The greates football player I ever met.

[TigerHat]

The greatest football player I ever met was a guy I played high school
football with 40 years ago. He barely lettered his senior year - played
mainly in the defensive line. He weighed about 150 lbs. He was the only
person on the team slower than I was; my guess is that he would have run a
seven something 40. After I got thrown off the offensive line I fought my
way onto the defense. He was the player I beat out as a starting nose guard
when we were in an odd man front. When we played an even man front he was
the other defensive guard.

He was a marginal starter on a losing team in Virginia; where they played a
poor quality of football, but he was the greatest football player I ever
met.

I didn't have an excuse for being as slow as I was, I just couldn't run very
fast. Dickie did have an excuse, but he never used it. As a child he had a
severe case of polio, it left his right leg two inches shorter than his
left, and about as big around as a piccolo player's arm. If you are not old
enough to have seen a case of polio, thank God, and Dr. Salk that you
haven't. It was a horrible disease that killed a lot of children and left
many others like Dickie crippled for life.

Every time my bad ankle hurt, I would look at his leg, and just shut up. If
I even thought about quiting or giving up I would see him in my mind's eye,
straining in agony to run wind sprints, and that thought of quiting would
just drown in a sea of shame. When ever I hear somebody say "You can't do
that" to anyone I remember Dickie and his fierce determination, and I tell
them: "Don't ever let anyone take your dream away from you".

He wasn't the best football player I ever met, but he certainly was the
greatest.

[abilenefan]

Great story. I enjoyed that. Thanks for sharing it.

[Redneckn]

Thanks for that one...
I wonder where Dickie is now?

[dragons08]

i was told i met walter payton, when i was a young lad..i dont remember it though..but we got it on tape somewhere..my uncle got to golf with him and stuff, so after they were done i guess walter met the family and stuff

[NMHS fan]

Good stuff. I have seen it posted on one of the other boards before. Great story.

[dragons08]

that story should be an inspiration to all! that is something you can use your whole life as a driving force

[wide-e-wide]

My Dad and I drank a beer with Cowboys hall of famer Mel Renfro at Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls. He was at the bar at the hotel we were staying at...My nephews were up in the room...My Dad asked Mel if he would sign something for him to give his grandkids....Mel said "sure...where are they?"
He rode in the elevator with us and came in our room and signed footballs for both of them...Awesome guy. He could have just scribbled his name on a napkin...but he wanted to meet them and sign something in person. Not many athletes would do that.

[TigerHat]

Good stuff. I have seen it posted on one of the other boards before. Great story.

That comes as a surprise to me, I don't remember ever telling anyone that story. This is the only site I post to. It is possible that someone else from our team may have said something about him. Maybe there was a similar player on another team.

[Big_Maar]

I was on a "Hot Streak" at the Hollywood Casino in Shreveport shooting craps, when Ricky Williams walk up. The entire casino is in a frenzy when he walks in and people are shouting "Way to go Ricky" a couple of us Texans are flashing him the Hook'em Horns. Well, to my surprise he comes and buys in next to me and immidiately makes me look like I am playing at the kiddie table. Like I said I was on a hot streak so I was hitting everthing in sight.... and that was making everyone at the table go crazy. "Yo-leven, Winner!" Ricky kept high fiving me and my buddies and he kept pressing his bets. After about 15 minutes of shooting I "crapped out" and eveybody gave me my props, which made me feel like Da'Man. It is now Ricky's turn to shoot...."craps" he rolls 1/1. He shoots again,"craps" he rolls 2/1. C'mon shooter you ca do it. He rolls a 4. Next roll.......7 out!

I know I am going to get bashed for liking Ricky but before he had his problems he was a heck of a football player. It is not everyday that you get to hang out with a Heisman Winner.

Oh yeah, I lost $300 on his rolls.:eek:

[TigerHat]

Thanks for that one...
I wonder where Dickie is now?

To the best of my knowledge Dickie is a business and family man back in Richmond Virginia. Hope to go to my 40th high school reunion this coming year and see him.

[lonny23]

The greatest football player I ever met was a guy I played high school
football with 40 years ago. He barely lettered his senior year - played
mainly in the defensive line. He weighed about 150 lbs. He was the only
person on the team slower than I was; my guess is that he would have run a
seven something 40. After I got thrown off the offensive line I fought my
way onto the defense. He was the player I beat out as a starting nose guard
when we were in an odd man front. When we played an even man front he was
the other defensive guard.

