OT: Who to Invite

[and one]

There were threads on what athletes you hate and love; many responses, more so in the love category, were based on how favorites played the game. On the hate side there was more just not liking the cut of someone's jib.

As a variation in this theme, who among the famous althetes or famous anything would you invite to join you for an afternoon gathering at your house or a sports bar perhaps. The idea is to have an enjoyable time. I'll stipulate that those you choose will come because they were chosen and not because they particularly wanted to be there. It is my observation that many people who become rich and/or famous get bored or are too jaded to spend time with the average Joe. Or are rich and famous but just not fun to be around. I'd put Micheal Jordan in the first category and Bill Belichick in the second. Washington and Lincoln may be fscinating to meet, but how much fun would they be over a couple of beers?

That said my invite list would include Mary Carrillo from the tennis world, our own Big Mama Steph, and Tom Hanks from Hollywood.

Who do you invite?

 

[Rixxx]

Out of left field comes Stephanie Ruhle

 

[bluedevil]

Norm!

 

[Scud49]

Bill Russell, Tommy Heinsohn, and Larry Bird

 

[eebmg]

Sue Bird strikes me as the right mix of fun and interesting

 

[Kaizen]

Maya, Breanna, Katie Lou and Napheesa

 

[and one]

Head to the nearest b'ball court with that foursome plus eebmg's Sue B invite and they could beat all comers for the afternoon.

 

[Dokey]

Out of left field comes Stephanie Ruhle

And Nicolle Wallace and Rachel Maddox to follow that vein.

 

[savoy33]

Interesting challenge!

Today I'd ask Kia Nurse, Ketia Swanier, Ernie Banks and Harry Perretta.

Tomorrow's another day entirely.

 

[reno tony]

Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Tiger Woods for my golf foursome. And I don't play golf but would learn to be part of this round. I would have had Bill Murray instead of Tiger Woods but he isn't an athlete.

 

[bluedevil]

The Mick....

 

[Husky pride]

There were threads on what athletes you hate and love; many responses, more so in the love category, were based on how favorites played the game. On the hate side there was more just not liking the cut of someone's jib.

As a variation in this theme, who among the famous althetes or famous anything would you invite to join you for an afternoon gathering at your house or a sports bar perhaps. The idea is to have an enjoyable time. I'll stipulate that those you choose will come because they were chosen and not because they particularly wanted to be there. It is my observation that many people who become rich and/or famous get bored or are too jaded to spend time with the average Joe. Or are rich and famous but just not fun to be around. I'd put Micheal Jordan in the first category and Bill Belichick in the second. Washington and Lincoln may be fscinating to meet, but how much fun would they be over a couple of beers?

That said my invite list would include Mary Carrillo from the tennis world, our own Big Mama Steph, and Tom Hanks from Hollywood.

Who do you invite?

Mel Brooks, Billy Wilder, Billy Crystal and Johnny Carson

 

[Carnac]

Mel Brooks, Billy Wilder, Billy Crystal and Johnny Carson

CARNAC!!!

A moment with Carnac the Magnificent.........................46 years ago.

 

[Aluminny69]

Definitely start with Bob Uecker, has some very funny stories. Jim Bouton for the same reason. And Maury Wills for his unique understanding of Baseball. I believe all three were announcers, so they love to talk.

Believe it or not, Bob Uecker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. His induction speech was a classic. Try to pick out all the cameo appearances in this video.

 

[BRS24]

Rachel Maddow, Bilie Eilish, Edwin Moses, Annie Leibovitz, Itzhak Perlman, and Tom Hanks.

 

[Zanzman]

Marcel marceau I want to find out how he got out of the box

 

[LCConnFan]

Curly Neal and The G.O.A.T Larry Bird!

 

[Golden Husky]

I've heard this question asked in a slightly different format:

If you and your wife/husband/spouse/significant other/friend/whatever were hosting a dinner party and you could invite eight other people, who would they be?

It seems, from the previous responses, a heartbeat is not one of the qualifications. With that in mind, I think a table surrounded with the following people might provide for an entertaining evening:

Dorothy Parker
Hunter S. Thompson
Grantland Rice
Harper Lee
Arthur Ashe
Nora Ephron
Barack Obama
Michelle Obama.

Now, about those place card settings...

 

[and one]

I've heard this question asked in a slightly different format:

If you and your wife/husband/spouse/significant other/friend/whatever were hosting a dinner party and you could invite eight other people, who would they be?

