Wolverine Good guys & Jerks

Submitted by StephenRKass on

This question was sparked from the thread on Braylon playing charity b-ball in Ann Arbor in June. Among others, Braylon is including Jets teammate and former Buckeye Santonio Holmes, which received a little ribbing on that thread.

My question is whether in your personal interaction with or observation of Michigan athletes, you can comment on those who were good guys and those who were jerks. Obviously, this is subjective. But I recall some guys that were just nice, and others . . . well, let's just say that weren't favorites. Many of you have interacted with athletes in dorms, at parties, in clubs, in the gym. Some of you have seen prominent athletes from High School days. Who, in your own book, are our good guys and our jerks?

One of my personal stories went back to living in the same apt bldg with Rellford and Wade. I have pretty big feet, and they were kind enough when moving out to give me a bunch of their old Nike Michigan bball shoes. Not a big thing, but they were nice guys. On the jerk side, I didn't have good vibes from Ali Haji Sheik.

Among current players (with whom I have no personal interaction,) there have been sev. good stories about Mike Hart, and I have heard great things about Denard. I also have wondered from what RR has said if Tate Forcier is just immature, or if he is in the jerk category. This last highlights an important side point:  being a good guy or a jerk often doesn't correlate to to your play on the field or the court. Rothlisberger may be a jerk, but he also is a great QB. MJ (and Isaiah, and Bird) may have been jerks, but they were some of the greatest players. From the dark side, Magic played for the enemy, but he seems to have been a good guy.

What are some of your stories?

Wolverine In Exile

May 20th, 2010 at 7:50 AM ^

was in a History of UM class with him and during study group one of the chicks asked why he always got in fights during games.

His response, "If no one else does then pretty boy over here (points at Josh Langfeld) doesn't get laid since he wouldn't have any f'n teeth"

UMdad

May 20th, 2010 at 9:28 AM ^

My girlfriend's roomate was dating Marcus Knight early in his career at Michigan and I was always impressed by how good of a kid he was.  Always seemed super respectful and borderline shy.  I was happy he had a couple of years in the NFL and I hope he is doing well now.

Magnus

May 20th, 2010 at 7:52 AM ^

He wasn't a big star or anything, but I had a handful of interactions with middle linebacker Eric Brackins his senior year.  He was always very humble and soft-spoken.  A friend of his, who was a walk-on and who will remain nameless, was ten times cockier than Brackins.  I asked Brackins at the time if he was getting any looks from NFL teams, and he said the Bears were interested in getting him to try out.  I scanned for his name in the news/on ESPN.com occasionally, but I don't think he ever got picked up by an NFL team.  I'm not sure what he's doing now.

I had a class with Pierre Woods.  He was pretty quiet, but that was largely because he never came to class.  Throughout the entire semester, I think I only saw him twice.

jvick9006

May 20th, 2010 at 8:04 AM ^

My dad works for the U of M and he sat down and talked to Tyrone Wheatly a few times while he was at U of M. He always said he was very humble and was a very nice guy. I've met Carlos Brown a couple times and he was a really nice, humble guy. Tony Scheffler is a guy I have met and I don't really have good things to say about him. He's definitely not humble and is really all about himself.

el segundo

May 20th, 2010 at 10:24 AM ^

Wheatley's oldest son was in the same basketball program as my older son for a few years.  Before he got into coaching football, Wheatley often helped out at practices and was very good with the kids.  He was also approachable and humble off the court.  He never acted as though he were special or different.

MGoScene

May 20th, 2010 at 10:55 AM ^

About two years ago Tyrone Wheatley ran a private football camp for Ann Arbor-area high school players. He rented out my mother's business venue (shameless plug: Jump City for anyone with children looking for a sweet place to have a birthday party) in the evening when it was closed. So not only was he supporting a local business, but my mom told him that I am a Michigan alum, and he agreed to meet with me and chat about M football and autograph some stuff for me. Rad dude.

riverrat

May 20th, 2010 at 8:34 AM ^

Two guys come to mind - Clay Miller and Tom Hassel, from the early 80s. A friend of mine knew Hassel pretty well, and he was always a nice guy, and I reffed many an IM basketball game played by Miller, who was huge and played hard but was nice and also one of the funniest people I've ever met.

