(OT) celebs/athletes you've seen in person

[sfphillyfan]

Just randomness for the offseason. Inspired by the Andy Reid in socal thread. I don't think I've seen that many celebs. I'm not talking about at the ballpark or at a concert.

Seen:

- Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (at a craps table in vegas. represents well in real life... just super hot. Incredibly attractive. Great ass. Faith was ok too.)
- Girl from My Two Dads at a restaurant. (totally random in like 1985)
- The Hilton whores at the ghost bar in vegas


Talked to:
- Adam Duritz in Vegas. My friend yelled at him for only playing $5 a roll in craps. (shit, seems I play a lot of craps)Also saw him wandering around Berkeley like a fat hobo.
- Baron Davis at a sandwich shop near the office. He lived near there and apparently his condo listing said "Boom Dizzle"


I think that's it for me. I'm usually pretty oblivious to celebs. And like I sadi before, I couldn't pick out half the Eagles in a lineup.

[ThoughtProcess]

Like I said, I had that Muhammad Ali sighting in the airport. Also had a Joe Frazier sighting riding down Broad St. He was leaving the gym that beared his name in North Philly. Spoke to former Eagles OT Antone Davis briefly as he vacationed with his family. I didn't recognize him as an ex-Eagle right away, but I did tell him that I'd seen him before. I thought that he might have been stationed with me when I was in the service. He asked me where I was from, and I told him. He then said that he was an ex-Eagle.

There was 70's soul group out of Philly called Blue Magic. I encountered them while buying a suit in a men's store. they were buying clothes in preparation for a gig out in L.A.

[musicman]

Drank uzzo with Alvin Lee from Ten Years After at one of his shows in Germany,Claude Osteen coached against us in Legion Baseball,talked regularly with him.he's a pretty good guy.Got to talk to Sheldon Brown,AJ Feeley,Jaqua Parker,Jason Davis at a Charity basketball game.

[balto-eaglefan]

I was at an airport with a lot of other families, waiting for a friend's Army unit to come back from Gulf War I. The plane had been routed through Raleigh-Durham, and I saw Dick Vermeil, he was one of the first guys off the plane -- he was one of the announcers on a college football game in the NC area, that I'd watched on TV earlier that day. Smiled at him and said, "Hey, coach!" and then so did a couple of other fans after that. He smiled back and kept on going, seemed friendly enough!


I went to the same high school as former Tennessee Titans TE Frank Wycheck, so I saw the guy around the school often enough. Didn't know him personally, but I'd talked once in a while with his brother, who was in the same home room that I was.


Was an extra in an episode of Homicide (I got like maybe 1 second of screen time) but talked for a moment with guest actor Peter Gallagher, who thought that my props were actually his (the props were a pair of drinking glasses at a bar - I was a server picking them up). Andre Braugher was also in the scene, though I didn't speak with him. It was late at night, and after a couple of takes, Braugher would say, "...and that's a wrap for Mr. Braugher..." every time after the director said "cut."


I was hanging out at a charity event in college, and at one point this one guy in this group of people introduced himself to me as Ricky Skaggs. I knew I'd heard the name, but didn't remember where, so I casually gave him my name like I would for anyone else. I guess I didn't seem to be impressed enough, because he said again, "I'm Ricky Skaggs." I said ok, and reintroduced myself, and he said one more time, "I'm Ricky Skaggs," and I said, "right, nice meeting you" and walked away to join another group!


In 1996, I was in Atlanta during the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. I ran track in high school, and I felt like I was hanging out with celebrities all week. Two of the guys that I met were twin brothers Alvin and Calvin Harrison; Alvin qualified for the '96 team, and both of them went to the 2000 games in Sydney where they won the gold as part of the 400 m relay. Unfortunately, two years ago that relay team was stripped of its medals after Antonio Pettigrew admitted that he'd used performance enhancing drugs during that time. Also, in the '03-'04 time frame, both of them ended up serving suspensions for banned substances. I think that Alvin still competes though.

[Jukin]

I grew up in Cherry Hill and when I was 9 I had a friend who lived near Mohammad Ali. She told me to come over on Halloween because Ali always gave out really great stuff instead of the standard little candies. She was right! He handed out $10 rolls of quarters to all the kids in the neighborhood! When it was my turn he gave me one of those patented sideways looks and said, "Where do you live?" I told him the name of my street and he grinned and said "Then you get the treat behind door #2!" and gave me a full sized Snickers as well as a Milky Way bar. Seems the $10 was only for kids who really lived there! He was (and remains in my mind anyway) the very definition of cool!!

