Long plane ride, who'd you pick?

[maxw]

Say you are traveling cross-country on a mid-morning flight, and you either bought business class (or first class) seats or you got upgraded. You find sitting next to a sports celebrity in a relatively empty flight. He/she didn't bring work on the plane and is in a mood to talk for (at least a part of) the 5-6 hour long flight.

Who do you want that person to be?

Having been a sports nut all my life, I can think of many players from many sports (including international sports played outside the US) that would have made me ecstatic in my youth. But in my mid 50s now, I think I'll find it hard to have a long conversation with many/any of them. It would be nice to have someone that's approachable (I'd be scared to open my mouth if I was sitting next to Calhoun or Parcells), and has some interesting stories to tell that you get, and is also interesting otherwise.

I thought a lot about this and I've decided it'll make me happy to be sitting next to Sue or Diana (though I'll be a little scared of her) or Maya, they are fun to listen to on TV and you can see they have lived interesting lives and traveled globally.

But the guy I really want to have a conversation and listen to is Geno; he's funny, well read, interesting, knows all the stories we want to hear, and seems very down to earth and approachable.

Knowing me, the conversation will go something like below and whoever is sitting next to me will ask to change their seats 10 minutes after takeoff



Who would you choose?

 

[borninansonia]

If I were still young, George Hincapie, a super domestique who rode in a record 17 Tours de France. I wanted to be a domestique.
At my present old age, I'd like to chat with Lance.

 

[Puppy Love]

Stefanie Dolson

 

[MSGRET]

Man - Larry Bird

Woman - Rebecca Lobo

 

[JDuro]

Bob Uecker
Willie Mays
John McEnroe
Shaq or Charles Barkley
Cal Ripken, Jr., Eddie Murray, or Jim Palmer
Roger Staubach, Jimmy Johnson, Michael Irvin, Randy White, Tony Dorsett or Bob Lilly
A’ja Wilson
Dawn Staley
Chelsea Gray

LOL, I’ll stop there.

Sadly, Jerry West would have been on this list if this thread had been started last week.

 

[temery]

Larry Bird

 

[hoopsdiva]

Nika Muhl or Gabby Williams.

 

[Centerstream]

Man Dr. J I saw him when he was at UMass, I was so impressed by his bball skills.

Woman Katie Lou

 

[Huskee11]

I did have the good fortune to sit next to Karlie Samuelson on a flight back to Hartford from Tampa after the Final Four in 2019. Joining her sister for the WNBA draft. Friendly, kind personality. I enjoyed speaking with her and I am delighted that she has made herself into an outstanding player in Europe and the WNBA.

 

[Dogdude]

Here's a curveball: Grandma Gatewood. her married life wasn't great, stuck on a farm, 11 kids or something, abusive husband, so at 67 decides to chuck it all and in 1955 became the first woman to thru-hike the 2000+ mile Appalachian Trail. In the current era of everyone needing the perfect gear, the perfect situation and setting, she did it with everything she thought she needed in a laundry sack over her back and a pair of Chuck Taylors. Then a few years later (we're talking 70, now) she did it twice more, becoming the first person to complete it three times.

 

[JellyBean]

Men: Magic Johnson

Women: Cheryl Miller

 

[AzHusky]

I sat in first class flying from Phoenix to Boston, and a Boston point guard who played there in the 2014-2015 season sat in front of me. A young lady was flying with him, and I could hear him talking to her. Boy was I glad he wasn't sitting next to me. My wife who was accompanying me agreed that said player was a royal pain in the bottom. Gordie Howe would be the person I would most like to have had the chance to sit next too on a long plane ride. I meet him at different Whaler events and he seemed like a great person.

 

[Blond D.]

Nika Muhl or Gabby Williams.

I'd have to go with Nika too.
I'd be afraid of sitting next to KK. We'd probably be so loud and crazy we'd get kicked off the plane.
Geno would be another one I'd love to talk with.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Geno
Aaron Boone-3rd generation ball player and Yankee skipper.
Serena Williams
Jack Nicklaus

 

[HCCForever]

I sat in first class flying from Phoenix to Boston, and a Boston point guard who played there in the 2014-2015 season sat in front of me. A young lady was flying with him, and I could hear him talking to her. Boy was I glad he wasn't sitting next to me. My wife who was accompanying me agreed that said player was a royal pain in the bottom. Gordie Howe would be the person I would most like to have had the chance to sit next too on a long plane ride. I meet him at different Whaler events and he seemed like a great person.

You would have had to watch out for Gordie's elbows though.

 

[DeepThreat]

I had a friend who's dad grew up with Johnny Pesky in Portland, OR. One year when the Red Sox were in town I was invited to have lunch my friend's family and Johnny and his wife. What a great human being he was. We talked baseball for a couple of hours. The stories he had were amazing. I would definitely do that again.

If that wasn't enough, I was in Tulsa, OK once for work. I decided to head down to the hotel bar for a beer and none other than Nolan Richardson was sitting there. We struck up a conversation and over a few beers talked all about mens college basketball. Again a fascinating talk.

As I was heading home from an overseas business trip, I boarded the plane in Tokyo and made my way to seat 1C. Sitting in seat 1D was Kenny G who apparently is huge in Japan. We had a nice conversation on the plane ride back although I was careful not to make a pain-in- out of myself.

But if I had to chose a famous athlete to have a conversation with I would have to with Ted Williams. I'm a huge baseball fan and love the art of hitting. Of course Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn or Paul Monitor would also fit the bill.

 

[cgshuskie]

I'd like to sit next to Breanna Stewart...... Mickey Mantle for the men

 

[dtbtbtb]

Charles Barkley

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Nikola Jokic. Wanna hear more about his staandardbred race horses.

 

[Bigboote]

Man, probably Kareem. I know just enough about jazz that I’d love to listen to him talk about it, and probably could avoid appearing like an absolute maroon.

Woman, either Napheesa or Nika. I’d love to ask Napheesa about her grandfather — such an interesting life. Nika would just be so entertaining that the flight would go by quickly.

 

[YoDore]

For sports knowledge and the pure old entertainment value, I don't know how you could do better than Geno.

 

[uconnfan68]

First trip, Geno. Second trip, CD.

 

[ERWUC65]

Caitlyn Jenner

 

[leepaul]

2-3 hours--Azzi, Aubrey, Q, Morgan or Sue Bird.

REALLY long trip- Marcel Marceau.

 

[KCD]

Bball: Geno/Steph Dolson, Nika, Bill Walton
Soccer: Leo Messi, Abby Wambach
Baseball: Willie Horton (1960's Detroit Tigers)
Softball: Lisa Fernandez and Cat Osterman
NHL: Nicolas Lidstrom and Steve Yzerman
Football: Walter Payton

 

[cohenzone]

Aaron Judge, so long as there is enough room for me.

Maya Moore.

 

[JonathanXIV]

The late, great Bill Walton. No chance of being bored.

 

[Skeets]

I talked briefly to both Jim Calhoun and Geno a couple of times. What impressed me about Jim was that he is 180 degrees different than his on court persona. Very personable. Geno, on the other hand, struck me as being a little bit on the snide side. Like he really didn't want to talk to someone who wasn't important. Not at all like you see in video clips. Maybe I just caught him at the wrong times. Anyone else have Geno encounters?

Plane ride? Jim.

 

[sno-cat]

Dorka!

 

[GoUconn7961]

If I could choose anyone?
Man: Thurman Munson
Woman: Simone Biles