On the baseball side, Tom Paciorek planted me in a flag football game and then helped me up and helped me come up with an excuse for being such a candy ass (something about having to backpedal on a kickoff return)...another super-nice guy...

 

chitownblue2

May 20th, 2010 at 8:34 AM ^

I had some dealings with Clarence Williams, Dhani Jones, Julius Curry, and Rob Renes over my time at Michigan. All were fairly studious, nice, grounded people. Renes was a GSI for a class of mine as a freshman.

There were guy who were less than "impressive", or "good", but they can remain incognito.

Mr. Robot

May 20th, 2010 at 1:39 PM ^

That's cool. I never had a class with him or anything, and back when I was in middle school I hadn't come into my football fandom just yet and didn't know who he was. I now hate myself for this...

Good to know a Michigan man has replaced a Sparty and a Buckeye (Lane and Powers) as middle school principal.

Class of 2008, BTW. Go Rockets!

Dix

May 20th, 2010 at 8:34 AM ^

Jamal Crawford struck me as being very down to earth the few times I encountered him while I was a student.  I think he's a good guy. 

TheODB

May 20th, 2010 at 8:34 AM ^

My friend got in a severe skiing accident and was weelchair bound for months.  When my mom told Rob, he insisted on suprise visiting him.  Nicest guy in the world, sat and talked with us for a long time.

Seth

May 20th, 2010 at 8:38 AM ^

But I met a bunch of good guys from classes, and later from umpiring rec softball (the fb guys had two teams):

  • DeWayne Patmon - had a Creative Writing class with him. Nice guy, not a great writer but his plots were really intelligent.
  • Vic Hobson - Had a class and session with him and Ronald Bellamy. Bellamy didn't leave much of an impression, but Vic was kind of a class clown (when he came). Eminently likeable.
  • Jake Frysinger - He and I knew this same group of girls from my hall who were active in SAPAC. The girls were all about 3/4 of my height, and half the height of Jake, which I always thought was funny. Just a nice, chill guy.
  • Charles Drake (softball) - Was straight from the hood. But funny.
  • Brandon Williams (softball) - Played straight man to Drake.
  • David Underwood (softball) - Not the brightest guy in the world, but really respectful -- would snap to when an umpire asked him something, which, dude you're the presumptive starting tailback next year and I'm an intramural softball ump -- you don't really have to listen to me.
  • Kevin Dudley (softball) - Was captain of the B-level team (which if I remember correctly was Dudley, Stenavich, McClintock and some walk-ons). You wouldn't know he's a football player from talking to him, except he was really buff. Just seemed like a good guy.
  • Braylon Edwards (softball) - Already had that celebrity shell around him by then, but gave everybody respect. And he was an AWESOME ballplayer

Wolverine In Exile

May 20th, 2010 at 8:50 AM ^

That's where you found out a lot about who the good guys were. I always got a kick out of reffing basketball. You inevitably had at least 1 football team in the IM Mens Ind A finals and sometimes they were a bunch of jerks during the rest of the season, but in the finals, Lloyd would show up, sit in the bleachers at the IM bldg with the"regular folk" and you would not believe the saintly behavior everyone of the football guys exhibited that game. I remember when after the 97 season Tai Streets was on the Mens Hoops practice squad and so he didn't play IM hoops, but he was the "coach" for the football team (which had T Brady, Jon Jansen, I think Marcus Ray). They got to the finals and he showed up in a suit and clipboard and was yelling at Brady the whole game to "get your surfer ass back on defense". Loved me some Tai Streets. And don't get me started when he and Woodson decided to play Inner Tube Water polo. Let's just say there may or may not have been some turtle shaped arm floaties in play.

