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What to make of the Aaron Rodgers experience?
I am somebody whos a critical thinker.
There was talk ofa fall from grace, even, dare I say, cancellation.
But modern celebrity is never so linear.
And its turning out to be a decent one.
Think whatever you want about this extremely frustrating man, but hedoesmake for good television.
Not even a show as stale asHard Knockscan hide that fact.
For the sports-addled brain, it can be as sweet as a pop song.
Compared to the character-driven chaos ofDrive to Survive, the pastoral feel ofHard Knockscomes across as positively old-fashioned.
The Jets ended up agreeing to joinHard Knocksat the final hour, and even then,only begrudgingly.
looming over the franchise.
But with leverage on their side,the Jets restricted more of HBOs access than usual.
And in Rodgers, the payoff works.
This shouldnt be a surprise to those who watchedRodgerss guest stint onJeopardy!
His segments feel like what would happen if a camera crew followed aReal Housewiveshusband off to his workplace.
Youre aging me again, says Rodgers, affable but distant.
Im not aging you, Im showing you how great you is, replies Hardman.
The future Hall of Famer stares straight ahead, perhaps dying a little inside.
He turns 40 this year.
I gave him a line that was un-comebackwithable, he says, emphasizing the delightfully nonexistent word.
I said, I dont even know who you are!
Hes beaming, clearly pleased with both his conduct and the cleverness of his story.
Hard Knocksknows what it needs to do.
ButHard Knocksalso knows what it has.
Go say hi, dont be an asshole.)
Some space is even set aside for Rodgerss weirdness to breathe.
Who knows how long Rodgers will play for the Jets.
But hes almost certainly destined for a robust post-retirement media career, whatever shape that may take.
(Itll probably be a free-thinking podcast.)
But inHard Knocks, Rodgers has already found his perfect role: reality-television character.
