Stars...others revered, wasn’t on your team but you still had to love him
Let’s list them.
Tony Gwynn...for how great he was, not sure I can think of a more likable athlete
Great thread idea.
Tony Gwynn, for sure.
I've always liked Drew Brees.
Rickie Fowler is a boss.
Good call on Brees, Peyton Manning up there too
I hate Pittsburgh with all of my being but it's hard to dislike Polamalu and not respect his game.
Yeah, I always liked Polamalu even though I will forever dislike the Steelers.
I liked Kirby Puckett a lot when I was a kid.
Bob Feller
Possibly the greatest right-handed pitcher of all-time
Signed up for WW2, giving up 4 prime years
Stayed involved in Cleveland community, charities, etc. long after playing days
Very approachable in public
Threw batting practice at spring training into his 80s
Never charged for autographs (not sure that we will ever see ethics like this again)
Bob Feller
Possibly the greatest right-handed pitcher of all-time
Signed up for WW2, giving up 4 prime years
Stayed involved in Cleveland community, charities, etc. long after playing days
Very approachable in public
Threw batting practice at spring training into his 80s
Never charged for autographs (not sure that we will ever see ethics like this again)
Shaq.
Super nice guy. One of the greatest of all time.
After some more thought:
Cal Ripken Jr/Walter Payton
A notch down but still very high:
Mariano Rivera
Larry Walker
Junior Seau
Troy Polamalu
Jerry Rice
Barry Sanders
Kirby Puckett
Ozzie Smith
Derek Jeter
Fred McGriff
Roberto Clemente
Brooks Robinson
Barry Larkin
Dave Winfield
Shaq
Grant Hill
Fred Couples
Payne Stewart
Arnold Palmer
Roger Federer
Mary Lou Retton
I think playing in a small market that doesn’t dominate really helps. Players on the Yankees, Patriots, Celtics, Lakers, Steelers etc are always going to have a lot of dislike from others
posted by Ironman92After some more thought:
Cal Ripken Jr/Walter Payton
A notch down but still very high:
Mariano Rivera
Larry Walker
Junior Seau
Troy Polamalu
Jerry Rice
Barry Sanders
Kirby Puckett
Ozzie Smith
Derek Jeter
Fred McGriff
Roberto Clemente
Brooks Robinson
Barry Larkin
Dave Winfield
Shaq
Grant Hill
Fred Couples
Payne Stewart
Arnold Palmer
Roger Federer
Mary Lou Retton
I think playing in a small market that doesn’t dominate really helps. Players on the Yankees, Patriots, Celtics, Lakers, Steelers etc are always going to have a lot of dislike from others
Larkin refused to sign an autograph for me when I was 14. F that guy
posted by supermanLarkin refused to sign an autograph for me when I was 14. F that guy
Yeah that stuff holds...I have an unhealthy hate for Mark Melacon because he went out of his way to be a douche to my son
Lots of mine are personal interactions.
So, I'm at the 1999 Final Four with my cousins (Lupicas 3 boys) in Tampa Bay. We look up to our right and in the box directly behind us is Tino Martinez. Only one we could see. Between games we go over to them, and low and behold, it’s the core four, Tino, Paul O’Neil, David Wells and Scott Broscious. O’Neil recognizes Christopher as Mike Lupicas son and we all get picked up by Jeter and spend the next 30 minutes in the Yankees suite. David Wells is hammered and has an entire box of chicken wings he is eating and offers us some. Sinbad is with him and goes, “man didn’t his dad call you an overweight liability a few days ago?” So Wells proceeds to jokingly toss the wing he offered into the trash lol.
He eventually gave us all some and was super nice. They all signed autographs, but David Wells was super nice to a bunch of annoying kids and I’ll never forget. None were overly mean, but most ignored us. Wells and Sinbad entertained us for 25/30 minutes. Shoulder rides, stories, magic tricks etc. Jeter was most standoffish, and was with a smokeshow (could probably look up who he was dating at that point, but I was 12 and didn’t know lol).
Arnold Palmer.
End.of.thread.
posted by SpockArnold Palmer.
End.of.thread.
Charged WAY to much for 3-hole of golf on his arcade game. Dickhead.
First thoughts were Cal Ripken, Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Sanders
posted by Al BundyBob Feller
Never charged for autographs (not sure that we will ever see ethics like this again)
In the mid-90’s, I was at the Florida training camp at Chain of Lakes with my daughter who was in junior high. They were setting up a table for autographs with Feller (and there was going to be a fee charged). He heard me say that we had to leave before it started and he called me over and autographed my daughter’s mitt, anyhow.....for free.
In 1986, Bert Blyleven held my three year old daughter for a picture at Municipal Stadium. He was super nice. That same year, World B. Free held my daughter for a picture at the Cleveland Zoo. He was also super nice.
In 1990, I met and chatted with Bernie Kosar at a bar in Cleveland. Again, super nice.
Boom Boom Mancini.
Most likeable: Archie Griffin - years ago when I was a Redcoat working outside the OSU locker room, he would never fail to smile and say hello to everyone walking by, and make you feel like he'd seen you for years.
Least likeable: New York Yankees. Was in Minneapolis 25 years ago, caught the Twins-Yanks one night. I thought, hey, maybe I can get an autograph after the game. But after waiting patiently with about 30 others, the Yankees came out, everyone of them looked at us like we were graffiti, and boarded their bus without a word or a wave. The lone exception: one of them signed something because they knew the person.
Those fans that waited were some of the most patient and polite folks I've every seen. I'm sure players get tired of being pestered, but how hard it would have been for them to at least say, "Hey, thanks for coming out to watch!"? I don't know, maybe that's a stupid sentiment from their perspective.
john daly seems pretty cool