I don't know if there are any "Survivor" fans on this message board, but here's something that caught my eye. Jimmy Johnson, the 67 year-old former head coach who guided the Miami Hurricanes to a National Championship in 1984 and back-to-back Super Bowl Championships in 1991 & 1992 with the Dallas Cowboys before an unsuccessful, brief return to Miami with the Dolphins, will be a contestant when "Survivor" heads down to Nicaragua this fall on CBS.
Since the Mark Burnett-produced, Jeff Probst-hosted show debuted in 2000, the competition has traveled to various locales around the world, including Kenya, Brazil, the Fiji Islands & Panama, featuring contestants trying to complete difficult challenges in hopes of winning $1 million at the end of the season and trying to stay in the game along the way. This year's "Survivor: Nicaragua" tapes in San Juan del Sur.
Although Jimmy declined comment, the "Survivor" gig would not conflict with his duties as a Los Angeles-based studio analyst on "FOX NFL Sunday", FOX Sports' popular pregame show that also features host Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jay Glazer, weather girl Jillian Barberie-Reynolds & funnyman Frank Caliendo, along with his countless impressions. "FOX NFL Sunday" returns to the schedule September 12th.
Jimmy wouldn't be the first Cowboy to try his luck on a reality show. Ex-Dallas QB Gary Hogeboom appeared on "Survivor: Guatemala" in 2005 and finished 7th. Former Cowboy teammates Emmitt Smith & Michael Irvin had mixed results when they appeared on "Dancing with the Stars". The Hall-of-Fame running back won the Mirror Ball Trophy on "DWTS", upsetting "Extra" host Mario Lopez in 2006. The HOF wide receiver turned Dallas-based sports radio host didn't win when he took part in the famous ballroom competition last year.
As for Johnson, before joining FOX on two occasions on its pregame show, he compiled an 80-64 record as an NFL head coach with the Cowboys & Dolphins in 9 seasons on the sidelines. That ranks Jimmy 49th on the all-time win list.
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