Football People You Have Met, and what they were like.

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1. Fred Biletnikoff, Oakland Raiders: football camp, high school. Very cool. Worked extra with me to try to figure out why I was dropping every pass. Smoked cigarettes in full view of everyone.

2. Erik Wilhelm, Cincinnati Bengals: friend in junior high. We were co-captains on jr high basketball team, went out with girls who were best friends, all that. He actually didn't play football in 8th grade, went for soccer instead. Then he moved to Lakeridge, set passing records at Oregon State, backed up Esiason, even starting one game, getting dubbed "the Paperboy" by Howie Long.

3. Scott Kozak, Houston Oilers: basketball rival in junior high. Really good player but our team beat his in the tournament finals. Ended up as special teams player, maimed some dudes on kickoff coverage.

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Friday, 4 November 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

1. Hanford Dixon, Cleveland Browns cornerback. Came into the restaurant I was bussing tables at. Arrived in a limo and bought a six pack to-go (some bars in Cleveland can sell beer to-go). I was sitting at the bar and without warning he came up behind me and hugged me.

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 4 November 2005 16:22 (twenty years ago)

I refuse to answer this question.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Friday, 4 November 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

1. Carnell Lake, Pittsburgh Steeles/Jacksonville Jaguars: married to my cousin. Totally awesome guy whom I wish I knew better.

(xpost: HAW)

― Dan (NAMEDROPPER) Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 4 November 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

4. Rich Brooks, U of Oregon / U of Kentucky / St. Louis Rams / Atlanta Falcons coach: My friend Kip's dad was a big alumnus contributor, so we went to several U of O games in the late 1970s when the Ducks were just getting good for the first time in a decade, and then hang out at coach's house in Eugene while the adults boozed it up downstairs. I watched "Salem's Lot" there. Kip claimed to have made out with Brooks' busty daughter. Barely talked to the coach, but he seemed like a good guy.

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Friday, 4 November 2005 17:03 (twenty years ago)

1. Walter Payton at Bears' training camp in '85. he was a sweet dude.

2. Otis Wilson, same.

3. William Perry, ditto

― gear (gear), Friday, 4 November 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

George Myra, rookie season, 49ers training camp at Storrs, Connecticut (for who knows what reason), early '60s. Signed an autograph for me.

He never did become a starter, did he?

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Friday, 4 November 2005 18:27 (twenty years ago)

I talked to Walter Payton on the phone once.

I've met most of the Arkansas boys who are now in the NFL. Keep an eye on that Matt Jones in Jacksonville. He's gonna be a good 'un.

Walt Coleman lives down here. He was the ref who made that controversial call against Oakland for New England a few years back when they were playing in the snow. We usually have him on the show once a year, after football season, and the lines stay jammed for all three hours.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Friday, 4 November 2005 20:37 (twenty years ago)

49ers training camp at Storrs, Connecticut (for who knows what reason)

Climate? Closeness to the Yale Bowl & Yale student body? The hot action available on Route 15? Love of cows?

― David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 4 November 2005 20:38 (twenty years ago)

Marv Levy, already told the story on board-request thread.

Warren Moon, met him during the Adult Video Awards in Vegas, he was at the same party I was at; we shared an elevator down. Some goofball in my group said something like "does your wife know you're here?" I just told him I was a big Lions fan, and would he ever consider playing for the Lions (this was in late January and he was a free-agent at the time, having finished his contract with Seattle); he just half-smiled and said something like "No way." Ha!

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 5 November 2005 02:29 (twenty years ago)

oh and Chris Zorich (ex-Redskins, ex-Bears) lives in my neighborhood; I've seen him at the grocery store a couple times. Never talked to him though.

oh and I guess Dan Jiggets (ex-Bears, ex-some USFL team, ex-Harvard) counts. I met him a few times through my friend who works for the sports radio station. Doug Buffone (ex-Bears) come to think of it, too.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 5 November 2005 02:32 (twenty years ago)

Jiggets and Buffone are nice guys. Your typical aged jocks.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 5 November 2005 02:32 (twenty years ago)

i went to high school with rick proehl, most known for his time with the rams (he was 2 years ahead of me). he was a really nice guy back then, and also a pretty good student -- but i haven't seen him in 15 years. needless to say, he's pretty well regarded in my hometown.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 5 November 2005 10:01 (twenty years ago)

Mike Singletary -- I met him at some I.T. purchasing luncheon and got a football signed by him. He was paid to be there, which may be why he is now coaching football, but he seemed like a pretty classy guy.

Dave Duerson -- He was an Allpro defensive back on the same Bears 85 team as Samurai Mike, played for ND and was from my hometown. He was from my hometown and seemed like a guy that really had it together.

Trent Green -- Didn't really meet him, but I saw him around a couple of parties at I.U. He was pretty laid back and didn't really party much according to some of the guys that I knew that played for I.U.

