When Alberto González stepped in for injured Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter on Sunday night, it made us think: What an unfortunate name. Still, having the same name as the disgraced former attorney general is nothing compared to the plights of these 10 athletes with some of the most unfortunate names in sports.
10. Orioles OF Adam Jones: There doesn't seem to be much of a problem with the name Adam Jones. But anytime you share a moniker with the strip-club king of the NFL, it is never a good thing. Maybe he needs a catchy nickname like "Pacman" to set him apart. Is the nickname "Space Invaders" already taken?
9. Milton Bradley: Milton Bradley is responsible for such classic board games as Battleship, Crocodile Dentist and even Yahtzee. But Milton Bradley the baseball player is more known for his constant altercations with umpires. Apparently when Bradley was thrown to the ground and tore his ACL last season, he and manager Bud Black were arguing about who won their dugout game of Hungry Hungry Hippos.
8. Miroslav Satan: While we admit that his last name isn't pronounced as one would normally say it, the New York Islanders left wing still carries a rather unfortunate surname. Though to be fair, it would probably make the police officer looking at Satan's ID after a traffic stop think twice about giving him a ticket.
7. Homer Bailey: Granted his given name is David Dewitt Bailey, one has to wonder if this pitcher currently in the Cincinnati Reds farm system is tempting fate by going by the name "Homer." In his nine major league starts for the Reds last season, Bailey surrendered three dingers.6. Dick Butkus: It wasn't enough for Richard Marvin to choose to go by the name Dick. He also had to have the last name Butkus, adding more fuel to the fire. That didn't really matter because opponents were too terrified of the Bears linebacker to even attempt to make fun of him.
5. Evan Longoria: You would think life would be great if you were the top prospect for a Major League baseball team. But in the case of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, there might be one thing he would change: the fact that Eva Longoria, the Desperate Housewives actress, has removed any dignity his name once had.
4. Dick Trickle: Trickle might seem like he is on the second tier after the more widely known Butkus, but do not be fooled. There was a reason the man was a mainstay on Sportscenter in the '90s, and it mostly had to do with his name. Still, the former NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 1989 was a pretty good driver.
3. Pooh Richardson: Again, another nickname - Jerome is Richardson's real first name. Surely the former NBA point guard's moniker draws at least a chuckle if not from you then from your inner 5-year-old self.
2. Irina Slutskaya: Though she is perhaps the most successful ladies singles skater in Russian history as a two-time World Champion, a seven-time European Champion and a two-time Olympic medalist, Slutskaya's real feats on the rink often find themselves replaced with imaginary accomplishments off it in the minds of American males who see her last name and let their fantasies run wild.
1. Rusty Kuntz: We had to dig for this one. Russel Jay "Rusty" Kuntz is a former Major Leaguer who kicked around the AL Central as a DH/outfielder in the early eighties and now is the first base coach for the Royals. Our question is: Perhaps it would be more appropriate to find him coaching third base?
