NBA star Shaquille O'Neal will jump in a pool this summer and actually attempt to beat Michael Phelps in a swimming competition for a new reality series ordered by ABC.
"Shaq Vs.," premiering Aug. 18, will pit the new Cleveland Cavaliers center against a number of top athletes outside of his NBA comfort zone, forcing the 7 ft 1 inch baller to be competitive in multiple sports beyond the basketball court.
Production begins Wednesday in Pittsburgh, where Shaq takes on Super Bowl-winning Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in football.
In addition to facing Baltimore's 14-time Olympic gold medal swimmer, Shaq will battle reigning Wimbledon champ Serena Williams in tennis, retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and Olympic beach volleyball stars Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.
Shaq is also trying to recruit Lance Armstrong for "Shaq Vs." once the cyclist is done competing in the Tour de France.
Each episode will begin with preliminary challenges, then move on to banter from news conferences, one-on-one time with needy kids, and O'Neal and his famous opponent negotiating a handicap. The shows will culminate with Shaq's face-off with his guest star, usually on the athlete's home turf.
So what does the winner get? Not cash. "Bragging rights are always better than any monetary prize," O'Neal tells USA Today.
O'Neal says he came up with the idea as a fun way to get in shape for the NBA season. (ABC secured the Cavaliers' blessing to borrow O'Neal until he's scheduled to report for NBA training camp Sept. 15.)
The hoops star also believed sports fans "would really want to see an athlete play another sport." He knew most of the athletes and recruited some of them on Twitter, according to USA Today.
ABC, meanwhile, jumped at the pitch. "He's very playful, almost everyone can relate to him. He has a fun sort of childish persona, and at the same time he's a superstar," the newspaper quotes of John Saade, co-chief of ABC's reality programming. "Our real hope is you come for the absurdity but you stay for the sport."
Shaq expects to be somewhat competitive in each of the challenges, although he's "not that skilled at tennis" or in a baseball home-run derby, he admits. He believes football and swimming will be his strongest suits.
A huge part of the show will be good ol' "trash talking," according to O'Neal, but "when it comes to competing, there is no joking."
No comments:
Post a Comment