Randall Cunningham has to be described as one of the most dynamic quarterbacks to ever take the field. Cunningham had a high-level football IQ with the speed and agility of a wide receiver. Standing at 6'4, Cunningham had the ability to deliver the ball comfortably from almost anywhere on the field. Randall Cunningham's style of play could be considered the blueprint for Michael Vick's approach to the game as well. Hailing from Santa Barbara, California, Randall played his collegiate football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas initially as a punter for the Rebels being named All-American for the 1983 and 1984 seasons. It wasn't until his senior year that he would take a snap as the UNLV Rebels' starting quarterback leading them to an 11-2 season that was later recalled and adjusted to 0-13 after the discovery of several illegitimate players on the team. Prior to the record adjustment, the 11-2 record led by Cunningham was the first ten-win season in the school's history.
In the 1985 NFL Draft, Randall Cunningham was selected 37th overall in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles. After being designated as a starter in the midst of the 1986 season, the Eagles disastrous offensive line allowed Cunningham to be sacked a franchise record of 72 times. In eleven seasons with the Eagles, Cunningham became the record holder for rushing yards per attempt (6.62) and the third-place record holder for rushing yards by a quarterback (4,482). After suffering some inconvenient injuries, throughout the mid-'90s and falling to a backup quarterback position, Cunningham retired in 1995 but returned a year later as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. In 1998, Cunningham led the Vikings to a 15-1 record and led the league in passer rating with 106.0 on 34 touchdowns. Unfortunately, the Vikings weren't able to make it to the Super Bowl and Cunningham retired following the 2001 season after two short stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. With a touchdown to interception ratio of 207-134 and four Pro Bowls under his belt, Cunningham is a decorated quarterback but its his style of play that will never be forgotten.
When we think of inventors, the image that comes to mind is usually that of a frazzled scientist toiling away in a lab, not celebrities pulled from the pages of Us Weekly. However, a number of well-known public figures hold patents for various innovations. Some are related to the work that made them famous, while others are offshoots of hobbies or just a single great idea.
Part of guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen's signature sound was his two-handed tapping technique, but letting all ten fingers fly while simultaneously holding up the guitar's neck could get a bit tricky. Van Halen came up with a novel way to get around this problem, though; he invented a support (top) that could flip out of the back of his axe's body to raise and stabilize the fretboard so he could tap out searing songs like "Eruption." While Van Halen was obviously interested in improving his guitar work, the patent application he filed in 1985 notes that the device would work with any stringed instrument. Want to tap out a scorching mandolin solo? Find someone selling Eddie's device.
It’s probably not surprising that James Cameron—who designed a submersible to take him to the deepest known part of the ocean—will often invent technology to make his films if what he needs doesn’t exist. He holds a number of patents, including US Patent No. 4996938, “apparatus for propelling a user in an underwater environment,” that he and his brother, Michael, created to film The Abyss and patented in 1989. The device is basically an underwater dolly equipped with propellers that makes it easy for a camera operator to maneuver in the water—and allowed Cameron to capture the shots he wanted for the 1989 film, part of which was filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor.
In 1987 Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that included a waterproof pocket that held baby wipes. She hasn't profited from her idea yet, though, since she refuses to license the patent until diaper companies make biodegradable products.
You know him as a rock legend, but Neil Young also loves trains—so much that he owns a stake in a model train manufacturing company and has an extensive collection. He also holds seven patents related to model trains, including Patent No. US5441223, "Model train controller using electromagnetic field between track and ground."