What's your cool story bro?
Simple question...what's your favorite/most memorable "Cool Story Bro" moment in relation to sports?
My 3 favorite would be:
Beating Darrell Green (playing as the Raiders) in Super Tecmo Bowl on a last second pick six...by Darrell Green.
At football camp with my Michigan hat the year Desmond Howard was drafted, he signed it let me follow him around all day which for a 12 year old Michigan fan in 1992 was unreal.
Having a chance to tour the Michigan facilities and see what the experience is for visiting recruits...even experiencing it at other schools was pretty cool.
Touche
+1 for beating me to it
Boring you of most of the details....My family had dinner with Ray Nitschke and his wife. I tried on his Super Bowl I ring.
I met Chris Perry while working at a movie theater, just a few weeks after he beat OSU. Shook his hand. I haven't washed that hand ever since.
More importantly, though, did Chris Perry call you "Neil"?
Now that you mention it, yes...
I was pulled over while driving in Ann Arbor. The police officer suspected that I was driving slowly through this neighborhood trying to buy drugs. I was actually going the posted 10 MPH speed limit because I noticed a cop car pull into the neighborhood behind me. The cop asked me why I pulled into that neighborhood. I told him I was going to some fancy restaurant for a graduation party (can’t remember the name of it now) and made a wrong turn. I had also told him I had been a student at the university for about 8 years. He looked at me incredulously and said, “You’ve lived in Ann Arbor for 8 years and don’t know where the {insert restaurant name here} is ?!?”
That officer’s name was Vada Murray.
The Gandy Dancer?
10 MPH speed limit? Was it a private street?
Lived on Cross St behind S. Quad. Cops called to loud party we had going on. Vada Murray gave us the noise violation ticket.
Did you score those drugs you were looking for?
Only users lose drugs......or is it only losers use drugs? I always get it mixed up.
Only losers lose their drugs. Pretty sure that's it.
Back in 2010 I was staying at a hotel in Dearborn for some mandated training for my job. One day it seemed like everywhere I went I saw these enormous men who clearly dwarfed me, most of them by a good foot or so. They were all over the place. At the hotel restaurant, in the pool, in the hot tub, riding the stationary bikes (which was interesting to see due to their size), and groups tossing a football around in the lobby. After awhile I realized it was the Detroit Lions football team and that must be (at the time) their team hotel for home games.
Maybe not a cool story bro (sis?) since it was the Lions and because I’m way too shy to approach any of them to make this a more interesting story.
A few years ago I was eating at Mongolian Barbecue in Dearborn and Nick Fairley walked in, ordered 3 to-go meals prepared the exact same way and bounced in his tricked out Hummer. I used to wonder why it was so hard for him to keep his weight under control while playing for the Lions. This explained a lot.
Isn't MB all you can eat? I know it used to be... Stopped going to all of those places because I was getting way too good of a deal.
August 1st, 2019 at 11:10 AM ^
When I first started going there it was full all you can eat. But they did start charging more (and disallowing carryout of leftovers) if you wanted additional bowls. I haven't been to one in quite a while to know if anything else has changed.
I've been blessed to meet many professional athletes and play against many former major league baseball players. Two stories that stand out are:
In 1989 I flew out to LA to watch the Dodgers play (high school teammate played for the Dodgers) and the Michigan vs. UCLA football game. I sat across the aisle from Dave Winfield on the flight (he was on his way to see Dr. James Andrews) He was very humble. A naked Fernando Valenzuela chasing Tommy Lasorda through the Dodgers clubhouse is a scene I can't unsee. And, we beat UCLA with a late comeback in the Rose Bowl. That game was awesome.
Another interesting story is I sat directly behind Steve Everitt and his girlfriend at the 2006 Michigan-Ohio State game. I recall it being about 30-some degrees out. He was in a t-shirt and shorts. That game sucked.
I've also been on the College Gameday stage with Desmond and crew many times and was lucky enough to draw Desmond's table (and the seat next to him) at the Lion's kickoff luncheon at DAC the one year he played for them. He is always very humble and always happy.
The "naked Fernando chasing Lasorda through the clubhouse" reminds me of a "cool story bro" of my brother's. Many years ago, he graduated from Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts, and hooked an internship with WJBK-TV2. His first week, he got chosen to go with Ray Lane and a camera crew to cover that night's Pistons' game (back in the Bad Boys era).
