  Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 2846 Registered: 01-2006 |
Curtis Granderson has been chosen to represent Major League Baseball on a visit to China. http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/ news/article.jsp?ymd=20081020& content_id=3633631&vkey=news_d et&fext=.jsp&c_id=det If this young gentleman has any down-side to him, I am unaware of it. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 9068 Registered: 11-2004 |
Last summer he also made trips to Africa on behalf of MLB too. I dunno how we've been so lucky to have some of the classiest athletes in the world congregate here in Detroit but I'm not gonna complain. | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 2850 Registered: 01-2006 |
Yeah, Smogboy. Joe Dumars IMMEDIATELY springs to mind. I don't issue many blanket statements, but if you don't respect Joe D, there is something goddam wrong with you. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 9070 Registered: 11-2004 |
Actually the one that sprung immediately to me was Steve Yzerman but I lean a little more towards hockey than basketball (but not by much). We've truly been blessed to have these sort of individuals carry their respective teams when they were players, be solid ambassadors of their game and even in retirement, be a part of the organization and be influential in the community again. That being said, I hope that none of these guys will ever coach in their respective sports. Coaches are often scapegoats for their teams performances and I would never want these classy guys' demeanor ruined like that. Prime example of top notch players who became coaches that flummoxed were Isiah Thomas, Alan Trammell, Larry Bird, and Wayne Gretzky. Let's hope that our classy athletes have their egos in check and will continue to ascend the corporate ladder in their fields in a much more dignified fashion. | ||
Zitro Member Username: Zitro Post Number: 2264 Registered: 04-2008 |
I have a Curtis story that tells you about the young man. I've been removed from Detroit for about 11 years now and live in Iowa so it's much easier for me to see the Tigers in KC or the Twin Cities. I went to a game last year in Minneapolis and along first base they had a Playstation on the field for the players to try (must have been a new release). Anyway, Curtis came over and was playing it for a bit. I saw this little old lady with her camera and I could tell she wanted to take his picture. She very meekly asked him and of course he obliged. After she took it he realized he was partially blocked by the stand the Playstation was on and apologized to her and asked her if she wanted to take it again. I was sold on him at that point, usually even on the road just before game time these guys start to get focused in and tend to neglect the fans. Not him though. I ran in his dad this year in KC and told him this story and that he should be proud of raising such fine young man. |
