Vinnie Jones
Vinnie Jones was an English soccer player who established himself with something of a “hard man” image. During his 16-year career, he played for eight teams. However, fans best remember him for being a part of Wimbledon’s “Crazy Gang”. During the 1988 FA Cup Final, they defeated Liverpool in one of the most shocking victories in the history of the tournament. Like the athletes here, his image in the sport has been helpful with his post-athletic career. The footballer was able to transition to the entertainment career without a problem, though he generally snagged crazy characters. If you want examples, we will have you know that he played Juggernaut in X-Men: The Last Stand and Bullet Tooth Tony in Snatch. However, we think that he was at the top of his game when he played Mad Maynard in EuroTrip.
Vinnie Jones
Mario Lemieux
The Pittsburgh Penguins sure got lucky when they chose Mario Lemieux as the first overall pick during the NHL draft of 1984. As part of the team, he spent 17 seasons in the league and won two Stanley Cups. However, there are more reasons they are grateful for him than his excellent play. For one thing, he already retired from the sport in 1997. However, the Pens went into bankruptcy the following year, so he bought the club as well as its minor league affiliate! After his return as an owner and player in 2000, he ended up retiring for the second time in 2006. He is still the owner of the team to this day.
Mario Lemieux