Not one but two former Arkansas Razorbacks football players will appear on Food Network tonight.
Former cornerback and hurdler Eddie Jackson, who won the season 11 competition on Food Network Star in August, debuts the first full episode of his new show BBQ Blitz at 9:30 p.m.. The episode takes place in Little Rock and features chef Kardea Brown and former Razorbacks receiver Anthony Lucas as judges.
Jackson will take the show to different cities, according to the show's web page on FoodNetwork.com. Three of the best grillers, smokers and fire-roasters will cook off for a chance to win $5,000 in each city.
"I had never done anything like this, so to speak, in front of a camera one-on-one," Jackson told FoodNetwork.com in August after winning Food Network Star. "I've been in front of the camera in front of, you know, 60,000 people playing football and things like that, but never one-on-one talking directly to a camera by myself.
"I realized that I really can do this, and this is something I want to continue to do for the rest of my life."
Jackson, 34, played in 48 games at cornerback and strong safety for the Razorbacks and was an NCAA All-American in the 110-meter hurdles in 2000. He played professionally, but an injury ended his football career.
After his retirement he began cooking competitively, finishing eighth on MasterChef in 2013.
As for his new career, Jackson said he learned an important piece of advice from Food Network Star co-host and celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis.
"She said, 'Just always smile and always be yourself. You have that charisma, and just always use it,' " Jackson said. "I think when she told me that -- because no one had really told me that -- once I heard that, I tried to use that each and every time I stepped in front of the camera."
Open mouth, insert foot
A broadcasting first happened Tuesday night, but one person wasn't impressed.
Jessica Mendoza, an Olympic gold medalist in softball, became the first woman to work as an analyst during a Major League Baseball postseason game Tuesday as part of ESPN's broadcast team for the American League wild-card game.
Mendoza, 34, is considered one of the best players in the game. Although softball and baseball may not be exactly alike, Mendoza has shown an ability to speak just as keenly about baseball during her tenure at ESPN.
But apparently Mike Bell, a sports talk radio personality in Atlanta, isn't a fan of Mendoza's work.
"Yes tell us [T*** McGee] when you're up there hitting the softball you see a lot of 95 mile an hour cutters?" Bell tweeted during Tuesday's broadcast before deleting the post later.
There also were a couple of tweets criticizing the network for Mendoza's selection on the broadcast team. All of the tweets were deleted, but the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday that Bell had been suspended for his comments.
Bell did appear on the air Wednesday in a prerecorded apology.
"I didn't get it. I get it now," Bell said. "There is no place for that kind of stuff on my show. I will be more mindful. This has been an eye-opening experience."
Sports quiz
What three NFL teams did Eddie Jackson play for?
Answer
The Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins.
Sports on 10/09/2015