This should ruin the day for all six of you.
You may have seen this in the Nuggets, but it’s a good time to emphasize that the 49ers will not be the next thing to watch on HBO when Game of Thrones ends. Matt Maiocco reports that the 49ers will not be the focus of “Hard Knocks” for 2019.
This should come as no surprise. While the 49ers were one of five teams that could be on the show, they were in no way enthusiastic on the possibility. Many fans share the sentiments, but at the same time, it would have been quite interesting seeing the 49ers on HBO and seeing some day-to-day routines of the practices and coaching staff. I wouldn’t have minded it as a fan, but it’s understandable why the 49ers want nothing to do with it, and I’m not bummed that the 49ers are not going to be on the show.
So who is it? Well, Peter King seems to think that it’s the Oakland Raiders:
My feeling is that, far and away, the most attractive team this year is Oakland, because Jon Gruden is a TV star, and the specter of Antonio Brown in camp will be TV-worthy, and because, well, because the Raiders are inherently so interesting. But we’ll see. If I had to guess right now, I’d say it’d be the Raiders—but that’s simply a guess.
Personally, I felt that they would wait until next year to get the Raiders involved so they could play up the whole Las Vegas thing, but if the Raiders were to make the playoffs in 2019 they would no longer be eligible. You have Antonio Brown, John Gruden, and a supporting cast like that? Strike while the iron’s hot (and Mr. Big Chest doesn’t want a new nickname).
The big word on the street was the 49ers were not going to be on Hard Knocks and struck a deal where they’d play a home game in China to get out of doing the show. According to Maiocco, he has a source that says a China game is still “A longshot at best.”
The fact the 49ers aren’t giving up a home game to play in China is nothing but good news. No one wants to use a home game when they aren’t playing at home, but that’s how much the 49ers were reportedly wanting out of Hard Knocks.
At least we still have “Brick by Brick.”
About the Author: Insidethe49
