Don't quit your 7-months-a-year job: Athletes turned musicians

After hearing Tennessee RB, Chris Johnson's new single, "Act on Deck", it got me to thinking. Why would any successful athlete ever want to ruin his image by making music too. Athletes are athletes, musicians are musicians. Very rarely should anyone cross that line.

Or at least that's what I thought. Then I did a little research. Turns out there are a few exceptions to this idea.

• Calgary Flames, Darren McCarty, is the frontman of the group, Grinder.

• Cy Young award winning pitcher, Jack McDowell is the lead guitarist for his current band, Stick Figure.

• Ravens DT Trevor Pryce owns the independent music label, Outlook Records.

• Champion Boxer, Oscar Dela Hoya, released a self titled Latin-Pop album.

I'd love to make some witty commentary on that last one but I cant find anything anywhere on youtube (if you find it let me know). But i stand corrected.You can be a great athlete and a great musician. That's not particularly what I'm talking about though.

All these athletes had a deep root of music before they were pro-athletes. It also never interfered with their career to make some music on the side. I'm talking about athletes who woke up one day and decided, "Hm. I kinda want to make a rap album". And then, since they're crazy rich and motivated, went out and did it. Here's some favorites.

Shaquille O'Neal - (I know I got) Skillz

No fooling, I legit love this. The man does have some flow. For being such a big awkward man he can definitely string together some nice lyrics. And I'm not sure if he actually wrote his lyrics but I sure hope so. This is ill!

I dribble rhymes like basketball-ems people call me E.T., Extra Tall-ems!
You better than Shaq-tack, fool? Shut up liar! I lean on the statue of liberty when I get tired.

AH! That man's got skillz! And he knows it! Combine that with the vests he was so fond of in the early 90's  and you have a Rap Mogul that would make Puff Daddy get "not so jiggy with it". Shaq followed up his debut SHAQ-Diesel with 4 more studio albums and a compilation album and even was featured on Michael Jackson's song "2 Bad".

Mikey Powell-Camouflage Toad

For those of you who don't know, Mikey Powell is a pro lacrosse player. The Powell family (himself and his older brothers Ryan and Casey) all were Lacrosse prodigies who graduated from Syracuse University. Mikey was the most decorated NCAA lacrosse player in the last decade, being a finalist for Lacrosse's version of the Heisman Trophy, the Tewaaraton Trophy, four times and being the only player to win it twice.You can see some of his lax skills in the video. He is dirty.

Everyone expected him to enter MLL just like his brothers had and take the sport by storm. Mikey shocked everyone, however, but opting out of the MLL draft and pursuing a career in music. His band, Villains Trust, are centered in New York but currently follow Mikey around where he plays his games, he entered the MLL in 2006, playing college tours. The fact that you can be almost destined to make your life in sports and be incredibly successful at it, then decide you want to try something else that you aren't sure of at all is so amazing to me. To have such faith in yourself and your passion is something that I can hardly wrap my mind around.

And of course!

Without Further ado!

I present my favorite and yours!

Ladainian Tomlinson in the LT Style Electric Glide!

This little gem was made back in 2007. It was somehow either was a (or remixed from) an old Nike commercial ( I'm going to guess its from Europe). The now New York Jets RB, got jabbed at like crazy by his then San Diego team mates when this video leaked in 2009. It is truly one of the greatest things I've ever seen. It's the Superbowl shuffle for our generation. The video speaks for itself and I think its breath taking. But maybe that's not a very good call (not a very good call at all!)

So some athletes can make music. I accept this. But for every great Athlete/musician there have to be about 50 that completely flopped and had their PR people delete all the videos off youtube. But I'll find them. They can't hide. I'm looking at you Peyton Manning! The Manning Mambo can't be completely gone!