M-Wolverine

May 20th, 2010 at 12:13 PM ^

It's all how and when you meet up.  Tai would be one of the few I would rank as negative (in the not blowing stuff up, knocking out nerds level).  Tried to pick a fight with me once, because I called him out on being a dick.  When I told him the NFL doesn't really look at hobbled players, and I could have Lloyd on the line first thing in the morning explaining why he was short one receiver, he backed down.  But it's all time and place.

Maybe Elvis too...I heard him badmouthing his teammates after a bad game, blaming them, when he wasn't exactly lighting it up either.  Wasn't bad to me...but you don't through your team under the bus.  Especially if you're the QB.

But by far the vast majority are good guys.  We've tried to recruit right.  Not that all were prep school angels, but that deep down, they had the character to play for Michigan.  Mistakes get made, but by and far, I'm always impressed with how they carry themselves.  If I had to make a more personal nod to one, I think Sam Sword is a great guy.  But I could list dozens more who deserve credit. (Breaston could marry my daughter if I had one...etc.).

snowcrash

May 20th, 2010 at 12:30 PM ^

Once my team played Edwards' team. One of our players hit a ball that normally would have dropped for extra bases. Edwards, of course, zips over and catches it on the fly. I thought, 'damn, that guy got there awfully quick.'

Unrelated, I talked to Grant Bowman, Drew Henson, and Bennie Joppru enough to classify them as nice guys.

Six Zero

May 20th, 2010 at 8:45 AM ^

with Marques Slocum.  He was just a few credits away from his masters, and finishing up his thesis on the environmental degradation of the ozone layer and its effect on the evolutionary progression of the F**k Lion species.

He was such a well-mannered young man.  Spoke very highly of his mom, if I recall.

dinkmctip

May 20th, 2010 at 8:53 AM ^

I lived with LaTerryal Savoy  for one summer and I came home one day to a fist sized hold outside his bedroom. I asked him about it and he pretended like he hadn't noticed it. It was right outside his door and only two of us lived there at the time and It sure as hell wasn't me. It was a dick move, at least apologize.

Flying Dutchman

May 20th, 2010 at 8:57 AM ^

I was 10 when Glen Rice was a freshman.   My dad knew some people and got us into the locker room after a game (and I think they won the Big 10 that year).    Glen Rice went out of his way to be cool.  I will remember that forever.   And since he was a 'relative nobody' as a freshman then, its ironic that he went on to become my favorite hoopster of all time.

Through the same connections I got to know Gary Grant and Garde Thompson.   Both great guys.

Later on, my sister had a room in the South Quad across the hall from Amani Toomer and Mercury Hayes.   Both great guys.

MGoShoe

May 20th, 2010 at 11:00 AM ^

...was anything but a "relative nobody" when he was a freshman.  He was Mr. Basketball in 1985 and led Flint Northwestern to their second straight Class A state championship on a team that featured Andre Rison (MSU), Jeff Grayer (ISU), Darryl Miller (CMU), and Anthony Pendelton (USC).  That team went undefeated and is considered by many the best HS basketball team in Michigan history.  Rice was expected to be a major contributor from day one and he was.

StephenRKass

May 20th, 2010 at 1:07 PM ^

Rice was a great guy. I remember guarding him in pick up ball at the CCRB. I was terrified I would foul him and hurt him (freak clutz kind of accident . . . trip on my own feet and claw his eye.) Didn't happen, and it was fun to shoot hoops with him. He was kind of a gym rat. . . always wanted to play.

One other time there I was the 5th man on a pickup team with couple Michigan hoops players and a couple other locals who were around in the summer . . . Derrick Coleman and one other guy from Syracuse, IIRC. (I could try to remember all the names, but I'm too lazy.) Anyway, with those kind of players, we kept on winning, and winning, and winning, and by the 4th game, I was dying. Never run on a court so much in my life. At the end, they kept on passing me the ball and telling me to "shoot the ball, white boy." Humiliating, exhausting, but fun. Good memories.

MGoShoe

May 20th, 2010 at 1:20 PM ^

...freshman roommate (hi Doug) or he wasn't the only "white boy" who used to play with the basketball team in CCRB pick up games.  First week of school he went to the CCRB and was looking to get selected.  After dunking on the neighboring court while warming up, Gary Grant selected him to play with the big boys. He got to play with them several times until practice started.

