By Derek Arnold

With last week’s announcement that HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series will return this season and focus on the Dallas Cowboys, we can add yet another notch to the laundry list of distractions that are present in Big D this offseason. Where to begin? From Tony Romo’s breakup with his super-celebrity girlfriend to owner Jerry Jones’ willingness to bring aboard the controversial, if not felonious, Adam “Pac-Man” Jones to Terrell Owens spending his time appearing in a sitcom with Flavor Flav, it’s a wonder anything football-related can get done in east Texas.

Hard Knocks is a documentary-type series that follows teams through training camp, offering the kinds of insider views that only NFL films can provide. Viewers are shown footage of most every aspect that goes into an upcoming NFL season, including nuts-and-bolts preparations like coaches’ and players’ meetings, team practices, and scrimmages to more private, human elements of the game, such as locker room interactions, rookie hazing and practical jokes, and players’ and coaches’ thoughts and feelings as described by the men themselves in one-on-one face time.

It gives fans a very interesting look at things, but it also seems that it would be quite difficult to ignore a 24 person film crew following your team every step of the way as you try to conduct business. The distraction element that is inherent in such a production may be evidenced in small part by the past performance of teams featured in the series. The inaugural season of Hard Knocks focused on the 2001 Baltimore Ravens, fresh off their Super Bowl Victory. That team had the most success of any of the Hard Knocks teams, going 10-6 and losing in the divisional round of the playoffs. The second season documented the 2002 Cowboys in a season in which they went 5-11 and finished in last place in the NFC East. The series went on hiatus until last year, when the Kansas City Chiefs were featured. The Chiefs, who went 9-7 in 2006, suffered through their worst season since 1978 at 4-12. Now, by no means should the NFL Films crew be blamed for somehow “cursing” the teams they document for the show, but it bears at least mentioning that in a league where even the smallest distractions seem to upset team chemistry and lead to losing, having cameras in a team’s face for 700 hours while it prepares for a grueling season may at least have some measure of effect on the end product it puts on the field.

Let’s not forget, that despite their playoff exit to the eventual Super Bowl champs, the Cowboys enjoyed a very successful 2007 season, earning the top seed in the NFC with a 13-3 record. With 20 starters returning, the outlook is strong for 2008. Adding this distraction to the already constant media storm that surrounds the Cowboys, however, what with Tony Romo and his romantic relationship with actress/singer Jessica Simpson, the human distraction himself Terrell Owens, and now owner Jerry Jones’ recent maneuvering to get Pacman Jones on his team (an article unto itself), the Cowboys have left themselves open to plenty of criticism should they crash and burn in ‘08.

Alternatively, they may just be giving the world an unparalleled look into the inner workings of an eventual Super Bowl champion. It’s a high risk-high reward situation - which is just how Jones likes it.

Tags: Dallas Cowboys, Hard Knocks, Jessica Simpson, off-field distractions, Pacman jones, Terrell Owens, Tony Romo