your brush with greatness

[tennesseeboy]

this one wins! the only possible way to beat it would be a canadian ballet story involving hank bullough and ed abramowski.

I was at the Canadian Ballet late one night and the lap dancer twisted her ankle and was in a lot of pain. A guy comes over and manipulates her leg a little bit and she gets up and continues her dance. Much to my shock it was none other than Abramowki himself!! He said he often came to the ballet as a consultant and pointed out that the girls were magnificent athletes. The announcer called out the next girl who danced to a song rendered on a karaoke machine by a guy who looked familiar. I walked up to the stage and there he was....Hank Bullogh!

[Dirtbag]

I was at the Canadian Ballet late one night and the lap dancer twisted her ankle and was in a lot of pain. A guy comes over and manipulates her leg a little bit and she gets up and continues her dance. Much to my shock it was none other than Abramowki himself!! He said he often came to the ballet as a consultant and pointed out that the girls were magnificent athletes. The announcer called out the next girl who danced to a song rendered on a karaoke machine by a guy who looked familiar. I walked up to the stage and there he was....Hank Bullogh!

 

no doubt this was where he pioneered the saline hypothermia treatment that would later be used to wide acclaim on kevin everett.

[BEAST MODE BABY!]

I parked the car Ray Lewis was riding in at the height of the murder trial in Atlanta. He didn't look like a very nice guy.

 

Oh, and Shannon Sharpe is a douche canoe.

[stevens273]

Early 90's Phoenix, just before the first Dallas Superbowl, my ex wife sold a boat to one of the Vikings who's agent was Bruce Allen. Bruce was with him when he bought the boat and the ex says "how bought some super bowl tickets if the Bills get in again".

Bruce says call him. A few weeks later we fly to LA and meet Bruce and Gary Horton at a bar in Redondo Beach. Bruce was tight with the Raiders and I had a few too many and asked if the reason Al Davis doesn't let Marcus Allen play is because they are both gay and had a falling out. Bruce laughs and says Marcus is a man whore, not gay.

 

Anyway, Bruce ends of swiping Super Bowl tickets from one of his clients and we got them at face value.

[Wacka]

In the 80s, I had gone drinking at Melanie's, probably to see Valby. Stopped at the Mighty Taco on Transit near the Thruway about 1:30-2 AM to grab a couple of burritos. Sabres had played in Montreal that night.Walk in and see Mike Ramsey, Jon Van Boxmeer and Tony McKegney in line ahead of me. Nodded, letting them know I knew who they were. Another guy, pretty drunk notices McKegney and Van Boxmeer and makes a scene. Ramsey was sitting waiting for his food and was laughing his ass off.

 

Was in the Pentacle in Depew in the early 90s. Biscuit walked in. His shoulders were about twice as wide as his waist.

 

Didn't happen to me, but someone I know saw Tony Green, Danny Gare, and Randy Smith in 4 Stallions in Cheektowaga at the same time. Was in 1974 and all three lived in the Williamstown Apartments next door to the bar at the time.

[bbb]

I once met Fabio, but that was a long long time ago & I'm still not ready to go into details.

 

I don't think there will ever be a better story than the Fabio story!

[truth on hold]

i once saw carwell gardner at the buffalo airport. he was wearing a tank top. dude had the biggest arms i've ever seen.

he was an impressive looking specimen, thats for sure. unfortunately he had the flexibility of a statue. still wonder how it would have worked out if he had gotten Bryan Cox off the Fins bus

[Clip Smith]

I parked the car Ray Lewis was riding in at the height of the murder trial in Atlanta. He didn't look like a very nice guy.

 

Oh, and Shannon Sharpe is a douche canoe.

 

I'm glad you said that about Sharpe. I once saw him blow off a little kid in a total casual football event where you would expect fan interaction. There was nobody else asking him, and everyone else of the 30 players or so were very cordial. Sharpe just kept a poker face and ignored the kid who had to be 11 or 12. I don't like being the first to call a guy a douche, but if I have confirm from someone else, I'll spill.

