Rams insist 'Hard Knocks' won't distract, hope it helps

For the better part of the past decade, the Los Angeles Rams haven't exactly grown accustomed to being in the spotlight. Sure, they've made plenty of news for various things off the field but their play on it has often left them far from the bright lights and cameras that go with NFL success.

Occasionally, such as the months after they made Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL in 2014, the Rams worked to ensure that the cameras will not be present. They shut down Sam's proposed reality show on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Now that they're back in Los Angeles, the Rams have no choice but to step out of the shadows. In fact, they're making a point of embracing the attention…