Lengthy....but quiet.....careers

[sc49erfan15]

Michael Waltrip never really did much, either, other than being DW's little brother and winning the Daytona 500 in 2001.

"Mikey" actually won Daytona twice (2001and 2003), but the point remains.

Completely forgot about '03. Winning the 500 twice is big, but when the 500 accounts for 50% of your wins (add the Pepsi 400 and it's 75% of them) in a 30-year career...

But hey, he did survive this:

[Glover]

Derrike Cope is another driver we could bring up. I think he has two career wins, one of which is a Daytona 500. Hasn't done anything else in his career really.

[FiddySicks]

Michael Waltrip never really did much, either, other than being DW's little brother and winning the Daytona 500 in 2001.

"Mikey" actually won Daytona twice (2001and 2003), but the point remains.

Completely forgot about '03. Winning the 500 twice is big, but when the 500 accounts for 50% of your wins (add the Pepsi 400 and it's 75% of them) in a 30-year career...

But hey, he did survive this:

I think his connection with the Dale Sr. tragedy keeps him off this list though. At least, IMO.

[sc49erfan15]

Derrike Cope is another driver we could bring up. I think he has two career wins, one of which is a Daytona 500. Hasn't done anything else in his career really.

And he lucked into that one when Earnhardt blew a tire on the last lap - in Turn 3, IIRC. His only other win came in 1990 as well (at Dover)... he's got to be a Top 5 NASCAR One-Hit Wonder. (Ron Bouchard, anyone?)

[edit] here's the link to the end of the '90 500. I can't get videos to post... I swear I have before.

What a great finish/video... anticlimactic job by the announcers reacting to Earnhardt's tire going down, utter jubilation by Cope's pit crew, Theresa Earnhardt's reaction, Cope not knowing where victory lane is. Classic.

I think his connection with the Dale Sr. tragedy keeps him off this list though. At least, IMO.

Yeah, and the fact that he's a "personality" of the sport by way of announcing and such. I like the guy (although when I met him, he was kind of a jerk - he seems to be a nice guy 99% of the time, I'll just chalk it up to a bad day) but he really hasn't done as much on the track as his celebrity would indicate. It really surprised me when I looked it up that he only had 4 wins.

[Glover]

Nah, Waltrip is a jerk from what I've heard. At least when it comes to fans. I have heard plenty of stories about it, but that is off-topic.

[sc49erfan15]

Another NASCAR one - Lake Speed. 402 starts over 19 years, 1 win.

[FiddySicks]

But what an amazing name for a race car driver.

[DEAD!]

But what an amazing name for a race car driver.

More like for a powerboat racer...

[habsfan1]

Jeff Halpern

[Discrim]

Answering Buc's question of Drew Gooden's current team....the Bucks. I recall a couple times this season when the Bucks actually won a few blowouts at home, there was an actual "WE WANT DREW!" chant. Like a blacker, balder Brian Scalabrine.

Staying in the Bradley Center...Dan effing Gadzuric. The archetype awkward-looking seven footer that the Bucks seem to insist on having at least one of for the last decade, at least. I figure at some point, Luc Mbah a Moute might be listed in such a list, what with his Bruce Bowen-like existence. Going with a few other ex-Bucks, roving cult hero Darvin Ham; "best shooter in the world" Damon Jones; former dunk contest champ and cult hero Desmond Mason; Scott Williams; Ervin Johnson (the one that wasn't Magic), Terrell Brandon, Zaza Pachulia, John Salmons, Bobby Simmons, the aforementioned Kurt Thomas, even Chris Gatling...damn, seems like a lot of these guys passed through Milwaukee at some point.

Going to non-Bucks, Popeye Jones, Chucky Brown, Bill Wennington, Keith Van Horn...I'm wondering if Scalabrine and Mark Madsen would truly count, considering being end-of-the-bench cult heroes who always seemed to be somewhere was kinda their thing.

