the opportunity to showcase the team in a new light. In a press conference to announce the decision, he said, ” We are looking forward to connecting with our many fans across the country as the program chronicles our 2012 training camp. All the decisions that have been made this offseason have had one guiding principle — will it help our players and organization reach its full potential? This one is no different”.

I’m sorry, but I fail to see how this will help the franchise reach its full potential. Wouldn’t strictly focusing on becoming a better team by training and learning the playbook help the team? What does having cameras shoved in your face do, other than provide a distraction?

Strictly from a PR standpoint, it does help shed that robotic-like personality the franchise has. We really know nothing about the owner, the coach, or the GM on a personal level, so I think that having a chance to see them in that light will be beneficial to them. It will also be nice to see how players interact with each other, and which one will be the star of the show. My money is on Sean Smith.

From an entertainment standpoint, there are some interesting storylines going into the show. There is a three-way quarterback competition between last year’s starter Matt Moore, free agent signee David Garrard and first-round selection Ryan Tannehill. Joe Philbin is a rookie head coach, so it will be interesting to see how he handles running his team and being in the spotlight.

Although I’m not particularly happy with the decision to have the Dolphins featured on “Hard Knocks”, I will be watching. After all, they are my favorite team. I just hope that the players can get past the distraction of having cameras in their faces and focus on getting ready for the upcoming season.

Lights, camera, action.

-Tony Colombo

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