Who are the good guys in sports?

The last couple of weeks we have been bombarded by the media coverage of Terrell Owens and the Eagles. With all of this negativity welcoming itself into our homes I began to wonder who are the good guys in sports? What I would like is to hear from people about the positive experiences they have had with athletes, on a personal level.

Growing up my hero was Ed "Too Tall" Jones. I thought that he was the coolest guy on Earth. This was not a popular hero considering that I grew up in Southern Maryland. All of freinds wanted to be Joe Thiesman or John Riggins but not me man I dreamed of playing for the Dooms Day Defense wearing Ed's #72. He wasn't the most popualr player on the team considering they had Tony Dorsett, Danny White, Randy White, Drew Pearson, and Harvey Martin; But to me there was just something special about Too Tall. Well move ahead 20 years and I am living in Memphis, 100 miles away from Too Tall's hometown of Jackson Tennessee. My meeting with him wouldn't take place in a bar, a stadium, or a card show, no it would take place at a Carnival Shoe store, where he he was doing an autograph signing. Now I have met alot of professional athletes, coming in contact through my jobs or personal contacts, but the nicest of them all was Ed "Too Tall" Jones. At the time I was 27 but when I went up to meet him I turned in to a 5 year old blabbering idiot. Although I digressed in age when I did get to meet him, he was patient and kind two things I haven't experienced from other athletes. Now I will say that I am not an autograph whore but he was one autograph that I always wanted. What is even cooler is that he took a picture to with me which made my year. While he wasn't the most famous player on the Cowboys he was and is my hero. Thanks Too Tall.

Now I want to hear stories like this in order to show that athletes aren't always ego driven jerks.

Along these lines there is a book that is an excellent refernce for this topic and It is called "Confessions of a Hero Worshiper" by Stephen Dubner. This read will really make you reflect about heros.