Tampa — As the final minutes counted down Tuesday night to the much-anticipated first episode of the Bucs on HBO's Hard Knocks , the excitement could be seen in more than just living rooms across the bay area.

"We're excited to bring people out and showcase this and give them a glimpse," said Brian Ford, the Bucs' chief operating officer.

At 10 p.m., fans got to see the first episode, introducing the key elements of this Bucs team — Jameis Winston taking you through his hometown of Bessemer, Ala., and Gerald McCoy playing with his children.

NFL Films has had cameras on every aspect of the Bucs since the start of training camp on July 27, recording an estimated 350 hours of footage to be culled down to each week's one-hour documentary.

About 400 people gathered at the Tampa Theatre, but one group that decidedly wasn't among them: the Bucs themselves, with players and coaches instead getting ready for an 8:45 a.m. practice the next morning and trying to not make the show any more of a distraction than necessary.