Attention Sports Fans: Who Are The Nice Guys In Sports?
When you see a piece about athletes in the newspaper, on ESPN SportsCenter, or in online articles, chances are it has a negative spin. The athlete did something wrong. Frequently we see sports athletes getting arrested or accused about something. Like most of you I am tired of it! Let’s focus on something a little different today.
- Who are the nice guys in sports?
- Who do you root for even if you don’t like their team?
My favorite football player of all-time is Walter Payton. Even though I never met him he appeared to be the classiest person during every interview. He was very soft spoken and never had a bad thing to say about anyone. And oh by the way, was perhaps one of if not the greatest running backs of all time.
Last month I found myself rooting for Rocco Mediate. Rocco appeared to have a permanent smile on his face as he was challenging Tiger Woods during the US Open. His personality came right through the TV for me during every interview and I started to really like him….. A LOT!
Who are some of the other nice guys? Jim Valvano? Peyton Manning? Bobby Orr? Pat Neshek who has a blog (of course I like him) and appears to always be having fun.
- So I ask you: Who are the nice guys in sports?
- Who would you like to meet and have a beer with?
- Who appears to be a regular person with a really cool job?
I look forward to reading your comments.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Rafael Nadal - i was cheering for him because he was so humble during Wimbledon and remained that way after he won! He seems like such a good guy i couldn’t help but root him on.
I would love to have a beer with Aaron Peirsol!!!!! He seems so cool and i want to see his gold medals!
The Manning brothers for sure make the list.
August 13th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my favorite feetball player..Roger Staubach. His recent sale of his company made him millions, but he also made sure that about 300 of his longtime employees got rich, too. They were his number one concern during the whole negotiating process.
He genuinely seems like a regular guy.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:12 am
I thought I would share the thoughts of Ken Davidoff’s a writer fro Newsday on his thoughts for his All Nice Guy Baseball Team:
The All-Nice Guy Team
I always try to stop in the visitors’ clubhouse when covering a Yankees or Mets game, and this past Saturday, I entered the A’s clubhouse and was pleasantly surprised to see Mike Sweeney. I confess, I had forgotten that Sweeney, who hasn’t played since late May because of arthroscopic surgery on both knees, was on the A’s.
Sweeney is, simply, one of the nicest guys I’ve met in covering baseball. Incredibly friendly, inquisitive, conversational. He reminds me of the “Happiest Man in Springfield”
Anyhoo, running into Sweeney inspired me to make an All-Nice Guy Team. We already did an All-Media Team, but believe it or not, some of those people have their own agendas for helping the media and might not actually be so nice. No, this is the team of people who come off as extraordinarily nice, even if they don’t necessarily offer up pearls of wisdom _ or aren’t as high-profile.
Catcher: Wil Nieves. I warned you that not everyone would be high-profile. I never saw this guy not smiling.
First base: Sweeney. As noted, an incredibly nice guy.
Second base: Homer Bush. His colorful name, his personality and the context of his time with the Yankees _ he backed up Chuck Knoblauch during Knoblauch’s first year with the Yankees, when he didn’t play very well offensively or defensively _ made him immensely popular in 1998.
Shortstop: David Eckstein. Sorry, fellow stats geeks, but he is unfailingly polite and pleasant.
Third base: Jim Thome. I don’t consider this cheating. He was a regular third baseman until 1996. Known for being good to people beneath him on the food chain.
Leftfield: Alfonso Soriano. Oh, he has his issues, primarily when it comes to Richie G’s pet peeve, but this is another guy who never seems to be in a bad mood. Also deserves major props for learning English by his second full year in the big leagues and thereafter conducting his interviews in English.
Centerfield: Rondell White. Okay, so we’re not fielding a defensive powerhouse. During 2002, White’s disappointing (and only) season with the Yankees, he never took out his anxiety on anyone. He always offered a smile and a “How are you feeling?” And yes, people named in the Mitchell Report are eligible for this. Shoot, even people who think Mitchell is a foof concede that the former Senator himself is a very nice guy.
Rightfield: Reggie Sanders. He played for seven teams from 1998 through 2004, but it wasn’t his personality that kept his suitcase packed. He’s good people.
Designated hitter: Sean Casey. They call him “The Mayor,” and it’s not one of those ironic nicknames. It’s because he’s a non-stop talker, and because everyone likes him.
Starting Pitcher: Jose Contreras. Part of his problem, when he was with the Yankees, appeared to be that he was too eager to please.
Relief Pitcher: Joe Nathan. Just last week, a Major League Baseball official was telling me what a nice guy Nathan, the SUNY-Stony Brook product, was at the All-Star Game. I agreed.
Manager: Charlie Manuel. Maybe a manager wouldn’t want to be on this team, and certainly, Ole Charlie can get fired up. But Manuel is the type of guy who will sit on the bench hours before a game and shoot the you-know-what with whoever is standing in his vicinity.
August 15th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I like Ken’s list. You can probably concur on Homer Bush’s inclusion!
I’d add Mike Cameron, who seems to always be smiling and has had a reputation of being very funny in the clubhouse/locker room and Corey Patterson, who once, while standing in the on deck circle during a game in Baltimore, turned to a fan sitting just behind me, and answered the fan’s question regarding restaurant suggestions in Chicago (Since Patterson had been a Cub).
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Rocco Mediate, and you are spot on. What you saw is what you’ve always gotten from him. But by far, the #1 class act of all I’ve had the pleasure to spend time with in golf, is the King himself, Arnold Palmer. He is genuinely a nice and friendly guy, who still personally signs all of his autograph requests that come in to his office. I first met Palmer after he had a particularly tough round during the PGA Championship. I was just two weeks into my job at the PGA, a young kid fresh out of grad school, and he was gracious , giving of his time, and seemed genuinely interested in talking, even though the discussion was non work related. Maybe there’s something about golfers from western Pennsylvania, since both Mediate and Palmer come from there.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
There is one sport that sticks out in my mind to really see a nice guy, and that’s mixed martial arts - aka the UFC similar events. Randy Couture and Rich Franklin never fail to dissapoint. No trash talking, just beat the other guy up, shake his hand, and go back to life and endless days of training.
August 16th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Jon,
Thanks for your response. I can concur on the Homer Bush mention. I was a little surprised by Ken Davidoff’s mentioning Homer not because he isn’t a nice guy but because most, if not all of his team is current players in major league baseball.
Merrill
August 17th, 2008 at 9:56 am
A few years ago, my brother and I were in an elevator at the Sheraton NY the door opened and Ron Guidry walked in (I know this sounds like the set up for a joke…). Anyway, we introduced ourselves as admirers, but Red Sox fans and he laughed and said “Well I always like playing in Boston, they’ve got great seafood.” Very nice guy!
About 10 years ago in Dallas, Mark Aguirre was autographing at Ticketstock (a weekend sports fair sponsored by the local sports talk station). Mark had a reputation for being a belligerent hot head when he played for the Mavs, but when we met him in person he couldn’t have been nicer. My daughter Caitie (about 10 at the time) only had a piece of paper for him to autograph, so he pulled out a Topps basketball card and said “I’ve got too many of these.” and gave her one. I was getting an Aguirre Starting LineUp (sports action figures popular in the 90’s). He had never seen one and his face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. He held it up for the crowd to see. Someone yelled out “Hey Mark, didn’t you make a lot of money off of those?” “Not one dime!”, he yelled back. So it’s great to find out that a professional athlete is a great guy, especially when his reputation would lead you to think differently.