Junior Seau Goes Behind the Scenes on Sports Jobs
2009-12-16

By Adam Bryant

Seattlepi.com

December 16th, 2009

http://www.seattlepi.com/tvguide/413370_tvgif16.html

Junior Seau spent almost two decades in the gridiron spotlight. Now, as host of Sports Jobs with Junior Seau, he's turning his attention to the men and women who help make sure the game goes on.

"With all the money being thrown around, athletes have a center stage," the former National Football League star tells TVGuide.com. "But before that center stage is open, [people] have to build a stage. Those are the people that deserve the credit and those are the people that we air on our show."

In each episode, Seau, 40, tackles different tasks, including working on an IndyCar pit crew, reporting from the sidelines for Sports Illustrated and becoming a rodeo clown. In Wednesday's episode, Seau works on a crew that in 36 hours converts the Boston Bruins' ice hockey rink into the hardwood parquet for a Boston Celtics basketball game and back again. (Watch a clip from the episode below.)

"[There is] a group of men and women that are there working throughout the night ... moving seats, covering up the ice, putting up the basketball nets," Seau says. "It's all [done] as the fans are sleeping, waiting for the day to come when they can come see the Celtics. There's a lot that goes at night when everyone [else] is at rest. ... You have to remember and respect that the sport doesn't happen without the little details that go on behind the scenes."

Seau, a one-time All-Pro linebacker who played with the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, says he's humbled to be able to share the stories of "the trainers, the equipment managers, the ball boys."

"I get a chance to pay homage to the people that have helped me through my career," Seau says, "and I honestly believe that it's a story that everyone needs to see."

Sports Jobs with Junior Seau airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on Versus.