Yet another reason why the NFL is the best league on Earth

There are many reasons why the National Football League is one of the strongest sports product in the world. Its television deal, its marketing, the drawing power of the Super Bowl, and the parity of the league season-to-season all contribute to its stability and power as an entertainment tour de force. I think one of the most under-appreciated aspects of the NFL's business is its television production department, NFL Films.

Although they're not apparent to the average television viewer, much of the content provided for NFL broadcasts, particularly the on-the-sidelines coverage and behind the scenes stuff is provided by NFL Films. All those DVDs covering ascending franchises on their climbs to the Super Bowl and the Vince Lombardi Trophy are done by the fine folks at NFL Films too.

They are also the minds behind much of the NFL Networks programming including: NFL Total Access, Hard Knocks, Playbook, NFL Films Presents, Statefarm - NFL Matchup, NFL Replay, Film Session and my personal favourite, Hey Rookie! Welcome to the NFL!.

I caught an episode of Hey Rookie! a couple of weeks ago, and it is an incredibly entertaining and informative show. The format is simple. Starting with the NFL draft in April, the cameras follow a group of four or five NFL rookies through the course of their first season in the NFL. This season, the focus has been on five players: Aqib Talib, Glenn Dorsey, Rashard Mendenhall, Caleb Campbell and Darren McFadden. It's interesting to see how the players prepare mentally and physically for the season, but it's amazing to see their different personalities and how they lead their lives.

For instance, cornerback Aqib Talib is fast talking but family oriented, illustrated by his decision to stay at home during the draft and watch it unfold on television with his family. However, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft him, he breaks out into an over-the-top dance and assures his new coach Jon Gruden that he's going to single-handedly shut down star wide-receiver Steve Smith. This is a stark contrast to Caleb Campbell, a dour graduate from Army. Campbell doesn't even get to sign his first professional contract before the Army changes their official policy and re-calls him to continue his tour of duty.

It's a fascinating show, and helps to flesh out what the National Football League is all about. They're such a strong feature of the NFL's production that it makes you wish that other leagues had such competent television and film producers. For instance, an NHL equivalent to Hey Rookie! would make for compelling television that could help fans new to the sport of hockey appreciate and understand the preparation and athleticism that goes into professional hockey.