Joe Theismann's leg snapping like a twig is usually the first memory for many OG football fanatics when his name is brought up. What many forget about Theismann was his willingness to take risks in the pocket, get yards himself on foot, and the rocket he had for an arm. The three-sport high school athlete decided to take his talents to the University of Notre Dame to play his collegiate football. In his sophomore year, he earned the starting quarterback job and instantaneously became a force compiling an overall record of 20-3-2. In 1970, he helped the Fightin' Irish secure a Cotton Bowl Classic victory over Texas and set school records for completions in a single game (33), passing yards in a single season (2,429), passing yards in a single game (526), and touchdowns in a single season (16).
After finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting behind Jim Plunkett, Theismann was drafted 99th overall in the fourth round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins and drafted in the 39th round of the 1971 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins. After being unable to come to contract terms with the Dolphins, Theismann took his talents to the CFL where he played for the Toronto Argonauts where he was named an all-star in two out of the three seasons he played with the league. In 1974, Theismann signed a contract with the Washington Redskins where he would play his entire twelve-season NFL career. In 1982, Theismann would lead the Redskins to their first championship in 40 years after defeating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII. The following season, Theismann led the Redskins to another Super Bowl appearance but fell short to the Los Angeles Raiders. Joe Theismann's prosperous NFL career was cut short after a lower right leg hit by Lawernce Taylor shattered the fibula and tibia. It wasn't a pretty sight, but the 1x NFL MVP (1983) left a legacy behind worthy of compliment.
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."