Let's do a media survey/poll

off the top of your head...

Most intelligent athletes you have encountered/interviewed: Tom Glavine. Ivan Ljubicic. Roger Federer. Rafa Nadal. Klitschko. John McEnroe. Vera Zvonareva - she is studying to be a diplomat and is top 5 in the world in tennis. Very well spoken and could be an excellent TV commentator right now, even in English which is her second language.

Coolest: Guillermo Vilas - if you ever get the chance to, interview Vilas. Pacquiao. Wozniacki. Jeter.

Funniest: Andy Van Slyke. He jokingly said his baseball hero was Herman Munster. "Did you ever see him hit a baseball?" lol. Francesca Schiavone also.

Oddest/Most eccentric: Rodman. Mid interview he got up and started brushing his teeth in the washroom at MSG, and turned on the shower, presumably because he didn't want his Spurs teammates to hear his answers to the questions. But a cool guy.
Ricky Williams wore his helmet during our interview, that was odd.

 

Scariest: Albert Belle. With a bat in his hands.

 

Most intimidating: Jim Brown but he turned out to be a super nice guy, a lot nicer than you might expect.

Albert Belle lol. Good call. He was a real bad ass with a disdainful attitude for the media.

 

Strangest: Carl Lewis. Dude is from another planet, which is why he can't run for office in New Jersey.
Nicest: Greg Louganis/Mary Lou Retton.

 

Funniest I ever dealt with was a pitcher from Purdue, Andy Groves. He loved to tell the story about when he was in Little League and his father, the coach, called him in from the outfield to pitch. Andy took off sprinting toward the mound. As he got close, he slid into the mound. He said his father almost killed him.

 

I wound up playing in a "Media vs. Celebrities" game at halftime of the Anaheim Splash indoor soccer team when I was at the Register - I wound up turning it into a column for the Anaheim weekly because the whole thing was so ridiculous. However, after the match I wound up hanging out in one of the suites with some of the "stars", and by far the coolest was Ivory Sully, the former Rams DB. He was just a very, very cool guy who had some funny stories and was personable as hell.

Vince Ferragamo, the other hand...

 

Most boring: Herschel Walker. He would gladly talk for days and not say anything.

 

You were probably talking to the boring personality.

 

Good stuff, these are enjoyable to read.

 

P.S. - You don't have my permission to use this for a story.

 

Nicest: Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, Andy Benes, Maurice Jones-Drew, Jake Delhomme
Funniest: Shaq, Nate Robinson, Ron Artest (unintentionally), Nick Swisher, Gus Frerotte
Smoothest: Jeter, Lisa Leslie, Tom Brady
Worst: Andre Ethier, Reggie Bush, Andre Ethier and probably Reggie Bush.

 

Heywood Jablome is always a solid quote.