I saw Dr. J walking in Philly one day and yelled "Yo Doc!" he stopped and turned and I approached him and told him I was a big Sixers fan. I asked for an autograph (the only time in my life!) and he said 'sure thing' and signed some scrap of paper I found in my pocket.

In the late 90's I saw Dan Deirdorf on a flight to Vegas. When we got off the plane I was pretty riled and was going to tell him what an asshole he was for always attacking the Philly fans. When I saw how much trouble he had just walking - I mean he really can barely move! - I felt so bad for him that I just said 'Good luck in Vegas Dan." and he smiled and said "You too."

Around that same time I used to go to Pizzeria Uno's in Cherry Hill fo happy hour on Friday's with people from my office. One night there was a guy sitting next to me at the bar and we were watching NFL highlights on ESPN. After a little while talking with him I introduced myself and when he said his name was Glenn I immediately recognized him as Glenn Foley. He was pretty good guy and of course his comments about the highlights was beyond insightful. There were about 5 of my co-workers still there by that point and we sat around talking with him for about 45 minutes. Very nice guy - even if he was a stinking Jet!!

The best celebrity sighting I ever had took place when I was doing Construction Management for a Design-Build Architect. There was a sub-contractor doing the framing and sheet rock work and part of my job was watch what they were doing and make sure they were doing it right. I got to know everyone on the various crews. There was a guy named Bob that I swear I had met before. For the first few days on the job I would ask him if he had worked with me on this job or that job. Each time he would say he hadn't been on the project and I'd say, "I swear I know you from somewhere!" After a day or two I simply chalked it up to mistaken identity. About two weeks later another a guy from another company came up to me and asked if that was Bob Kelly of the Flyers. The light finally went on!! By this point I felt pretty comfortable with him and walked up to hm and said, "Hey Bob what's your last name?" "Kelly." I said "You're not Bob Kelly of the Flyers are you?" He smiled and said, "No that must be someone else." I said "Good! I'd have to throw you off the job if you were. I always hated that guy! Couldn't skate to save his life. Slow as shit! Can't believe they even gave him a pair of skates!!" He just started laughing and I said "You asshole! It's been driving me crazy trying to figure out where I knew you from! Why didn't just you tell me?" He said "You kept asking if we had met and I kept saying no. Besides it was fun watching you get frustrated." It turned out that his friend owned the company and he was helping him out and staying out of the house for a while. He worked on that job for about 6 weeks and then worked on another job with me. I got to know him pretty well that year but I haven't seen him since he closed his sports memorabilia store in Echelon Mall in the mid 90's.

My parents knew Bernie Parent who went to the same Church as my family. I had my confirmation with his son Chuck and I was with my parents one night when we ran into Bernie and his wife. We ended up having dinner together in Marlton. I saw his daughter a few years later at the Main Street Pub in Voorhees and my girlfriend and I hung out with her and her and her boyfriend that night. I haven't seen any of them since then.

[sfphillyfan]

oh yeah Dr J came to my school when I was in.. 6th grade maybe.

[Jukin]

Oh yeah Vin that reminded me of another one. When I was 8 Willie Montanez came to one of my little league team practices and worked with all of us one afternoon. He gave out autographed pictures and was my favorite Phillie for a long time after that!

I also met George Foreman during his "return" when he was fighting Evander Holyfield. I was working for an Architect doing a lot of projects at Caesar's in AC and was introduced to him when he and his manager came into one of the executive suites where I was meeting with someone from Ceasar's.

A few years ago I was at a fundraiser for the Camden County Democrats and Kelly Ripa was there. My wife and I got our picture taken with her after her father (a County Freeholder) introduced us and my boss and his wife to her. She was extremely nice and pretty hot, but I wouldn't have recognized her had she not been introduced to me.

[andrewaters]

True story... I saw Scott Van Pelt at the Pink Taco at the Hard Rock Cafe in Vegas eating dinner with another guy. And it looked like the kind of dinner you normally would eat with a wife. Dark area of the room... whine... and when his "friend" went to the bathroom I walked over and said hello. This was back when he was on the Golf Channel so I think he was surprised that anybody recognized him. And, I think, he was a touch uncomfortable with it also.

