Best sports personality you've ever covered...

IJAG, it's best personality you've ever covered, not best personality you've stalked. [/ducking]

 

Probably biased, but my favorite person to talk to when I got the chance was (and still is, even though it is more difficult now) Vince Dooley.

 

He's 40 years old. He's already had a lot of experiencee dealing with the media.

 

I've got more respect for Force than probably anybody in the sports world today. On a professional level, but on a very personal level, too (which I know some of you know why.)

 

Steve Weatherford, the Saints punter, while he was in high school.

 

Steelers safety Ryan Clark. Very talkative and kind - even thanked me for doing a feature on him.

And add me to the Force list of supporters.

 

Can't pick one best, but a few of my favorites:

Bobby Cremins

Mike Ditka

John McEnroe, believe it or not

Maurice Greene

Jon Drummond

Monte Kiffin

Jim Hanifan

Joe Bugel

Foge Fazio

Ron Gardenhire

Leon Barmore

Pat Summitt

 

Oh, yeah, Hustle's post reminded me of one: Brad Edwards, the Redskins safety. Good interview, super nice guy. I wrote a column from the Super Bowl XXVI saying he should have been named MVP instead of Rypien (he had two interceptions and returned them 35 and 21 yards), and not only did he thank me, but when I ran into him several years later, he recognized me without introduction and thanked me again.

 

Pat Tillman

 

herb brooks

 

Greg Louganis and Bonnie Blair occur to me.

In the retired division, Mary Lou Retton was as sweet and you'd expect.

Brian Boitano (South Park music, please) was nice, also.

 

With the provision that "best" doesn't necessarily mean "most fun" as much as it means "interesting," here are a few that come to mind:

Sean Jones (former NFL DE, now in deep doodoo)
Abe Lemons
Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell (when he played)
Mychal Thompson
Jerry Tarkanian
Barry Switzer