I saw Andy Dalton at best buy before. He looked like a normal mid 20's guy. Nothing about him makes him jump out as a pro football player.

I met Johnny Bench in the airport. I've heard how big of a jerk he is, but I just went up to him shook his hand and told him he was my favorite player of all time and it was a pleasure to meet him. He was incredibly nice. After realizing I wasn't hounding him for an autograph and really just wanted to tell him that, he stood there and talked to me for a minute and we both moved on.

 

It was really cool for me.

I've seen the other side of Bench, the one that you hear too much about unfortunately.

Years back, or should I say decades back I was trying to earn some extra cash around the holidays so worked part time at Ft Mitchell country club. Bench along with some others would have a weekly poker game in the basement of the place. He was very arrogant and would talk down on all the staff that worked there, acted as if he should be waited on hand and foot and was very full of airs.

 

My sister used to date a MLB player back in the 80's. He came up through the Mets minor leagues with another who broke into the major leagues at the same time in Mookie Wilson. Mario Ramirez was my sister's boyfriend and his roommate was Mookie in the minors, both made it to the Mets the same time and bothy were nice as could be. Mario got traded to the Padres when Steve Garvey played there and both were at the house whenever they were in town to play the Reds, they loved my moms home cooked meals and would eat dinner at the house everytime. Steve was really nice, but as was already mentioned, very short. He was also kind of arrogant when it came to the women, we knew back then he had a woman in every city and apparently his wife knew also lol.

 

Ken Anderson was also very nice. The same sister who went out with the baseball player used to babysit for Kenny during his playing days here in Cincinnati. Very nice guy and down to earth, one of the reasons he's always been my favorite Bengal.

 

Met all the Bengals from 2004-2009 as I used to do some work for the team. My favorite and nicest player during that time was always Carson and David Pollack. Both the nicest guys in the world.

Justin Smith is the largest man in the history of the world, I don't care what anyone says. Just massive, his arms were about 2x the size of my waist. :lol2:

I've met BP and he was as nice as could be.

 

I met Dmitri Young Jr. and he was a larger man but very awesome to sit and chat with.

 

Was sitting next to Peko once at a stop light and realized he's not the brightest. Asked me if I was going to the game that weekend but I had to inform him that really wasn't likely since the game was in Pittsburgh... He drove away without another word.

 

I met George Foster when he was signing his bobbleheads at the Florence Freedom. I just wanted to introduce myself and next thing I know he had me wrapped up in conversation for 10 minutes.

I had to think a bit, but it came to me. A few years ago, my youngest hurt his knee and had to have an MRI, etc. We were at UK Hospital in Lexington, and I sat next to a young man who had his ankle in a cast. I asked him if the seat was taken, and he very politely and respectfully replied no please take it. This was the year that UK had so many injuries. Putting two and two together I asked him if played football for UK. He replied, he did, his name was John Conner...later known as the Terminator for the Jets. I was very impressed with his friendliness, although he is very soft-spoken, and willingness to sit and have a conversation.

I always figure most celebrities/pro athletes are pretty normal guys and gals like the rest of us. Add to that, we have no idea the pressures some of them face.

 

Cris Collinsworth has been phenomenal every time I have chatted with him. Without giving any detail, Cris also offered to do something for a friend of mine that was one of the most generous things ever possible and Cris will always be A+ in my mind. I don't want to expand any further on that other than to say top shelf.

 

I have met Domata Peko a couple of times and seen him out several others. He is so thick. I talked to him for a few minutes once and he even gave me his cell number (I made him do it). He was as nice and as friendly as could be.

 

I walked past Shaq once in Vegas and I swear he must be 9 feet tall. To this day the image in my mind is Shaq had his own moon circling around him.

 

I have chatted with Merrill Hoge and he reminds me of myself a little, there is just something about Hoge I like.

 

I met Munoz at a Bengals game this past year, exactly like I thought he would be, terrific.

 

I walked past Justin Smith once at PBS when he was in street clothes and like UK said, beast of man, bigger than I expected.

 

Old Bengal Oliver Gibson was sorta a buddy of mine. I was at his house a couple of times, met his girlfriend, and we chatted each other up just a little. OG definitely had attitude but he was a genuine guy. Also, Gibson looked a little short on the field but he was extremely imposing in person. Taller than you would think and just a beast physically. I will also add, very articulate and intelligent.

 

I have to admit, all my experiences with pro athletes have been positive. I think it could be in part the same thing Bench said, I don't wan't autographs or anything like that. All I really wanted was a few authentic/genuine words with them. I want to see the real person behind the celebrity.

Reading about G making Peko give him his cell # reminds me of meeting another Bengal who I will not name. It was a few years ago when one of my best friends was on his 2 week R&R from Kuwait. The night before he was flying back overseas we went to K&J's in Crescent Springs for a few drinks. As we were standing in the parking lot chit chatting before leaving we look over and recognize a gentleman as a Bengals player. We said hello and started up some conversation. He asked that we not tell anyone it was him as he acknowledged he shouldn't be drinking and driving. We obliged and conversation then turned to other things. He found out my buddy was going back overseas and pulled out $200 to give to us to go to breakfast in the morning. Looking back we should have taken it but decided not to at the time. As we were saying our goodbyes he gave me his cell number (voluntarily) so if we ever wanted tickets to a game we could just call him. I tried to text him once but got no reply. I knew it was too good to be true.

