duncan228
08-18-2009, 12:29 PM
* Check your local listings if you're going to watch. The times listed are for the local audiences of the articles. *
Shaq VS. Everyone (http://www.abc2news.com/news/local/story/Shaq-VS-Everyone/aR2JG8EI4E-3ummvFlJRTQ.cspx)
By Dave Clark
Shaquille O'Neal wants to prove himself, one-on-one, against athletes from various sports.
So, for tonights premiere of his new series called "Shaq Vs.," he'll test the arm of NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in a footbal throwing contest.
The 7-2, 325-pound NBA star will take on stars from other sports, including Baltimore's own olympic swimming champion, Michael Phelps.
"We haven't really decided on anything final yet — how far, how long, how big a head start I will have to give him,"' Phelps said.
"To be able to swim with a 7-foot-2, 300-pound man will be absolutely awesome. When I was asked to do it, I quickly said, 'Yes.'"
Phelps' coach Bob Bowman said he'll coach Shaq a little bit. "We're sewing together three suits and wrapping him up in it."
*********************
Shaq tries to stand tall 'VS' flock of superjocks (http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/television/1720696,CST-FTR-shaq18.article)
By R.B. Fallstrom
Chicago Sun Times
Shaquille O'Neal swears he was once a T-ball All-Star and a high school first baseman with the "world's biggest strike zone."
The 7-1, 325-pound NBA star is taking on other sports stars in the new ABC series "Shaq VS," a battle of athletic prowess airing at 8 p.m. Tuesdays on WLS-Channel 7.
At a news conference for the show last week in St. Louis, he was joined by Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols to discuss their upcoming home run derby.
Pujols may lead the majors in home runs, but Shaq is clearly king of the one-liners.
Baseball nickname? "When I was little, I was known as Shaqqie Robinson." When he pitched: "I was the big black unit."
O'Neal promised there would be no head games with Pujols, noting, "Usually I try to get into the mind of my opponent, but I don't think it's wise to talk smack to a man who always has a bat in his hands."
Pujols offered a few pointers, noting that O'Neal didn't have to overpower the ball to hit a home run. O'Neal responded: "I don't want your tips, Albert. I'm going to beat you fair and square."
Pujols was a point guard on the basketball team in high school and said he used to be able to dunk. No more, not since he's bulked up to 245 pounds.
"I think if I tried I'd probably blow out my hamstrings," Pujols said. "That's why I chose baseball" for the challenge.
Pat Tomasulo of WGN-Channel 9 co-hosts "Shaq VS" with Ultimate Fighting Championship's Mike Goldberg.
Tonight's first episode tests O'Neal's football-throwing prowess against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Pujols episode will air Sept. 1.
*********************
Maybe a Cleveland Cavalier can beat a Pittsburgh Steeler: "Shaq Vs." Big Ben tonight at 9 on ABC (http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2009/08/maybe_a_cleveland_cavalier_can.html)
by Starting Blocks, The Plain Dealer
Cleveland.com
The much-anticipated "Shaq Vs." television reality series premieres tonight, when Cleveland Cavaliers' fun-loving center Shaquille O'Neal faces Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in a football skills contest on ABC (WEWS/Ch. 5) at 9 Cleveland time.
The weekly one-hour show features O'Neal challenging other stars in that opponents' sport. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, tracking Shaq's adventures expecially after he filmed a series episode last week against Cardinals' baseball superstar Albert Pujols, includes tonight's show among its "TV picks (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/tvradio/story/0859516380EEC68C8625761200744442?OpenDocument)" (note that St. Louis time is CDT, thus the 8 p.m. start there).
Writes Gail Pennington for the Post-Dispatch:
NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal takes on other top athletes in their own sports. First up: Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Olympic beach volleyball gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor follow next week, with the Cardinals' Albert Pujols up in Episode 3. The format has Shaq negotiating a handicap with his opponents and training in advance of each challenge.
The trend: The Los Angeles Times, quite familiar with O'Neal after his lengthy tenure with the Lakers, notes that Shaq's show is the latest that offers an inside look (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-shaq-reality-tv18-2009aug18,0,2775601.story)at sports stars.
Diane Pucin writes for the Times:
Dan Durbin, a professor at USC's Annenberg School of Communications who specializes in pop culture and sports media, isn't surprised at the proliferation of such sports-star shows scattered across network and cable television.
"Reality shows are relatively inexpensive to produce," he said. "And athletes provide television pop."
The sports-star craze began in earnest with the summer 2005 launch of "Dancing With the Stars," a ratings -- and revenue -- powerhouse for ABC from the get-go.
