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Shakespeare In Love: former CFLer Stevie Baggs Jr. stars on U.S. dating show

Former NFL and CFL player Stevie Baggs stars on season two of WE TV's "Match Made In Heaven." (ibtimes.com.)

Former CFL and NFL defensive end Stevie "Shakespeare" Baggs Jr. has kept himself busy since his football career ended in 2013, writing a book, touring as a motivational speaker, running a foundation, being named Atlanta's "Health and Wellness Ambassador" and appearing in TV shows and movies. Now, he's the latest ex-CFL player to look for love on reality TV. Baggs, who played for Calgary, Hamilton, Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Winnipeg in the CFL, plus for NFL, AFL and NFL Europe teams, will star on season 2 of U.S. network WE tv's "Match Made In Heaven." The show premieres Thursday night at 10 p.m., and sees 18 women looking for a chance to date Baggs, who will get advice from Indianapolis Colts spiritual advisor Pastor Ken Johnson, host Sherri Shepherd and even his mother. Here's what Baggs told Amanda Remling of International Business Times about the show:

“The production company did an amazing job casting some viable women that are accomplished and businesswomen,” Stevie told International Business Times ahead of the Thursday, May 19 premiere. “I told them that I didn’t want the typical pretty girl. I wanted women who really have some substance, and they did an amazing job with the cast in that regard.”

Contestants this year include a backup dancer that worked alongside Beyoncé, an owner of a public relations boutique, and a web developer. But a smart and savvy woman isn’t the only thing that Stevie is looking for. He’s also looking for someone who values and understands the importance of family. In fact, family is so important to Stevie that his mom, Lola, is also on the show to help him find that special lady. She infiltrates the bachelorette house in the premiere as a staff worker named Mona as she tries to figure out what girls aren’t fit to date her son. And, boy, does she make her opinion known.

“Obviously my mom Lola’s the star of the show,” Stevie laughed.

Stevie explained to IBT that her opinion matters not only because she’s his mother, but because she’s his business partner and friend. The two run the CETA Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to bring health and wellness resources to people to help improve their quality of life.

“We work together pretty much every day,” Stevie said of his mom. “So whomever I choose is going to have to be able to deal with that dynamic as well. It’s a really funny situation because although, as close as we are, I would never not date a girl because my mom doesn’t like her. I feel like I have to have my own interpersonal connection and intuition with whom I choose to be with.”

Here's a teaser clip from the first episode, featuring Baggs introducing himself and talking with Shepherd and Johnson about what he wants in a relationship:

There's a long and established tradition of former CFL players appearing on reality TV, from Brad Smith on The Bachelor Canada (he now hosts Chopped Canada) to Doug Flutie on The Next Knuckler and Dancing With The Stars to Jon Hameister-Ries on MasterChef Canada to Neil Lumsden on The Amazing Race Canada and Jesse Lumsden on Mantracker. We'll see how Baggs fits into that tradition and how the show goes. Going from hanging out with CFL and NFL players to hanging out with former backup dancers for Beyoncé is quite the change, but it's probably one Baggs (who a Bethune-Cookman college teammate dubbed Shakespeare, because he "makes plays on and off the field") will prefer. Let's just hope this turns out better than the movie, even if it doesn't win as many awards...