Whatever Happened to that Guy?

Stop me if you heard any of these: Linsanity, the Knicks are Lindestructable, the most Linteresting man in the world. Yes, Jeremy Lin is the talk of the Big Apple and is the hot topic of American sports today. Let’s get it out of the way. Sure, he is getting the publicity partly because he is of Asian descent. He is also getting publicity because he graduated from Harvard, one of only four Harvard graduates to play in the NBA. But let’s be real here, he is getting lots of love because he is winning and because he is putting up numbers. Something different than what we got from that guy in Denver, right football fans? The question is, is Jeremy Lin here to stay? The list below contains athletes that captured the hearts of the sporting world for a moment, a stretch, an entire year, or at least some length of time. Most of this list is not a Hall of Fame list, just some names that makes you ask, “Whatever happened to that guy?”

Michael Chang – He arrived on the scene in 1989, winning the French Open, defeating Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg along the way. Michael Chang still stakes claim as the youngest male to win a tennis major. Known for his on-court speed and fighting spirit, Chang is considered by many observers to have been one of the best counterpunchers of all time. He also introduced the jumping two-handed backhand. He remained in the top 10 of the ATP world rankings for several years in the 1990s, peaking at world no. 2.

Randall Cunningham – He was Michael Vick before there was Michael Vick, well, at least without the dog fighting. Randall Cunningham was arguably the most exciting player of his generation. Because of the lack of the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line, he had to be. This was a main reason that Cunningham kept getting hurt. A 4-time All-Pro selection at quarterback, Randall Cunningham’s finest season may have been 1998 when he led the Minnesota Vikings to a 15-1 record. Cunningham also holds the 4^th longest punt in NFL history, a 91-yarder vs. the Giants.

Darryl Dawkins – He had the rump roaster, the bun toaster, and many others. That was Chocolate Thunder, Darryl Dawkins, naming his dunks like only he could. He also played in the NBA Finals three times as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. On the flip side, Dawkins set an NBA record for fouls in a season (386 in 1983-84), and he never quite lived up to the expectations that had been heaped upon him when he was drafted out of high school.

David Eckstein – Two of the greatest nicknames ever: Mini Me and Just Enough. But those two nicknames perfectly described David Eckstein, the 2006 World Series MVP as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Eckstein was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 19th round of the 1997 amateur draft, and was selected off waivers by the then Anaheim Angels. During the Angels 2002 championship year, he led the major leagues with three grand slams, including grand slams in back-to-back games against the Toronto Blue Jays, one of which was a walk-off.

Mike Eruzione – A championship winning shot. A World Series winning homerun. How about a game winning goal in the Olympics? That’s what Mike Eruzione did. Now throw that with the fact that the goal came in the medal round vs the legendary Soviets near the height of the Cold War. Eruzione, the captain of the gold medal US hockey team, retired from competition after the Olympics, despite contract offers from the New York Rangers, stating that he'd reached the pinnacle of achievement already.

Doug Flutie – If you want to compare Tim Tebow to someone, this is the guy (sorry Doug). Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League. He first rose to prominence during his career at Boston College, where he received the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1984. His Hail Mary touchdown pass in a game against Miami is considered among the greatest moments in college football and American sports history. Plus, is he the last quarterback to wear a jersey number higher than 19?

Dwight Gooden – He was supposed to be a sure fire Hall of Famer. He was going to go down as one of the greatest of all time. Dwight Gooden was on top, until he hit bottom. While Gooden would be an effective pitcher for several more seasons, he never topped 1985, which would prove to be the only 20-win season of Gooden's 16-year career. Many reasons have been offered for his decline such as early overuse and/or cocaine addiction. However brief, Gooden's period of dominance was memorable. In a span of 50 starts from August 1984 to May 1986, Gooden posted a record of 37-5 with a 1.40 ERA and had 412 strikeouts to just 90 walks.

Tommy Morrison – Most remember him as Tommy “the Machine” Gunn in Rocky V. Most remember him as a direct descendant of John Wayne. Tommy “the Duke” Morrison's professional boxing career effectively ended when he tested positive for HIV in 1996. Beginning in 2006, Morrison attempted a comeback, stating that he did not have HIV and, later, that “HIV was a myth.” After his forced retirement in 1996, Morrison has been charged with multiple assault, weapon, intoxication, and drug offenses. He was sentenced to jail on several occasions, and served part of one sentence in 2000–2001.

Hideo Nomo – In Los Angeles, there was Fernandomania, but who remembers Nomomania? His successful debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 is often credited with paving the road for the subsequent "wave" of Japanese players entering Major League Baseball. Hideo Nomo pitched over the span of 13 seasons in the Major Leagues with 8 different teams, before retiring in 2008. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1995. He twice led the league in strikeouts and also threw two no-hitters, remarkably one of them in Coors Field.

William Perry – Another of the top nicknames: the Refrigerator. William Perry was as big as one. But his larger than life personality is what made him endearing to the fans in Chicago. Perry, who wore number 72 as a Chicago Bear, became famous for his prowess as a defensive lineman. However, during his rookie season, Perry rushed for two touchdowns and caught a pass for one. Perry even had the opportunity to run the ball during Super Bowl XX, as a nod to his popularity and contributions to the team's success, and even scored a touchdown. Perry went on to play for ten years in the NFL. His Super Bowl ring size is the largest of any professional football player in the history of the event. His ring size is 25.

Spud Webb – A 5”7’ slam dunk winner? Webb was drafted in the 4th round of the ’85 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. His first six seasons were played with the Atlanta Hawks, when he won the Slam dunk contest, but he had his best years statistically with the Sacramento Kings, where he played as a starter from 1992-1995. He then played for two more teams before retiring from professional basketball in 1998. Since Webb made his NBA debut, only two players have been shorter than he was: Earl Boykins and Mugsy Bogues.

Doug Williams – “Doug, how long have you been a black quarterback?” “Doug, how does it feel to be named Super Bowl MVP?” One question was asked before the Big Game, the other, afterward. Facing legendary Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway, Williams engineered his Washington Redskins to a 42-10 rout. Williams completed 18 of 29 passes for 340 yards, with four touchdown passes. The Super Bowl was clearly the high point of Williams' NFL career. He suffered from injuries the following season, and was eventually outshined by Mark Rypien, who would go on to win a Super MVP of his own. Williams and Rypien were so supportive of each other that T-shirts were sold with the caption "United We Stand", depicting the two quarterbacks as cartoon characters with Williams saying "I'm for Mark" and Rypien saying "I'm for Doug."

Jason Williams, aka white chocolate – We’re not talking about the Jason Williams who dated Oprah Winfrey and was charged with murder. We mean the guy who was once high school teammates with Randy Moss and once reminded us of “Pistol Pete” Maravich. Following a drug suspension by the University of Florida, Williams decided to make himself eligible for the NBA Draft in 1998. He was the seventh overall selection in the draft by the Sacramento Kings. The Kings, with a roster that included newcomers Chris Webber and Vlade Divac, turned into a playoff contender. That year, Williams' number 55 jersey was among the top five seller of NBA jerseys.