Former Dallas Cowboys head coach and current FOX host Jimmy Johnson recently announced that he will join the new cast of CBS' long-running reality series "Survivor". Johnson's season will take place in Guatemala and reportedly not interfere with his current FOX schedule.
Johnson has long been known for his boisterous and out-going personality which should fit very well on the show that demands unique characters (or caricatures).
While Johnson should be an entertaining choice nonetheless, there are still 25 other sports figures who could take Johnson's spot and bring much more to the show.
Terrell Owens. The biggest mouthpiece in the NFL over the last decade would sure add a spicy element to the Survivor cast. Owens can be confrontational and emotional. He often speaks without a filter and has a difficulty working well with others. The perfect formula for a reality show contestant.
It would never happen in a million years, but hey this whole list is hypothetical right? Well, nothing says entertaining like watching a spoiled celebrity be landed into a Guatemalan jungle where she will have roll in the dirt, eat bugs and deal with people she otherwise would care if they existed or not.
The ultimate self-promoter, Chad Ochocinco has to be right in there with T.O. Ochocinco loves the camera and the camera loves him. He already tested his reality show wits with his appearance on Dancing With the Stars where it looked like no competition was to difficult for the Bengals wide receiver. Anything where Ochocinco gets to be himself usually turns to TV gold.
Michael Strahan is a loud, out-going character who is excellent in front of a camera. He has a sense of humor but has a suaveness about him that is a great fit for a competitive television atmosphere.
Milton Bradley. Why not? Every reality show needs a contestant that is possible of melting down at any given moment. Bradley could be that proverbial roommate, or in this case jungle-mate, that everyone walks on egg shells around only to have him erupt when he realizes he hates his surroundings.
You NEVER know what you're going to get out of Ron Artest which makes him so darn perfect for this situation. Put the always-quirky Artest around a bunch of conniving strangers who are constantly trying to one-up him and his eventual reaction will be great television.
The guy is all over the map at any given moment. Why not drop him on Survivor Island and watch him make a bunch of random people go nuts.
Hey, if Jimmy Johnson is going to do it, why not Ditka? Hurricane Ditka would slam Guatemala with his trademark scowl and moustache and infuse fear in all that laid in its way. Yes, Ditka is older than Johnson, but seeing Ditka get riled up with lazy cast member is worth a ticket to the show.
Oh this would be so rich if Saban had to go deal with a bunch of people he would no doubt look down his nose at. Saban would be cut from entirely different cloth than the rest of the cast, but you could see how he'd try to justify any behavior and simply play mind games with his castmates.
Forget just replacing Jimmy Johnson, put Urban Meyer and Nick Saban on the same cast. You know what, forget that, just put Saban and Meyer on an island together and let fate sort it out. It would be great viewing.
A-Rod would be a very entertaining fit only to see his prima donna appearance and aura be shot down by a cast of people willing to eat bugs, fight in the dirt, jump off cliffs and do whatever else Survivor contestants do. A-Rod probably showers in Poland Spring Bottled Water. Could he fathom not showering for weeks on end?
Deion, much like Jimmy Johnson, would bring a boisterous and entertaining personality to a show that is usually filled with bark-eating, boring people. Deion's entire rhythm and flair would be a far cry from anyone that's been on the show. Now, could Deion live a few weeks without his flashy fashion sense and live outdoors? Finding the answer would make it all that much more entertaining.
Charles Barkley is a walking comedy act. He is in many ways the caricature for the retired athlete. He says virtually what he wants, when he wants and does so in such a unique way that people can't help but be drawn to him.
Tiger could return from his recent recluse behavior and become the alpha male on Survivor. His sheer presence would leave other contestants unsure of what to do or how to even approach Tiger. Tiger has always been very careful about how he approaches the public and the words he uses publicly, but seeing him go toe-to-toe with some Survivor contestant would be a Tiger with all new stripes, although part of me wonders if he could handle that kind of heat again.
Talk about the alpha male in a group. Jordan could still be the same always-imposing presence on the set of Survivor even when he's away from his $100,000 craps tables, Gulfstream and fine cigars. Jordan, the ultra-competitor, could probably outlast any island crawler on Survivor.
John Daly may not be as wild as he was a few years back, but placing him in a rare place with strangers and no means to cigarettes and booze could be a recipe for an absolute tire fire on the set of Survivor. Reality shows bring the worst out of people. It could do the same for Daly which would be bad for him, but a score in the ratings department for the show.
So far, all the males on this list have been of a dominating figure. Not so much with the squirrely and somewhat bizarre Van Gundy. Many NBA fans have grown frustrated with his shtick and his persona on the air. Would they oppose to seeing him treated like the class nerd on an island of people willing to do just about anything?
Many have knocked LeBron James for taking the easy way out when it comes to his professional career. So, let's see what LeBron is made of by making it very hard on him. Stick him on island where nothing will come easy, including meals, and let's see what kind of competitor LeBron truly is.
Lane Kiffin's life over the last few years has seemed like one non-stop reality show, so why going on Survivor be any different? From fighting with an old Al Davis, to leaving Tennessee in the lurch to his perceived sliminess makes Kiffin just prime for this kind of situation. Watching Kiffin have to worm his way out of heated Survivor fights would be rich.
Al Davis couldn't do much on Survivor, but one thing he wouldn't do is play by the rules. Al Davis would lord over that island with his jungle throne as he commands the rest of the Survivor cast to serve as his minions. Throw him off the island will you? Well, he'll just call a press conference, take out an overhead projector and tell you all the reasons why you're a liar and you should be kicked off.
Mark Cuban too is like a walking reality show. The Mavericks owner has little in the way of a filter for his often combative personality and is ripe for a reality show where everyone is as cutthroat as can be. In all seriousness, let's not give Cuban any ideas.
Tebow is no stranger to being in the wild, living off the land and spending time in the outdoors. Tebow would be the complete opposite of the standard, expected crazed reality show member. However, seeing how much another cast member could push his buttons and if Tebow would blow up in a fit of genuine rage would be something to see.
Perhaps if Shaquille O'Neal can't find another team to play for this upcoming season, he could just go on a reality show circuit. His immense presence would certainly draw ratings and his personality and sense of humor, which made him the most entertaining soundbite in sports, will worth watching every week. Maybe they could name that season 'Shaq VS Survivor'...
You want to install a little fear and intimidation on the set of Survivor? Swap Jimmy Johnson for Chuck Liddell. Nothing says pending drama like an MMA fight with a short fuse just waiting to go off on some unsuspecting cast member.
Why Jose? Because it appears the guy will do just about anything to earn a paycheck nowadays. This is a guy who fought a 60-year-old local high school coach at a minor league game in Arkansas for a minimal appearance fee. Canseco is a walking train wreck. Why not put that on Survivor and see how it far it takes him?
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