MTV Rock N' Jock

MTV Rock N' Jock was a television series on MTV featuring actors, musicians, and other entertainers playing sports with professional athletes. The original episode was called The MTV Rock N' Jock Diamond Derby, and was changed to MTV's Rock N' Jock Softball Challenge, in year 2. The concept expanded to include basketball in 1991, football in 1997^[2][3] and bowling in 1999^[4] The game was an annual feature (with multiple reruns of most episodes) for many years on MTV.^[5][6]

The announcers were professional sportscaster, Steve Albert^[7] and comedian Ken Ober who provided color commentary.^[8] Bill Bellamy^[9] and MTV Sports host Dan Cortese initially participated as players and then as coaches in later years.

Musicians

Flavor Flav, Jeff Ament, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Chuck D, Method Man, Redman, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, Brett Michaels, Belinda Carlisle, MC Hammer, Lou Gramm, Boyz II Men, Pras, Salt N Pepa, Queen Latifah, Kay Gee of Naughty by Nature

Television and Film Stars

Kevin Costner, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Jamie Foxx, Keanu Reeves, Ryan Reynolds, Jon Stewart, Roseanne Barr, Cindy Crawford, Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, Anna Nicole Smith, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Natasha Henstridge, Tiffany Thiessen, Yasmine Bleeth, Rebecca Gayheart

Professional Athletes

Oliver Miller, Mike Piazza, Roger McDowell, Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Howard Johnson, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Mark Langston, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey, Jr, Kenny Lofton, Rafael Palmeiro, John Kruk, Darren Dalton, David Wells, Brady Anderson, Frank Thomas

Trivia

Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament wrote a song, Sweet Lew, about an awkward meeting with his Rock n' Jock coach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the second annual B-Ball Jam in 1992.^[10]

Incomplete list of Rock N' Jock shows

MTV's First Annual Rock N' Jock Diamond Derby (1990)^[11]

• Team names: Aardvarks, Salamanders
• Team coaches: Sam Kinison (Aardvarks), Sammy Hagar (Salamanders)

MTV's First Annual Rock N' Jock B-Ball Jam (1991)^[12]

• Location: Gersten Pavilion, Loyola Marymount University, CA
• Date: Sunday, September 15, 1991

MTV's Second Annual Rock N' Jock Softball Challenge (1991)

• Location: Dedeaux Field, USC, Los Angeles, CA
• Date: Saturday, January 12, 1991

MTV's Second Annual Rock N' Jock B-Ball Jam (1992)^[13]

MTV's Third Annual Rock N' Jock Softball Challenge (1992)

MTV's Third Annual Rock N' Jock B-Ball Jam (1993)^[14]

MTV's Fourth Annual Rock N' Jock Softball Challenge (1994)^[15]

• Location: Blair Field, Long Beach, CA
• Date: Saturday, January 23, 1993
• Team names: Homeboys, Awayboys
• Team coaches: Corbin Bernsen (Homeboys), Dan Cortese (Awayboys)

Homeboys:

Corbin Bernsen (#7, SS), Actor

Chuck D (#1, LF), Musician, Public Enemy

Ken Griffey, Jr. (#24, LCF), Baseball Player

Jose Canseco (#33, 1B), Baseball Player

Jon Bon Jovi (#5, 2B), Musician, Bon Jovi

Gary Sheffield (#10, 3B), Baseball Player

Treach (#118, C), Musician, Naughty By Nature

Brady Anderson (#9, RF), Baseball Player

Scott Ian (#15, RCF), Musician, Anthrax

Dwight Gooden (#16, P), Baseball Player

David Bryan (#11, 1B), Musician, Bon Jovi

Richie Sambora (#3, OF), Musician, Bon Jovi

Flavor Flav (#911, RF/P), Musician, Public Enemy

Awayboys:

Dan Cortese (#00, SS), MTV Host

Bret Michaels (#58, C), Musician, Poison

David Justice (#23, RF), Baseball Player

Michael Richards (#8, LF), Actor

Frank Thomas (see Frank Thomas (designated hitter)) (#35, 1B), Baseball Player

Barry Bonds (#25, LCF), Baseball Player

Dweezil Zappa (#22, RCF), Musician

Robin Ventura (#23, 3B)

Salt (Cheryl James) (#54, 2B), Musician, Salt-n-Pepa

Pepa (Sandy Denton) (#68, 2B), Musician, Salt-n-Pepa

Spin (Deidre Roper, see DJ Spinderella) (#7, 2B), Musician, Salt-n-Pepa

Roger McDowell (#31, P), Baseball Player

Billy Ragsdale (see William Ragsdale} (#5, IF/OF), Actor

MTV's Fourth Annual Rock N' Jock B-Ball Jam (1994)^[16]

• Team names: Violators, Bricklayers
• Team coaches: Bill Bellamy (Violators), Dan Cortese (Bricklayers)

MTV's Fifth Annual Rock n' Jock Softball Challenge (1994)^[17]

• Location: Blair Field, Long Beach, CA
• Date: Saturday, January 15, 1994
• Team names: Homeboys, Awayboys
• Team coaches: Norman Fell (Homeboys), Tom Arnold (Awayboys)

MTV's Fifth Annual Rock N' Jock B-Ball Jam (1995)^[18]

• Team names: Violators, Bricklayers
• Team coaches: Bill Bellamy (Violators), Dan Cortese (Bricklayers)

MTV's Sixth Annual Rock N' Jock Softball Challenge (1995)^[19]

• Team names: Homeboys, Awayboys
• Team coaches: Dan Cortese (Homeboys), Bill Bellamy (Awayboys)

MTV's Seventh Annual Rock N' Jock Softball Challenge (1996)^[20]

MTV's Sixth Annual Rock N' Jock B-Ball Jam (1996)^[21]

• Team names: Violators, Bricklayers
• Team coaches: Bill Bellamy (Violators), Dean Cain (Bricklayers)

MTV's Eighth Annual Rock N' Jock Softball Challenge (1997)^[22]

MTV's Seventh Annual Rock N' Jock B-Ball Jam (1997)^[23]

• Team names: Violators, Bricklayers
• Team coaches: Shaquille O'Neal (Violators), Bill Walton (Bricklayers)

MTV's Rock N' Jock Super Bowl II (1998)^[24]

MTV's Tenth Annual Rock N' Jock Softball Challenge (1999)^[25]

MTV Rock N' Jock Bowling (2000)^[26]

MTV Rock N' Jock Basebrawl (2001)^[27]

References