Stories about pro-athletes you've met...

[Camden Way]

One of the famous athletes that I have met that is a great person is Ron Harper (Miami (OH), Cleveland Cavs/Chicago Bulls...etc). Ron was the best man at my uncles wedding and is very cool. He signed for and talked with all the kids that were there, and I got to spend some extra time with him at the pre-wedding festivities and such. I followed him throughout his career after that, and he was always one of those guys that won and played with great class. He always made me proud to be a fan, and was a great team leader.

 

[BuckTwenty]

Had a couple more good stories I thought I'd share...

After watching the Bucks beating #2 seed St. John's in the "Big Dance" and making it to the final four, we decided to go to the Buckeye Hall Of Fame Cafe (which back then was relitevely new). Had a nice dinner, got to see Archie's Heisman, and got to look around the place. As we're heading near the door, we see a group of tall guys enter the restaurant. I recognized Scoonie Penn. It was nearly the entire 1999 OSU basketball final four team.

Spent the next hour collecting signatures on final four t-shirts that we bought in the gift store as they played games in the game room. The most popular game they were playing was the 4-player basketball game with the backboard moving back and forth (which was extremely entertaining to watch, seeing as though they were all basketball players). Got everybody's signature from that team, minus Ken Johnson, who didn't accompany the team. One of the cooler moments in my life. Never tried going back to the BHOFC for lunch the next day after another big OSU win (ala Illinois), but I should probably try that again sometime. Never know who you might see! (I should take a picture of the shirt and put it up here...)


The other one was pretty recent. Last summer, we were in thet market for a new bulldog, because we desperately needed a dog. Went to Sugar Sweet Bulldogs in Hilliard, and found one we liked. On our 3rd visit to see the dogs, the lady said she had a fella from the OSU football team that was looking at her bulldogs too. His name was Simon Fraser (!). When we came to pick up the bulldog to take him home, she told us that Simon was on his way to pick up his bulldog too (whose name is Monty). Soon after, Simon (in a Buckeye polo shirt) and his girlfriend showed up. Turns out, his father had a bulldog growing up, and it had one brown eye and one blue eye, just like the bulldog he chose. The guy could NOT be any more pleasant to talk to, and his eyes lit up when I told him I was an alumni of Westerville South. Had a great convo with him and his girlfriend (who was quite the babe).

There was a picnic with all the bulldogs that have ever been bought from there and their owners a month or so later. The owners of Sugar Sweet said that Simon was going to show up with three other players from the team who were also interested in buying a bulldog from there in the future. Those players were Lydell Ross, Dustin Fox, and Mike Nugent (! ! !). However, none of the 4 from the team showed up. But Simon's father and mother did, with Monty. Incredibly nice family and TRUE Buckeyes.

 

[sgabuck]

"one of my friends was roomates with Kenny Peterson in college. Last year we hung out at his apartment in easton. Nice guy, I was surprised how humble he was."

One of my friends knew Kenny Peterson. And he said basically the same thing as you....from his account, Kenny was a real down to earth person. My friend told me, Kenny hung around him and his other friends. They would try to wrestle him and of course, Kenny would toss them around. It was all just fun and games, though. But from what my friend told me, Kenny seemed like one of the most down to earth "stars" you would ever meet.

Some other stories I have...include...

I was pretty good friends with Sam Clancy in middle school. We played on the same basketball team. He was another one of those down to earth people. When he went to St. Eds, I didn't see him at all. But we ran into each other at a club and he recognized me and said what's up. This would've been either his senior year in HS or freshman year at USC.

Down in Ga. I met former NFL players Danny Copeland (played for the Browns...or like he told me, he watched a lot of games from the sideline with the Browns before winning a Super Bowl with the Redskins) and Myron Guyton (who won a SB with the Giants). Both are real down to earth people. Copeland now owns a gym in Thomasville, Ga and he is trying to help local kids get scholly's. Guyton now lives in Atlanta and I actually ran into him the other week. He recognized me and gave me his number and told me to give him a call. I just moved to the Atlanta area and he said He'd show me around.