The next day he was telling the family all about it: he got to be at courtside, the food in the press room was great, Ray Lane talks a lot and calls everyone "Babe," and so forth. But later, he pulled me aside with a tidbit from the Pistons' locker room that wasn't for everyone's ears:
"Jesus Christ," he told me with wonder, "James Edwards is hung like a horse!"
That's the kind of news you don't see on the 11:00 report.
I once did karaoke at the bowling alley in Ann Arbor, after I sang I realized Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison were in a back room and most likely heard me sing. It was a cool story at the time but now I am glad they were forced to listen to my shitty singing!
On a flight out of DC I made small talk with the guy in the next seat. He's a Marine on his way back from leave. We start talking football and he says he has become a Packers fan because his brother plays there. Turns out to be Antonio Freeman's brother. That was pretty cool.
The #1 sports moment for me was taking my son to his first ever game in the Big House and although we played poorly, the crowd belted out Mr Brightside in the pouring rain. It was an experience my son will cherish forever, and so will I.
A couple of weeks ago I spent a few days on the aircraft carrier Nimitz while it was at sea. At dinner the first night, in the officers' mess, I noticed a Michigan football helmet in a cabinet. I couldn't get a good picture because of the glare, but it was autographed by Brady Hoke.
Then, as we were watching a video to prepare us for our departure launch from the deck, we were told the replacement visitors had arrived: B1G quarterbacks. I'm told Shea was with the group, but couldn't confirm it myself. I like to think that I sat in the same seat he did on the cargo plane.
C-2?
You had me at “spent a few days on the aircraft carrier Nimitz while it was at sea.”
Pele was my boyhood idol. When he played for the Cosmos we lived in WDC and the Washington Diplomats somehow lost their ability to play at RFK for one season and ended up playing some of their home games at a high school in northern Virginia (WT Woodson for those inclined to care). My brother went to that school and knew that the teams would have to walk from the field to the locker room - so when the Cosmos were in town to play the Dips we positioned ourselves on that walk and I got to shake Pele's hand and pat him on the shoulder. Giorgio Chinaglia also played for the Cosmos that season and he seemed fairly pissed that everyone was swarming Pele and that no one cared that he was walking around too.
Your comment reminded me of my one shining moment with Pelé and Giorgio Chinaglia.
I digress. Through sheer luck and maybe a little bit of hard work, throughout my personal and professional life, I’ve met close to 150 famous and near-famous people – politicians, athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs who are among the Forbes 100, newscasters, sportscasters and one of history’s most famous anthropologists when Margaret Mead was a dinner guest at my parents’ home.
Rudy Giuliani officiated at a wedding I attended when he was Mayor of New York and among the guests was WWE owner Vince McMahon. I sat with actors Edward James Olmos and Lorraine Bracco at the reception. I had lunch with Joe Namath at New York Jets training camp when he was still playing. I played in the U. S. Open Tennis Tournament's Media Tournament when the U. S. Open still was being played at the Forest Hills, New York West Side Tennis Club in the 70's. I litigated against Roy Cohn. Former Maine Senator and United States Defense Secretary William Cohen moved my admission to the United States Supreme Court Bar. A cousin of mine by marriage was in the original cast of the Broadway show “Wicked”, and after the show, she allowed me to join her on stage and she gave me a full backstage tour.
But there was one incredible moment that I’ll never forget.
During my brief career in sports journalism, I wrote an article about Giorgio Chinaglia for the North American Soccer League’s game day magazine. At the time, he was playing for the NASL’s New York Cosmos and he was married to Connie Eruzione, cousin of Mike Eruzione who’s best known for having captained the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team and scoring the winning goal in what has been known as one of the greatest sports upsets in history.
I’d met Mike Eruzione when he was playing college hockey at Boston University. Perhaps, because I’d told him of that connection, Chinaglia invited me to interview him at his estate in Englewood, New Jersey and to meet with him in the locker room after a New York Cosmos game so that I could meet some of his teammates.
I had press credentials from the NASL, so I made my way to the Cosmos locker room where security was very tight. When I finally was allowed into the locker room, I found myself standing in the same room as Chinaglia, Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Henry Kissinger and Mick Jagger.