[BuffaloinLA]

1. around 1970, getting candy from Paul Guidry while trick or treating

 

2. being invited in to Jim Schonfeld's house and getting $5 while collecting for charity in 1973

 

3. Seeing OJ walk out of Ralph's box at Rich Stadium in September 1980 when his number was retired, punching him in his arm and telling him "hey man, you are still the greatest" (pre-murder)

 

4. As a 14 year old during the blizzard of 1977, accidentally walking into a Buffalo Braves practice at the Jewish Center and having the coach Tates Locke, ask if we wanted to help out. Of course we said yes. So he asked me to "go shag some balls for AD" (dantley). My brother was shooting around with Randy Smith, and Randy was making fun of his shooting style.

 

5. In 1977, I was on a cross country teen trip and we were staying at the same hotel in San Diego as all of the old-timers from the 1950 Dodgers-Giants game. All weekend, we hung out with Bobby Thomson, Ralph Branca, Pee Wee Reese (tried on his world series ring),.... Also saw Don newcombe, Don Black, Willie Mays, ...

 

6. A few years ago, a client hired Reggie Jackson to hang out at their event. However, only a few people showed up. So, I sat right next to Reggie for 1 1/2 hours with 4 other people, while he regaled us with stories (mostly off-color).

[bobinaz]

I have two stories:

 

1. Four years ago I went to Dallas with a buddy from work to see the Cowboys/Bills game. We stayed at the Omni Hotel. The morning of the game we were in the hotel lobby waiting for our ride to the stadium, and there waiting too was Greg Gumble and Armen Katayian (sp?). I figured what the heck and went up to Gumble and introduced myself. We talked about the game and that he and Simms were going to do the announcing. He no sooner said Simms' name and up came Phil Simms. He's tall...holy crap! Later we found out the Bills had stayed at the hotel we did when we met the grandparents of one of the Bills players.

 

2. I have lived in Tucson for 17 years and in 1995 we started a Bills Backers Club here. In 1996, John Fina came to one of our meetings since he's from Tucson. Our club started to do some fund raisers for some shelters in town and John helped us out. He and I corresponded over the next few years as he provided the club with some autographed merchandise from various players on the team. In his last few years on the team, he built a house here and it happened to be in a part of town where I work and I had to opportunity to stay in touch with him. He's a pretty cool guy and his family are very nice.

[Wacka]

Last post reminded me I met Greg Gumbel. I lived in Bristol. CT from 1992-1995, about a quarter mile from ESPN (could see it if I went to the sidewalk). There was a McD's right across the street from ESPN. NBC had just lost football and I guess Greg Gumbel had come by looking for a job. He walked into the McD's as I was walking out.

 

 

In 2000 I weht to a convention in LA. I had to stay at the Beverly Hilton, where they have the Golden Globes (not as fancy as you would think). Coming back from dinner, I see a bunch of paparazzi in the lobby. I found out it was the ASCAP Pop music writers awards. It was almost started, when a guy in a cowboy hat and a beautiful blond walk in. I asked who was the country singer and someone told me it was Jewel and her boyfriend who is a Pro Rodeo rider. They both were about my size (5' 4"). Don't know how they don't get blinded by all the flashes.

Edited January 7, 2011 by Wacka

[BEAST MODE BABY!]

I'm glad you said that about Sharpe. I once saw him blow off a little kid in a total casual football event where you would expect fan interaction. There was nobody else asking him, and everyone else of the 30 players or so were very cordial. Sharpe just kept a poker face and ignored the kid who had to be 11 or 12. I don't like being the first to call a guy a douche, but if I have confirm from someone else, I'll spill.

 

 

I had multiple interactions with Shannon Sharpe, and none of them were positive. A few were neutral. More than a few were negative. One time, he yelled at a kid who he thought was getting too close to his Bentley (which was parked). Never saw him smile. Ever. Now Tim Dwight, that is one cool mofo

[TDRupp]

I met Buddy Nix one day back in 1997.

