Sports Bench Guys Hall of Fame

There are All-Stars, and then there are bench stars—and they both contribute significantly to a team's success.

Although every player wants to be the former, leading his team to great victories and building a great legacy, sometimes a player's greatest strength is to provide energy by being the biggest cheerleader that he can be from the bench, offering support for his teammates out there playing.

Sure, some of these athletes have had great careers and even won a few titles, but they also proved to be some of the best Bench Hall of Famers in sports history.

Future Bench Hall of Famer: Johnny Manziel

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With regard to the rest of the guys on this list, current Cleveland Browns backup quarterback—and former Texas A&M phenom—Johnny Manziel's addition to the Bench Guys Hall of Fame is definitely premature.

Still, there might not be a more beloved backup signal-caller in NFL history than Johnny Football, who is, without a doubt, just biding his time until he takes over the reins to the franchise.

While Johnny might not be as big of a cheerleader as some of the other players on this list, I still had to mention him because, well, he's a superstar who has thrown only one pass in his first season with the Brownies.

M.L. Carr

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A gritty player who worked his tail off to achieve what he did in the league, former small forward M.L. Carr enjoyed a career in which he won two NBA titles but did little to actually contribute to those championship teams.

Well, besides lend his voice to the players actually out on the court, as he was the biggest cheerleader from the bench.

His inspiration while wearing his shoot-around gear actually translated into a second career too, as he eventually became the Boston Celtics head coach in the mid-1990s—although he lasted just two seasons due to a poor record.

Marty Turco

It's not like former NHL goalie Marty Turco was a career backup like some of these other players, but he has to get mentioned on this list for pulling one of the better pranks while he was riding the pine.

After playing in 509 games in his 11-year career, Turco found himself behind Corey Crawford on the Chicago Blackhawks back during the 2010-11 season.

Since he wasn't getting between the pipes, though, Turco figured he would get the best of his opposition in other ways, with one instance coming when he pulled a prank of opening the door for Roman Polak of the St. Louis Blues to fall through.

If a guy's not going to play, he might as well have some fun, so good job, Marty.

Rem Bakamus

Some claim that they are good at pulling off air guitar, but I would hedge a bet that former Gonzaga Bulldogs reserve guard Rem Bakamus has them beat.

That's because, during his playing days for the Zags, the six-foot guard, who often got in during garbage time, was well-known for strumming some fake strings during big plays by his teammates who were on the floor.

If there's one way to get into the Bench Guys Hall of Fame, it's by being recognized as having a go-to move while sitting on the sideline to become a fan favorite—and that's exactly what Bakamus did while at Gonzaga.

Alex Arias

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Want to know the absolute definition of a benchwarmer? Meet former MLB utility man Alex Arias, who, although he played 11 seasons in the bigs, never had more than 390 plate appearances in one season and batted just .265 in his career.

But while Arias may not have been a star, he proved his worth as a pinch hitter, as he has the highest batting average for a pinch hitter in MLB history among those with at least 200 plate appearances as such.

Plus, as a member of the 1997 Florida Marlins, he owns a World Series ring too.

Nate Robinson

One of the more talented bench players in NBA history, current Denver Nuggets guard Nate Robinson has the distinction of actually putting up some decent career numbers.

A spark plug who often comes off the bench to jack up shots and score in bunches, Robinson might lack traditional NBA size—he's just 5'9"—but he inspires his teammates thanks to his gutsy play and energy.

Sometimes, that comes in games, while other instances have him on the bench as the team's biggest supporter.

Kent Bazemore

Although every athlete wants to be remembered for winning titles or being one of the best players to ever suit up, current Los Angeles Lakers reserve guard Kent Bazemore is slowly building a reputation as one of the best bench celebrators in the league.

Bazemore proved that with some hilarious moves during his rookie season a couple of years ago with the Golden State Warriors, and his legacy seems to be carrying on as his career continues.

And with his addition to the Lakers this season—where he'll be joining another guy I'll be mentioning, Robert Sacre—the anticipation for incredible bench antics is sky high.

Frank Reich

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Starting just 20 career NFL games, former backup quarterback Frank Reich may not have been atop the depth chart many times throughout his 13 seasons, but he still had one of the most defining moments in NFL history.

That's because, while filling in for an injured Jim Kelly during a first-round playoff game against the Houston Oilers, Reich did the absolute unthinkable, rallying his Buffalo Bills to a stunning 32-point comeback to keep their season alive—a season that eventually ended with a Super Bowl loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

It's simply known as "The Comeback" and is the largest deficit ever overcome in NFL history.

