Ever run into a pro athlete?
- Thread starter DBR
- Start date
This summer my boys and I were getting ready to go home after some paintball at one of the battlegrounds here in Minnesota. A private party was coming in to replace our group. We realized it was a bunch of the Minnesota Wild players.
Too bad we had to leave because I think we could have taken them.
Maybe you should throw down the (hockey) glove to them!
Many years ago, I saw Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a bookstore at the Beverly Center shopping mall in Los Angeles. I was browsing, he was autographing copies of his new book. He walked right past me as he exited through the store's back door. Then I saw some young boys who were heartbroken at having just missed him.
I work in the large law firm industry. In more recent years, I was on the elevator with two of my firm's young lawyers. A retired pro athlete who was a client, and his lawyer then joined us.
I was busy reading, and only half noticed when Athlete -- whose name I've now forgotten -- got on the elevator. He and his lawyer got off at our main reception floor, and the other two fellows and I continued on. Then one of the youngsters commented on how the other guy's face had lit up when he saw Athlete.
Thank goodness I wasn't looking up. I'm also a sports imbecile, and would have just stared blankly at Athlete without recognizing him.
When living in Milan I literally bumped into Marco van Basten when I hastily walked around a corner in Piazza San Babila. He's tall all right, and I can guarantee his chest is made of marble. 
Then in the Galleria I saw Walter Zenga, another footballer, he was goalie for Inter and for Italy for many years.
In the summer of 1985 I had the honour of sharing a hotel (and a few elevator rides while there) with Olympic medalists Gabriella Dorio and Said Aouita.
Formula1 driver Riccardo Patrese was often at my father's tennis club, as were international skiers Kristian Ghedina and Alberto Tomba.
That's all I can think of, off the top of my head.
Then in the Galleria I saw Walter Zenga, another footballer, he was goalie for Inter and for Italy for many years.
In the summer of 1985 I had the honour of sharing a hotel (and a few elevator rides while there) with Olympic medalists Gabriella Dorio and Said Aouita.
Formula1 driver Riccardo Patrese was often at my father's tennis club, as were international skiers Kristian Ghedina and Alberto Tomba.
That's all I can think of, off the top of my head.
When living in Milan I literally bumped into Marco van Basten when I hastily walked around a corner in Piazza San Babila. He's tall all right, and I can guarantee his chest is made of marble.
Marco van Basten is my favourite ever non-Arsenal player.
^ He was very gracious about it, I have to say: I stomped his foot and banged my head into his chest and -he- apologised. Nice fellow.
You stomped on Marco van Basten's foot ? I am now suddenly questioning our friendship.
While hole caddying a charity golf tournament in high school, I met Ernie Banks - had my picture taken with him and got to hit his golf ball. Made it to the green
After one of our beer league hockey games while we were drinking beer in the parking lot, Mike Keane came out to his car - he wasn't playing well, nor was the team. He stopped to talk to us a minute and said "that's when hockey was fun". He didn't stay for a beer though, just got into his corvette and left.
Before another game I was walking under the stands to our locker room and ran into Brett Hull and Rob Blake who were at the arena for the Junior League All Star game (they were both partial owners of teams that were playing).
My wife has delivered a number of pro athlete's babies in her job, but I don't guess that counts as running into them. She says the hockey players are the nicest and most down to earth.
After one of our beer league hockey games while we were drinking beer in the parking lot, Mike Keane came out to his car - he wasn't playing well, nor was the team. He stopped to talk to us a minute and said "that's when hockey was fun". He didn't stay for a beer though, just got into his corvette and left.
Before another game I was walking under the stands to our locker room and ran into Brett Hull and Rob Blake who were at the arena for the Junior League All Star game (they were both partial owners of teams that were playing).
My wife has delivered a number of pro athlete's babies in her job, but I don't guess that counts as running into them. She says the hockey players are the nicest and most down to earth.
Nope. The closest would be olympic gymnasts.
Same here. Though I didn't meet them, but gave them a high five as they were running off the floor after the John Hancock tour after the 1996 Olympics.
I've ran into quite a few over the years, but I was walking behind everyone's favourite Mike Keenan the other night for about 3 blocks before I recognized that hairdo. I thought about saying hello or something, but I haven't decided if I don't hate him yet.
Ran into Andrew Ferrence at a community health food store about 3 years ago. I was actually eyeing his incredibly gorgeous wife before noticing him. I have seen Jerome Iginla's wife several times, and Iginla and his wife and kids out for a stroll once (they live a few houses from my mother). And Kristian Huselius I've passed quite a few times while I walk along the river to work: he jogged along the river.
Those are the most recent memorable ones.
Ran into Andrew Ferrence at a community health food store about 3 years ago. I was actually eyeing his incredibly gorgeous wife before noticing him. I have seen Jerome Iginla's wife several times, and Iginla and his wife and kids out for a stroll once (they live a few houses from my mother). And Kristian Huselius I've passed quite a few times while I walk along the river to work: he jogged along the river.