 

I went to a Durham,NC sports bar (currently a seafood place) to watch the Bills '07 opener versus Minn (Todd Collins' first career start after the Jimbo era...ugh!). They had the Triangle Area Bills Fan club there and had a whole wing of Bills fans watch on a big screen. I got there at 1:00 and had to sit on the outside of the wing but had an empty table. An older gentlemen asked if he could sit at the table with me and I said sure. I could not tell who he was rooting so at half time I asked him and he said he was rooting for the Bills in his think southern accent. After a couple of minutes of trying to figure out why he might like them I asked him if he knew a player on the team and he looked around and said "No. I am with the Bills, but keep it quiet around all these folks" and handed me his card.

 

I asked him about his territory as a Scout (Southeast and Texas) and we talked about a few players from the '97 draft. Specifically, I told him that I thought Tiki Barber looked awesome in the 2 college games I saw him in and thought he could even hold up as a full time back and asked what he thought of him. He said he liked him a lot too, but they like Antowain Smith's size and speed better. Think he learned from me and took Spiller over Ryan Matthews? Yah, sure...LOL. He has very low key and I am pretty laid back so after halftime we did not talk much and he left right after the last play. Pretty cool guy. The thing I liked and still can sense from his tv and interviews online is that he does not have an ego, a low key guy that loves football.

 

Of course, I had to stay around a few minutes later to show a few guys his business card.

[bbb]

I'm glad you said that about Sharpe. I once saw him blow off a little kid in a total casual football event where you would expect fan interaction. There was nobody else asking him, and everyone else of the 30 players or so were very cordial. Sharpe just kept a poker face and ignored the kid who had to be 11 or 12. I don't like being the first to call a guy a douche, but if I have confirm from someone else, I'll spill.

 

I also got a new phrase - douche canoe!

[FightinIrishBills]

During my senior year of high school I was interviewing for a scholarship for the University of Virginia; apparently Ralph Wilson and the Bills have some kind of relationship with UVa. I walk in the door to OBD and who do I see but Marv and Ralph walking together in the hallway. Being nervous enough about trying to ace this interview, I was simply gobsmacked to be meeting the two kindly sports grand-fathers of my childhood. I think I was able to stammer out a "pleasure to meet you Mr. Levy" with wide eyes and sweaty palms before having to walk into the interview room.

 

I didn't end up getting the scholarship (probably because I told them I thought James Bond was one of my favorite fictional characters...maybe Sydney Carton would have been a better choice?) but left with an awesome memory.

[papazoid]

Dominik Hasek......i was a season ticket holder for the sabres, sat behind Dominik rinkside first row sec 123. the Buffalo Sabres Booster club used to have a fund raiser out at Samuels Grand Manor. For $500 you got a table for ten that would have a sabre player, coach, announcer or management person with their guest and you could have the other eight seats. Dinner, drinks, autograpghs and socializing all night. i bought two tables, one i used to invite customers of mine and the other for family. i got Dominik Hasek and Jon Luc Grand Piere one year. I sat with Hasek and his wife and my customers, we all had sons around 10 years old with us. There was actually security at our table so no one else would bother us. Hasek was phenominal, never let the conversation die out, really engaged the boys and they were in awe. kept going around the table letting them ask questions. when the boys ran out of questions he asked the adults. i remember asking one of my questions, i says dominik, i notice prior to the start of every single game, at the end of warm ups when the horn goes to clear the ice of practice pucks etc...the backup goalie and about ten players stay behind and play a pickup scrum game where it looks like every man is for himself and they don't leave til someone scores. theres pushing, shoving, blocked shots etc.... what going on there ?...he says while rubbing his thumb and fingers together "ohhh, that's big money". later on i say quietly, that at some point i had a couple of his jerseys by my side that i'd like his autograph....without hesitation he asked for them immediately and signed all three. my customers and family still talk about that night. i also remember telling darcy a thing or two...lol...and talking at length with Razor, Jay McKee and zhitnik. my brother in-law still talks about jon luc's smokin hot date. btw,at the very next game after the anthem, dominik skated over to us and rapped his stick on the glass at my son's seat.

