True Alpha

Dan Campbell on ‘Hard Knocks’ is going to be must-see TV

Since ascending to the ranks of Head Ball Coach last winter, Dan Campbell has established himself as elite. Maybe not in the win-loss category, though the Lions were a better team in 2021 than they had right to be, but certainly in terms of the almighty soundbite. Following an introductory press conference in which he pledged to bite off the kneecaps of opponents, every time Campbell stepped to the podium he delivered. He anointed himself a “true alpha.” He recalled his extremely on-brand trick or treating tradition as a child. He shocked the world with his daily Starbucks order defibrillation. In short, he became the most charmingly insane head coach in the NFL and he did it in record time.

If you thought that was the end, however, turns out it’s only the beginning. Thanks to the good folks over at HBO, Campbell, and by proxy the Detroit Lions, will soon be enjoyed on a weekly basis by the premium cable subscribers of America as the stars of this season’s ‘Hard Knocks.’ Click it or ticket, folks. This is going to get wild.

No censorship. The sweltering Michigan summer. Campbell running unpadded Oklahoma drills with the fellas just for fun. This has the potential to be the single greatest crazy-guy-plus-TV-camera synergy in post-Antonio Brown football history. Unsurprisingly, the internet is already ready to glue its eyelids open and hook up the IV.

Welcome to showbiz, coach. Try not to slap anyone.