My brush with an olympic champion!

[Saintsfan]

So about 5 years ago I am at Sevenoaks train station travelling home from work. I pass a tiny tracksuited figure, whose face I vaguely recognise. A few seconds later it occurs to me, 'thats kelly Holmes, the talented and hard working middle duistance runner.' Tonight there I am sitting at home and there she is winning the womens 800 metres (sorry meters!!) at the olympics!!!

[Shmee]

I stood next to Wilt Chamberlain in an elevator in Washington, DC. I was too young to recognize the very tall man next to me.

That's the best story I've got, as far as not realizing you're standing next to greatness.

[winters in buffalo]

I met Rowdy Gaines a few months ago. He won 2 golds in swimming back in 1984.

[See Red]

I met Rowdy Gaines a few months ago. He won 2 golds in swimming back in 1984.

Isn't Rowdy Gaines one of the olympic swimming commentators now?

[ROCHitman]

I played hoops with Mr. McNabb and a few other current NFLl players every other week for two years during my time at SU.

[pcgd]

I went to HS with Brian Cardinal of the Golden State Warriors, who Bill Simmons of espn.com said SHOULD have been an olympian....does that count?

[Mings]

when I worked for kodak i did sean casey's film all the time (i was living in cincinnati at the time)

[paynomind]

I worked with a guy in 96 who was on the Olympic Handball team. Pretty cool guy, too.

[pittunited]

My grandmother has been driving me nuts with this fact: Courtney Kupets' father was in my grandfather's Boy Scout troop. In fact, I might even be distantly related to her.

[Joshawaggie]

i watched the olympics on tv last night.

[fuzzywarble]

i watched the olympics on tv last night.

ha ha

[fuzzywarble]

Some of my coolest brushes (short versions):

1). I once stood in line behind Paul Molitor to use a pay phone in a hotel in Arlington.

2). My friends and I were trading baseball cards with Joe Carter's 5 year old nephew in the lobby of the same hotel mentioned above, after a Rangers-Blue Jays game in 1993. When he asked if we wanted Joe's autograph, we said, "Yea". When he found out that the hotel had forbidden pro athletes to sign inside the building, Joe's nephew himself started signing autographs! I think he signed around 10 that night. It was funny.

3). After a Rangers-Indians game, Albert Belle was signing autographs. I accidentally stood directly in his light, and he gave me a menacing glare, as if he wanted to kill me. Ironically, after I FINALLY got his autograph, I noticed that he had written a Bible verse under his name!

4). As recently as a year ago, Stone Cold Steve Austin worked out at the same gym I work out at (I live in San Antonio). I never wanted to bother him, but he used the elliptical machine next to the one I was using once. He seemed cool.

5). When we lived in Dallas, my mom worked for the police department. One of her friends, a cop, pulled over Jose Canseco speeding while he played for the Rangers. She brought me the yellow carbon copy of his speeding ticket, which I still have to this day. Not really a brush with fame, but this is probably the coolest piece of memorabilia in my collection: an authentic Jose Canseco speeding ticket.

[uncle_wiggily]

5). When we lived in Dallas, my mom worked for the police department. One of her friends, a cop, pulled over Jose Canseco speeding while he played for the Rangers. She brought me the yellow carbon copy of his speeding ticket, which I still have to this day. Not really a brush with fame, but this is probably the coolest piece of memorabilia in my collection: an authentic Jose Canseco speeding ticket.

Now there is a surprise, Jose Canseco having a run-in with the law!

[winters in buffalo]

I met Rowdy Gaines a few months ago. He won 2 golds in swimming back in 1984.

Isn't Rowdy Gaines one of the olympic swimming commentators now?

Yup.

[lopernv]

A Canadian National Soccer Team Former Player, gave me some tips on soccer. Now, I rock.

[Phil]

gave me some tips on soccer. Now, I rock.

"Here's how to be subtle, kid..."

[Discrim]

my brushes:

i was too young to remember but His Airness (i'm guessing in his early Bulls years) came up to one of teh community centers for something, and me and my grandma met him.

after teh 94 Rose Bowl i got Brent Moss' autograph, and 4 or 5 years ago i got LeRoy Butler's hancock.

Olympics wise, I watched it on TV

[bhambruiser]

I met the late Derrick Thomas when I was like 7 or 8 at an Alabama football function....got his autograph....he couln't write too well.

oh and Bobby Humphrey (former Bama and Bronco/Dolphins RB) helped move some furniture out of my house....my wife met him but I didn't get to.

Bart Starr and his wife come into the store my wife works at in Hoover, AL all the time too.

[Moser316]

My brushes:

-Met Clay Tucker and Dylan Page (former UW-Milwaukee basketball standouts) at the bars on Water Street through a friend who used to play basketball at D-III powerhouse UW-Platteville (and is now an assistant at Carroll College in Waukesha).

-My brother's girlfriend knew Paul and Morgan Hamm back about 5 years ago when they were both gymnasts in the Milwaukee area (I forgot where exactly)

[Joshawaggie]

I thought this was about olympic athletes.. oh well,

Maury Wills comes into my grocery store.