HERE'S AN INTERESTING FACT... CHEERS EDITION

Cheers is one of the most beloved sitcoms in television history for a variety of reasons; the clever writing, the welcoming environment of the bar, and the great acting from the wonderful cast to name a few. But why am I talking about a TV show on a sports blog? Therein lies the intrigue.

For those not in the know, Cheers centered around, um, Cheers the bar, owned and operated by Sam Malone, former relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Sam was played by Ted Danson, who won two Emmys and was nominated eleven times for his work on the show. But when Cheers was originally conceived, Ted Danson wasn't the man behind the bar. Yes, Sam Malone looked like this:

But he very easily could have looked like... this:

Yes, that's Fred Dryer, former L.A. Rams defensive lineman, and noted kicker of asses. Dryer wasn't an acting novice; he made several guest appearances on shows like Laverne & Shirley and Lou Grant during his playing days before transitioning full time to acting when he retired from football in 1982. As it was, Sam Malone was originally conceived as a former wide receiver for the New England Patriots, so bringing in a former football player with acting experience wasn't out of the question. And Dryer had previously shown that he was a decent actor (he was no Dwayne Wade, to put it another way).

Ultimately, Ted Danson auditioned and the producers cast him in the role. But Danson didn't exactly look like he used to play football, so to compensate for their lanky lead actor, they changed Sam into the former relief pitcher we all came to know and love.

But where did that leave Dryer? Well luckily for him, the producers liked him enough to create another role for him. Dryer appeared periodically throughout Cheers' eleven year run as a former teammate of Sam's and current local sports broadcaster Dave Richards. And Dryer still became a lead actor in a television series, starring in Hunter, which lasted for seven years and seemed to be more up his alley.

"I'll give you your eleven nominations..."

 The more you know...