Identity Crises
HE HAS served his one-year NFL suspension, and now the Cowboys' Pacman Jones (left) is doing all he can to restore his good name. His first order of business: Change his name. Jones has dropped his nickname and will answer only to his given name, Adam. "There's really just a lot of negativity behind it," Jones said of his old moniker. He's not the first athlete to remake a name for himself.
WORLD B. FREE (né Lloyd B. Free)
The Golden State chucker wasn't making a political statement when he changed his name in 1980. Free was just formalizing his nickname: All-World.
MARVELOUS MARVIN HAGLER (né Marvin Hagler)
The great middleweight (right) always felt unappreciated. His solution: In 1982, he legally made Marvelous his first name.
MARK SUPER DUPER (né Mark Duper)
In 1985 the three-time Pro Bowl receiver legally adopted his nickname, insisting it wasn't about ego. "I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to be Mr. Big," Duper said.
BOOF BONSER (né John Paul Bonser)
For reasons no one recalls, Bonser's family has always called him Boof. In 2001 the Twins righty made it his legal name. "He's a bulldog," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said, "if a guy named Boof can be a bulldog."
ERVIN SANTANA (né Johan Santana)
No one wants the pressure of being compared with the other Johan Santana. So in 2003 the Angel (right) changed his name. "I just came up with Ervin," he said.
LUCIUS SEYMOUR (né Lucius Pusey)
In 2005, after immature (and inevitable) ribbing from fans and bloggers galore, the Eastern Illinois linebacker changed his last name.
J.B. HOLMES (né John Holmes)
Known for his long drives, the PGA Tour player—who shared a name with a porn legend—decided to go by his initials as a rookie in 2006. Why? "You guys ought to be able to figure that out," he said.
J.R. SAKURAGI (né J.R. Henderson)
The ex--Grizzlies forward has attained a stardom in Japan that he never had Stateside. But being a Yank, he could not play on Japan's national team. So last July, Henderson got a Japanese passport—and name.
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TIM HEITMAN/US PRESSWIRE (SANTANA)
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MANNY MILLAN (HAGLER)
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TONY GUTIERREZ/AP (JONES)