If we can count on anything in this world, it’s E! rolling out new reality shows. And reality TV is my biggest guilty pleasure. While Keeping up with the Kardashians is obviously a classic, sometimes it’s nice to change things up a bit. Shows like Mrs. Eastwood and Company and Ice loves Coco have been my saving grace when Kim’s crying face just gets too ugly.
This fall, E! introduced a new reality show, Eric and Jesse: Game On, and I could not have been more excited. Not only would I have another show to mindlessly watch, but this one would feature an NFL player, uniting my love of reality TV and football. While the season was only six episodes long, another thing E! does well is reliably air re-runs. At the gym? You’re likely to catch this show. Late at night, early in the afternoon, it does not really matter. Eric and Jessie: Game On is likely going to be showing on a TV screen near you, or chances are you’ve already seen it. So lets discuss. Who are Eric and Jessie, and why should you invest your precious TV-watching time in them?
Jessie James is a country pop recording artist who had a few hits in 2009 and is now trying to reemerge and take charge of her career. On the show, Jessie is perky, loud, and bubbly, and somehow loveable. She doesn’t come off as fake at all, and has an amazing way of making the audience truly believe in what she’s saying, feeling or doing. Her open and outgoing personality was made for reality TV, and she makes the show extremely entertaining to watch.
The star, in my opinion, is her fiancée, the Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker. On the show, Decker’s love for Jessie shines. The funny and cute couple-y things they do make my heart melt, but I can’t help wondering if Decker’s teammates give him a hard time in the locker room.
For the Football Fans:
Decker was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2010 and signed a four-year contract. The Broncos were not considered a super bowl contender at the time. Over the course of almost four years, the Broncos have arguably become the best team in the NFL. Last season, when all-star quarterback Peyton Manning joined the team, things began to look up. Peyton Manning’s passes are freakishly accurate and his play making abilities are almost unrivaled. This was a godsend for Decker, who now had the luxury of having an elite quarterback place passes in his hands. Manning and Decker created quite the duo, and Decker had a breakout season. Recording thirteen touchdowns and 1064 receiving yards, Decker become one of the hottest young players. Out of all of the wide receivers, his thirteen touchdowns were the second most in the league. The Broncos made it into the playoffs and were favored to win their first match up in the wild card round against the Baltimore Ravens. Unfortunately for the Broncos, the game took some insane and unpredicted turns, and the Broncos were knocked out of their Super Bowl run. Decker, although likely disheartened, still had a lot to look forward to. He was young, talented, and it seemed as if his career was only getting started.
This season, the story is a little bit different. The Broncos signed Wes Welker, the star wide receiver from America’s least favorite team, the Patriots. While the Broncos are performing at a ridiculously high level, Eric Decker is not getting a lot of the receiving opportunities. Peyton Manning is having a career year, and his connection with Welker is something other teams fear. Tight end Julius Thomas has also proved to be an effective offensive weapon, creating less chances for Decker to catch a ball. After a career season like the one Decker experienced in 2012, you only want to keep getting better, and for some reason, Decker is getting passed by.
Decker has proved that he can play at an elite level and definitely shows talent and potential. As the season goes on, hopefully he will be put to better use on offense and get more chances to make plays. In the meantime, you can catch Eric and Jessie goofing around on E!