If you could meet any athlete...

[PATSNUTme]

Athlete: Tie Tedy Bru and Rodney.

Coach: Bill Belichick- just to keep my mouth shut and hear him talk about football. And, to warn him about The Choir.

 

[Boston Boxer]

Joe Namath...and the first thing i would do is punch him in the face. I hate that guy

 

[gomezcat]

I'll throw the name of Eric Cantona into the mix. Cantona was a French soccer player, who played in the 90s for my soccer team, Manchester United. He was the ultimate maverick genius and played a big role in bringing us our first Championship in 26 years. United fans still sing about him.
He famously said, [size=-1]"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea" in a press conference. It was thought that he was referring to the low life of the journalist fraternity. He also kung-fu kicked a fan who was hurling obscenities at him after he had just been sent off (ejected). The fan turned out to be a known racist.

There is no one football player that I would like to meet. I would love to meet BB but only if I got to spend time picking his brains over dinner.
[/size]

 

[Brady#12]

well ive got a few:

Lance armstrong
Teddy.Bru
Tom Brady
T.O so i could

 

[drew4008]

Muhammad Ali is a joke. Mike Tyson could've killed him in his prime. Dancing around the ring isn't boxing, fight like a man you wuss.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Bobby Orr - the best hockey player ever.

He's also a great person from what I hear.

I met #4 back in 1972, when I was still in single digits for age. It was the height of the Big Bad Bruins and I was wearing my "Derek is Unreal" T-shirt. He came to my uncle's house to visit my cousin because he broke both he legs in a bizarre attempted jump form his triple decker to the roof of the garage (I made it, he didn't, but don't tell my aunt). Imagine how big my eyes were Bobby Orr, in my uncle's living room. He was great there was ten kids there all under 10 years old, and he gave each of us authographed pictures and stayed for about an hour. Absolute class! Still my hero.

 

[marty]

Alive -Arnold Palmer - I'm not a golfer, but he's always struck me as a real gentleman.
Dead - Babe Ruth - just seems like the kinda guy you'd like to party with!

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

For me it's Michael Jordan.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

For me it's Michael Jordan.

Hey if you're a golfer you might get a shot as Brady's replacement should he be busy at the SB next season.

 

[Bill's Girl]

Bruschi.

Followed closely by Brady.

I'd be too afraid to meet Belichick.

Bella, its funny you say that about BB, HC and I have said the same thing to each other! It would probably be the only time in my life I would be speechless!

 

[patsfaninpa]

Muhammad Ali is a joke. Mike Tyson could've killed him in his prime. Dancing around the ring isn't boxing, fight like a man you wuss.

Are you serious Drew? George Foreman in his prime(when Ali beat him)
was much better than Tyson. Ali would have frustrated that little
boy in the pre-fight press conferences and would have embarrassed him
in the ring. Ali could not be intimidated. That's how Tyson won. Once
you punch the bully in the face he shows his true colors.

 

[skri65]

I"d have to say belicheck...although I'm scared I would stutter my words. The man is intimidating.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Muhammad Ali is a joke. Mike Tyson could've killed him in his prime. Dancing around the ring isn't boxing, fight like a man you wuss.

THanks for the laugh.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Are you serious Drew? George Foreman in his prime(when Ali beat him)
was much better than Tyson. Ali would have frustrated that little
boy in the pre-fight press conferences and would have embarrassed him
in the ring. Ali could not be intimidated. That's how Tyson won. Once
you punch the bully in the face he shows his true colors.

Excellent point about Foreman. People forget about what a great fighter he was in his prime. Drew was probably born in 1988 and only knows the George Foreman grill thing, but he was a tremendously ferocious puncher. I had an opportunity to sit down with Joe Frazier a few weeks ago at a charity deal and he went on and on about how good Foreman was in his prime.

Foreman in his prime would have buried Tyson.

 

[drew4008]

Foreman in his prime would have buried Tyson.

Nah, Tyson was an animal in the ring. I'll admit he had a terrible attitude, and I don't even like him as a person, but he was truly a dominant boxer for the early part of his career. By the time he fought Lennox Lewis, he was already done.

 

[ilduce06410]

frazier is a nice man, great fighter

Excellent point about Foreman. People forget about what a great fighter he was in his prime. Drew was probably born in 1988 and only knows the George Foreman grill thing, but he was a tremendously ferocious puncher. I had an opportunity to sit down with Joe Frazier a few weeks ago at a charity deal and he went on and on about how good Foreman was in his prime.
Foreman in his prime would have buried Tyson.

no frazier, no ali. the thrilla in manilla is still one of the great bouts of all time.
they fed off each other, frazier has suffered many insults over the past 40 years. i am really glad to see his health and spirits are holding up.
it's a question of matchups. ali was susceptible to tall, athletic boxers. tyson is neither. tyson ould have hit him but aki would have (sorry) cut him to ribbons.
foreman would pulverize anyone silly enough to stand in front of him. he did that when he beat that kid at age 46.

 

[AStack75]

Nah, Tyson was an animal in the ring. I'll admit he had a terrible attitude, and I don't even like him as a person, but he was truly a dominant boxer for the early part of his career. By the time he fought Lennox Lewis, he was already done.

I'm too young to remember Ali in his prime, but it's tough for me to imagine anyone beating Tyson in his prime.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Nah, Tyson was an animal in the ring. I'll admit he had a terrible attitude, and I don't even like him as a person, but he was truly a dominant boxer for the early part of his career. By the time he fought Lennox Lewis, he was already done.

So dominant he was beaten by Buster Douglas -- while Tyson was in his prime. Meanwhile, Douglas's career, on the whole, was insignificant.

 

[PromisedLand]

It's funny no one mentioned Raymond Bourque - I did meet him once and was very impressed with how down to earth and gentlemanly he was. Also a sure-fire hall-of-famer.

My list:

1. Bill Russell
2. Tom Brady
3. My childhood sports hero Carl Yastrzemski (and I am still not sure I spelled his name right!)
4. Bill Belichick

 

[ilduce06410]

yes jim brown said that

No kidding, Jim Brown said that about Bill Belichick? Brown was my first favorite player because he ran with the football like no other runner before or since. The most exciting player at any position in the last 50 years, including Jerry Rice. I'd most like to meet Tom Brady, because he's such an upstanding individual, as well as the leader of my favorite team.

he sure did.
it appeareared in SI'ss most recent profile of jim at age 60.
i remember it was like "nobody in the nfl today has done more than BB". it seemed as though Jim was talking about the youth programs he has founded and supports in, idunno, maybe 12 cities now. the nflpa supports it, but not enthusiastically. like most outfits, if it's not their idea they seldom buy into it full force.
it seems like BB to handle it that way. i sensed it made a rumble around the nfl. i remember at least 2 guys, willie mcginest and a browns RB, making reference to it.