My best pro football player memory in person was being passed on I-465 in Indianapolis by a huge, beautiful white Mercedes with the license plate ED #29.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Saturday, 5 November 2005 15:00 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah...forgot about high school. My high school played Warren Central with Jeff George and a certain KC sports writer named Jason Whitlock's senior homecoming. We did pretty good in the first half, but they ended up pounding us. Jeff George was freaking amazing as a high school QB, beyond having a cannon, he could make these perfect small screen passes with a touch that most highschool could not do well. We were the first high school to sack him that year.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Saturday, 5 November 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

I once met a member of the Utah Saints. Does that count? (I mean, if the Saints follow the Jazz to Utah...)

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Sunday, 6 November 2005 05:11 (twenty years ago)

I "met" Wesley Walls on the sidelines of a Pontotoc-Amory high school game when I was helping my girlfriend, who was covering the game for the local paper she worked for. He was the ball carrier on a sweep to the right and I didn't get out of the way in time as the scrum surged out of bounds.

― I do feel guilty for getting any perverse amusement out of it (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 6 November 2005 05:18 (twenty years ago)

I met Cliff Branch last year. Amtrak had a bus/train package for the the raiders games, did a cool promotion for the season. Anyway, got on the bus to go back to the train station, sat down next to this guy who I'd noticed was talking to just about everyone on the bus, people coming over to shake his hand etc. I started chatting to him, asked him how he liked the game, just kind of shooting the shit, etc. Noticed a Superbowl ring...and I freaked out. Leaned over to my husband who was sitting across the aisle, and said "Psst, this guy's wearing a superbowl ring!" Clay looks at him for a second, looks at me and says "Dude, that's Cliff Branch!" I kind of freaked out that i'd been such a goob about my conversation with him. but he was a seriously nice guy. Very cool.

My brother-in-law got his Mum an autograph from Joe Montana back in the Niners heyday. One of Montana's friends had rearended Jason's friend's parked car & acted like it was no big deal. He didn't apologise, just kind of shrugged & started to walk off. Being a couple of skinhead punks they figured they'd just beat some manners into him... but Montana stepped in & apologised for his friend, invited them into the bar for a beer. Jason didn't know it was Montana til they started talking (he was never a big football fan) but remembered that his Mum was a huge Niners fan, so before Joe left Jason asked him for an autograph. And lo, Joe agreed.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 6 November 2005 05:28 (twenty years ago)

My parents met when they both worked at the same bank in San Francisco. The maintenance man there kept bragging about his son Orenthal who played at Galileo High School, told them they should go see him play. They never did though.

Years later, when my wife and I were looking at an apartment in Soho, we got off the subway and saw Orenthal walking down the street, a woman on each arm, smiling like the sun in a children's book. I'm pretty sure the women were Nicole and Denise Brown. Eesh. We took the apartment.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Sunday, 6 November 2005 18:54 (twenty years ago)

Jimmy the Mod and I might've seen OJ once in NYC too, but we weren't 100% sure. My dad used to sell electronics to OJ, when he lived in Buffalo.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Sunday, 6 November 2005 19:40 (twenty years ago)

you should've asked him to autograph yer knife!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 6 November 2005 21:17 (twenty years ago)

Didn't yr sister go out with Henson? And what is with your family and quarterbacks?

xpost

― Jimmy Mod Is The Damnation (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Monday, 7 November 2005 00:46 (twenty years ago)

My sister didn't go out with Henson, my sister rejected Henson for a date. My aunt rejected Wade Boggs and had dinner with all of the niners but f or Montana, so it's not just qbs with us. My Dream Date With Jake The Snake was an unfortunate mistake.

My Dream Date With Eli though, I'm waiting on that.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Monday, 7 November 2005 00:48 (twenty years ago)

is this the asian-liking sister?

― Jimmy Mod Is The Damnation (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Monday, 7 November 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

No. The Asian liking sis wouldn't consider Henson, let's be honest here. He's not very...asian is he. This is the rodeo clown dating sis.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Monday, 7 November 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

Rodeo Clown v. Yanqui Washout

― Jimmy Mod Is The Damnation (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Monday, 7 November 2005 00:56 (twenty years ago)

Is that really a debate? PS Plummer is the most boring person I've ever met

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Monday, 7 November 2005 01:04 (twenty years ago)

In high school i went to a party that Eli Manning was at.
He seemed really conceited, but i mightve just been jealous.

― Fetchboy (Felcher), Monday, 7 November 2005 01:42 (twenty years ago)

I met Tiki Barber at a charity event sponsored by my old company. He was very nice and friendly. This was before the 2004 season, and I asked him if Coach Coughlin was as harsh as he was portrayed in the press. He said, "He's really strict, but it's a good strict." Then we talked a bit about how great the NFC East would be with Parcells, Gibbs and the rest in the same division. He said "it's gonna be old school, I can't wait." He sounded just like a regular football fan, it was cool.

― Giants = Super Bowl (TCBeing), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

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