May 29, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) stands with head coach Marvin Lewis (right) during organized team activities at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Now that the Cincinnati Bengals have been selected to be featured on “Hard Knocks” under the national spotlight, what does that mean for the team’s season?

More specifically, will Cincinnati be negatively impacted by being on the show?

“Hard Knocks” has been called a curse by many fans, as a camera crew goes in and essentially tapes everything that we wouldn’t normally see on and off the field, making a show out of it.

How can a football team not be negatively affected by that, right? It’s an opportunity for immature athletes to boost their ego in the locker room, and allows the exposure of that which is normally kept private between the members of a team- that is, practices, position battles, and even family life.

Still, the last time the Bengals were featured on the HBO special, they swept the division in 2009, and went onto win the AFC north title.

Hmm. Maybe it’s not such a bad curse after all.

According to Fox 19 in Cincinnati, head coach Marvin Lewis asked several of his players what they thought, so it certainly wasn’t a totalitarian decision.

Lewis also apparently agreed that being featured on the show has the potential to be a great opportunity for the fans as well as the matured players, saying the following:

“The feedback we got from our experience with Hard Knocks in 2009 was outstanding. Our fans enjoyed it tremendously and we’re happy to try and provide that same experience again. Our fans love the NFL and they enjoy seeing things they don’t normally get to see. We have some outstanding men, both as players and as people. They’ve got great charisma to go along with their football skills, and the Hard Knocks treatment allows for both to shine through.”

The first episode will premier on August 6.

Dec 30, 2012; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) scores a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Some NFL headliners across the league:

Patriots’ tight-end, Rob Gronkowski, is having surgery today, and is still questionable for Week 1 of the 2013 season. This is his fifth surgery since November.

Brady would certainly like to have his star back, as his numbers took a heavy hit once Gronk went down mid-season of last year.

English soccer star David Beckham was reportedly contacted by an NFL scout trying to gauge his interest in trying out, according to the UK Daily Mirror.

However, it looks like the chances of that happening are slim to none.

“The offer came in, and he politely said that it wasn’t right for him,” a source told the Mirror.

Mike Gleason received an official apology from former Atlanta radio hosts after they mocked his ALS.

In accepting the apology, Gleason had this to say on his official face book page:

“Regarding the DJ skit in Atlanta yesterday. I would like to thank the public for their support. “’Defend Team Gleason’ now has been officially redefined. Additionally, the DJs have provided genuine apology. Received and accepted. We have all made mistakes in this life. How we learn from our mistakes is the measure of who we are.”

LB Desmond Bishop was recently cut by the Green Bay Packers, as was announced by the team. He will reportedly visit the Chiefs and Raiders, although Kansas City’s 3-4 scheme is probably a better fit.

Stay tuned at Stripe Hype for Cincinnati Bengals and NFL news.

Aug 21, 2011; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) runs with the ball after taking a lateral from safety Eric Smith (33) following an interception as Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth (77) closes in during a preseason game at the New Meadowlands Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

During the 2007 NFL Draft, Darrelle Revis was the player I coveted most for the Bengals. His physicality on the line, instincts in space playing zone, and ability to shadow a wide receiver downfield left me downright giddy.

And, with the 18^th pick, the Bengals were primed to select him. Until the Jets swooped in to trade up to 14 and select Revis.

So we were left with Leon Hall, for whom I had great respect as a prospect. Hall had the most sound technique in the draft, but questions about his speed and memories of Ted Ginn Jr. abusing him mercilessly were still fresh in my head.

But, after the trade  to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that sent Darrelle Revis from the New York Jets, who received a 2013 first-round selection and a conditional mid-round pick in 2014, I began to consider which player I would have rather selected if I were Mike Brown.

Consider this:

• Leon Hall – 87 games with 81 starts since 2007: drafted 1^st rnd, 18^th overall
• 22 INT, 6 single season high
• 89 PD, 24 single season high
• Before injuries, averaged 4.5 INT and 17.75 PD
• Darrelle Revis 79 games with 79 starts since 2007: drafted 1^st rnd 14^th overall
• 19 INT, 6 INT single season high
• 97 PD, 31 single season high
• Before injuries, averaged 3.6 INT and 15.67

Of course, the money is the first aspect to consider. Revis will now average $16 million annually. That is definitely an acceptable number for the most dominant defensive player in the game not named J.J., but is the value there?