While in Thomasville, I also met another Thomasville native Guy McIntyre. He was inducted into the Thomasville Sports HOF. He was also real cool. He was on the OL of all the great 49ers teams and still works with the organization. The guys in great shape and still looks like he could strap on the pads.

Bobby Bowden and his wife are two other people I've met. Bobby is a character. Real charismatic. Say what you want about him, but he is a devout christian (I can't say the same for myself). I attended a FCA meeting while on my job and actually won his book autographed by him. It was funny, they called my name. I told them, "I can't accept this, I'm working". Mrs. Bowden said, "that's nonsense come up here and take this prize." Bobby and Ann are both real down to earth people and it's not surprising why FSU is able to land top-10 after top-10 recruiting classes.

I could go on and on with "stars" I've talked to. But those are some more of the ones I've actually had the pleasure to "meet".

 

[doubleEbuck]

and my freshman year we drove to Columbus to a bar that served "nickle pitchers." Someone on this board might know the name of the bar, but I can't.

sorry this is a few posts late, but was it called "not all's too"? if so, good buddy of mine worked the bar there. he said quite a few players would go in there.

 

[craigw99]

Last year, Walking into the Michigan State game, I was walking right next to Jack Nicklaus, and I didnt even know it. Of course I was wasted. My buddy starts screaming and hitting my arm.. "ITS THE GOLDEN BEAR DUDE! ITS THE GOLDEN BEAR!!!" So I turned and shook his hand and told him it was an honor to meet him, and that I shot +11 at muirfield. hah. He was alot nicer to us than all the rumors I have heard about him being a jerk. Of course after the fact, I was embarrased that I was so drunk when I talked to him.

 

[doubleEbuck]

Do you have any older siblings?
I graduated from Westerville South in 1994. Was a captain in the year we lost to the #8 nationally ranked Cincinnati Princeton, 13-12. To this day Coach Pentello points to that season as the turning point for the WSHS football team (Chris Kirk, Jr., Katzenmoyer, So., and many other D1 prospects- but since this is a Buckeye board I'll keep it to those two). The next year they lost to St. Ignatius in the State Championship. Another WSHS alum went to Penn State to play DE behind Courtney Brown, his name is Marc Kielmeyer. He was a sophomore (I think) my senior year. Anyway, just curious if I know anyone you're related to.

my roommate at OU graduated in 1994 from south, played safety, tall kid, fast as lightning. said he had a falling out with the coaches and i don't think he played much his last year. know who i'm talking about?

staying on topic -

i grew up a huge speilman fan, he is why i became a buckeye. after he signed with the lions, and being from detroit, my dad took me to their preseason fall camp to get his autograph. at the time, all the players would walk up this huge ramp that went under the silverdome. when we got there, team officials were blocking off all the fans so they couldn't get close to the ramp. speils was the last one out that day and he was walking with all the coaches. when i saw him i ducked around all the officials, ran behind some barriers, down the side of the ramp and walked right up to speils. one the coaches told me to beat it but speils said hold on and asked about my hat (buckeyes hat of course). so he signed my card and i took off. very cool experience for an 11 year old.

another one (not really) - i've also been a huge red wings fan all my life (i swear i'm not a scum fan in hiding). my wife and i flew to st. louis to watch a red wings game a couple years back. on the flight home right as they were closing the plane's doors i saw a guy slip into the first row in first class. i kept telling my wife that it was yzerman. she said i was full of it and let it go. well, we get off the plane in detroit and make it down to baggage. i look over and yzerman is standing there with a guy and no one else around. i happened to have a pen and my ticket stub in my pocket (perfect autograph) but i was so star struck i froze. it was so surreal i didn't think it was him. i thought in detroit's airport there would be a mob around him. in the end, i chickened out, never got him to sign it. i will never forgive myself either.

also met gary trent a couple times. the guys next door to me in my dorm at OU were bball players. i beat him in a playstation boxing game once. he sucked bad actually. i wasn't even good at it. he got all pissed and left. he was a nice guy otherwise.

