If anyone associated with HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills” would know how important the song “Shout" is to Bills fans, it is Rochester native Pat Harris.
The lead director of the program, Harris was well aware that the narration by Liev Schreiber proclaiming “Mr. Brightside” as the Bills' anthem during Tuesday’s premiere might not go over well.
But Harris – who grew up less than five miles from the St. John Fisher University campus where training camp is being held and attended Bills games as a kid – had an explanation.
“I know that rubbed people the wrong way,” Harris said. “I don't think that that was any intention, at all. I think… ‘Mr. Brightside’ was a little easier to clear, logistically, because I think ‘Shout’ is a little bit trickier to clear.”
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By that, he meant it was easier to get the rights to play the music.
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Bills coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane, who weren’t thrilled about the potential distraction of having the team’s every move recorded, had to be pleased by the lack of drama in an opener that winningly focused on the team’s positive culture.
“Shout" was written and performed by the Isley Brothers in 1959. “Mr. Brightside” was released by The Killers in 2003.
Harris understood why the choice of “Mr. Brightside,” which has been embraced by recent Bills players, is controversial with an element of fans who have been singing "Shout" for generations after the Bills score.
“Yeah 100%," he said. ”I think that was just something we just picked creatively. It wasn't any intention to offend anyone, but ‘Shout’ just was tricky to clear, I think, because it's an older song and there's a few more layers to the clearance process.”
Harris also explained why the “hold-in” by Bills running back James Cook over contract talks wasn’t included in the episode Tuesday, a few days after it started.
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“I think we just chose to end the episode at the ‘Red and Blue’ game,” he explained of the Bills annual practice before fans at Highmark Stadium. “I think we had stuff we just kind of chose from a creative perspective to just kind of end the episode.”
You can understand why. Cook’s "hold-in" didn’t fit in the positive narrative of the episode about the Bills culture.
Harris said the Cook matter will be addressed in the next episode Tuesday night.
CBS play-by-play announcer Andrew Catalon and analyst Steve Tasker will be back working the Bills preseason opener against the New York Giants at 1 p.m. Saturday on WIVB-TV (Channel 4).
This is Catalon’s 10th preseason doing the game.
Catalon has new CBS teammates this season. He will be working with analysts Charles Davis and Jason McCourty. He worked with Tiki Barber and McCourty last season. JJ Watt has replaced Davis on CBS’ No. 2 team alongside Ian Eagle. Barber has been dropped from CBS’ lineup.
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