4 Athletes With Unusual Pastimes Away From The Big Game 

Given all of the hours that athletes have to put in the training, you might think that they won’t have time for any hobbies. But we’ve found that many of our top sports stars like to indulge themselves in unusual pastimes away from the big game. 

Here’s a quick look at some of the weird hobbies of some NFL, NBA, MLB and soccer stars that may cause you to think a little differently about our sporting heroes.

Richard Seymour’s Poker Enthusiasm

You’ll probably remember Richard Seymour as being one of the best defensive tackles in the game. The star helped New England Patriots win three Super Bowls, and he’s widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive linemen of his generation.

Since leaving the Patriots, Seymour had a spell at the Oakland Raiders where he continued his impressive form. But all of this aggressive footballing masks the fact that the star liked nothing better than to relax with the classic card game of poker.

Such is Seymour’s enthusiasm for poker that he’s stacked up over $600,000 in winnings, and even got a credible position in last year’s World Series of Poker. While we might not all be able to match Seymour’s efforts on the football field, if you want to take your gaming up a level, there’s a nice guide for beginners that can show you what kinds of games are currently available at both old and new online casinos.

Rajon Rondo’s Passion For Roller Skating

While there were questions about whether Rajon Rondo was the same player that he was a few seasons ago, there’s little doubting the fact that he’s been pivotal in helping the LA Lakers climb to the top of the Western Conference.

The four-time NBA All-Star rose to fame as a result of his phenomenal work with the Boston Celtics. But since leaving the Celtics, he’s had a fairly mixed time with teams like the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, the Chicago Bulls and the New Orleans Pelicans before finally settling at the Lakers.  

Such a tumultuous career hasn’t stopped Rondo from indulging in his peculiar passion for roller skating. The point guard started skating way back during his time with the Celtics, and since then he’s gained a reputation for doing routines with friends back home in Louisville. Whether a future career in a roller derby can stop his recent bad behaviour with the Lakers remains to be seen. 

Jason Hammel’s Lego Collection 

Jason Hammel may have plenty of time on his hands since retiring from the MLB. But when he isn’t reminiscing over his time as a pitcher with teams like Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals, you’ll probably find him organising his impressive LEGO collection. 

The ex-MLB star has apparently never grown out of collecting these connectable blocks and has taken to Twitter and interviews to let people know about his fascination with LEGO. Hammel retired from baseball last year despite having been told that he’d made the Opening Day roster for his new team, Texas Rangers.

Hammel had little interest in playing Minor League Baseball which would have been a pleasant shock for his new teammates. But with career earnings of over $66 million, it looks like Hammel will have plenty of time and money to indulge in his passion for LEGO.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Interest In Bingo 

Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo might be known as being one of the all-time greats from the world of soccer, but that hasn’t stopped him from getting a weird passion for bingo. The Portuguese striker was given a DVD version of the game upon signing to Manchester United in 2003. 

It looks like Ronaldo became fascinated with the unpredictable nature of the game and even said that it helped him improve his English skills. While the 34-year old Juventus star probably has a good few years left in his footballing career, it’s a nice thought to imagine him spending his retirement in a bingo hall.