I’ve met Koufax. He’s a gentleman of unexpected candor. You know the lines Crash Davis fed Nuke LaLoosh? In person, he says absolutely nothing like that–he’s pretty genuine.
And from ALL I’ve heard, Olajuwon is an unusually good guy as well.
Yeah, KOUFAX (hey, I know that name!) both as a pitcher and as a person was in a league by himself. Check out his LAST year in the majors.Sandy Koufax Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com
BUT…I am not here to sing his praises. I read a story about a kid with some horrible disease whose father took him to ALL of the NFL games around the country so he could meet different players.
The kid RAVED and I mean RAVED about …are you ready?
TERRELL OWENS!! He said he was the nicest to him and talked to him the longest about everything. He also singled out Randy Moss, but the kid LOVED Terrell Owens.
I know ex-Jet Bruce Harper. I know him very very well. I know his lovely wife Nancy and his lovely daughers Kayline and Carly.
He is most definitely not a jerk.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Curtis Granderson.
Yeah, I’ve only really seen them from the distance (T.V. or in a stadium). I also know someone who new some 70s era NHL players and she has, for the most part, only told me nice stories about players.
The Smidget! I loved him when he was a player; I had him on my APBA football team in high school, as my kick returner. Glad to hear he’s a great guy in real life.
Considering he’s regarded in Canada as a god and could probably get away with murder, he is, in person, an amazingly patient, warm and generous man.
Argent Towers, this we can certainly do without. Desist.
Justin, if you see a questionable post, please report it and leave the admonishments to us.
Ellen Cherry
Game Room Moderator
I second this. I met him twice, once when he was the Packers QB, and again later before he became the Packers coach. A real gentleman.
I’ll second Polamalu. My cousin’s wife is a pediatric oncologist at Children’s Hospital and while she says most of the Steelers who come in are nice, Troy is the one who comes in to visit the kids the most. She says he’s constantly bringing them gifts and visiting them all the time. (One kid in particular she said calls Troy “his buddy”)
She also says that most, if not all of, the current Penguins are really nice guys.
Honus Wagner was known to be a popular guy around town back in the day.
All Time NBA steals and assists leader John Stockton needs to be on this list. (maybe on top of this list)
Jesus H. Christ, it was a joke. I’m Jewish, and Sandy Koufax is one of my all-time heroes. I read his biography when I was 10 years old. He’s a great man, a class act, and a legend of baseball.
I can’t believe that after more than ten thousand posts on this message board, a fellow poster would see what I wrote about Koufax and actually take it at face value.
I despise the Yankees with every fiber of my being, but God-damn if Paul O’Neil didn’t stand out as one of the last, great “playing cause they loved the sport and what it stands for” kind of guys. 
What, no mention of Ken Griffey, Jr. yet?
I was never a Cowboys fan but it’s hard not to like and respect Roger Staubach.
One of the nicest guys I’ve ever met.
A long time ago and very late one night six of us drunks got in an elevator, and, low and behold, Ali was in there with us. After talking to us slobering idiots for about twenty minutes and signing autographs for all of us, he finally said softly and politely, “guys, I’m sorry, but I’ve just got to get to bed.”
One of us had previously hated the guy, but from then on Muhammad was his idol. Mine too.
Prove it!
:mad:
I’ll concur with that. I hate the Cowboys, but Roger was always a class act. Too bad he had to play for them. 
As much as I agree with the suggestions made thus far, I think we need to be very careful in thinking you know a person based on their “reputation” and/or one chance encounter.
Joe Kapp, who used to own an eponymous pizza restaurant in Moutnain View CA. He would sit there and chat with the customers forever, most of them oblivious to the fact that they were speaking with the quarterback who played for the Vikings in Super Bowl 4, or the coach of the Cal team that beat Stanford right up the road in the infamous “Marching Band” play.
I have heard that my grandfather, who in his day was apparently at least a local sports celebrity in a big city, and who retired to open a bar, was considered quite the gentleman and was friends with everyone he ever met, from the guy on the street, to the Hollywood celeb.