- I've seen both Trout and Bonds, they (to me) are the best baseball players of my nearly 40 years on this planet. Pitching side Pedro, Maddux, Randy Johnson, DeGrom, Clemens, Kershaw, Scherzer etc.
-I was lucky enough to see MJ, and I attended games in which Lebron and Kobe played
- I saw Gretzky play as a Ranger (obviously didn't see him at his best)
-I've actually only attended 2 regular season Giant games in my life so pickings are limited... Strahan, Seau, Eli
He crushed us
to clarify, this wasn't in a game if that's what you were only looking for.
If it's just in game then Jordan, Shaq, Bird, LT, Gretzky, Lemieux, Trout, Gooden, Strawberry, and others.
but my claim to fame in this area might be my local youth hockey team (Hamden, CT) when I was in squirts played the Hartford Whalers alumni in a local charity event - including "Mr. Hockey" Gordie Howe.
He was probably 60 at the time, but so what, I played hockey against Gordie Howe.
Jessica Simpson looked immediately away, like leave me alone. Romo looked right at me with his "shit-eating grin", all decked out in a leather jacket and white T-shirt. Almost like saying please recognize me. Whitten could care less.
I did a once over, recognized who they were, said Go Giants, and walked away.
I ran into Tommer once while walking through the East Side on the way home from work. I'm sure I posted about it here at the time, with all the old, tired jokes. No big deal. Just reglar. Around the same time, I saw Plax hanging out in the lobby of the McGrawHill building (he must have been doing a radio interview upstairs or something- he was already out of football). I went over to say hi and did his signature bow TD celebration, and he looked at me like I was an alien.
I ran into Tommer once while walking through the East Side on the way home from work. I'm sure I posted about it here at the time, with all the old, tired jokes. No big deal. Just reglar. Around the same time, I saw Plax hanging out in the lobby of the McGrawHill building (he must have been doing a radio interview upstairs or something- he was already out of football). I went over to say hi and did his signature bow TD celebration, and he looked at me like I was an alien.
For me the match-up was Clemens (as a Red Sock) versus Randy Johnson in Arlington.
It was Clemens v Ryan.
If not in a sporting event, I shook hands with Arnold once and at that time he was at the top of his sport.
Best random athletic feat I still remember is Jason Sehorn hopping the restraining fence at UAlbany
Roberto Alomar
Mats Sundin
Tiger Woods
Roger Federer
(In each major sport)
I saw Dominik Hasek at MSG when he was with the Sabres, most dominant NHL Goalie ever. He's kind of like Hockey's Pedro Martinez, who I also saw at the Stadium and is up there.
I honestly don't go to many live sporting events besides baseball games. As a diehard basketball fan, I've actually been meaning to buy tickets for the next time the Lakers come to NY so I can see LeBron James in person.
I saw Griffey at Fenway in a Red Sox-Mariners game, probably summer of 97 or 98. He hit a mammoth home run to right-center, a couple singles, and seemed like he covered every inch of the outfield running down several fly balls and line drives
More than any other, that was the time I walked out of the ballpark thinking wow, I just watched one of the greatest players of all time
I ran into Tommer once while walking through the East Side on the way home from work. I'm sure I posted about it here at the time, with all the old, tired jokes. No big deal. Just reglar. Around the same time, I saw Plax hanging out in the lobby of the McGrawHill building (he must have been doing a radio interview upstairs or something- he was already out of football). I went over to say hi and did his signature bow TD celebration, and he looked at me like I was an alien.
That's funny...I saw Plax at a Chinese restaurant in Totowa NJ (where I think he lives) a few years ago...I was having lunch with a client, he was at the bar. I did a double take, he's hard to miss, which he noticed, but resisted the urge to go try and talk to him.
As I left, I looked his way again, and he smiled and nodded, as if to say thank you for leaving him alone
Here in Denmark I would say Eric Djemba Djemba the soccer player.
Football - Bart Starr, Forrest Gregg, Namath, Bob Lilly, Staubach, Joe Greene, Bradshaw, Swann, LT, Harry Carson, Bo Jackson, Montana, Rice, Lott, Riggins, Reggie White, Dan Fouts, Marino, Marcus Allen and more.
Hockey - Orr, Park, Ratelle, Gilbert, Gretzky, Messier, Leetch
Basketball - Willis, Clyde, DR J, Earl Monroe, Wilt, West, Kareem, Oscar, Magic, Bird, Jordan
Golf - Nicklaus, Tiger
Tennis - McEnroe, Borg, Connors, Nadal, Federer
Football - Bart Starr, Forrest Gregg, Namath, Bob Lilly, Staubach, Joe Greene, Bradshaw, Swann, LT, Harry Carson, Bo Jackson, Montana, Rice, Lott, Riggins, Reggie White, Dan Fouts, Marino, Marcus Allen and more.
Hockey - Orr, Park, Ratelle, Gilbert, Gretzky, Messier, Leetch
Basketball - Willis, Clyde, DR J, Earl Monroe, Wilt, West, Kareem, Oscar, Magic, Bird, Jordan
Golf - Nicklaus, Tiger
Tennis - McEnroe, Borg, Connors, Nadal, Federer
My list is similar except delete Golf and the later part of Tennis, and add soccer - Zidane, Messi and others.
Roger Clemons, Jeter, a lot of those prime Yankees teams actually. And then Phillies / Mets of the late 80s early 90s. I have a Mets autograph ball from that era with some great players on it.
Football- LT was the best, Walter Payton’s at Soldier Field and Earl Campbell at the Astrodome was special, and when I was a boy Tarkenton impressed my but he probably isn’t really that great an athlete in the grand scale.
Hockey- Mike Bossy
Basketball- Larry Bird, Bernard King, Ewing
Power Lifting- Bill Kazmaier
I’m certain I saw many others on visiting teams for all four major sports that I’m not recalling that should make the list.
I should have seen OJ break 2000 yards against the Jets. We had tickets to the Giants and then my dad got offered the Hets tickets so he left the choice to me, and I chose my beloved Giants, but looking back on the historical significance of the first player to break 2000 I probably should have picked that game.
Giants - Strahan/Sehorn?
Giants - Strahan/Sehorn?
Strawberry was a terrific athlete I definitely should have listed him as well. Good call!
Will Chamberlain as a laker
Football, Peyton Manning, LT, Walter Payton
Gretzky as an oiler vs devils just after he referred to them as a Mickey mouse organization.
My seats at Metlife are pretty close to the field so when we go up to the front during warmups, it's amazing seeing all of them. They look like real people instead of a uniform on TV