Ever meet a player and be disappointed/surprised?
- Thread starter JFleegs
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That's a good laugh before I head to sleep. Well, sounds like a true ***** but so it goes with many athletes.
I've met Yakupov, Gagner, and Dubnyk. Nicest by far was Yak, he was really cool. Dubnyk I met a couple times at the restaurant that I worked at. He seemed really nice and signed some autographs for some kids, but also seemed kind of dumb. Gagner was nice too but kind of aloof, I could tell he didn't want to be bothered. I saw Gagner twice, once at a nice restaurant in Edmonton, he was on a date and I just gave him a nod and didn't bother him. I wanna say he appreciated that.
Good to hear, I hold out hope him and Hedman are class acts. They both seem down to earth and friendly in videos I've seen.
I agree the goons tend to be the more friendly of the bunch. I met Ken Daneyko after an ahl all star game at the hotel bar I asked if he was Rob Ray and he got a huge laugh out of that haha and then we ended up drinking, he got me a cigar and he was reminiscing his old fights on his iPhone. Even grabbed my ticket and signed it with all his cup years on it haha he was a cool dude.
I ran into a few other Nhlers at these events, I remember blair jones when I said excuse me to pass him in a really crowded room and told me to "**** off" and tried to get in my face.
My brother and I got in an elevator with byfuglien and he was the funniest guy.
Also met Brian Lee through a mutual friend at a bar in Binghamton, dude was a stuck up *****.
Met Steve Yzerman after a Bingo vs Norfolk game, got a picture taken by Julien BriesBois, both were very nice I could barely utter words to Yzerman besides "Im a huge Lightning fan" he asked how I was, he was nice and very patient.
Denis Hamel was also one of the nicest players Ive ever met.
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Have to laugh at the Corey Perry stories - he's actually one of the most humble, down to earth, likeable people youlll ever encounter... He doesn't want to be famous, he doesn't want attention from fanatics, he just wants to be a hockey player... Under different circumstances I'm sure most of you would have come away with a much different impression.
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Coaches Coroner
CIFU: Cuck In Florida Underbelly
- Mar 12, 2009
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At the 2003 Top Prospects Game I saw Bobby Clarke on the jumbo tron, realized I was sitting close to him so I went and asked for an autograph. He said "I don't have a pen". Two guys came up right behind me with pucks and a pen and asked him for his autograph. He asked them "aren't you two a bit old for this?". I asked if he could use their pen to sign my magazine and he obliged. Always got a kick out of that.
I was surprised how hardcore people are about there love of Don Cherry and getting his autograph. At the same game, I almost didn't get his autograph because several 40+ men crowded me out and refused to let me in when there was a bit of room to get an autograph.
Went to the prospect tournament the Leafs and 3 other teams are in when Schenn was drafted. Went down near the dressing room for autographs and asked him for an autograph and he said if we waited on the main floor he'd sign when he was done with post-game excercizes or whatever. We did and when he came up, as soon as he saw us he said "oh ****" or "**** sakes". He signed in an annoyed manner and left. Only time I ever had that happen at these rookie tournaments.
at the same tournament also got Erik Karlson , when he came out of the building I said "I think that's Karlson" to my friend and EK said "No, I'm not Erik Karlson" jokingly before walking over to us and signing our pucks for us. Definitely a better experience than Schenn.
I told Dan Bylsma he did a great job in Pittsburgh the summer after they won the cup first and he said "that's what I want my bosses to think!".
When I asked Tyler Seguin for an autgraph in his draft year he said "let me put my stuff on the bus and I'll come back and sign for you" which I thought for sure was one of those lines you get before a guy bails, but true to his word he came back. Was surprised because if a guy uses that line he's rarely coming back.
As a Kitchener Ranger I got his autograph, as I've seen a couple times, he will sign your shoe upon request.
I was surprised how hardcore people are about there love of Don Cherry and getting his autograph. At the same game, I almost didn't get his autograph because several 40+ men crowded me out and refused to let me in when there was a bit of room to get an autograph.
Went to the prospect tournament the Leafs and 3 other teams are in when Schenn was drafted. Went down near the dressing room for autographs and asked him for an autograph and he said if we waited on the main floor he'd sign when he was done with post-game excercizes or whatever. We did and when he came up, as soon as he saw us he said "oh ****" or "**** sakes". He signed in an annoyed manner and left. Only time I ever had that happen at these rookie tournaments.
at the same tournament also got Erik Karlson , when he came out of the building I said "I think that's Karlson" to my friend and EK said "No, I'm not Erik Karlson" jokingly before walking over to us and signing our pucks for us. Definitely a better experience than Schenn.
