Brush with Greatness

[Daze Off]

Back when I was young and full of both testosterone and alcohol I met Chuck Wepner (the Bayonne Bleeder who fought Ali pretty tough) in a bar in New Jersey. My friends were pushing me to have a go at him but good sense prevailed because when we shook hands and it was like putting my hand in a catcher's mitt. He turned out to be not a bad guy. Saw him just recently on ESPN's Ringside show talking about his fight with Ali.

Daze Off

[setterguy]

I bartended at Lord Fletchers so I met a bunch of people there, athletes in particular.

Tim Herron,- "2 long islands, two packs of Marb lights keep 5 for yourself"

Keving Garnett came into Champps in Minnetonka one night while I was working there, nice guy, great tipper.

I won a week at a fantasy baseball camp, got to hang out with Tony Oliva, Brooks Robinson, George Foster, Darrel Evans and Pete Rose even came for a day. All the guys were great except for Pete, he is a total jack arse.

Brooks Robinson recognized and approached me at an airport about a year after the camp. A truley great guy.

[maros91]

Hung out with Paul Martin of the New Jersey Devils and Dan Hinote of the St. Louis Blues several times. Mark Parrish of the Wild was with Hinote a couple of those times.

The wrestlers "Legion of Doom" bought a lab from my uncle back in the day. I still have the autograph poster .

Talked to Tony Olivia at Pov's in Andover when he was there watching his kid play in the band. Very nice guy.

Met former Viking Chris Hovan at Brad Nessler's charity golf event in St. Charles. Hovan was kind a weird.

[IT Guy]

I was hunting geese years ago on the Platte River in Nebraska. This quiet guy walks up and asks if he can share the pit with my dad and me. It was Jim Cabela. Very nice guy. He also shared his bottle of antifreeze with us.

[FRESHWATER PETIE]

I met the "GRIZ" at Terry's on lake Mille lacs!!

[zamboni]

I almost forgot, when I worked in Kansas City at a car rental place football HOFer Willie Lanier used to come into town and rent from us. One day I asked to see his Super Bowl ring. I really meant hold your hand up so I could look at it- he instead slipped it off and handed it to me- I could have put 3 or 4 fingers into it, it was huge!