Forgot about this one. I met M.L. Harris, former Bengals TE in the early 80's. Very big man...probably equal to me in size, though I would say he was several pounds over his playing weight, and many years after his last NFL game as well. I didn't know who he was at the time, but he was coaching a team that came to our place to play, from the Columbus OH area. Turns out the boys he had were from a home he had started for wayward teens. He is still active in it, found this. ML Harris All Boy's Academy

 

It was a triple over time game. Neither of us were very good really. He had some kids get hurt/sick and only had 4 left, so I "loaned" him one of our players so he could finish the game with 5. Almost came back to bite me in the butt! haha. But we went on to win by 1 or 2 points.

Walked by Anthony Munoz at training camp in the late 80's up in Wilmington. He was in shorts, and a single one of his thighs looked as big as my waist.

 

But, Mary Lou Retton was probably the biggest surprise. You usually don't have a lot of context to see just how big (or little) some of the gymnasts actually are, when you see them on tv. And even when they're standing next to an adult...you still think of them as a little kid. But wow, stood next to her when she was 24 or 25...and still waaaaaayyyyyy tiny.

 

Strange but I was going to say Anthony Munoz underwhelmed me the first time I saw him in person. I really expected him to be bigger given how dominant he was. I guess in my mind I had made him out to be something of a giant and he really wasn't. That was probably about 1982 or so. I stood next to Manute Bol one time in Indianapolis. That was kind of crazy.

I've been in the right place at the right times frequently and have been very blessed.

 

Pre-High school graduation:

 

Met Joe Morgan as a kid in the 70s. He was loud and talked a lot. :lol2:

Met Anthony Munoz while grocery shopping at Kroger in 7th grade. He was a star explaining the importance of eating healthy and taking care of your body for life. His grocery cart was filled with all fresh meats and veggies ( no processed food ). :thumb:

Met James Brooks, the best utility Bengal RB ever and I was inspired by his giving to good charitable causes, shocked that Auburn didn't prepare him better for the game of life.

ML Harris, Mike Martin, Stanford Jennings taught me the importance of taking care of the people that take care of you and the power of "teamwork." :clap:

Met Pete Rose and regardless of what many think of his transgressions was very straight up, engaged, and wished me well on my college journey.

 

All of these guys couldn't hold a candle to a Cincinnati Royal, Connie Dierking. He just got it and was a great mentor and example on how to treat people, teach, and be grounded in life. His no nonsense, tell it like it is approach, has served my family and I well for many years.

 

College:

 

Very simple and am grateful for the evening. Got to have dinner with Oscar Robertson and his wife. Wonderful people who volunteered many hours to charities throughout Cincinnati.

 

Post College:

 

Numerous Bengals and Reds players, none of which exceeded or disappointed expectations. Marriage and parenthood have limited my exposure to pro athletes.

I was around Chad Johnson the year before he blew up. I was at Bengals training camp, and he was extremely cool. Sat on the sidelines during that practiced and talked to me and my buddies, even gave us a football that the Bengals didn't let us keep. Corey Dillon on the other hand.....

 

LeBron, Allen Iverson, and John Wall are three guys you have to see to believe. TV doesn't do their speed and athleticism justice.

 

Couldn't believe how big Drew Brees actually was. Tiny NFL QB, but large individual.

 

Shaq is another that you can't believe his size.

 

Stan Van Gundy was awesome. He actually approached the group I was with and started a conversation about UK. Awesome dude, hope he finds a job soon.

 

Tim Tebow was huge too in person. Any NFL guy or NBA guy is huge.

Rajon Rondo...he's a very weird guy.

 

I second that. Been to his basketball camp in Louisville the last few years and he is a very weird guy.

WWE Mark Henry is the biggest person I have ever stood beside! My college roommate's brother played vs. Roy Hibbert and said he was biggest human he has ever seen before. I've ran into a few pro athletes in Vegas but not much interaction with any. Junior Seau seemed to be a ok dude.

I played against Alonzo once in high school. Our tallest guy was 6' 4" and we only had 2 other guys over 6" in our regular rotation. Alonzo was nearly 7" then and crazy athletic. Needless to say, he dropped almost 50 on us.

 

Because I got to play D1 baseball I played with and against quite a few future major leaguers, and because I'm still friends with one of my old teammates, who is now the hitting Coach for the Cardinals, I got to hang out and meet many more major leaguers. Most were pretty normal guys. Two that really stood out physically were Pujols and Ron Gant (who wasn't huge, but was really put together). The most impressive physical specimen I ever met was Reggie White. The Eagles used to hold camp where I went to college and I bumped into Reggie in a 7-11. Just a monster of a man.

 

Pujols and Shaq together. Shaq is a freak.

 

http://i.usatoday.net/sports/gallery/2011/NBA/Shaquille%20O%27Neal/photo%2036pg-vertical.jpg

This is a crazy photo I saw last year. To put it in perspective, JJ Watt is 6'5" and 290 lbs. Yao makes him look like a child.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]44059[/ATTACH]

Could have took a similar photo of me and Keith Bosley play intramural Basketball at EKU...I was 6'1" 240 at the time and he made me feel very small.