The Pittsburgh Steelers is another one of those franchises that continues to breed some of the greatest NFL talent known to man. From Rod Woodson to Terry Bradshaw to Jack Lambert, and Jerome Bettis, the list of Steeler greats flows for what seems like an eternity. But, there will never be another NFL defensive tackle like 'Mean' Joe Greene. Greene would erupt through an offensive line a time bomb hurling his body relentlessly at any quarterback or running back in his path. We have to imagine it wasn't too fun being on the other side of the ball from him.
After closing out his All-American collegiate football career at Northern Texas State University, Joe Greene was selected 4th overall in the 1969 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers were he would play his entire career. Greene became an immediate impact player winning Rookie of the Year in 1969. The 6'4 defensive tackle would also become the centerpiece to the Steelers' patented 'Steel Curtain' defense that helped solidify four NFL Super Bowl Championships (Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV) for the Steelers. With ten Pro Bowl nods, five First-Team All-Pro roster slots, and two Defensive Player of the Year Awards, 'Mean' Joe Greene is regarded as one of the NFL's greatest talents to ever take the field.
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."