 

[NorthShoreBuck]

I have two more airplane stories. The last time I partied in Canton for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game I flew out on Sunday and was on the same plane as Joe Namath. This was another case of me minding my business. He was with the petite, brunette he was married to and in person that woman was beautiful. He was very friendly to all the fans at the Akron Canton airport.

In the reality TV genre I was sitting in Tampa waiting for a flight. There was this hard looking but very attractive lady waiting. This was back when they allowed people to go to the gates to meet arriving passengers. She had big boobs, a dark tan, tons of gold and a skin tight thin cotton sun dress. I really did not notice her, can you tell. The plane lands and the first person off the plane is Hulk Hogan. The dude was mobbed by kids. He was huge back then and dressed pretty much like he dressed in the ring. The lady that had gathered my attention was his wife. It has been years since this happened but when I saw he had a reality show I had to watch it to see if I recognized his wife. I think his daughter looks a lot like his wife did.

 

[CausticMick]

my roommate at OU graduated in 1994 from south, played safety, tall skinny kid, fast as lightning. said he had a falling out with the coaches and i don't think he played much. after knowing him for a awhile, i bet his attitude got the best of him. know who i'm talking about?

Jeff M. (I don't want to leave his name out there for all)? If so, he was a great dude. I haven't talked to him in a while, but we used to hang out a bit. Last I talked to him he was getting married to a girl named Rikki my mom used to watch when we were younger in Grandview. The only other safety in my class was a black guy named Mike whom I was also good friends with. He wore #27 and hit like a ton of bricks just like his childhood idol Steve Atwater. Ever talk to Jeff anymore?

 

[doubleEbuck]

Jeff M.

that's him. i still talk to him. after we graduated from OU he joined the army reserve and spent the last couple years in kosovo. he just got back in march. i saw him about a month ago for a golf outing we played in. and no, he never married rikki (crazy b*tch). he has been dating another girl for a long time now. if he's not engaged to her, it sounds like it's coming.

he just bought a house. i want to say not too far from westerville, not exactly sure where though. in c-bus somewhere.

 

[CausticMick]

Chack your pms, doubleEbuck.

 

[ScriptOhio]

I was in a strip club in Orlando FLA long ago.
This tall black dude comes in. Wilt the Stilt Chamberlin. He had women all over him. We got to say hello before he was escorted to the VIP lounge. The guy I was with was a member of the club and had VIP access but not that night.

Where I work out there has been a few Saints players come and go. I am a big guy but some of these guys are huge. They also have injuries that I would not wish on anyone.

On this day in sports history.....

in 1962 Wilt Chamberlain set the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association (NBA) by scoring 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 169?147 win over the New York Knicks.



Did Wilt even want to score 100?

Wilt Chamberlain was satisfied the game was no longer in doubt. He was ready to take a seat on the bench.
Good thing his coach didn?t listen ? or at least acted like he didn?t hear Chamberlain?s request.
As we reach the 50-year anniversary of Chamberlain scoring 100 points in a game (scoring 100 points in a game ? even Jeremy Lin hasn?t done that!) it has come to light the big fellow had no interest in hitting the century mark that night in Hershey, Pa.
?He wanted to come out of the game after he had scored like 75 points. The game was already won,?? Chamberlain?s sister, Barbara Lewis, told The Daily. ?He thought he was embarrassing the other team.??
For the record: Chamberlain?s Philadelphia Warriors routed the New York Knicks, 169-147, on March 2, 1962.
For the record books: Chamberlain scored 100 points.

Enire article: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/Wilt-Chamberlain-50-year-anniversary-100-point-game-NBA-record