Nyjer Morgan

While current MLB free agent Nyjer Morgan has been a regular outfielder in his seven-year career, most fans remember him as an inspiration to his teammates and fans while busting into his alter ego of Tony Plush a few years ago.

Morgan, I mean Tony Plush, built quite a remarkable legacy that fans loved, amping them up and trying to motivate his ballclub.

For that reason—even though he was a regular player at one point in his career—Morgan's best known for being the biggest supporter and a leader to his mates. That is rare in baseball, because everyone in the dugout often gets a chance to play.

Robert Sacre

As I mentioned a few slides ago, there is great anticipation for the Los Angeles Lakers bench this upcoming season—and, no, it's not because it's loaded.

It's because LA features two of the greatest bench cheerleaders ever, with backup big man Robert Sacre being the other part of the two-headed monster with the aforementioned Kent Bazemore.

How good is Sacre at being an All-Star bench cheerleader? When a dude has a mixtape of his best celebrations in his warmup gear, that's usually an indication he's a special talent.

Bill Walton

There's a good reason why NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton has been mentioned as the best bench player in the history of the Boston Celtics—because he actually performed on the court almost as well as he did while on the bench.

A former NBA champion who led the Portland Trail Blazers to their only NBA title in 1977, Walton battled injuries throughout his career that limited him to just 10 seasons in the league.

But when he went to Boston as a hired role player and not the former All-Star he once was, Walton thrived, using his infectious personality and blue-collar attitude to win a title with the Celtics in the 1985-86 season.

Matt Cassel

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Plenty of unknown guys have found themselves named the starting quarterback in NFL history, but I have a hunch that the majority of them actually played a few downs in college.

Current Minnesota Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel, though? Yeah, he wasn't as lucky.

That's because, after being part of the USC Trojans football team from 2001-04, Cassel was forced to sit behind two future Heisman Trophy winners in Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, prohibiting him from throwing more than 33 passes in his collegiate career.

Somehow getting drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round in 2005, Cassel then served as Tom Brady's backup. And after an unfortunate injury to Brady in 2008, he took over the team and showed that there was actually some talent in the arm that was so accustomed to holding a clipboard.

Peter Dill

He may have played in less than 15 career minutes during his Seton Hall basketball career, but former Pirate Peter Dill should receive a standing ovation each time he walks into a room.

That's because, for all intents and purposes, the dude perfected the bench celebration.

There are plenty of stories about legends, and Dill's was pretty well-known, as the former walk-on took the bench celebration to another level after watching big plays from his former teammates.

For that reason, I salute you, Peter Dill.

Mark Madsen

That dancing just wooed everyone.

For those who think that they have solid moves while shaking it, here's your reminder that former NBA big man Mark Madsen once did this during the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers victory celebration.

From those little booty shaking—and very awkward—skills, Mad Dog Madsen became one of the most beloved bench players in NBA history.

Averaging less than 12 minutes per game throughout his nine-year career, Madsen used that same energy and zeal to inspire his teammates during games, winning over fans who loved seeing him get into games and, occasionally, even make a highlight.

Earl Morrall

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Arguably the greatest team in NFL history, the 1972 Miami Dolphins have the distinction of being the only squad to ever go undefeated, going a perfect 14-0 on their way to the Super Bowl.

While many assume that Miami was led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese, it was actually his backup, Earl Morrall, who should be credited with guiding the Dolphins to the perfect record. That's because, following a leg injury to the incumbent starter, Morrall started nine games in 1972—which ended up being four more than Griese did.

While Griese took over the reins to the team and headed the Super Bowl win, Morrall was the one who kept the dream of a flawless record alive.

Not bad for a guy who started just three games following that '72 season.

Brian Scalabrine

Who but the White Mamba could sit atop this Hall of Fame list?

Oh, that's right, no one!

With chants of "Scalabrine! Scalabrine! Scalabrine!" raining down from hometown fans for every team he ever played for, Brian Scalabrine may not have been an All-Star—or, hell, even a starter for all but 61 games in his career—but he was a huge part of the success of his teams regardless.

He provided energy and leadership, and anytime the crowd sensed he would get into a game, the entire arena had a different feeling, as fans cheered as if it was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Scalabrine may not have had many great moments during his 11 years in the league, but that didn't stop the NBA from putting together a highlight video for him on its YouTube channel, proving just how beloved this benchwarmer really was.