Anybody grow up with a future pro?

[BRM13]

I went to high school with Jim Leyritz who played MLB, most famously for the Yankees (96 WS hero).  He was very good at everything, football, basketball, and baseball.  He quit football after freshman year to save his knees (he was a JV tailback and they used him aggressively).  At that age he and his dad 'knew' he would play in the majors and wanted to protect his future (knee injuries were much harder to overcome in that era).  He took a lot of abuse over his major league pretensions in HS, but he made it.  

He was quick, very strong, and had amazing eye-hand coordination.  He was all-state in baseball i think, and all city in basketball.  I was better than him at golf though.  

My sister-in-law is Larry Fitzgerald's cousin.  He leaves her tickets when Arizona plays the Colts.

[xxlt]

(01-04-2017, 04:11 PM)McC Wrote: Not sure where to put this so I'll stick it here and let the chips fall where they will.

Has anybody ever played alongside someone who went on to become a pro athlete?  My question is---how much better than everyone else is a future pro?

The best I ever played with seemed pretty good but none of them were anywhere near pro caliber.  I'm just trying to imagine what these kind of guys look like in HS.

I'm thinking mainly football but any sport would be relevant.

I did. He was good but not great in HS; best attribute was his speed.

A lot of guys develop significantly after HS. Exhibit A: Michael Jordan did not make his varsity HS team in 10th grade. Turned out to be an above average pro according to many.

[BengalFanInNJ]

I may have been the last person to get an autograph from David Fulcher while he was still on the team.

He, and a bunch of other Bengals at the time, went into a restaurant where a friend of mine from New Jersey was working. She found out there was a table of Bengals that just came in after a pre-season game. She went over to them and started talking to them and said that her "friend from New Jersey", which was me, is a huge Bengals fan and she asked them for autographs for me. They all complied. She dropped them off at my house a few weeks later. Anyway, the day after she got the autographs David Fulcher was released.

Side note: The same girl ended up working at WLW with James Brooks. She got his autograph for me (I actually had one already) and told me to give her the game-worn jersey I had of his from 1987 and he would sign it. I said no because I wouldn't ever let that thing out of my sight since he was (and still is) my favorite athlete of all time. I still have it today. That same girl works in radio now in Cleveland. She actually sent me a Bengals Radio Network Sweatshirt two years ago.

[grampahol]

I ran track against a guy from Trottwood Madison hs who for a short while held the world's record in the 100 yards back before it went to 100 meters and I had my handgrenades and horseshoes with me that day to ALMOST beat him.. Damned if I can remember his name. I think it was 1974, but time has this way of erasing brain cells. Well, that and alcohol and other substances I won't mention.. Also went to school with a guy who had just signed a contract to pitch, but screwed up his arm doing a cartwheel after gym class.. So much for the pros..

[grampahol]

(01-05-2017, 03:10 PM)xxlt Wrote: I did. He was good but not great in HS; best attribute was his speed.

A lot of guys develop significantly after HS. Exhibit A: Michael Jordan did not make his varsity HS team in 10th grade. Turned out to be an above average pro according to many.

I'll never know if I would have gotten faster, but in 9th grade I could run with some real speed, but man..it was WAYYY cooler to start smoking than to be able to break 9 seconds in the 100 yard dash..  I kind of doubt there's any record books about being able to smoke 9 cigarettes in 5 minutes nor anyone that would care if there was, but I did get expelled for smoking in school in 10th grade and went on to get a GED and scored in the top 2% in Ohio that year. That and about $2.75 might get you a cup of really crappy coffee at Dennys.. 
Woulda coulda shoulda..  Not many people accuse 9th grade boys of being particularly smart too often.  

[Goalpost]

(01-05-2017, 08:12 PM)grampahol Wrote: I ran track against a guy from Trottwood Madison hs who for a short while held the world's record in the 100 yards back before it went to 100 meters and I had my handgrenades and horseshoes with me that day to ALMOST beat him.. Damned if I can remember his name. I think it was 1974

That almost sounds like Edwin Moses who grew up around that time in the Fairview area which is near Trotwood.  

[Brownshoe]

(01-04-2017, 04:11 PM)McC Wrote: Not sure where to put this so I'll stick it here and let the chips fall where they will.

Has anybody ever played alongside someone who went on to become a pro athlete?  My question is---how much better than everyone else is a future pro?

The best I ever played with seemed pretty good but none of them were anywhere near pro caliber.  I'm just trying to imagine what these kind of guys look like in HS.

I'm thinking mainly football but any sport would be relevant.

I never played alongside him, but I played against Luke Kuechly in high school.

[wolfkaosaun]

(01-04-2017, 11:50 PM)McC Wrote: I can't imagine a high school kid trying to tackle Pryor.  Or even catch him for that matter.  Can't imagine three high school kids tackling Gronk.

Never tackles Pryor. I played CB. He threw a TD against me. Thought I had an INT. Nope.

I did actually tackle Gronk. Once. But it was after two guys tries to bring him down and then I jumped on his back because he was already unbalanced. Don't care. It counts.

[SunsetBengal]

Not really a growing up story, but when I played Semi-Pro football, the team from Fremont had Charles Woodson's cousin on it. Charles was in attendance that day, and I got to shake his hand. Also got to meet Troy Brown when I played for a team from Huntington WV, as several of his Marshall teammates were on the squad.

[*jason*]

(01-05-2017, 08:54 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Not really a growing up story, but when I played Semi-Pro football, the team from Fremont had Charles Woodson's cousin on it. Charles was in attendance that day, and I got to shake his hand. Also got to meet Troy Brown when I played for a team from Huntington WV, as several of his Marshall teammates were on the squad.