I told Dan Bylsma he did a great job in Pittsburgh the summer after they won the cup first and he said "that's what I want my bosses to think!".
When I asked Tyler Seguin for an autgraph in his draft year he said "let me put my stuff on the bus and I'll come back and sign for you" which I thought for sure was one of those lines you get before a guy bails, but true to his word he came back. Was surprised because if a guy uses that line he's rarely coming back.
As a Kitchener Ranger I got his autograph, as I've seen a couple times, he will sign your shoe upon request.
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MrClutch86
Registered User
I've met 50+ Lightning players and prospects and the only guy who was glaringly unpleasant was Brett Connolly
**** you Brett you pompus a-hole
**** you Brett you pompus a-hole
Grew up playing against Tyler Johnson.
Through age 10 or so up until age 16 we played head to head about 30-40 times as he was from Spokane, and I was from the Tri-Cities. Those cities are big rivals in hockey because they are the only big towns on the desert side of Washington.
He was an absolute midget growing up. He had some man child be his bodyguard through all those years who would go and crush anybody that touched Tyler.
I happened to be a defensive guy, and hit anything that moved. Not to float my own boat, but I knew the game like the back of my hand and hit a lot of people as I could read the play so well.
Let's just say I've checked Johnson a bunch of times and had to deal with his bodyguard thereafter.
I was about 5 foot 10, 160 or so at 16, and this guy was like 6 feet and 200 pounds of muscle. Could've passed for a mid twenty year old.
I still remember one game against them in our 16 year old year, and I actually put a good one on Johnson. His enforcer went after me the whole game and I went right back at him.
He absolutely laid me out three times that game...like lying in my back staring at the roof type hit. But I caught him with his head down after the third time and absolutely dropped him. Let's just say that was the proudest moment of my hockey career haha.
Thankfully that was in Midget so we couldn't fight or I would've been in big trouble. I could hold my ground in a fight, but he would've ripped my head off.
After that, he went to the NPHL, or Norpac for short. He scored 3 ppg that year, and made the Chiefs the year after.
Unfortunately, I played Norpac the year after as I was never good enough for major junior. I handled the puck like a hand grenade, and had no value if the puck wasn't in my zone haha.
I played Jacob Doty a handful of times in the aforementioned NPHL. Outside of Chicago Wolves fans, nobody probably knows who he is haha. He asked me to fight, and I'd never been more scared in my life. The dude made the pro's literally on his fighting skill alone. Thank the hockey gods he was in the other conference so I didn't see him much.
And lastly, Jaroslav Svejkovský. For those old school Capital fans, I'm sure you remember him. He was a supremely talented forward drafted in the first round about 20 years ago. He played Juniors for Tri-Cities, and married a girl from there.
He had to retire due to concussions, which is such a shame because he had star potential and the most talented player I ever shared the same ice with.
Obviously I never played against him, but after he retired he moved back to the Tri-Cities for a couple of years and coached my midget teams. He coached me two years and taught everyone so much. He said he never took a slapshot in his life and could rip a hole through the net with a snapshot. It was truly amazing. One of the nicest people you could have ever met.
He stayed there for another year or so after that, and then began scouting for a WHL team up in Canada. I have no idea what he's doing now, but it was such a shame so much talent was wasted due to injuries.
Through age 10 or so up until age 16 we played head to head about 30-40 times as he was from Spokane, and I was from the Tri-Cities. Those cities are big rivals in hockey because they are the only big towns on the desert side of Washington.
He was an absolute midget growing up. He had some man child be his bodyguard through all those years who would go and crush anybody that touched Tyler.
I happened to be a defensive guy, and hit anything that moved. Not to float my own boat, but I knew the game like the back of my hand and hit a lot of people as I could read the play so well.
Let's just say I've checked Johnson a bunch of times and had to deal with his bodyguard thereafter.
I was about 5 foot 10, 160 or so at 16, and this guy was like 6 feet and 200 pounds of muscle. Could've passed for a mid twenty year old.
I still remember one game against them in our 16 year old year, and I actually put a good one on Johnson. His enforcer went after me the whole game and I went right back at him.
