So, it sounds like LeBron James is about to make the biggest mistake of his career this summer. No, he hasn't announced that he's signing with the Knicks. Or the Nets. Or, worse, the Clippers. Rather, the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar is prepared to skip this summer's world championships in Turkey and, instead, film his first feature flick, Fantasy Basketball Camp. Directed by Malcolm D. Lee (the director behind Soul Men, Undercover Brother, and Aside from the fact that
The Athlete: Former NBA center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The Movie: Game of Death
The Rating: C+
The Review: In hindsight, despite the fact that Bruce Lee died before it was even finished, this movie wasn't really that bad. It also helped Abdul-Jabbar land some better roles in the future (like his hilarious performance in Airplane!). But, c'mon: Were we really supposed to believe that the Lakers great could defeat the legendary Lee? And that outfit, Kareem? Eesh!
The Athlete: Former NFL linebacker Lawrence Taylor
The Movie: Any Given Sunday
The Rating: C-
The Review: LT's role in AGS didn't really require him to act. Like his more recent spot on HBO's The Sopranos, it was basically just him playing the role of himself. So what does it say about him as a person that we still hated his performance?
The Athlete: Former
The Movie: The Tooth Fairy
The Rating: D
The Review: The only thing that stops us from giving the People's Champ an F here is that he has made some films that we enjoyed, including The Mummy Returns. But we'd rather rip out all of our own teeth than be subjected to watching this flick (or the trailer for this flick, for that matter) ever again.
The Athlete: Former NFL defensive end Howie Long
The Movie: Firestorm
The Rating: D
The Review: A movie about a former firefighter turned arsonist? How ironic. A movie featuring a former football player turned smokejumper? How awful.
The Athlete: Martial arts expert Billy Blanks
The Movie: The King of the Kickboxers
The Rating: D+
The Review: Hey, Billy, if you ever get the idea to try acting again, do us a favor: Knock yourself out.
The Athlete: Former NBA center Wilt Chamberlain
The Movie: Conan the Destroyer
The Rating: C-
The Review: Another seven-foot NBA player in an action flick? Say it ain't so! The only thing that made this worse than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's role in Game of Death? Kareem didn't have to deal with Ah'nold.
The Athlete: Former NFL linebacker Brian Bosworth
The Movie: One Man's Justice
The Rating: D-
The Review: Thank Adam Sandler for giving "The Boz" a small role in his 2005 film, The Longest Yard. Otherwise, all we would have to remember from his short-lived film career would be the bad Stone Cold and the worse One Man's Justice. "The Boz" sure knew how to bring the pain, all right.
The Athlete: Former NBA All-Star Dennis Rodman
The Movie: Double Team
The Rating: D
The Review: Congratulations were in order after this as Rodman managed to take home not one, not two, but three Razzies for his role alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme: Worst Supporting Actor, Worst New Star and Worst Screen Couple. Dennis Rodman's film career: Where Amazing Happens!
The Athlete: Former WWF champion Hulk Hogan
The Movie: Mr. Nanny
The Rating: F
The Review: You know the old saying the Hulkster lived by: "Train...say your prayers...take vitamins and make crappy PG movies for a paycheck so that one day you can watch your ex-wife blow all your cash!" Or something like that.
The Athlete: Former NBA superstar Michael Jordan
The Movie: Space Jam
The Rating: D
The Review: What better way to convince LBJ not to make a movie than to show him a trailer from his hero's only feature film? Tap, tap, tap, are you listening, LeBron?
The Athlete: NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal
The Movie: Kazaam
The Rating: F-
The Review: How crazy is it that this movie has a "Memorable Quotes" page on IMDb? No, really. Look!
Do you think LeBron James should be making a movie this summer instead of playing at the world championships? Are there are other terrible athletes-turned-actors out there that we didn't mention? Do you secretly own a copy of Double Team and love watching it? Leave us a comment below and tell us all about it.
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Monday 12 April
By Laura
Have we all really forgotten O.J. Simpson -- the worst sports figure turned actor/criminal ever?
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Monday 12 April
By L-DOG
OJ MAY BE A CRIMINAL BUT HE WAS A GREAT NOT GOOD BUT GREAT FOOTBALL PLAYER, ACTING HE SORT OF STUNK THE JOINT UP
Monday 12 April
By Rpfoster
The man is a Murderer, thief and thug. Any previous accomplishment are forever overshadowed by those henious acts. He is a criminal. Period> Nothing more.
Monday 12 April
By Rutledal
Billy Blanks was excellent in King of the Kickboxers, he should have been a lot bigger than he was. Could have been a great action hero.
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Monday 12 April
By Parad E. Makewater
You forgot Brett Favre in What About Mary?, not a big role, but sheesh! A tree stump could've acted better...lol
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Monday 12 April
By dobravery
Considering that Dwayne Johnson is the only one here who has made more $$$ in movies than in sport, I think he deserves a better grade. Ok the 'Toothfairy' cost him cool points, but he is natural on screen and not painful. Just because it's not 'cool' to go from athelete to actor, doesn't mean you can't give a guy credit. BTW by forgetting OJ, I render this whole list out of order.
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Monday 12 April
By debiac012553
My grandkids just saw the movie and loved it. Wasn't that the point of the movie, to appeal to the family and especially the kids?????
Tuesday 13 April
By Earlofthercs
Yeah, rating by one film seams a bit unfair; Dwayne's quite good in some films (he's probably the best thing about be cool). Certainly the best actor wrestling's ever produced, excepting maybe rowdy roddy piper (I came here to kick arse and chew bubblegum, and Im all out of bubble gum) and andre the giant's turn in princess bride.
Monday 12 April
By BrianPrt
What was that movie with Mikail Barishnikov? Pretty bad (so bad I can't even remember the movie title)
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Monday 12 April
By debiac012553
Barishnikov was a famous ballet dancer; not athlete.