“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well, you might find you get what you need.”
My younger brother was a lightly recruited OG in high school. His best friend was a highly recruited LB/RB. He accompanied his friend on a recruiting trip to UM for the 1987 Northwestern game. It was Homecoming I believe. It just so happens that me, my older brother and my dad were going to that game.
Anyway, we see them walking around with other recruits and their families. We had been drinking and so we kind waive and yell at them to get their attention. My brother's friend's dad, walks over and says, if you guys don't act like loud a-holes, you can walk in with us and hear Bo's pregame talk to the team, and he is going to say a few words to us before they hit the field.
So we join the group of recruits and their families, walk in with them, hear Bo pump up the team, and after that he says a few words to the recruits and heads out to the field. I was standing less than 3 feet from Bo and it was like a hearing a god.
Long story, but the kid being recruited blew out his shoulder his SR year, and went on to play at CMU for 4 years as a LB and my brother went to GVSU as a walk on but didn't make the team.
Too many to narrow down to just one, two or three. Lots of good times spent mostly on but not strictly limited to various Baseball fields of my youth. Three cheers to days gone by fellas...Glory Days and what not.
Getting to be in the Big House as part of the ‘Battle at the Big House’ a couple years back.
Our HS Team got to be a part of it because CMH, a M Commit then, was a part of our team.
And I’m a manager for that team.
Also watching M baseball in the WS as I know someone who (was) on the team.
Went and graduated same year as him.
And lastly, liking a girl who’s a Sparty.
"And lastly, liking a girl who’s a Sparty."
Hopefully your kids will get your smarts.
Meh. They probably would get their smarts from her as she’s waaaaaay smarter than me.
Humility is a virtue. Good answer.
I am watching Franz and Germany take on Russia on YouTube right now and everybody on the court appears to suck.
October 1983, I'm in my Class A's at the Pittsburgh Airport to get my flight to South Korea for my first duty station in the 1/15th Field Artillery outside of Eui-jeong-bu.
I'm walking to my gate and the doors to my right open and Terry Bradshaw walks right in front of me. I stopped and mumbled something like, "Hello Mr. Bradshaw", he said "hi" and kept walking. Wasn't really dismissive, as he looked like he was on a mission to get to his plane.
He is my favorite Steeler of all time, followed closely by Jack Lambert.
Funny you should say that
vvv
Thanks! Saw your note below!
Jack Lambert is my favorite player of all time in any sport. Greatest MLB in NFL history in my opinion.
Lawrence Taylor says 'hi'.
Freshman year I lived in West Quad. Drew Henson is about four doors down from me. I probably talked with him about 10 times over the course of first semester. The first week back from winter break I pass him in the hall and said hi. He looks at me and says, "Do I know you?"
I'm 6 feet and, at the time, 165 pounds. One day I'm walking down the hall and A-Train comes walking towards me. I had to smash myself against the wall just to get out of the way. He was huge! He looked down and said excuse me. I think my voiced cracked as I told him good luck on Saturday.
Helped ex-wife's aunt move from Pittsburgh to Chelsea. She wanted to say goodbye to friends so we ended up at Jack Lambert's house where he proceeded to keep giving me Michelobs custom made with label of the pic of him with no teeth. Said you have to drink a million before they do that for you. Super nice guy.
I am so envious of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's awesome.
I was 8 or 9 yrs old. My father was a high school coach and took me and my two brothers to Ann Arbor for a coaches banquet. at the banquet I was introduced to and shook Bo's hand (he was actually shaking everybody's hand so I stuck mine out there). I continued to watch him as he walked out to the hallway and started talking to one of the largest human beings I had ever seen. I am guessing it was an OL recruit. After the banquet I got to go to the Big House where I felt artificial turf for the first time. One of those days I will never forget.
Probably about 15 years ago, got to go to Wrigley Field and spend time on the field and was in the dugout for about 20-30 mins prior to the game. My brother got to take a picture with Derek Lee, but then we all got to meet Greg Maddux for about 20-30 seconds. Didn’t get to take any pictures or discuss much with him, but I idolized him when I was growing up. Used to watch the Braves religiously and their murderers row of a starting pitching rotation with him, Glavine and Smoltz.