He absolutely laid me out three times that game...like lying in my back staring at the roof type hit. But I caught him with his head down after the third time and absolutely dropped him. Let's just say that was the proudest moment of my hockey career haha.
Thankfully that was in Midget so we couldn't fight or I would've been in big trouble. I could hold my ground in a fight, but he would've ripped my head off.
After that, he went to the NPHL, or Norpac for short. He scored 3 ppg that year, and made the Chiefs the year after.
Unfortunately, I played Norpac the year after as I was never good enough for major junior. I handled the puck like a hand grenade, and had no value if the puck wasn't in my zone haha.
I played Jacob Doty a handful of times in the aforementioned NPHL. Outside of Chicago Wolves fans, nobody probably knows who he is haha. He asked me to fight, and I'd never been more scared in my life. The dude made the pro's literally on his fighting skill alone. Thank the hockey gods he was in the other conference so I didn't see him much.
And lastly, Jaroslav Svejkovský. For those old school Capital fans, I'm sure you remember him. He was a supremely talented forward drafted in the first round about 20 years ago. He played Juniors for Tri-Cities, and married a girl from there.
He had to retire due to concussions, which is such a shame because he had star potential and the most talented player I ever shared the same ice with.
Obviously I never played against him, but after he retired he moved back to the Tri-Cities for a couple of years and coached my midget teams. He coached me two years and taught everyone so much. He said he never took a slapshot in his life and could rip a hole through the net with a snapshot. It was truly amazing. One of the nicest people you could have ever met.
He stayed there for another year or so after that, and then began scouting for a WHL team up in Canada. I have no idea what he's doing now, but it was such a shame so much talent was wasted due to injuries.
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I met Eric Lindros on a boat on a lake. We had a conversation about birds pooping on his island.
This post reminded me of that "I like soup" comedy bit.
Let's face it. There were no birds and there was no island.
Warden of the North
Ned Stark's head
This post reminded me of that "I like soup" comedy bit.
Let's face it. There were no birds and there was no island.
There absolutely was. To the point, he actually argued with me about whether or not they were native to Canada because he had recently watched a documentary about them in Japan
Being born and raised in Buffalo that's where I've met most athletes. Eichel, ROR seemed down to earth. Football, Fred Jackson and Cj Spiller always stood out to me. Liked Aaron Williams and Marcell Dareus. Stevie Johnson was always late to stuff and seemed kinda *******. Growing up I remember meeting Daryl Talley at a restuarant I was like 6, he was really friendly, signed my napkin lol. One bad experience was in Florida at a retired baseball players game. My dad and I got there early, only ones there. Other guys signed my ball, Rollie Fingers walked by my dad asked if we would sign my ball for me, he looked at us and walked away. Never forgot that or his pedophile-like mustache.
Coaches Coroner
CIFU: Cuck In Florida Underbelly
- Mar 12, 2009
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I met Kadri a couple times. He was always polite and didn't mind having a short chat. The one funny thing I heard about him from a professor in University who knew several students who worked at Wendy's and in the summers when Kadri was back home he was said to have been a frequent flyer at the local Wendy's
. This was back before he made the NHL full time and gave some credence to the rumours he was out of shape to start camp the one year.
KingBilly
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2008
- 206
- 39
I just plain don't believe the Crosby story. It's not to say you can't catch in a mood where he doesn't want to be taking pictures or talking to fans, but he wouldn't say "**** off". He's been living this his entire life, and has clearly learned to be more diplomatic than that. The guy is a robot. Like him or hate him, he's savvier than that.
But I'm enjoying these stories. Turns out hockey players are humans. Some can be jerks, others the nicest people you'll meet. As a general rule if you meet famous people you should try to give them something out of the experience too. Have something interesting to say. Connect with them in a way other than as a dumbstruck fan.
But I'm enjoying these stories. Turns out hockey players are humans. Some can be jerks, others the nicest people you'll meet. As a general rule if you meet famous people you should try to give them something out of the experience too. Have something interesting to say. Connect with them in a way other than as a dumbstruck fan.
Marty St. Louis is a great guy, surprised he hasn't been mentioned yet. We used to go to field trips to NVMC to hear about working in sports a little field trip set up by the Islanders, brought in a bunch of schools, they lectured us while morning skate was on going (got some pucks) and you would get a ticket to the game. I made sure to sit by up front to the side so the visiting team would have to pass me to get to their locker room before the morning skate, I asked MSL individually for him to sign my puck and he kind of pulled me aside and we chatted for five minutes so that was cool.
