It appears the Cincinnati Bengals are your 2013 Hard Knocks team

The Cincinnati Bengals will appear on the 2013 edition of HBO's Hard Knocks according to various reports. Cincinnati is no stranger to HBO's series having appeared on the show once before back in 2009, but are the Bengals making a mistake appearing on it again?
The news was first broke by Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer, and since then the fans appear to be split on the issue. Of course every Bengals fan is excited to see unlimited access to their favorite team, but some don't think the show will cause any issues while others are worried the young team could become distracted.
Some camps will point out that the last time the Bengals appeared on the show the team swept the AFC North en route to the playoffs. However, this doesn't feel like a fair comparison when looking at the 2009 and 2013 units. The 2009 team wasn't necessarily expected to do much after a disappointing campaign the year before. The 2013 edition of the Bengals is poised to take the next step after back to back playoff appearances.
Just how will the young Bengals handle the pressure of the show? There's no question head coach Marvin Lewis and Co. have assembled a very mature cast of characters (a far cry from the roster in 2009 in some aspects) despite their collective ages, but one has to wonder how it could impact the team.
The Bengals may be a mature roster but this is the team over the past few years that failed to impress when it mattered most. Primetime games have not been kind to the revamped roster despite the renaissance and the team has failed to do much of anything in the postseason two years in a row.
Will practicing in front of Hard Knocks cameras change that?
Perhaps. Maybe that's the thought process behind saying yes to the show if you're the coaching staff, at least to an extent. Players have a tendency to get inspired in front of cameras whether it's practice or a game situation. However, there's also a chance the camera does more harm than good.
While the rights and wrongs of the decision could be discussed for days, there are certainly a plethora of storylines fans are already foaming at the mouth to see when the cameras start rolling.
For one, you have And Dalton's development. There's also a major contract extension to watch for with Geno Atkins. To a lesser extent there may also be some negotiations to watch with Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson.
There's position battles too. Will Rey Maualuga find redemption? What about Vontaze Burfict inheriting the position at middle linebacker? Where do rookies Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard fit in at their respective spots? Will strong safety see a rookie in Shawn Williams take over?
Of course, there will also be intriguing things to watch for, such as the curious case of Andre Smith, who has missed all offseason activities to date for personal reasons. Adam Jones is in trouble with the law again. James Harrison will have a major impact on the young roster while looking to get back at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Alright, maybe the Bengals were the perfect team for Hard Knocks. Literally.
That still doesn't mean it was the right decision and it's certainly one that will be over analyzed when the dust settles on the 2013 season.
It appears the Cincinnati Bengals are your 2013 Hard Knocks team. Sit back and enjoy the show as it has the makings of one of the best seasons to date, but if you're a Bengals fan, watch with bated breath. Right now the repercussions of appearing on the show are hard to decipher.
What side of the fence do you fall on at this point? Is appearing on the show bad for the team, or will it have no impact?
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