Also stood in line at a Barnes and Noble in K.C. here behind Tom Watson. It was like in 2000 and he was getting ready to qualify for the U.S. Open. Really nice guy. I talked to him for a few minutes and wished him luck. We actually had a conversation. I didn't like the guy before that because of his famous letter to the Masters about getting gary mccord off the telecast... for those of you who know golf you might remember this... but he was actually one of the coolest celebs I think you could meet. and ugly Wow.

[j-bird]

Back in 1976 my first "real" job was with Garrett-Buchanan Paper Company at 10th & Spring Garden.One of the perks was free membership at the Philly Athletic Club.Got to know a # of Sixers and played 1 on 1 with a rookie in '77 named Mike Dunleavy.Great guy and absolute gym rat.Just from working his ass off he became a solid NBA pro and is still coaching.
Was sitting in the sauna one day and who walks in but Dr J.That was the day the Sixers picked up Al Skinner and Doc and I sat talking about him for about ten minutes.Just a great guy & it was cool as shit.Have met Cal Ripken & Brooks Robinson a few times and both guys are absolute aces.
No bullshit with any of these four guys.

[sfphillyfan]

SO GLAD that didn't turn into a cigar club story....

I saw Barkley "jogging" in Bala Cynwyd once.

[j-bird]

SO GLAD that didn't turn into a cigar club story....

I saw Barkley "jogging" in Bala Cynwyd once.

Not my style Vin,I only bat from the right side of the plate,lol.

[Luzinski's Gut]

Troy Vincent graduated from the same high school as I did. He would show up for basketball games around the Christmas break when he was at Wisconsin.

Saw Tractor Traylor playing blackjack in Vegas wearing his own Michigan jersey, that was a real laugh riot, especially as it was Halloween night and I was three sheets to the wind.

Met Ron Anderson, Scott Brooks, Chris Mullin, James Bailey, Glen Rice and David Robinson through various basketball camps.

One of my brother's assistant coaches in college was Mark McNamara, really nice laid back dude. Both my brothers played with Bill Walton's sons in San Diego in high school. He's a wackjob, kids are smart and generally nice. Both brothers also played with Scot Pollard in high school, speaking of wackjobs.

Met Gheorge Muresan when I turned a corner at the Whole Foods in Annapolis and almost broke my neck on his hip. I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking and turned a corner into another aisle and almost got a face full of stinky Euro. Hell of a nice guy though. It's odd to feel small when you are 6'4" and the guy next to you is 7'7". His wife was with him and she was like 6'8".

[Zepster]

I'll just state the ones I've met and talked to.

Franco Harris, Kijana Carter, Gary Brown, Lavar Arrington, Micheal Zordich, Richie Lucas, Kerry Collins (knew him before PSU), O.J. Mcduffie, Mike McQueary, many other former PSU players as well that only PSU fans would remember. My brother in law played at PSU so I've spent quite a few Saturday afternoons in the Lettermans club. Ron Jaworski, Eric & Brett Lindross.

Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz, 911, Jimmy Paige, Blues Traveler, Rusted Root, The Tragically Hip (These guys are where all my back stages passes came from on the Horde tour and Another roadside attraction tour in the 90's.

I also met Dick Winters (hell of a guy), the WWII vet that was the main character in band of brothers on HBO.

[BIGPHILLY]

"Saw Tractor Traylor playing blackjack in Vegas wearing his own Michigan jersey, that was a real laugh riot, especially as it was Halloween night and I was three sheets to the wind."

- This is why I get on the internet. Reading this made my day on so many levels. I don't think In need to elaborate.

[rspurr]

I was just at a Sports Celebrity dinner with where Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and the Prime Minister of Canada all spoke. I don't know if that counts as you had to pay money to see these guys. My sister in law stalked Wayne at the hotel he was staying at and got his autograph and a picture taken with him and her kids.

Wayne is still a legend in Canada.

If you are talking about random sightings, I saw Simon Cowell at the Vancouver airport. He was talking on his cell phone the whole time. I was on a flight from Philly to Toronto where Alvin Williams (bball player from Villanova that was playing for the Raptors at the time) was sitting accross from me. I walked right past Stephen Ames (golfer) on the beach in Maui.

That is all that come to mind right now.