It seems, from the previous responses, a heartbeat is not one of the qualifications. With that in mind, I think a table surrounded with the following people might provide for an entertaining evening:

Dorothy Parker
Hunter S. Thompson
Grantland Rice
Harper Lee
Arthur Ashe
Nora Ephron
Barack Obama
Michelle Obama.

Now, about those place card settings...

The Obama's, Arthur and Nora would engage in urbane and entertaining conversation while a mostly silent Harper Lee listened closely. Hunter would arrive late, stoned and drunk. Dorothy would make witty comments about Hunter's besotted condition. Hunter would attempt, in the words of Grantland in a post soiree column, "to throw a roundhouse right at Dorothy's nose, missing by mere feet before collapsing like an unstuffed scarecrow into the clam dip.". A good time was had by all.

 

[JordyG]

Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Tiger Woods for my golf foursome. And I don't play golf but would learn to be part of this round. I would have had Bill Murray instead of Tiger Woods but he isn't an athlete.

Rumors have long said that Michael and Charles are the reason Tiger starting cheating and, going to strip clubs. Rumors have also said that for many years Michael had a briefcase full of burner phones and the reason Tiger got caught was because he didn't follow Michael's example. If you ever get that foursome together please ask the question.

 

[JordyG]

I've heard this question asked in a slightly different format:

If you and your wife/husband/spouse/significant other/friend/whatever were hosting a dinner party and you could invite eight other people, who would they be?

It seems, from the previous responses, a heartbeat is not one of the qualifications. With that in mind, I think a table surrounded with the following people might provide for an entertaining evening:

Dorothy Parker
Hunter S. Thompson
Grantland Rice
Harper Lee
Arthur Ashe
Nora Ephron
Barack Obama
Michelle Obama.

Now, about those place card settings...

I would replace Parker with Mark Twain, Rice with Damon Runyon, and Arthur with Jackie Robinson, but your list intrigues me more than the others.

 

[Golden Husky]

I would replace Parker with Mark Twain, Rice with Damon Runyon, and Arthur with Jackie Robinson, but your list intrigues me more than the others.

You're a New Yorker, right, Jordy? Well, there used to be a walking tour of Dorothy Parker's upper West Side haunts, ending, I believe, with lunch at the Algonquin. Does it still exist? If so, it's probably on hiatus during the pandemic.

Trying to find something to tie Parker to Connecticut, I uncovered this delicious slight directed to her Ivy League gal pals in the Nutmeg State:
"If all the young ladies who attended the Yale prom were laid end to end, no one would be the least bit surprised."

 

[Carnac]

Definitely start with Bob Uecker, has some very funny stories. Jim Bouton for the same reason. And Maury Wills for his unique understanding of Baseball. I believe all three were announcers, so they love to talk.

Believe it or not, Bob Uecker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. His induction speech was a classic. Try to pick out all the cameo appearances in this video.

I remember Uecker when he was a back up catcher with the old Milwaukee Braves. Del Crandall was the #1 catcher. I had this baseball card circa 1962. Who knew that he would go on to have the career he had, and that he would become more famous OFF THE FIELD for his broadcasting and his "front row" Miller Lite beer commercials than on. Believe me, Uecker did nothing on the field to warrant even a thought of being inducted into the hall.
THAT was a l-o-n-g time ago.

Miller Lite Commercial with Bob Uecker in the Wrong Seat (1984)

I must be in the front row.

youtu.be

This commercial was filmed at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. I've there too many times not to recognize it.

Brewers' video tribute to Bob Uecker, unveiling of honorary statue in section 422 at Miller Park

Milwaukee Brewers created this video tribute for the unveiling of Bob Ueker's statue in section 422 at Miller Park. Uecker already had a standing statue outs...

youtu.be

 

[lne001]

Mark Twain, Christopher Hitchens and Thomas Jefferson. Richard Feynman as a substitute.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Geno, Harry, Jodi and Carla Berube if I was having a basketball luncheon. Subject of discussion - the changing world of women's basketball. I would be fascinated.

More generally, living folks, Barack, DT, Billie Eilish and John Oliver. I would have said Bill Maher, but I'm not sure I could tolerate him - he is gets overboard on some of his "sthtick". Any current younger musician would do, but sadly Eilish is the only one I can name - she's been getting a lot of TV time.

These are not particularly lists of folks I want to meet, but lists of folks that I would like to hear conversation from. Not that I don't want to meet them, per se, but that would be a different list.