PDA

View Full Version : which current sports players do you consider classiest?



yankees24
03-18-2010, 08:48 AM
which current players from all sports would you consider are the classiest, and worthy to view as a role model? thanks!

tigerdale
03-18-2010, 09:11 AM
Curtis Granderson

eisenreich8
03-18-2010, 09:15 AM
Andy Pettitte
Mike Lowell

Manram
03-18-2010, 09:37 AM
Milton Bradley :D :eek: :rolleyes:

LastingsMilledge85
03-18-2010, 09:54 AM
Lastings Milledge ;) . Anyone on the Nationals, Willingham and Nieves in particular. I really don't think there is anyone nicer than Wil Nieves.

legaleagle92481
03-18-2010, 10:35 AM
Nobody. Athletes are not role models nor should they be. They were blessed. Yes they worked hard but if they were not a certain size or had certain natural skills most would not be where they are today. If Shaq was a foot shorter would he be an NBA star? If Favre did not have the ability to accurately throw a football 70 yards would he be in the NFL? If Clemens could not throw 95 mph would he have been a pitcher? This does not make a person qualified to be a role model. On top of it most of them do not have college degrees, many commit multiple acts of adultery a year or father childern out of wedlock and many others cheat at their sport i.e. use performance enhancing drugs. These are people most of us have never even met and if we did meet them it was for a second while they signed an autograph for us or some of us have had a business relationship with some of them. So how can someone determine who is classy and who is not? Yes many have done great deeds but that does not make them an allaround classy person or a role model. Look at Tiger Woods he has done alot for the community, always had a squeaky clean public image and was the first african american man to dominate or even be competitive in his sport. On the surface he seemed like a classy, great role model. This lasted for over a decade and then wham it turns out he has a sex addiction that caused him to have reems of women despite being married with young kids and his connection to that doctor means he very well may have used performance enhancing drugs. Anyone still think he is a classy, role model?

Athletes, celebrities and politicans should not be role models. Parents, grandparents, older siblings, aunts and uncles should be.

kellsox
03-18-2010, 10:38 AM
Andy Pettitte
Mike Lowell


Admitted HGH user, but at least he did it classy....

eisenreich8
03-18-2010, 10:54 AM
Admitted HGH user, but at least he did it classy....


Yeah, I weighed the HGH use into my decision to list him, but who among us is squeaky clean? The classy part to me does not get trumped by the HGH indiscretion.

I find it painfully difficult to populate the classy list from those I consider.......anyone posting for the "assiest" list will get a lot more traffic.

allstarsplus
03-18-2010, 11:00 AM
Lastings Milledge ;) . Anyone on the Nationals, Willingham and Nieves in particular. I really don't think there is anyone nicer than Wil Nieves.

Cal Ripken of the icons. For an everyday player, Wil Nieves is amazing. Brian Schneider (now of the Phillies) is another amazing guy.

Retired players, Frank Howard will sign and inscribe anything you want and take pictures with you and probably mow your grass if you asked him.

In hockey, Robert Lang has always been so gracious and nice and that goes back many years.

In football, anybody not named Deion Sanders.

In basketball, I definitely enjoyed Darryl Strawberry's son DJ Strawberry. So nice to my kids and a well mannered young man.

There are so many others but those guys really have stood out for me.

sportscentury
03-18-2010, 02:50 PM
Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Grant Hill, and Steve Nash come to mind in the NBA. Until his recent nude photo debacle, I would have had Greg Oden on this list, as well. Still seems like a very polite, nice, mannerly young (old?) man, but it's a little harder to list him next to guys like Duncan and Hill now.

sox83cubs84
03-18-2010, 04:33 PM
For MLB: Jim Thome, recently-retired Tony Clark and Sean Casey and Paul Konerko.

Dave M.
Chicago area

Tedw9
03-18-2010, 07:26 PM
Just from my personal experience, Adam Vinatieri.

rays54
03-18-2010, 07:34 PM
Mohammed Ali and Jim Thome

Classiest: Jason Giambi, Dexter Fowler, Grady Sizemore, Houston Street

spartakid
03-18-2010, 08:55 PM
Nick Swisher for sure, and Andrew Bailey was great when I met him as well.

AWA85
03-18-2010, 10:03 PM
Former Red and Current Dayton Dragons Coach Todd Benzinger was one of the best experiences I have ever had with in person encounter. Chatted away about past Reds teams, signed for anyone and offered to have picture taken. Great guy all around.

Preston
03-18-2010, 10:23 PM
I swear when I do this list in my head it gets shorter and shorter every year...

Rae Carruth
O.J. Simpson
Ray Lewis
Ben Roethlisberger
Tyler Smith
Adam "Pacman" Jones
Lawrence Phillips
Michael Vick
Alvin Robertson
Jayson "Loose Balls" Williams
Plaxico Burress

OK, OK, NOW ON TO THE "REAL" LIST: (This is based on multiple in-person experiences and how they conduct themselves when cameras are NOT on them)

Peyton Manning
Cortland Finnegan
J.R. House (Anyone who has ever seen him knows what I mean - amazing, unwavering faith)



Sadly, if the "situation" had not been brought to light, I would have unquestioningly put Steve McNair on this list - dude was such a great fan-friendly guy and never turned me down for an autograph. Even knew me by name because I saw him so much and was really, really nice. Always had a smile on his face.

And Tim Tebow is not going on this list because the guy's a jerk, period.

sportscentury
03-19-2010, 05:17 AM
And Tim Tebow is not going on this list because the guy's a jerk, period.

I've never heard this. What is your Tebow story?

MSpecht
03-19-2010, 10:24 AM
From back in the day, Mickey Lolich and Mike Lum....and more recently, Tony Gwynn, all make the 'classiest' list.