Graves is a great guy. Is best friends with the dad of one of my teammates so we had a charity hockey game over the holidays one year. He signed for everyone / took pics. I got to line up next to him at a face off and he asked me "if I wanted to go" haha. But anyone that follows the NYR org knows he's a great guy.
I can't think of any negative encounters that really stand out to me, but I've met plenty of NY/BOS area players, or people from NYR NYI NJD and PIT
Graves is a great guy. Is best friends with the dad of one of my teammates so we had a charity hockey game over the holidays one year. He signed for everyone / took pics. I got to line up next to him at a face off and he asked me "if I wanted to go" haha. But anyone that follows the NYR org knows he's a great guy.
I can't think of any negative encounters that really stand out to me, but I've met plenty of NY/BOS area players, or people from NYR NYI NJD and PIT
hagelin1381
Registered User
kook10
Registered User
- Jun 27, 2011
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Met Brad Stuart at a rink in LA last month. He was nice and said hello to my kid. I think he was surprised to be recognized.
Played 3 on 3 stick time with Brooks Laich last year. It was super random oh him to come out, but he was a super nice guy.
A memorable encounter one I saw though was Tiger Williams. Mid 80s in LA - he had been kicked out of a game and was sitting in the loge for the third. A guy and his 7 year old or so have asked him for his autograph. He simply told them f- off.
Played 3 on 3 stick time with Brooks Laich last year. It was super random oh him to come out, but he was a super nice guy.
A memorable encounter one I saw though was Tiger Williams. Mid 80s in LA - he had been kicked out of a game and was sitting in the loge for the third. A guy and his 7 year old or so have asked him for his autograph. He simply told them f- off.
KoozNetsOff 92
Hala Madrid
- Apr 6, 2016
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I met Seguin in a club in downtown Vancouver and had a couple drinks with him lol. Really cool guy.
I played a couple games of pool with Mikko Koivu and Petteri Nummelin.
They were way cooler than they seemed in interviews.
They were way cooler than they seemed in interviews.
KingBilly
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2008
- 206
- 39
Perry and Getzlaf have always struck me as high school jock bully types. Maybe that's unfair and Getzlaf seems to have grown in adulthood. Everyone does. Especially if you have kids. But I can just imagine those two shoving nerds into lockers when they were teenagers. I am sure those stories exist.
- Feb 6, 2010
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I haven't heard much bad, if any, about Getz. He was awesome when he played for Calgary.
I've said this before on these boards. Unless a player is making a personal appearance where signing autographs is part of the gig then I think fans should leave that player alone. Probably the worst part of a player's job is dealing with fans.
Plante
Devils Advocate
Ray Ferraro screamed into my brothers face at a hockey school for my brother having the audacity to have his hockey bag slightly on top of Ferrari Jrs bag. We were 15 at the time and He was calling our mothers a ***** and threatening to 'take us out back' when I stood up for my brother.
Shook our hands till they hurt and stared at us in the eyes like he wanted to kill us at the graduation ceremony 2 weeks later.
Fun guy
Shook our hands till they hurt and stared at us in the eyes like he wanted to kill us at the graduation ceremony 2 weeks later.
Fun guy
Bring Bak Damphousse
Fire Bergevin...into the Sun
ScaredStreit
Registered User
I've met tons and tons of players and have only really had 1 bad experience:
Bobby Nystrom - As a kid I'd go to tons of autograph signings and Nystrom as basically at all of them. It was him and Clark Gillies, I was (literally) 7 at the time and asked him if he remembered meeting me the week before. He turned, looked at Gillies and said "like I'm going to remember THESE people?!"...Gillies just stared at him in disbelief and was pleasant. Now as an adult I see the absurdity in my question...but I was literally 7 and this was an autograph signing LOL.
Bobby Nystrom - As a kid I'd go to tons of autograph signings and Nystrom as basically at all of them. It was him and Clark Gillies, I was (literally) 7 at the time and asked him if he remembered meeting me the week before. He turned, looked at Gillies and said "like I'm going to remember THESE people?!"...Gillies just stared at him in disbelief and was pleasant. Now as an adult I see the absurdity in my question...but I was literally 7 and this was an autograph signing LOL.