Was definitely an experience.
I love all those Cubs you mentioned.
Around the same time I stood on the lower concourse at Wrigley watching the last inning one of the TV screens and shooting the shit with some tall actor that was very easy going and friendly.
Vince Vaughn.
Would love to meet Vince Vaughn, regardless of his adoration of ND.
Seems like he's made a total career shift within the last five years or so. No more slapstick buddy comedies. He's really gone into full drama/thriller mode.
Was leaving a hotel in Atlanta several years ago and shared an elevator with Michael Jordan. Walked up to the elevator as I was heading down to check out and he had his back to me, but I immediately knew who it was. Just me & MJ taking UNC hoops for about 25 floors, then we went our separate ways.
I was covering the Penn State game (the awful blowout) for us a few years ago and went to the presser to get a recording of it for Adam to write up. The way this happens is everybody puts their recording devices (mostly smartphones) to record and puts them on the table in front of the speakers.
Now, the other times I've done this I've done my best to make sure the back is covered because I've got a real actual helmet sticker on the back of my phone and I'm not technically supposed to have that. People in the program take helmet stickers VERY seriously. They're like military badges. I have a battery case that hides it for these occasions, but that case is upstairs in my computer bag next to Ace who's writing the gamer.
Well this time I was sitting in the back so I had to pass my phone up there and sure enough it's the phone RIGHT in front of Harbaugh with the helmet sticker right there. The presser is about to start and Jim starts fiddling with my phone, then slides it over to Ablauf, who's the Very Serious Person in Michigan's football operation. Ablauf picks it up and is just holding it. I'm humped.
This presser is already tense as hell. Michigan just got blown out. Nobody wants to poke the bear. I'm sweating bullets about whatever confrontation about my helmet sticker awaits me (I don't want to get anyone in trouble, myself included).
So the presser ends, and I stay put as everyone goes and gets their phones. I stay put as everyone files out. It's now just a handful of people. Upchurch is putting his camera away, a few more reporters are lingering about, and I am slowly trying inch my way to Ablauf to find the right moment to ask for my phone when he'd be least inclined to make something out of it. Suddenly one of Michigan's operations people comes in with a Michigan playbook that one of our players (an OL) left in the locker room. A sticker getting out to a member of the media is one thing; Michigan's playbook in the hands of an enemy is a whole 'nother level. I make my move: just reach out toward my phone and say "Thanks Dave." And he hands it to me, and for a second I know he wants to say something, but there's also this playbook in front of him. So he hands it over, and I get the hell out of there.
I don't want to know what happened to the poor lineman who left his playbook in Penn State's locker room, but I'm eternally grateful for it.
(By the way my sticker is legit: When they brought them back in 2015 they had Sap assist and I had UGP turn it into vector art for their printer, and Sonny gave Sap a sheet to share with those who assisted in the operation).
Ithaca, NY.
Was sitting on a patio of a mexican restaurant which was on a corner before you get into downtown. A blacked out surburban stopped at the traffic lights. Passenger side window starts to go down and I yell "IS THAT JON 'BONES' JONES" (yup I was shitfaced). I ran over to him because he clearly was inviting the attention and casually chatted with him about his foot(he had just fought Chael Sonnen) and his brother Chandler (who played for my favorite NFL team). He couldnt have been more cool unless he had offered to share some of his blow.
This was also crazy because I had been really into that season of the Ultimate Fighter which was why I was able to recognize him so fast.
I was visiting my buddy who went to Ithaca College and on return trips found out Jones went out to the college bars a lot so most people got that cool story.
A few years ago I played kickball in the Ann Arbor Small Business league. I was on a team called Queers to Fear (no, that's not a small business, I have no idea why the team was in this league, my wife and I just knew the captain). It was a team mostly made up of queer people, most of whom were not particularly good at sports and just there to have fun.
One day a random guy joined our team and introduced himself as Vince - I think he may have known the captain, but I don't remember for sure. He was super athletic and covered 2/3 of the outfield. He was really nice and a great sport even though we most likely lost spectacularly (we typically did). I remember him cheering when I hit someone out. After the game the captain mentioned that the guy's name was Vincent Smith. Most of the team didn't know who he was, but I thought it was pretty neat.