ITB with AB #21: Best Performances by Athletes In Movies

What's in the Box:

With LeBron James appearing in the new movie Trainwreck this weekend, directed by Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin) and staring Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer) and Bill Hader (Superbad), I decided to share a list of some of my favorite movie roles by athletes.

 I am limiting the list to athletes who haven't made a career out of acting. Sorry Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson but you have become one of the biggest action stars of this generation so you don't qualify for this list. For that matter no wrestlers either because while they are skilled athletes a big part of pro wrestling is acting so the cross over isn't a big leap. With that being said lets get started!

Ray Nitschke (The Longest Yard- 1974): For anyone who has seen the Adam Sandler film of the same name well this is the original. The thing they have in common besides Burt Reynolds is that they both used actual football players for the film. The Green Bay Packer legend Ray Nitschke plays prison guard Bogdanski. He is the player that receives to point blank footballs to the family jewels.

Mike Tyson (The Hangover- 2009): While he didn't play a huge role in the movie, Mike Tyson does have a pretty memorable role in the film. Two things are for sure, he still has a hell of a punch and he loves his pet tiger.

Dan Marino (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective- 1994): Laces out! Who would have thought that the plot of a Jim Carrey movie would involve Dan Marino, a dolphin, and the Superbowl.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Airplane!- 1980): One of the best comedies of all time features one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Kareem plays co-pilot Murdock who like most of the crew and passengers decided to have the fish...bad choice.

Mike Ditka (Kicking & Screaming- 2005): Ditka in the movie plays the neighbor to Will Ferrell's dad, played by Robert Duvall. When Will takes over the coaching of his son's soccer team he brings coach Ditka on board to give him a hand. This movie is all kinds of nuts and coach Ditka definitely contributes to the chaos.

Shaquille O'Neal (Kazaam- 1996):

Um...

On second thought never mind. This movie is crap.

Michael Jordan (Space Jam-1996): You team up one of the greatest basketball players of all time with the most iconic cartoon characters of all time and you get the masterpiece that is Space Jam. When an alien race of toons arrive to conquer Bugs and the gang, a bet is made on the freedom of our favorite characters on the outcome of a basketball game. When the alien's up the stakes when they steal the talents of the best current basketball players...er well some of the best. I'm not sure how Shawn Bradley got include. Must have been a result of Shaq coming out with Kazaam the same year. Needless to say Bugs decides they only way to win is by bringing the now baseball player Michael Jordan out of retirement to help win the game. Good plan Bugs.

Final Thoughts:

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So I've poked fun at Shaq already in this post but I can't help it. Here is a great example of the bigger they are the harder they fall.

Have a Great Weekend Everyone!!