He was a marginal starter on a losing team in Virginia; where they played a
poor quality of football, but he was the greatest football player I ever
met.

I didn't have an excuse for being as slow as I was, I just couldn't run very
fast. Dickie did have an excuse, but he never used it. As a child he had a
severe case of polio, it left his right leg two inches shorter than his
left, and about as big around as a piccolo player's arm. If you are not old
enough to have seen a case of polio, thank God, and Dr. Salk that you
haven't. It was a horrible disease that killed a lot of children and left
many others like Dickie crippled for life.

Every time my bad ankle hurt, I would look at his leg, and just shut up. If
I even thought about quiting or giving up I would see him in my mind's eye,
straining in agony to run wind sprints, and that thought of quiting would
just drown in a sea of shame. When ever I hear somebody say "You can't do
that" to anyone I remember Dickie and his fierce determination, and I tell
them: "Don't ever let anyone take your dream away from you".

He wasn't the best football player I ever met, but he certainly was the
greatest.
I like that story.

The greatest player I've been up close and personal to is Emmitt Smith. The best I've ever met were Michael Irvin, Tony Dorsett, and Darren Woodson. I also met a bunch of the old Cowboys like Robert Newhouse, Michael Downs, Harvey Martin, Preston Pearson, and Billie Joe Dupree.

[Redneckn]

I got hang out with Dr.Death Steve Williams. Nice enough guy. MC Hammer and Steven King I met at Harrahs in Shreveport. Got to have conversation with both.

[rancher52]

Most of you young ones won't remember this name but back in the 1970's I was returning home from Cleveland, Oh on a flight that connected in Atlanta. I was surprised to find sitting next to me on the flight hall of famer Norm Van Brocklin. At the time he was assisting Pepper Rogers at GA Tech. I had two hours of great conversation with a guy that was as genuine as anyone you have ever met. He signed several things for me and I still have them. There have been others but none so memorable as this.

[NMHS fan]

That comes as a surprise to me, I don't remember ever telling anyone that story. This is the only site I post to. It is possible that someone else from our team may have said something about him. Maybe there was a similar player on another team.

It was a similar story perhaps, but it has been a while so maybe it wasn't so similar, but the message was the same. I don't know if I could find it again though.

[Shoot2thrill]

He wasn't the best football player I ever met, but he certainly was the greatest.

Awesome stuff there my friend. Too often we think of greatness in a different light. That truly was a great football player. I would like to meet him. :)

[0487]

like today I will probably see some EX-Oilers at reliant .My list grew this year with Shaking Mr Jim Brown hand as well as a lot of Ancient Oakland Raiders including Al Davis, Jim Otto,Willie Brown. it also help maybe seeing some future greats

[lonny23]

Most of you young ones won't remember this name but back in the 1970's I was returning home from Cleveland, Oh on a flight that connected in Atlanta. I was surprised to find sitting next to me on the flight hall of famer Norm Van Brocklin. At the time he was assisting Pepper Rogers at GA Tech. I had two hours of great conversation with a guy that was as genuine as anyone you have ever met. He signed several things for me and I still have them. There have been others but none so memorable as this.
Have you ever seen that picture where he has his helmet off and his head is just bleeding from all the punishment and he's missing a few teeth?

[gwdaddy]

I remember a famous picture of Y.A. Tittle that looked like what you describe, Lonny. Is there a similar one of van Brocklin?

[rancher52]

I remember a famous picture of Y.A. Tittle that looked like what you describe, Lonny. Is there a similar one of van Brocklin?
I agree with you that Lonny may be thinking of the Marshall legend Y. A. Tittle. I found a black & white pic of the shot you speak of at

http://207.21.243.204/pages/8471.htm

[drgnbkr]

I met OJ Simpson, when he was in the twilight of his career, playing out the string for the 49'rs. Great player..lousy human being...:mad:

[lonny23]

I remember a famous picture of Y.A. Tittle that looked like what you describe, Lonny. Is there a similar one of van Brocklin?
Yeah, it was Y.A. Tittle and not Norm.

