Here’s future Detroit Lion (?) Matthew Stafford making an appearance on Late Night with That Little Turd That Used To Be On SNL, courtesy of Sportscrack. Stafford gets conned into throwing balls at airborne plates with targets drawn on them, and I couldn’t be more impressed that dude actually throws a mean ball while wearing a sport coat, which, despite the name, is not sporty at all. That attribute might come in handy, because if the mental midgets running the Lions actually do reinvent their uniform scheme this season, there’s no telling what they’ll roll out…

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I had stopped covering which athletes were on whichever new season of “Dancing with the Stars” was about to happen, but then ABC released the promo photos of Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson with her partner, That Guy Who Dances.

Anyhoo, the other athletes on the forthcoming season are Lawrence Taylor and pro bull-rider Ty Murray.  Murray will compete against his wife, pro Ty Murray-rider Jewel.  Don’t expect to hear about this again on With Leather, I barely stayed awake writing this.  Although the ether could be partially to blame for that.

[Don Chavez]

Long before the NBA created its “Where [Stuff] Happens” campaign, its promotional ads were various famous people saying “I Love This Game.”  No, really.  Some marketing executive got paid thousands of dollars to think of “I love this game.”

In this 1992 spot, The McLaughlin Group pretends to care about the NBA.  How exactly this was supposed to gain viewers or improve the NBA’s reputation, I’m not sure.  “Well, if white stiffs who yell about politics like basketball, it MUST be good!”

[The Sporting Blog]

If America needs two things right now, it’s more reality TV shows about the Dallas Cowboys and more attention for Terrell Owens.  Oh hey, wouldja look at that.  T.O. is getting his own reality TV show.  **jams scissors into eyes**

The Dallas Cowboys’ controversial wide receiver will star in his own show on VH1 this summer, giving fans a look into his life off the field.

VH1 announced Monday that the series takes place in the offseason, and T.O.’s best friends and publicists — Monique Jackson and Kita Williams — will help him re-examine his personal life. The two will work as “matchmakers and therapists” for Owens.

Matchmakers.  Good call.  If there’s anything I’ve learned from watching reality shows, it’s that they’re the most reliable way for people to find lasting love.

An insider tells me the show will be called “Playing the Field with Terrell Owens” and will last 8 episodes.  Eight long, grueling episodes that will make the NFL’s off-season feel even longer.  Can’t wait!

The Dallas Cowboys organization has become an increasingly ridiculous shitshow over recent weeks and months (and, uh, years).  The season began with the team seemingly more concerned with the cameras than practicing during Hard Knocks on HBO, and ended with people showing up whenever they feel like it and players not respecting coaches and the general back-stabbing and bitchiness you don’t see outside of sororities.

So, obviously, what the Cowboys need is… another reality show!  Hosted by Michael Irvin!

The show… will feature twelve amateurs who will move to Dallas and compete against one another to earn a shot at a spot in Dallas Cowboys training camp next summer and potentially a spot on the team. [...]

The twelve contestants, including six wide receivers and six defensive backs, will be broken into two teams, overseen by notable former Cowboys coaches and players. Guest judges will appear along the way including other former players, coaches, media personalities and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Naturally, Irvin will need a catchphrase when he dismisses contestants.  The early favorite is, “I’m sorry, but I have to cut you.”  Then he breaks out his scissors and STABS THE GUY IN THE NECK!!!  Ratings GOLD baby!

You know what would be totally unnecessary and barely watchable? A TV show that rips off Bravo’s atrocious “Real Housewives” series — with NASCAR wives!  What’s that?  It’s gonna be on TLC?  Hooray.

The first episode airing this month includes Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, sister of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his main business adviser; DeLana Harvick, married to driver Kevin Harvick; and Shana Mayfield, wife of driver Jeremy Mayfield…

Networks love this kind of “reality television” because costs are low compared with traditional series – and because viewers seem to have an insatiable appetite to watch other people engage in stunts along the lines of shopping, stammering, sighing and furiously abusing cell phones.

Wow, how do the networks always know exactly what I want?  “This show was okay, but I’d like to see more crazy stunts.  Stunts like shopping, and sighing.  Oh definitely more sighing.  I’m powerless NOT to watch!”

(Via From the Marbles. Pictured: Jeff Gordon’s wife Ingrid Vandebosch)