I worked with a girl about 20 years ago that went to highschool with Woodson. She was kinda a space cadet, and was just talking and said his name non chalantly. I think that was back in his rookie season or so. I didn't know he was from Ohio til then.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-05-2017, 09:01 PM)jason Wrote: I worked with a girl about 20 years ago that went to highschool with Woodson. She was kinda a space cadet, and was just talking and said his name non chalantly. I think that was back in his rookie season or so. I didn't know he was from Ohio til then.

I didn't get the chance to converse with him, as I was on the visiting team.  He was there to watch his cousin, but he was gracious enough to shake hands with anyone wanting to do so.

[OBX Bengal]

(01-05-2017, 08:35 PM)Goalpost Wrote: That almost sounds like Edwin Moses who grew up around that time in the Fairview area which is near Trotwood.  

I played high school football with Edwin Moses at Fairview High School.  I played tackle, I think he played end and caught passes.  We didn’t have wide receivers.  I graduated in 1974 and I think he graduated in 1973.



Edwin Corley Moses (born August 31, 1955) is an American former track and field athlete who won gold medals in the 400 m hurdles at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics. Between 1977 and 1987, Moses won 107 consecutive finals (122 consecutive races) and set the world record in the event four times.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Moses

[fredtoast]

I played high school ball with this guy

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WengAl20.htm

Alan was a very good athlete in high school, but not dominate in anything. He kept his weight down to wrestle 185 and run track (300H).

He went to Pitt and played nothing but football. He played safety at 195 in high school but gained 30 lbs in college and started a couple of years when Marino had the Panthers in the top 10.

Nothing but aspecial teamer in the NFL, but made some good money for a couple of yeras.

I played college ball with these guys

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillVa00.htm

Van was just a freak athlete. He had been a state champion wrestler in high school and signed to play for Clemson. He could not qualify academically so he ended up at Carson Neman. He weighed about 200 and could bench over 400. Back then benching 400 lbs was a big deal.

Mainly a special teamer in the NFL

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GreeBo00.htm

Compared to Van, Boyce never looked like an NFL player, but he was faster than Van.

Boyce was the Browns leading rusher in 1984.

[*ochocincos*]

(01-04-2017, 04:11 PM)McC Wrote: Not sure where to put this so I'll stick it here and let the chips fall where they will.

Has anybody ever played alongside someone who went on to become a pro athlete?  My question is---how much better than everyone else is a future pro?

The best I ever played with seemed pretty good but none of them were anywhere near pro caliber.  I'm just trying to imagine what these kind of guys look like in HS.

I'm thinking mainly football but any sport would be relevant.

I was friends with Andrew Brackman in elementary school at Lakota. He then went to pitch at Moeller and was drafted in the first round by the Yankees.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Brackman

[rezolve11]

My brother went to the same middle school as Taco Charlton and Jake Butt. And Le'veon Bell played for the next school district over. Pretty cool. 

[Gohards]

I also forgot about this, not that i met the guy or anything

But a guy i worked with for about a year, was the grandson of an OL on the cleveland browns championship teams. His name is dick modezski? Or something alot the line of that. When i was first told (by a huge browns fan) he said that TJs grandpa was one of the greatest lineman of his era. Not sure how true that is. Last i heard is the guy isnt doing well lately, or maybe even died? I cant remember i do remember him posting a status his grandpa was sick

As for Griffey Jr - he went to moeller. I also worked with a guy who went to HS with him. Said that Griffey probably wouldnt remember him, never had a good story about him though.

[McC]

(01-06-2017, 02:46 AM)OBX Bengal Wrote: I played high school football with Edwin Moses at Fairview High School.  I played tackle, I think he played end and caught passes.  We didn’t have wide receivers.  I graduated in 1974 and I think he graduated in 1973.



Edwin Corley Moses (born August 31, 1955) is an American former track and field athlete who won gold medals in the 400 m hurdles at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics. Between 1977 and 1987, Moses won 107 consecutive finals (122 consecutive races) and set the world record in the event four times.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Moses

Edwin Moses is one of the greatest athletes who ever lived.  The man was unbeatable in his prime and dominated his sport like few others.

[*SHRacerX*]

(01-04-2017, 04:11 PM)McC Wrote: Not sure where to put this so I'll stick it here and let the chips fall where they will.

Has anybody ever played alongside someone who went on to become a pro athlete?  My question is---how much better than everyone else is a future pro?

The best I ever played with seemed pretty good but none of them were anywhere near pro caliber.  I'm just trying to imagine what these kind of guys look like in HS.

I'm thinking mainly football but any sport would be relevant.

Andy Harmon played DT for the Eagles and was a High School classmate and friend.  AJ Hawk and Nugent are local guys that everyone knew from their days at OSU.  Joseph Thuney was on my daughter's first soccer team...so funny how huge he has become.  

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

No first hand experience with it, but...

Had a sibling who went to high school with a current MLB relief pitcher.
Sibling-in-law who went to high school when Rich Franklin (UFC Champ) taught there.
Believe my parents knew Matt Hamill (UFC)'s parents.

[Hoofhearted]

(02-07-2017, 07:41 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Andy Harmon played DT for the Eagles and was a High School classmate and friend.  AJ Hawk and Nugent are local guys that everyone knew from their days at OSU.  Joseph Thuney was on my daughter's first soccer team...so funny how huge he has become.  

I remember watching Hawk & Nuge play as well. One of the games I went to he had something like 30 tackles.