The HBO program Hard Knocks, which follows an NFL team through training camp, is having a pretty hard time finding a team to be a part of their 2011 edition of the show. They have already been turned down by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Denver Broncos, and the Detroit Lions. The Atlanta Falcons have intimated that they are not interested (even though they haven't been asked), and it has been said that even noted attention whore Rex Ryan and the New York Jets aren't interested in an encore performance of being on the show.
Per an interview that the St. Paul Pioneer Press did with Vikings' owner Zygi Wilf, you can scratch the Vikings off of the list of potential Hard Knocks candidates as well.
Q Any talk internally of being the host team for HBO's "Hard Knocks" reality series?
A We declined.
Q So HBO asked you?
A Yes.
Q Why did you say no?
A We have other issues - the stadium and football - and we need to focus on those.
This really shouldn't come as a huge surprise to anyone. Wilf doesn't seem like the kind of owner that would put his team on a show like Hard Knocks, and it doesn't seem to me like Leslie Frazier is the kind of coach that would be comfortable with that sort of thing, either.
Besides, if HBO was really interested in the Vikings, they could have gone with last season. . .lord knows we got enough drama for five years worth of Hard Knocks out of the 2010 season in Minnesota.
Oh, and since I know it popped into at least half of your heads when you read the title, I will leave you with the definitive version of this particular song.