OT: Barry Sanders

Submitted by Njia on

This is kinda weird, but I was heading home from OKC a couple of weeks ago -- just before the OU opener. I could swear I passed Barry Sanders in the airport, getting off the plane that had come in from Detroit, (he's only one of the most recognizable sports legends still living -- not like its an obvious mistake).

When I got on the same plane going home, (i.e. I was leaving as he was arriving) I asked the flight crew if they'd had a chance to talk to Barry. Two flight attendants told me that they had also thought it was Barry, but the name on the passenger manifest was not "Barry Sanders". In fact, it was NOTHING like it.

Did he legally change his name? Its the only way I could think of that he could get away with a ticket that didn't have "Barry Sanders" on it. After all, he'd have to show a valid "government-issued" photo ID to the TSA guys.

Any thoughts, anyone?

Brodie

September 16th, 2009 at 7:43 PM ^

How tall would you guess he was? I'm not a tall guy, 5'9 at best, and Barry was shorter than me when I met him. If he looked over 5'5, it wasn't him.

tomhagan

September 16th, 2009 at 8:13 PM ^

Ive met Barry a number of times when he was with the Lions and Ive stood nose to nose to him talking. One time was right after he chatted up my girlfriend at the time...

Barry is exactly 5.8 inches tall. Im 5.10 and he is not any less than that, certainly not 5.5 no way.

To the original poster, Im not sure why Barry would want to disguise his identity... as I mentioned when he was with the Lions, he certainly didnt do it then.

Perhaps it was a terrorist disguised as Barry.. hopefully not.

Brodie

September 16th, 2009 at 8:35 PM ^

I'm not sure of the settings in which you met Barry, but he is most certainly not 5'8. I met him several times as well, actually. Once as a kid at the old Second City downtown, once later at a Lions game and once at an autograph signing event. At none of these did Barry look taller than perhaps 5'7 at the most. Certainly not his listed 5'9.

Anyway this would be beyond lame to argue about. I doubt Barry would use a fake identity to travel between two of the cities where he spends most of his time.

tomhagan

September 16th, 2009 at 11:31 PM ^

I used to tend bar at a popular restaurant in Auburn Hills which was fairly close to the Silverdome in the 90s. It was also next to a big sub division where a lot of the Lions used to live.

The Lions team used to all come in on Sunday afternoons after the game. A lot of the used to sit at my bar. During the week, on weeknights they would call in and order "to go" food.

I met several of them, Barry was not a bad guy...just pretty quiet and reserved. He would call in for to-go orders and then come in by himself to pick them up and he and I would chat while we waited for his food to get ready and he would pay me for it at the bar. One time, he came in with his brother Byron and they all sat at my bar and ate dinner and watched MNF. The Cowboys were playing and Al Michaels was going on about how "Emmit Smith was the best back in the league except maybe Barry Sanders..." and they were arguing about it on MNF... so I asked Barry who was sitting right in front of me:

"Hey man...what do you think about that when they compare you to Emmit?"

Barry goes: "Man its just a bunch of talk...Emmit is a good back and a good player...its all talk"

My girlfriend was a hostess there...and one time Barry called in his order and instead of waiting by me at the bar...he saw her (she was a cute brunette) and walked over to her and started chatting her up.

Now my g/f was 5.5 and Barry was a good 3 inches taller than her. He is going on and on talking to her, smiling, laughing with her etc... very out-of-character for Barry since he is normally reserved...

So Im sitting there thinking "WTF?? Barry Sanders is trying to pick up my girlfriend"...

So when his food came to the bar, I decided to carry it over to them and give him his food and break up their conversation (being the jealous 20 something b/f I was at the time :)...

So I went over and stood toe to toe with him and as I mentioned, Im a hair less than 5.10 and Barry was no more than 2 inches shorter than me... no way he was 5.5.. no way.

Anyway, I gave him his food and he left and I asked my g/f what he was talking about and she said "oh, he was asking me all kinds of questions about my school and where I was from, stuff like that...he was just being nice"

lol... okk

btw, the nicest Lion from that era by far was Herman Moore...he was always a very cool guy, upbeat and tipped major $$ even on take out orders.

tomhagan

September 16th, 2009 at 11:57 PM ^

Moore was great. I never talked to Porcher... Speilman was nice but very very quiet and usually just sat there by himself with a flannel shirt on. Totally opposite of what he is like on TV.

The biggest Dickhead in History award goes to Tracy Scroggins. I dont know if you or anyone remembers that guy, but he was the biggest asshole of all the Lions on several occaisons...arrogant, rude etc. I could go on with stories.

Njia

September 16th, 2009 at 10:04 PM ^

Definitely 5'7"-ish. I'm 5'6" and I figure he was about that.

Here's why I thought it was Barry:

- Going into OKC the week of OU's first game
- Coming in from Detroit where he lives
- Played pool with him once at a bar in Rochester Hills, (when I was young enough to do such things)
- I've seen him "around the town" in Michigan over the past few years

Anyway, thanks for all the thoughts.

BlueVoix

September 17th, 2009 at 12:14 AM ^

"he's only one of the most recognizable sports legends still living -- not like its an obvious mistake"

Though by wearing a helmet and pads, it really does hurt the image of what many NFL players look like off the field

Wonder if we would all have a different image of Shaq if he played football. Or wasn't Shaq.

BillyShears

September 17th, 2009 at 12:29 AM ^

Dudebro you gotta hear this. Okay so me and a bunch of my dawgs were hanging out, watching some b-ball and playing pool in our Abercrombie shirts at the bar and getting TOTALLY SHITFACED! We were arguing about our fantasy teams when Barry freaking Sanders walks in. Then my boy Joey starts talking to Barry about how awesome he would be in Madden 10, but still not as good as ALL DAY PETERSON. Then Barry got mad and he challenged J-Chill to a height contest. The JMan is all up in Barry's grill like "Yo dawg, I'm the fucking height champion, when I play beer pong I have an advantage cuz im like leaning over the table and shit, the chicks dig me". My BAMF friend was not about to turn down a challenge so he stands back-to-back with the great Barry Sanders. MY BOY won that shit! Alpha Tau Omega MSU 2002 IN DA HOUSE! He was like 5'7 and he barely beat Barry. That's why I love my brahs!