The show began with one athlete, boxer Evander Holyfield, who lost. But athletes have won five of the last six.
Shaq VS. Everyone (http://www.abc2news.com/news/local/story/Shaq-VS-Everyone/aR2JG8EI4E-3ummvFlJRTQ.cspx)
By Dave Clark
Shaquille O'Neal wants to prove himself, one-on-one, against athletes from various sports.
So, for tonights premiere of his new series called "Shaq Vs.," he'll test the arm of NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in a footbal throwing contest.
The 7-2, 325-pound NBA star will take on stars from other sports, including Baltimore's own olympic swimming champion, Michael Phelps.
"We haven't really decided on anything final yet — how far, how long, how big a head start I will have to give him,"' Phelps said.
"To be able to swim with a 7-foot-2, 300-pound man will be absolutely awesome. When I was asked to do it, I quickly said, 'Yes.'"
Phelps' coach Bob Bowman said he'll coach Shaq a little bit. "We're sewing together three suits and wrapping him up in it."
*********************
Shaq tries to stand tall 'VS' flock of superjocks (http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/television/1720696,CST-FTR-shaq18.article)
By R.B. Fallstrom
Chicago Sun Times
Shaquille O'Neal swears he was once a T-ball All-Star and a high school first baseman with the "world's biggest strike zone."
The 7-1, 325-pound NBA star is taking on other sports stars in the new ABC series "Shaq VS," a battle of athletic prowess airing at 8 p.m. Tuesdays on WLS-Channel 7.
At a news conference for the show last week in St. Louis, he was joined by Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols to discuss their upcoming home run derby.
Pujols may lead the majors in home runs, but Shaq is clearly king of the one-liners.
Baseball nickname? "When I was little, I was known as Shaqqie Robinson." When he pitched: "I was the big black unit."
O'Neal promised there would be no head games with Pujols, noting, "Usually I try to get into the mind of my opponent, but I don't think it's wise to talk smack to a man who always has a bat in his hands."
Pujols offered a few pointers, noting that O'Neal didn't have to overpower the ball to hit a home run. O'Neal responded: "I don't want your tips, Albert. I'm going to beat you fair and square."
Pujols was a point guard on the basketball team in high school and said he used to be able to dunk. No more, not since he's bulked up to 245 pounds.
"I think if I tried I'd probably blow out my hamstrings," Pujols said. "That's why I chose baseball" for the challenge.
Pat Tomasulo of WGN-Channel 9 co-hosts "Shaq VS" with Ultimate Fighting Championship's Mike Goldberg.
Tonight's first episode tests O'Neal's football-throwing prowess against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Pujols episode will air Sept. 1.
*********************
Maybe a Cleveland Cavalier can beat a Pittsburgh Steeler: "Shaq Vs." Big Ben tonight at 9 on ABC (http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2009/08/maybe_a_cleveland_cavalier_can.html)
by Starting Blocks, The Plain Dealer
Cleveland.com
The much-anticipated "Shaq Vs." television reality series premieres tonight, when Cleveland Cavaliers' fun-loving center Shaquille O'Neal faces Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in a football skills contest on ABC (WEWS/Ch. 5) at 9 Cleveland time.
The weekly one-hour show features O'Neal challenging other stars in that opponents' sport. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, tracking Shaq's adventures expecially after he filmed a series episode last week against Cardinals' baseball superstar Albert Pujols, includes tonight's show among its "TV picks (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/tvradio/story/0859516380EEC68C8625761200744442?OpenDocument)" (note that St. Louis time is CDT, thus the 8 p.m. start there).
Writes Gail Pennington for the Post-Dispatch:
NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal takes on other top athletes in their own sports. First up: Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Olympic beach volleyball gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor follow next week, with the Cardinals' Albert Pujols up in Episode 3. The format has Shaq negotiating a handicap with his opponents and training in advance of each challenge.
The trend: The Los Angeles Times, quite familiar with O'Neal after his lengthy tenure with the Lakers, notes that Shaq's show is the latest that offers an inside look (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-shaq-reality-tv18-2009aug18,0,2775601.story)at sports stars.
Diane Pucin writes for the Times:
Dan Durbin, a professor at USC's Annenberg School of Communications who specializes in pop culture and sports media, isn't surprised at the proliferation of such sports-star shows scattered across network and cable television.
"Reality shows are relatively inexpensive to produce," he said. "And athletes provide television pop."
The sports-star craze began in earnest with the summer 2005 launch of "Dancing With the Stars," a ratings -- and revenue -- powerhouse for ABC from the get-go.
The show began with one athlete, boxer Evander Holyfield, who lost. But athletes have won five of the last six.