Mike Jackitout7@aol.com

shoremen44
03-19-2010, 10:52 AM
I know it is current guys, but I met Johnny Unitas once... classiest guy ever

bigtruck260
03-19-2010, 11:08 AM
The Cards have been blessed with some really great guys - Darryl Kile, Woody Williams, Andy Benes, Mike Matheny, etc.

Currently, Adam Wainwright is a player that sets a trememdous example for the team, kids, and the city in general.

TNTtoys
03-19-2010, 04:51 PM
I swear when I do this list in my head it gets shorter and shorter every year...

Rae Carruth
O.J. Simpson
Ray Lewis
Ben Roethlisberger
Tyler Smith
Adam "Pacman" Jones
Lawrence Phillips
Michael Vick
Alvin Robertson
Jayson "Loose Balls" Williams
Plaxico Burress


You forgot Jose Offerman, Mel Hall, Ugueth Urbina and Julio Machado.

gingi79
03-19-2010, 10:16 PM
Recently retired Trevor Linden. He was the heart and soul of the Vancouver Canucks for the last 20 years. He secretly donated thousands of hours of his time and energy and celebrity to those who were less fortunate then him. He didn't ask for an ounce of recognition, he just felt it was his responsibility. Too humble to allow the Canucks to add a patch to their jerseys for his retirement ceremony this past December, he made the small concession of allowing a #16 patch to be added to the honorary guests shirts worn during the ceremony.

Rather than just have old teammates tell war stories of his leadership, children and parents revealed his character instead. Representing the literally thousands of hours he quietly spent raising money for the Trevor Linden Foundation, Canucks Place and other children's charities his big secret and even bigger heart was unraveled. What other professional athlete spends his or her free time giving back to sick children? Let alone not using it for his "reputation" or allowing film crews or the Canucks for free publicity. He simply donated his money, his time and his celebrity with nothing but the feeling of being completely unselfish in return.

I more than anyone am guilty of cynicism when it comes to players attitudes and what they do with the power we give them. I simply hope when my teaching career is over, I feel I was as giving as my role model, Trevor Linden.

Preston
03-20-2010, 12:31 AM
can't believe I forgot Kurt Warner. You can tell it's late :)...REAL late

bigtruck260
03-20-2010, 06:33 PM
You forgot Jose Offerman, Mel Hall, Ugueth Urbina and Julio Machado.

You could probably add Vince Coleman to that list. People in NY would likely agree...

flota89
03-20-2010, 10:06 PM
As far as Cardinals players, I would say Adam Wainwright. He is always signing an autograph and never seems to have a bad attitude towards anything.

xujian19870908
03-21-2010, 10:21 PM
Big surprise is waitting for you .click here :

nationals2k9
03-22-2010, 07:44 AM
Chris Chelios

NegleyPirate
03-22-2010, 05:17 PM
Curtis Martin and his mother!!!

I met Curtis at a signing in Pittsburgh many moons ago. I purchased a ticket to get my helmet signed Curtis Martin #28 R.O.Y. 95' The promoter of the show wouldn't allow the ROY to be signed. Curt's mother heard this and told me to wait til the signing was over and she would get Curt to sign R.O.Y. for me. She said it's not right for people to pay for autograph and not allowed to get inscriptions.
Then she told me to give my address to her and she would send me a jersey. I was thinking this can't be happening to me. About 3 or 4 weeks later I get a package in the mail and open it up!
To: Mike God Bless!!!
Curtis Martin #28
R.O.Y. 95'

I couldn't believe how nice Mrs. Martin was and how true to her words she was. Her and Curt seem like the most down to earth people you would ever meet!

Fnazxc0114
03-22-2010, 11:48 PM
Kevin millwood was always real nice. He did a lot for the community here in dallas. He also donated a large chunk of his salary to various charities. When asked why he did what he did he said something along the lines of "well im doing alright i guess"

mbrieve
03-23-2010, 11:46 AM
Curtis Granderson
Couldn't agree more. I'll add another former Tiger, Alan Trammell.

Jayworld
04-09-2010, 11:36 AM
From my own personal experiences:

Enos Slaughter - very nice man and would sign anything and sit and talk to you for hours.

Terry Kennedy - very nice, will pose for pictures, sign anything, and talk about the Padres. I had a 1982 Padres yearbook for him to sign this past season (he is the Manager for the San Antonio Missions), and without seeing the cover, he knew exactly what year it was, and mentioned several snippet stories as he thumbed through the yearbook.

Jim Sundberg - "Mr. Ranger" in his day, always friendly and nice. Very approachable and would sign anything. Will still sign through the mail.

Randy Jones - my childhood favorite player. Got to meet him for the first time in 1994 at his barbecue pit located behind left field in Jack Murphy; posed for pictures, signed a ball and program, and talked about the Padres days and how he liked the brown and gold so much better than the then current navy and orange.

Grant Teaff - former Baylor football coach; very approachable, will sign anything and is extremely nice.

punch
04-09-2010, 11:52 AM
I've met Adrian Peterson a few times at various Vikings events (and he does a lot of them) and he's VERY nice to the fans. He's willing to autograph anything and spend a second to chit chat. He will also give out one of his famous handshakes if you ask him. You'll just be sorry that you did.

He's one of those players who doesn't seem to have grown an ego just yet, just seems to be happy to be where he's at and enjoys being around his fans.

He's also one of those players that you can count on being at the various Vikings charity events where you usually expect a bunch of no-name players.

One good AP story is that he went to speak to a local HS football team before a game last year, and he enjoyed it so much that he actually stuck around for the entire game and stood on the sidelines. He was right there with the coaches the entire game giving out advise and cheering on the kids. He didn't have to stay the whole game, but he did. Obviously the kids loved it.