We Won't Be Seeing Belichick's First Season as Chapel Bill on 'Hard Knocks' After All

Jared C. Tilton. Getty Images.

There was a dream. One that was shared by all. The dream of a paradise in which the most reserved, secretive genius of our times would pull back the curtain, allow cameras in, and show us the mysterious process that has made him great:

But like practically all such utopian fantasies, this dream has died. Hard:

Source - After weeks of talks among the University of North Carolina, head football coach Bill Belichick and NFL Films, the Tar Heels will not be the subject of HBO's "Hard Knocks" offseason series, sources tell CBS Sports.

"NFL Films had discussions with Coach Belichick and UNC about appearing on Hard Knocks this offseason but couldn't reach an agreement," a spokesperson for NFL Media, which includes NFL Films, told CBS Sports on Tuesday. …

Sources say creative control was at the center of the sides being unable to reach an agreement.

While saying "If something is too good to be true, it probably isn't" is a cliche, that doesn't make it any less accurate. Here's further proof. It was too much to hope for. And if ever there was going to be a factor that would kill the deal, of course it was going to be "creative control." In fact, it was naive of all of us to think it would ever be otherwise.

There can be no doubt NFL Films wanted full access to the inner workings of the new empire Belichick is building at Chapel Hill. And that he would want to limit their access to the greatest extent possible, while still giving them enough content to put a show together that would be longer than your average Instagram Stories video.

Like Julian Edelman said a couple of years ago, a Hard Knocks with the Patriots would've had all the interesting stuff redacted out and would've been an hour of Belichick twirling his whistle:

As I say this, I acknowledge he let NFL Films run around to put together a two-part A Football Life. That was 16 years ago. A behind-the-scenes of the 2009 team was the most frustrating of the Dynasty Era. And he clearly retained editorial control. Which is why we got plenty of footage of him struggling to change his car clock for Daylight Savings Time and showing up as a Pirate for Randy Moss' Halloween roller skating party. But not one mention of having to send Moss and three teammates home because they were late to the stadium during a freak snow storm. 

All access in his kingdom is at his discretion. Whether you're a freshman recruit, a Heisman candidate, an assistant or a camera crew, you are subject to the requirements of your service. Under his absolute authority. If HBO thought he'd mellowed now that he's coaching college kids or dating someone fresh out of college, they had another thing coming. They're not going to be running around everywhere, showing other, lesser programs how Steve Belichick plans on disguising coverages or what kind of RPO packages he's going to install. He'd rather have NFL Films go do another feature on Vince Lombardi or someone and leave him the fark alone.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go drown my disappointment in about an hour of the Kraft Productions masterpieces that were the 3 Games to Glory and Do Your Job series. And I suggest you buy a shirt: