It was announced earlier in the summer that the Cincinnati Bengals would be the subject of this "Hard Knocks" on HBO, and the time for its debut is upon us. The series will kick of next Wednesday, August 12th at 10pm, and should provide for some interesting television. Via HBO PR....

HBO Sports, NFL Films and the Cincinnati Bengals team up for an all-access look at what it takes to make it in the National Football League when HARD KNOCKS: TRAINING CAMP WITH THE CINCINNATI BENGALS debuts next month. The first sports-based reality series – and one of the fastest-turnaround reality series – kicks off its fifth season WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12 (10:00 p.m. ET/PT & 9:00 p.m. CT), exclusively on HBO and presented in HD. New hour-long episodes air subsequent Wednesdays at the same time, culminating in the Sept. 9 season finale, with regular encore plays on Thursdays.

“We are delighted that HARD KNOCKS will be returning this summer and placing the spotlight on head coach Marvin Lewis and the Cincinnati Bengals,” says Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports. “There will be plenty on the line during training camp for veterans, free agents and rookies alike, and we are eager to chronicle all the passion, heartache and achievement.”

“This is a fascinating team,” says NFL Films president Steve Sabol. “They’ve got a lot to prove to themselves and to the fans. As Coach Lewis has said, ‘This is a team with a chip on their shoulder.’ Training camp is a laboratory of human emotions and the Bengals have a compelling mix of personalities that should make for
dramatic television.”