'Hard Knocks' is back, and it's boring

Jeff Fisher knows he's not been a very good NFL coach lately, though I'm sure he wouldn't admit that it's his fault if his postgame pressers after a stinging overtime loss to the Jim Tomsula-coached 49ers are any indication. On the season premiere of Hard Knocks, Fisher temporarily became self-aware of his reputation for 7-9 seasons.

"I'm not f------ going 7-9 or 8-8 or 9-7, OK? Or 10-6 for that matter. This team's too talented. I'm not going to settle for that. I know what I'm doing."

Uhhh, coach, have you seen the offense you've committed to this season? It's virtually a carbon copy of the one that couldn't muster 18 points a game last year.

Yeah, like I said, self-aware.

But exposing a delusional head coach isn't enough to make good television. The problem with Hard Knocks isn't the Rams; it's the show itself. Eleven seasons into it, the show's stale.

Practicing football is still just a day job. The real entertainment value, the thing we watch it for in the first place, happens on game day. There's more than enough drama to keep you glued to your sets then. Filming training camp is like taking a documentary crew to work with you. Eventually, the novelty fades. Daily routines are dull to watch. People get more guarded, especially football coaches. It's intrusive and a distraction, and that's why most coaches would rather not be a part of the show.

Worse, it just gets boring. We've seen the same plots play out for 11 seasons now. There's nothing new to see here. Hard Knocks feels especially dated this time around in the wake of this summer's other NFL reality show, All or Nothing. That show followed the ups and downs of a team throughout a season, a winning season. Even if you're not a Cardinals fan, you're instantly more invested in the subject. It's compelling because there are things on the line. It's not just practice.

But at least we now have video of Fisher saying "I'm not fuckin' going 7-9." That'll come in handy in December.

ON WITH THE LINKS!

DEAR MR. FANTASY: SB Nation's fantasy football draft guide is out, and you're going to need it!

GURLEY GONE FIRST: Is Todd Gurley the best running back in fantasy football? Running backs aren’t the first-round juggernaut they used to be, but the position is still important for fantasy owners to consider.

WHAT ABOUT BORTLES? Blake Bortles of Jacksonville Jaguars budding NFL star or future flameout? The Jaguars quarterback showed signs of promise last year after a dismal 2014, but some of his numbers are distressing. The talent around him, however, could help with his flaws.

USA! USA! USA! Patriots safety Nate Ebner scores and lays the wood for Team USA's rugby sevens team. Ebner is living his Olympic dreams in Rio. He propelled Team USA to victory over Brazil on Tuesday.

FREE REDZONE: You can get NFL RedZone for free during the preseason. But there are some stipulations that go with it.

HALL OF BLAME GAME: NFL acknowledges accountability for HOF Game cancellation. Now, about those refunds.

INJURY HITS THE PATS: Patriots DE Rob Ninkovich tore his triceps. He'll be out 4-6 weeks. Julian Edelman got hurt in practice, but it is not thought to be serious.

PAY THE PLAYERS: Holding out shouldn't be necessary for NFL stars to get paid. Players like Antonio Brown showed good faith in their teams. Now it’s time for their teams to do the same.

JOHNSON SUSPENDED: Eagles tackle Lane Johnson facing 10-game PED suspension. That's a major blow to the Eagles offensive line. It also has some serious fallout for the $63 million contract Johnson just signed.