Director Interview: Is HBO's "Hard Knocks" Ready for the Cincinnati Bengals?

The rest of the world is about to find out what we in Greater Cincinnati already know: The Bengals are good television. Take a star-crossed quarterback, a prima donna wideout and the tortured soul of a once-rising-star coach, and you've got great theater. That's what HBO is counting on, as "Hard Knocks" prepares for Bengals' training camp later this month in Georgetown, KY, about 45 miles south of Cincinnati. Director Steve Trout says the choice was surprising to some folks, but not the producers. "People were surprised why we chose the Bengals," Trout said in a recent interview, "because we were with the Cowboys last year, and they're a big market team. But we realize the storylines are more important, and the Bengals were one of our top choices." While the work of shooting the camp won't start until the end of July, preparations have been well under way for several weeks, even before the announcement a couple of months ago. "We come out and spend a good couple of ... (link)