Jets expected to be part of HBO reality series

It long has seemed like a match made in reality TV heaven, and now it’s on the verge of reality:

The New York Jets are expected to announce Thursday
that they will be featured this summer on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” the
weekly series that chronicles the adventures (and misadventures) of an
NFL team during training camp.

This notion would have been inconceivable during Eric Mangini’s buttoned-up term as coach, but Rex Ryan has a far less restrictive approach and has proven to be a television natural.

Ryan also has direct experience with the show. He
was the defensive-line coach for the defending Super Bowl champion
Ravens when they were featured on the first “Hard Knocks” in 2001.
Since then the show has tabbed the Cowboys twice (2002, ’08), Chiefs
(’07) and Bengals (’09).

In addition to fitting the Jets’ personality under
Ryan, the show presumably will help focus attention on the franchise as
it attempts to sell personal seat licenses and tickets for 2010 and
beyond.

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