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Posted

I went to patriot camp (very under cover) with a season ticket holder when i was stationed out in Cape Cod.......my first time at something like that so I was schooled.....dont ask for autographs like a little kid......be polite....etc etc.

 

Curtis Martin was our version of Freddie Jackson.......the definition of class act got to talk to him for a while......there were 3-4 players that were total jerks to everybody.

 

Later that year my wife's catering company did a gig out at Kraft's house.....I went a little later and helped them break down the equipment.

 

- Those same players were cool as hell

- Kraft is a big tipper

Posted

Anyone who posted a story of seeing a Bill or non Bill in a public place and walking up to them and asking politely for a pic or an autograph or friendly talking some Bills stuff...

 

Now think about the fact 842 people saw them out in public that day. And it's every day. And even the ones not approaching are staring and pointing and talking.

Posted

 

 

Wow.

 

I guess you have a point

 

I just figured that if they dont like signing autographs they should look at the profession they signed up for where they are admired by fans

 

CBF

they signed up to play football, for a large paycheck. being admired by fans my be considered a drawback for some of the guys. just because you choose the career doesnt mean you love every piece of it.

 

as a fan and collector i think you are projecting your own interests onto the interactions.

Posted

Glenn Parker stole my pen at a Bisons game once after giving me an autograph.

 

I went to an autograph session at K-Mart for Tim Connelly a few years back. He of course signed autographs, took pictures etc because he had to. But he couldn't have given off any more of a "I'm just here so I don't get fined" attitude. Not one smile or anything in a picture.

Posted

Anyone who posted a story of seeing a Bill or non Bill in a public place and walking up to them and asking politely for a pic or an autograph or friendly talking some Bills stuff...

 

Now think about the fact 842 people saw them out in public that day. And it's every day. And even the ones not approaching are staring and pointing and talking.

 

but...but...but....they owe it all to the fans!!!!

Posted

Every time I see this thread title for some reason I initially read it as "Bills player you no longer like after meeting them in prison."

 

Would be interesting spin-off thread, anyway.

Posted

 

but...but...but....they owe it all to the fans!!!!

It's funny because we all have times we end up being short with friends, family - wife or kids, (you know people we love and care about) but if they are short with a fan it can turn into a decades long story told hundreds of times. Folks just need to manage expectations a bit. Dudes on 3 kinds of pain medication, it's a miracle he's walking but is listed healthy on the injury report or just finished a long practice session in the heat or could just be introverted and totally overwhelmed by stardom and some expect them to be gracious and jovial 100% of the time. I can't commit to that myself a lot of days.

Posted

Every time I see this thread title for some reason I initially read it as "Bills player you no longer like after meeting them in prison."

 

Would be interesting spin-off thread, anyway.

 

OJ f'sho

Posted

Met Ralph Wilson once just a few years before he passed. He was hanging out at one of the real seedy strip clubs off of Lundy's Lane- like not the Sundowner. Anyway he rolled in with a bunch of other real old guys and they were really yuckin it up. I'm talkin grabbing and pinching the strippers' asses, etc. They were getting warned by the bouncers but Ralph was quick to pull out the "do you know who I am?" card and soon after, a manager came over and pretty much told the bouncers to let it slide unless he got overly belligerent. Anyway later that night, Ralph found himself in one of those real pathetic situations where he overextended himself with the lapdances and the stripper had to walk with him to the ATM and hover over him while he took out the cash. Evidently he was insisting that he only got like four dances and the stripper said he got six. So eventually he took out $100, flung it in the stripper's general direction and said, "listen sweetheart, I'm used to dealing with dames four times your age and I aint getting into it with you. You can take it or leave it" and then he blew a cloud of smoke from his cigar right in her face. It's funny too because he sounded like a guy straight out of an old movie from the 40's or something. Anyway fortunately his buddies grabbed him before there was much of altercation with the bouncers but they walked him out right then and there. I had the privilege of talking with him outside after the incident- I actually bought him a hot dog from one of the vendors outside after one of his buddies bummed me a Players. Ralph was wasted and all disheveled, untucked, etc. (he'd been drinking Scotch all night long) but he talked about how much he loved the Bills and he thanked me for being a fan and supporting the team. The guys turned out to be his tennis buddies- they were a riot and said that they'd been frequenting strip clubs with Ralph for 40 years. Anyway he passed away shortly after that and I never got a chance to meet him again. I'll never forget that night.

I kept waiting for a punch line....but I'm starting to think this was a serious post...This really happened!?

Posted

Met John Gruden a few years ago, super cool, let me try on his SB ring. Hung out and talked for about 15 minutes.

 

Do you still have the ring?

Posted

I kept waiting for a punch line....but I'm starting to think this was a serious post...This really happened!?

 

Wasn't RW incoherent for the last 2 years of his life?

Posted

 

Do you still have the ring?

I wish, He has little sausage fingers, thing was huge.

 

but...but...but....they owe it all to the fans!!!!

Not that they owe anything to the fans, but they do owe a little bit of respect as human beings.

Posted

I wish, He has little sausage fingers, thing was huge.

Not that they owe anything to the fans, but they do owe a little bit of respect as human beings.

Respect is a two way street. How respectful is it of fans to chase them down, bother them while they're eating dinner, drinking a beer, or sometimes taking a piss?

Posted

when I was a kid I was (regrettably) waiting for Rob Johnson's autograph at training camp. he ignored us and walked right on by and hopped on a golf cart and took off without signing a single autograph. my cousin said "what a jerk!" and John Fina was standing right there and said "Excuse me? You better shut your mouth!" we deserved it but that was the only negative experience I've had with a player.

 

I've seen a bunch of the guys out around town over the years (Jim, Thurman, Bruce, Andre, Eric Moulds, Darryl Talley, Fred, etc) and they were all nice enough. If you aren't a jerk to them and demanding they do this or that for you then all will be well. if you are in their face bothering them and demanding a picture and autograph then I can see why they might give you some attitude. at the end of the day they are just regular people trying to live their lives

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