Say How: Former NFLer To Star In "Sports Jobs" Show On Versus

Seau Attempts To Serve As Forrest Griffin's Cornerman On "Sports Jobs With Junior Seau"

Versus formalized plans to launch a reality series starring former NFL player Junior Seau. The series, titled "Sports Jobs with Junior Seau," will launch December 2 and take up the 10:00-10:30pm ET time slot on Wednesday nights. The show will star Seau as he tries his hand at various jobs, including serving as a batboy for the Dodgers, a caddy for golfer Natalie Gulbis and a cornerman for UFC fighter Forrest Griffin. Versus has ordered 10 episodes; so far four have been shot. Seau said his show will be different from other reality shows starring athletes like Cavaliers C Shaquille O'Neal and Bills WR Terrell Owens. Seau: "This is not a reality show. It's a documentary. Their shows are basically about them. Our show is about finding a group of people that don't get credit and deserve credit." Seau described his time as a batboy for the Dodgers during a homestand against the Brewers, where one of his duties was washing Matt Kemp's car. "It was humbling," he said. "I can't remember the last time I washed a car" (John Ourand, Staff Writer). In San Diego, Nick Canepa notes Seau "sees this role as a kind of homage to the behind-the-scenes people who helped him along the way." Seau: "It gives me a chance to give something back. I've always embraced those guys. They never get any love and don't ask for it" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 9/9). DAILY VARIETY's Stuart Levine noted the show is "similar to Discovery's 'Dirty Jobs' with host Mike Rowe but not as grimy." Andy Meyer, Neil Mandt and Michael Mandt will serve as exec producers of the show (VARIETY.com, 9/8).

FIGHT NIGHT: Last night's episode of ABC's "Shaq Vs." featured O'Neal boxing against Oscar De La Hoya. De La Hoya: "Never in my wildest dreams did I think that he would want to box against me. I've been boxing since I was four-years-old." Former boxer Bernard Hopkins served as De La Hoya's corner man, while trainer Freddy Roach was in O'Neal's corner. De La Hoya won the five-round fight via unanimous decision ("Shaq Vs.," ABC, 9/8). O'Neal said the Cavaliers have expressed concern that he could be injured filming the series, but he said, "I just told them, 'Don't worry about it. I'm going to go out there and respect everybody and respect myself and not put myself or put the team in jeopardy.'" He did say Cavs GM Danny Ferry "wanted me to use headgear" against De La Hoya. ("PTI," ESPN, 9/8). O'Neal added a second season of the show has been picked up, in which he will challenge "seven more athletes, and I'm still talking" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/8). 

TIME TO GET MORE POPCORN READY: VH1 today picked up the option for a second season of Owens' reality series "The T.O. Show" (VH1). VH1 President Tom Calderone in an e-mail said the net is "extremely happy with the ratings both in Buffalo and nationwide." Calderone: "The great thing about the ratings, besides the premieres, is that the repeats are holding up well too" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/5).