Lockout

In the 12-year, eight-season history of HBO’s Hard Knocks, only one franchise – the Dallas Cowboys, often cited as “America’s Team” – has been featured twice. Make that two. The premium network on Monday officially tapped the Cincinnati Bengals to star on its popular series chronicling life at an NFL training camp. The Bengals first were featured in 2009, with the season earning a pair of Sports Emmys. Last year’s Hard Knocks showcased the Miami Dolphins, and plenty of screen time was devoted to aging former All-Pro wide receiver, who was known as Chad Ochocinco when he was onscreen with the ’09 Bengals. The show began in 2001 with then- and current defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, followed by the Cowboys in 2002. But that was the last Hard Knocks until the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007. Since then it has aired every year expect 2011, when the series went dark because no team was willing to participate due to the looming lockout by NFL owners. The first episode of the Bengals return trip to the show will premiere August 6.

CHICAGO -- There are so many things that simply pass in life, that flit through the consciousness and vanish into the discard pile of the brain. A mood. A whim. An NHL lockout.