Those are the most recent memorable ones.
Ran into Magic Johnson once at a resturant back when he was at his zenith with the Lakers. My girlfriend at the time knew the woman Magic was with so they came over and I got an introduction. Later, when he was called for his table, he went out of his way to walk over to me just to say it was nice meeting me.
The guy was a total class act.
The guy was a total class act.
You just jarred my memory.
I ran into Magic Johnson at the USC/Notre Dame game in 2006. We were up in Mike Garrett's box (so obviously I met him too).
I shook Magic's hand and chatted with him briefly.
Great guy, complete class act.
I ran into Jose Reyes at a club in NYC or to be exact he walked into me and acidently spilled my drink. He gave me a 100 dollar bill and went back to the this hot chick he was hanging with.
My cousin ran into David Wright at a bowling alley and got an autograph. The fraked up part was that he invited me to go bowling that night but I said no cause I wanted some alone time with my better half. As much as I liked the sex, I woulda loved an autograph.
I saw Pat Ewing and Mike Jordan at the boys club and this was the first time that I ever saw Chewbacca standing still and not needing a towell bowl to come and clean up after him.
Oh and before I forget, Jason Kidd`s wifey looks much nicer in person then on TV and apparently Wayne Gretzey was in Boarders by MSG while I was there. I saw a huge crowd surrounding some guy giving autographs and I asked my boy whos blocking the sci fi books. He was surprised that I didn`t know who he was, but he ain`t anybody special. He ain`t a Met or a Knick hes some guy who ice skates for a living. This ain`t Canada, I don`t give a frak about Hockey.
My cousin ran into David Wright at a bowling alley and got an autograph. The fraked up part was that he invited me to go bowling that night but I said no cause I wanted some alone time with my better half. As much as I liked the sex, I woulda loved an autograph.
I saw Pat Ewing and Mike Jordan at the boys club and this was the first time that I ever saw Chewbacca standing still and not needing a towell bowl to come and clean up after him.
Oh and before I forget, Jason Kidd`s wifey looks much nicer in person then on TV and apparently Wayne Gretzey was in Boarders by MSG while I was there. I saw a huge crowd surrounding some guy giving autographs and I asked my boy whos blocking the sci fi books. He was surprised that I didn`t know who he was, but he ain`t anybody special. He ain`t a Met or a Knick hes some guy who ice skates for a living. This ain`t Canada, I don`t give a frak about Hockey.
I was on the side of the road with a flat tire, and Tony Romo stopped to help me fix it.
(Nah, that didn't happen. But it could have happened.)
(Nah, that didn't happen. But it could have happened.)
I kinda met Jennifer Nichols, the Olympic archer from Cheyenne, one night at the shooting range. Still kicking myself that I wasn't able to get myself up to say anything. 
I guess I also missed Dean Karnazes by a couple minutes. He was the runner who wrote a book and did the 50 marathons in 50 days... I was at the marathon he picked for Colorado, and I guess he crossed the finish line and got in his car for the next marathon while I was off getting medical attantion.
I guess I also missed Dean Karnazes by a couple minutes. He was the runner who wrote a book and did the 50 marathons in 50 days... I was at the marathon he picked for Colorado, and I guess he crossed the finish line and got in his car for the next marathon while I was off getting medical attantion.
Sure. Ran into Angus Reid a linesman in the BC Lions at a weightlifting coaching thingie. He's a decent guy and came and worked out at my gym a few times with us. Also been in competitions with Jasvir Singh, an Olympic style weightlifter who competed in the Beijing Olympics number of times.
I bumped into Brendan Morrison last year while having dinner he and his team mates were finishing theirs, at the Log House Pub, when the Canucks had thier training camp at the Bear Mountian Arena in Victoria last year, seemd like a nice guy, and no one in the place even the staff bugged them.
I also bumped into the Late Dale Earnhardt Sr. in a rental car line up back in 1988 in the Phoenix airport.
This past April, me and a group of cousins, siblings and friends went to Center Court (Chris Weber's restaurant/sports bar) here in Sacramento after a Kings game. To our surprise, Weber himself stopped by the restaurant. He made the rounds, going to each table to visit to customers. When he got to our big table, we all shook his hand and bullshitted around for a while, talking about sports and things. We got a few pictures, too. You should have seen my cousin, he was completely starstruck and grinning from ear to ear. When Weber left, my starstruck cousin immediately got on his cell phone and called his friends back home in the Bay Area to brag.
I was in a pick-up game at Fort Knox with potential Hall of Famer, ex US Army Reserve Officer Kevin Greene before he reported to the Rams training camp. I met the first defensive Heisman trophy winner Charles Woodsen. My cousin was his defensive back coach when he won. My brother helped coach Keyshawn Johnson when he was in high school. Muhammed Ali took time with some neighborhood kids before the first Ken Norton fight when his jaw was broken.
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