Athlete-Inspired Sandwiches Slideshow
As a starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, Matt Cain caught the attention of the sandwich artists at Ike's Place and inspired them to create a sandwich in his honor. The resulting dish includes roast beef, turkey, salami, godfather sauce, and provolone cheese. The sandwich also won first place in ESPN's Fanwich competition
The Papelbomb — Jonathan Papelbon (Philadelphia Phillies), The Cask 'n Flagon, Boston
The Cask 'n Flagon in Boston named a sandwich after former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, called the Papelbomb. The bomb consists of marinated steak tips grilled and topped with bell peppers, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and aged Cheddar cheese.
The Dwight Howard Pizza Panini — Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic), Drunken Monkey Coffee Bar, Orlando, Fla.
Order a Dwight Howard Panini at the Drunken Monkey Coffee Bar in Orlando and 10 percent of the sandwich will be donated to Howard's favorite charity. The creation consists of ham, pepperoni, spinach, and a blend of ricotta, Parmesan, provolone, and mozzarella cheeses with a side of marinara sauce.
The Eli Manning — Eli Manning (New York Giants), Park and Sixth Comfort Food, Hoboken, N.J.
Although Hoboken, N.J.'s Park and Sixth Comfort Food sadly closed in June of 2011, the restaurant was known for their sandwich honoring Giants quarterback Eli Manning. The creation included house-made roast beef, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, and creamy horseradish sauce.
The Adam Emmenecker Challenge — Adam Emmenecker (Drake University, formerly), Jethro’s BBQ, Des Moines, Iowa
Taking second place in ESPN's Fanwich competition, this sandwich was inspired by Adam Emmenecker, a former guard at Drake University. The sandwich starts with pork tenderloin, topped with an Angus steak burger, Texas brisket, applewood bacon, fried cheese, and Buffalo chicken tenders. The whole thing is smothered with melted Cheddar cheese and white Cheddar cheese sauce. The challenge includes polishing off the behemoth in 15 minutes or less — victors get their photo on the wall of fame, while losers get their photo on the wall of shame. Adam Richman attempted to take on the challenge on an episode of Man v. Food and failed. Go figure.
Derek Jeter Triple Decker — Derek Jeter (New York Yankees), The Stage Deli, New York City
This Yankee-inspired creation fit for Derek Jeter includes roast beef, turkey, and Muenster cheese. Fellow Bronx Bombers Mickey Mantle, Rodger Maris, Alex Rodriquez, Yogi Berra, also have sandwiches named after them on the Stage Deli menu.
The Barry B. — Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants, formerly) Ike’s Place, San Francisco
Matt Cain isn't the only San Francisco Giant with a sandwich on the Ike's Place menu; former All-Star player and controversial sports figure Barry Bonds has one as well. The Barry B. is made with turkey, bacon, and Swiss cheese.
The Melo — Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks), Carnegie Deli, New York City
When Carmelo Anthony officially announced that he would be leaving his post with the Denver Nuggets to join the Knicks in New York City, Carnegie Deli unveiled The Melo very soon after. The sandwich consists of pastrami, corned beef, salami, bacon, tomatoes, and Russian dressing on rye bread.
The Jetbow — Tim Tebow (New York Jets), Carnegie Deli, New York City
With the recent addition of Tim Tebow to the Jets' roster, Carnegie Deli wasted no time dreaming up a sandwich to welcome the quarterback to The Big Apple. The Jetbow consists of corned beef, pastrami, roast beef, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo on white bread. The sandwich weighs in at a whopping 3.5 pounds.