Other great sporting makeovers
Started off so malevolently that he swore he wanted to kill his heavyweight opponents and sometimes looked as if he might. Then, after having his lights knocked out by Jimmy Ellis in Puerto Rico, he saw the light, returning as loveable, forty-something, Bible-bashing, hamburgerchomping, sitcom-starring grandad George. Mind you, he could still fight a bit.
Vinnie Jones
From Gazza's goolies to Hollywood luvvies. The estimable Mr Jones once reckoned he fancied biting off Kenny Dalglish's ear and spitting down the hole. Denied this pleasure, he decided to try to bite off a reporter's nose instead. Now, he just parodies himself with hard-man cameos on celluloid and darling, he's quite adorable, don't you know.
Brian Moore
Who'd have thought that a macho, trash-talking, pugnacious, gap-toothed pitbull who spent an entire rugby career being a pain in opposition front-row's necks might now be found at a salon in Soho daintily manicuring ladies' nails. What would his old foe Graham Dawe make of it all?
Eric Cantona
He might have once got his kicks from spiteful lunges on the pitch and a spot of kung-fu off it but somehow, even though we'd been forewarned by his philosophical musings about trawlers, we somehow never imagined he'd end up as art-house movie darling. Once he said nothing but now he comes over as some chatterbox Hi-Di-Hi spokesman for very silly beach soccer.
John McEnroe
The foul-mouthed, screaming brat of legend who had SW19 harrumphing with disapproval is now welcomed back by all and sundry at Wimbledon as good ol' smiling John boy, rent-a-quote TV commentator and sophisticated art collector. You cannot be serious.