Nieme08

May 20th, 2010 at 12:50 PM ^

Ryan Mallett is definitely a jerk. I lived on the same hall as him freshman year. He didn't talk to anyone most of the time. Unless it was late at night and he was bumbling around drunk trying to punch holes in the walls

Block M

May 20th, 2010 at 9:41 AM ^

He lived down the hall my first semester and we had a lot of classes together throughout college. Always seemed like an intelligent, well spoken, nice guy. Last I heard he was signed by the Warriors...I hope he has a long career in the NBA but I don't doubt he'll do well after that

Beavis

May 20th, 2010 at 10:45 AM ^

Dude are you serious?

He played for the Warriors this year.  Even started a few games.  Was a meaningful NBADL contributor this year.  I mean, how hard would it be to look this up?  You did have classes with the guy.  "Last I heard".  You must hate the NBA.

Block M

May 20th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^

I'm a much bigger college sports fan than pro fan. I still watch pro sports, but am far less emotionally invested. Being from Michigan, the combination of the Pistons being hard to follow this year and currently living in Chicago where all you hear about is the Bulls had my interest in the NBA regular season quite low...good to hear he's doing well though, thanks for the update

WichitanWolverine

May 20th, 2010 at 9:49 AM ^

Shawn Crable, Mike Hart, Jake Long, Adam Kraus, Marlin Jackson (on the field only), Adrian Arrington, Braylon Edwards, John Navarre, and Garrett Rivas at one time or another during my tenure ('03 - '07).

With limited exposure, I thought every one of those players was a stand-up guy, save Rivas.  If anyone cares to hear about my unpleasant Rivas encounter they can read it here: http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/garrett-rivas-tv-right-now

Beavis

May 20th, 2010 at 10:21 AM ^

Well, if you think that is bad I have a story involving Rivas, his entourage, a fraternity brother, and the fraternity brother's friends from home during the spring semester.

Let's just say Rivas was a total dick who would look for fights and my buddy's crew obliged him one evening. 

I also forgot to mention in a previous post - Graham Brown - great guy.  Won the "athlete seen most at Ricks - 2006" award. 

MH20

May 20th, 2010 at 9:57 AM ^

Craig Roh is an incredibly nice guy.  I had the opportunity to meet him after this year's spring game at the postgame family luncheon in Crisler, and I have to say he and his parents are truly some of nicest people I have met.

Beegs

May 20th, 2010 at 9:56 AM ^

I lived in the dorm with a few jerks at the end of the 80's but like others here, will refrain from bad mouthing them by name.

On the good side, i ran into Jim Abbot a few times in the dorm as well and he was nice as pie...played a few video games with him.

I also lived in the dorm with Rumeal and T. Mills. Hard to say whether they were "good guys" but they sure were entertaining!

Broad generalization based on my dorm experience with "student" athletes: The baseball players were all very nice, good guys, got your back kind of guys.  The basketball players were a little distant. The hockey players were absolutely ef'in nuts.  The dorm cleaning crew refused to even enter their floor of the dorm so they just dumped their trash cans out into the hall.  By year's end the trash was piled about 3 feet high all the way down the hall...no joke. They also threw old TVs out of their 4th floor windows onto the sidewalk below.

Magnus

May 20th, 2010 at 10:09 AM ^

This is not meant to be as crude as it might sound...

...but how the hell did Jim Abbott play video games? 

Hell, that's more amazing than playing MLB with one hand.  Video games are some serious shit.

jvick9006

May 20th, 2010 at 10:24 AM ^

I know Dave Moss really well. He's a great guy and very humble! I have also hung out with Eric Nystrom and Brandon Kalinecki, also a very nice humble guys. I had the chance to hang out with a bunch of former Michigan hockey guys and current NHLers during this past Hockey Alumni weekend last summer. Some of those guys can definitely have some fun! I will have the chance to be around Jack Johnson this summer.