 After graduating from the University of Florida in 2003, Jenn Brown had every intention of using her criminology degree to continue to law school, until one day a friend asked her to fill in as a model on HDnet’s Bikini Destinations. That gig led to a series of hosting opportunities, and the rest is history. Now living in Los Angeles and serving as the only female correspondent on Showtime’s Inside the NFL, Jenn gives us her best fitness tips, career advice and Gator football predictions.
By Ashley Spencer; Photos by Elisabeth Caren  You have a lot of firsthand experience with athletics—you played seven sports in high school and served as captain of the UF varsity softball team. Is there any sport you haven't tried?
It's so funny you asked that because I was thinking about this: I don't know how to golf! So many people seem to have fun doing it, and I think that's something I would really enjoy and am interested in trying.
What's your favorite sport to play?
I love playing football. I love just getting a football, throwing it around the beach. It's definitely one of the sports I like to do the most when I have my leisure time. Now that you’re constantly on the road for things like ESPN’s College GameDay, how do you stay in shape?
I try my best to get to the gym every other day when I'm on the road. I found these great exercise DVDs called P90X that have good 45 to 50-minute workouts. I'll just pop one in the DVD player in my hotel room, and that way I can at least get some kind of a workout in. But it's not easy, especially when I have really, really long hours of shooting. It's just about trying to find a balance and staying committed. I bet it’s a challenge to eat healthy food on the road, too.
It is so difficult. When the crew goes out to eat, everyone orders appetizers before we even order the meal. So the first thing I do is order a salad as soon as I sit down. That way, I have something healthy to pick at, instead of being tortured by appetizers. Have you faced any issues being a woman in the sports world?
 You know, I haven't noticed it. I think that it used to be pretty difficult in the past for women because people would say, how can you be able to talk intelligently about a sport if you haven't played it? But I think that now stereotypes have really been broken down. Am I going to be able to talk about being a better quarterback than Phil Simms when we're talking? No. But what's great about the role that I get to play is that I can bring a female perspective and also understand what the average, everyday person sitting at home wants to know about sports. Because that's where I'm coming from—just the average person, not the NFL MVP quarterback. Do you have any career advice for anyone looking to follow in your footsteps?
I think any kind of experience you can get out there is so valuable. There are so many opportunities out there, from getting involved locally in the Gainesville news or the campus news and starting as an intern, which can be invaluable. I can't tell you how many times we’ve had people come in as interns and work their butts off, and we ended up hiring them. Also, I always follow up with every person I meet and keep up my contacts and relationships. I would say 85 percent of the jobs that I get are from referrals. Do you think being in this business has changed you at all?
I think that if you had done an interview with me back in 2005 and again now, you would see that I'm the same person. I think that's what's really important, never taking for granted the opportunities that are given to you, because you never know what's going to happen or if you're still going to have them tomorrow. Just be thankful for what you have, and if you are, it shows in your work.  Ok, let's switch gears. Is dating harder for you now that you're in the public eye?
Well, I've had a boyfriend for pretty much since I've started hosting, so that makes it really easy when you're in a relationship because you can always say, "Oh, I've got a boyfriend." I'm very good at making myself look unavailable. I really don't have to deal with getting hit on by the players or anybody else being in the public eye. I don't have to worry about it.
Do you have any favorite Gainesville haunts?
I always loved going to The Swamp before or after going to the football games. When you’re an athlete, you don’t go out as much as maybe the typical college kid because you’ve got a lot of expectation—being at practice on time, classes on time, all of that. What about a favorite place to eat?
Hands down, Dragonfly. I love sushi, and Dragonfly was the best. I was so sad I didn’t get to go there when I was there [for the FL-TN game], but we’re coming back for the UF-FSU game, and I am going to Dragonfly. What are your predictions for the UF football season?
Well, the Gators are definitely going to go all the way. I think that Tim Tebow is an unbelievable quarterback, and Urban Meyer as a coach is really phenomenal, so I hope that in a couple months, they’re going to be playing here in California for the national championship, and I’m going to be there. That’s what we like to hear.
Go Gators!
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