Bruce Matthews was a substitute teacher at my high school, so whenever he subbed I talked to him a lot. Really nice guy. Also met Hakeem at Lifetime Fitness and got to watch him play a few pick-ups games
I was in an elevator with Detlep Schremp and Shawn Kemp once in a New York. I thought they were playing the Knicks the next night and I wished them good luck. They gave me this strange look, and when I got back to my room I saw on ESPN that they had gotten their asses kicked by the Knicks several hours earlier. That was funny! I ran into Bullard once at an auto show. He had his son sitting on his shoulders and seemed like an awesome guy.
I've had a "few" brushes with celebrity types... Nicest: O.A. "Bum" Phillips - in front of his old house on HWY 6, long since gone after they widened the HWY Jack Pardee - did our high school football banquet while still at UH, pre-Oilers Willie Drewery - Old Oilers WR, sat and talked about 7 innings at a 'Stros game Robert Reid - Actually came and spoke at our church in 1985, pre "Akeem" finals visit... well before the coke. We'd met him at the old Sharpstown Mall in the food court on the second floor. Ray Childress & Bo Orlando - came and signed autographs at an appliance store in downtown Lake Jackson around the "Super Blue" time frame... Also got a Childress autograph from him while at the Summit for a Rockets game... Haywood Jeffires - came to the Lake Jackson Oshman's for a signing... Michael Irvin - Talks loud everywhere he goes, but he really is a nice guy. Huge ego, but nice... Still have his number in my phone. But it's more for the business contact that my wife needs... she's a bit of a financial rep... for many "big names" actually. Someone that currently dates Jay-Z is another "client." Cool (to me at least): Warren Moon - multiple autographs, including training camp, some charity events... claimed he remembered me at about autograph number 5... I know... overkill Carl & Carol Lewis - Both at the Summit... pre-'Olympics IIRC... very cordial. My dad spotted them walking at the top of the floor level, so we approached them... Spencer Tillman - at IAH just as he was coming back from winning a SB with the '49ers... he returned to the Oilers and to KPRC Sports dept. I know there are many, many more... my dad was always recognizing sports figures all around town... Goodness I probably had every Oiler the year we went to training camp - I remember Eugene Seals would sign but requested "no pictures" -okay... whatever... Rudest: Buddy Ryan - Mr. Punch did not stop walking to the car while scribbling his geriatric chicken scratch.. only thing I could read was "46 D" -either his defense, or cup size... either one failed. Kevin Gilbride - the recipient of the "punch" failed to show, or call, at all for the opening of the cancer treatment center in LJ as scheduled. Complete no-show... I'm over it. Magic Johnson - walking through the Galleria in Houston, would not stop. FWIW, probably had to get down to HPD to post bond for Worthy though. I'm sure he's nice if given the chance... seems to be now anyway. JUST MISSED: Michael "Air" Jordan - literally ate at a fast food place in LJ (since defunct) on the corner of a grocery store parking lot... you've driven right by if you've been to Surfside. My buddies got pics with him. Weird spot to be, I know. Moon had been there plenty times as well, so maybe there was a beach house they frequented or something... who knows. DIDN'T ASK FOR AN AUTO, WISH I HAD: Dale Earnhardt - Didn't care at the time, but "The Intimidator" once came through my line at work on the way to a beach house. Yep I checked out the groceries and the only signature I got was on the check he paid with. Doh! The long timers told me he frequented the place... never saw him again. Years later he died in that crash, and suddenly the entire country readily knew his name. I got some autographs later while working the same job... can't remember the names though. One DB that played for Seattle... one DE that played for KC... Can't recall names... ended up not very notable players. What's in a name anyway? That's a good thread topic.... Different category... FAMILY FRIENDS: Mike Barber - former Oilers star, now in ministry... used to hang at his house a bit when I was a kid, I still remember the "Luv Ya' Blue!" vest they gave me .. Dad still knows him. Ron Paul - Yep. Before he was a cooky POTUS candidate, or even a congressman, he was my mom's OB/GYN. Nice. My eighth grade end of school party was in his pool... he was in politics by then. Andy Pettite - Well, not him... but his dad is like my best friends' dad's buddy... doesn't count, but steroid-boy is closer than "six degrees." Del Harris - Dad used to play hoops in pick-up games with him back in the day... met him a couple times when he was with the Rockets on the coaching level... To name a few...