[Greybeard]

 

Early 90's saw Bruce in Tops in Hamburg wearing a muscle shirt carrying out two cases of Genny.

 

 

Well, that explains the game he had to leave for a few moments with "stomach cramps."

[ohiotim]

Bills in Person:

 

Met Darryl Talley at Bernie Kosar's golf tournament in the early 90s (either '91 or '92). He was at a tee, waiting for the group ahead. Said hi and he signed my tournament baseball cap, still have it somewhere.

 

Bills, not in Person:

 

Let me preface this by saying Thurman Thomas was my favorite Bill growing up. One day I discovered he was Twitter, so I friended him. He made a comment about the Bills (of course), and I responded, figuring someone like him would never respond to someone like me. But he did, and demanded I explain my football knowledge. We argued about football, and then he started in on politics, which we argued about some more. Then, out of the blue, he insulted my mother. And then he apologized. This sort of back-and-forth went on for a few days. It was awkward, hilarious and sad. My friends were following the whole thing and aghast. They knew I grew up idolizing this guy, and he kept getting angrier and angrier, and I could never figure out why. Some people are just angry. I have interactions with people I don't know over the internet on Twitter, Facebook, messageboards, etc. everyday, and it has never reached that level. He's still my favorite Bill of the Super Bowl-era, but as a person I can't really stand him.

 

Buffalo-related, sort of:

I interned with the Buffalo Bisons when they were the Indians minor league affiliate, met a bunch of players (Richie Sexon, Einar Diaz), a few who went on to play in the majors. Most memorable is when Rex Hudler (anyone remember him?) out of the blue decided that he was going to retire. I was in the dugout, holding his mic, while he gave an interview to the broadcast team. Really nice guy.

[KD in CA]

I was on an elevator in San Juan in spring 1988 with a buddy and a couple bimbos we met down there. Tim Raines and four Expos teammates (all black) get on the elevator. After a few moments of silence, one of the girls says "Why are all you guys so big"? Raines replies: "We're bred that way". I think we were too scared to laugh!

[It's in My Blood]

Not as cool as most stories, but I get a kick out of it:

 

A good friend of mine here at work, he worked for one of the big trading card companies back in the late 80s/early 90s. He got to go to the 1991 Pro Bowl and spent a good amount of time with Jim Kelly, apparently he had some kind of promotional deal with my friend's company.

 

Anyway, Jimbo gave my buddy the ugly-ass neon green Pro Bowl cap he received in his schwag bag. My buddy, a Giants fan (ugh), in turn gave it to me because he thought I would enjoy it more. So it sits here on my shelf at work. Not autographed or anything, but I still think it's pretty cool.

 

 

I was at a local radio shack in Pompano Beach, Florida , looking for a new cell phone . I walk in and start browsing and , lo and behold I look to my right and there is "The Freak" Jevon Kearse. I walked over to him and said hello and shook his hand . HUGE HANDS! lol. I said something about the Music City Miracle and how it should of been called back. He laughed. He asked if im a Bills fan and I told him I was . He gave me a crooked kinda look and said "Man , you guys got rid of my man" , talking about Greg Williams. All in all , a really nice guy. He was actually in town for a wedding , Tim Couch's I believe but I could be wrong. I actually ended up seeing him again that weekend at IHOP at like 3 am

 

I also met Tasker at a McDonalds meet and greet way back in like 92'.. kind of an !@#$

 

I met London Fletcher and Pat Williams at Mediaplay by Mckinley Mall. I was checking out and they both walk in. London flashed me this huge ass smile and walked toward the DVDs with Big Pat. I walked over and said way to go on a great year and got a autograph. Both guys were really cool and didn't seem bothered by a pesky fan.