[LoneStarProud]

I was in the St. Louis airport one day waiting on a flight. The airport was empty and it was me and this one other guy in the gate area. I couldn't put my finger on it but I knew I knew him from somewhere so I struck up a conversation with him. I told him he looked familiar but I couldn't figure out how I knew him. He laughed and asked if I watched much football (duh).
He then said "I'm the SOB that everybody loved to hate". I looked at him for about 2 seconds and then said....Conrad Dobler! Real nice guy (off the field).
I also met Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson. I asked him who the toughest guy was he ever had to play with. He said without a doubt Randy White. He said he got in a little scuffle with him in the locker room one day and the next thing he knew he was stuffed in a locker and Randy wouln't let him out.

[lonny23]

I was in the St. Louis airport one day waiting on a flight. The airport was empty and it was me and this one other guy in the gate area. I couldn't put my finger on it but I knew I knew him from somewhere so I struck up a conversation with him. I told him he looked familiar but I couldn't figure out how I knew him. He laughed and asked if I watched much football (duh).
He then said "I'm the SOB that everybody loved to hate". I looked at him for about 2 seconds and then said....Conrad Dobler! Real nice guy (off the field).
I also met Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson. I asked him who the toughest guy was he ever had to play with. He said without a doubt Randy White. He said he got in a little scuffle with him in the locker room one day and the next thing he knew he was stuffed in a locker and Randy wouln't let him out.
There was a reason they called Randy White The Manster- half man and half monster!:p My dad always called him Bust Through The Line Randy White. Landry tried to make that guy a linebacker, but finally came to his senses. My uncle has seen him fishing on several occasions in East Texas. It's no wonder he advertises for a housing development that promotes gaming!:D

EVERYBODY hated Dobler. That guy was mean and dirty.

[Trinity Trojan Fan For Li]

I've had the pleasure of meeting Bob Lilly - TCU All-American and Dallas Cowboy. My mother and step-father used to own a Texaco gas station on I-20 near Canton and he would always stop in on his way to East Texas. My mother only reached his belt-buckle - he was so tall and she was so short. I still have several memorabilia pieces he signed for us. I even got to watch him play in one TCU game when I was a kid. He seemed just a good ol' country boy - sincere and unpretentious.

[BigDaddy]

Thanks for the story. It is refreshing to hear something good and full of meaning every once in a while

[ThEgReAtOnE]

Well, lets see here....

I would say the greatest I ever met was tied between Montana, Jim Brown and LT. (Lawrence Taylor)

Montana was at one of my games, LT was at a Super Bowl party back when the Giants played Baltimore in 01'....and Jim Brown was on set on the back-lot of Universal Studios. I was there meeting with some studio execs.

Just a few of the greatest players I played with/against or met (and "socialized" with):

Coach Joe Green (You probably know him as Mean Joe Green)
Emitt, Irvin, Troy (Hell, all of the 90's Cowboys!)
Tim Brown
Steve Young
Thurman Thomas
Elway
Urlacher
Tomlinson
Brees
Favre
Seau
Derrick Thomas
Staubach
Newhouse

....and TOO many more!:D

(Percs of playing the game, I guess! From how passionate you guys seem, it would have probably excited you FAR more than me! It's all weird becuase 99% of them are just teammates, in my mind.)

[lonny23]

Well, lets see here....

I would say the greatest I ever met was tied between Montana, Jim Brown and LT. (Lawrence Taylor)

Montana was at one of my games, LT was at a Super Bowl party back when the Giants played Baltimore in 01'....and Jim Brown was on set on the back-lot of Universal Studios. I was there meeting with some studio execs.

Just a few of the greatest players I played with/against or met (and "socialized" with):

Coach Joe Green (You probably know him as Mean Joe Green)
Emitt, Irvin, Troy (Hell, all of the 90's Cowboys!)
Tim Brown
Steve Young
Thurman Thomas
Elway
Urlacher
Tomlinson
Brees
Favre
Seau
Derrick Thomas
Staubach
Newhouse

....and TOO many more!:D

(Percs of playing the game, I guess! From how passionate you guys seem, it would have probably excited you FAR more than me! It's all weird becuase 99% of them are just teammates, in my mind.)
When I met Newhouse, he was about 5 feet TALL and 5 feet WIDE!:p

It was one of the old-time Cowboy basketball games up in Anchorage.