Finally giving my neighbors their basketball back, I pick up my collection of gumball helmets. Looking at the backup QB in Green Bay, which occasionally serves as something of an unofficial farm spot...Mark Brunell, for instance, was damn good with the Jaguars, as was Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle. Doug Pederson, however, he was destined to hold a clipboard and exist in the event Favre got lost or something. And much like Patrick Mannelly in Chicago, Green Bay had Rob Davis. Honestly, just now thought of Kevin Faulk...a guy Belichick apparently liked enough to keep around seemingly forever.

The only soccer example I can think of, I honestly only know of the guy because of NFL Europe, longtime Barcelona Dragons kicker Jesus Angoy, who before his foray into the gridiron game, was a reserve goalkeeper for FC Barcelona. Basically the Doug Pederson of Spain.

edit: how the hell has Tarvaris Jackson lasted in the NFL as long as he has? I mean really, how?

[waltere]

Besides getting beaten about the head by Dino Ciccarelli, did Luke Richardson really do anything in his 20 year career?

[Kramerica Industries]

Jody Hull also fits that description well, in addition to being a Flyer around that late '90s/early '00s era.

[Cosmic]

Speaking of backup QBs, I was going to say Frank Reich, who I remember as holding the clipboard for Jim Kelly all the time, but even though he had 20 starts in 13 years, he had a few notable accomplishments:

-As a backup, held the record for greatest college comeback for 20 years

-Started and led the greatest NFL comeback against the Oilers (this one I knew)

-Threw the first TD in Carolina Panthers franchise history

-Was portrayed by Jon Hamm in a 2010 SNL skit

[KDubK414]

Answering Buc's question of Drew Gooden's current team....the Bucks. I recall a couple times this season when the Bucks actually won a few blowouts at home, there was an actual "WE WANT DREW!" chant. Like a blacker, balder Brian Scalabrine.

Staying in the Bradley Center...Dan effing Gadzuric. The archetype awkward-looking seven footer that the Bucks seem to insist on having at least one of for the last decade, at least. I figure at some point, Luc Mbah a Moute might be listed in such a list, what with his Bruce Bowen-like existence. Going with a few other ex-Bucks, roving cult hero Darvin Ham; "best shooter in the world" Damon Jones; former dunk contest champ and cult hero Desmond Mason; Scott Williams; Ervin Johnson (the one that wasn't Magic), Terrell Brandon, Zaza Pachulia, John Salmons, Bobby Simmons, Keith Van Horn, the aforementioned Kurt Thomas, even Chris Gatling...damn, seems like a lot of these guys passed through Milwaukee at some point.

Going to non-Bucks, Popeye Jones, Chucky Brown, Bill Wennington, Keith Van Horn...I'm wondering if Scalabrine and Mark Madsen would truly count, considering being end-of-the-bench cult heroes who always seemed to be somewhere was kinda their thing.

KVH actually had a stint with the Bucks as well. You are right on the money there about all these guys. Although with Bobby Simmons, remember that time when Bill Simmons was proclaiming him like the next coming of Jordan or something. Every Buck from the early to mid/late 90's could be on your list as well.

[leopard88]

I nominate Tony Massenburg. He played in the NBA from 1990-2005 (minus a two year stint in Europe). Career averages -- 6.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 04 apg. His most noteworthy accomplishment is being one of three players to play for 12 different NBA teams -- the textbook definition of a journeyman..

Per Wiki --

After playing in only one game with the Spurs in the 1991-1992 season, Massenburg was traded to the Charlotte Hornets where he played for three games before moving on to the Boston Celtics for seven games, and then also to the Golden State Warriors for another seven games; ending his season with a total of 18 games and 90 minutes played with four franchises that season.

I also had Rick Dempsey in mind. He played from 1969-1992. However, he always well known for his defense and was the 1983 World Series MVP. Therefore, I'm not sure if he counts as "quiet."