Who's your homeboys (or homegirls)?

Thought this would be fun. Who are the best-known athletes to come from your readership area?

Obviously, if you're working for, say, the Chicago Tribune, this list may not be for you. I'm thinking more of the small- to medium-range papers. And don't count the kids who aren't from the area, but played at your local college. Just the people who grew up in your readership.

Feel free to edit update your list as you think of more.

For us:

NFL: Marques Colston, Kyle Brady, Denny Green, Kerry Collins. From the past: Ricky Watters.
College football: Can't really think of any household names right now. Coming: Miami Pittsburgh RB recruit LeSean McCoy.
NBA: Nobody. From the past: Billy Owens.
College basketball: Auburn coach Jeff Lebo, Penn State guard Mike Walker; Vanderbilt's Carla Thomas, Marquette coach Terri Mitchell.
Baseball: Best we can do right now is journeyman Mike Edwards. Coming: Braves pitcher Anthony Lerew. From the past: Nellie Fox, Tom Brookens, Sid Bream, classic draft busts Al Chambers and Shawn Abner.
Other sports: Soccer's Ben Olsen.

 

I count this as people I covered in high school at several stops or, in some of the hockey cases, went to college with, drank with and remember the rookie initiation...

NFL: Ian Gold
NBA: I can claim Webber, but sure as hell don't want to -- selfish prick; Mike Peplowski, Matt Stegienga
College basketball: Auburn's Dewanna Bonner, Rutgers Sammeika Thrash
Baseball: Chisox Charlie Haeger, Casey Rogowski; board-fav Steve Phillips (go back to grade school and high school)
Hockey: Glenn Healy, Steve Shields, Cam Stewart, Aaron Ward

 

Not much around here...

NFL: Jim Kelly, Packers lineman Scott Wells

NBA: Chuck Daly

College basketball: Former Duke guard Sheana Mosch

MLB: Mark "Mike Vick Wannabe" Corey, Doug Brocail and a pair from Royals' lore -- early 1990s top prospect/flameout Jim Pittsley and former interim manager John Mizerock.

 

Not too much here, either.

NFL: T.O., Dewayne White
NBA: Gerald Wallace
College hoops: None, really
MLB: Clay Carroll

 

Hmm, back when I was in newspaper full-time:

NFL: Ray Lewis, Desmond Clark, Travis Henry

Non-NFL Football: Freddie Mitchell, He Hate Me (a.k.a. Rod Smart)

College Football: USF starting QB Matt Grothe, a bunch of other kids no one has heard of

NBA: Tracy McGrady, Amare Stoudemire, Vin Baker

MLB: Tom Gordon, Lance Neikro

NHL: Yeah, right.

Golf: Andy Bean, Lee Janzen

 

Basketball: Chris Paul, Josh Howard, Danny Manning, Bob McAdoo

 

Some past and present athletes in the readership area (where I live now) as I know I'm missing some:
Baseball: Kevin Barry (Atlanta Braves), Al Downing
NFL: Troy Vincent, Gary Stills, Elvin Bethea,
NBA: Dhantay Jones (Grizzlies), Dennis Rodman, Greg Grant
Then there are a couple of sportswriters from here:
Mitch Albom and Bob Ryan


From where I was born:
Derek Jeter

 

NHL or equivalent: Paul Henderson, Cyclone Taylor, Hap Day, Mickey MacKay, Chris Neil, Paul MacDermid and others, including goalies galore (Harry Lumley, Les Binkley, Dennis Riggin, Pat Riggin, Darren Pang, Curtis Sanford).

Other various pro hockey leagues: Far too many to count.

"Slap Shot" cast members: Doug Brindley (played for Syracuse), Rod Bloomfield (Paul Newman's stunt double).

Olympics: Alison Bradley (women's softball)

2008 Olympics: Adam Kunkel (Canadian record holder in the men's 400-m hurdles)

 

This list is pathetic for my area:

MLB: Don Larsen (perfect game in World Series); Chris Bootcheck (Angels prospect, hasn't panned out)
College Football: San Jose St. coach Dick Tomey
Boxing: Courtney Burton (beat Angel Manfredy on ESPN a few years ago)
Basketball: Some Mr. Basketball's, some went on to do cool things: Delray Brooks (an asst. with Pitino, on Providence's Final Four team), Dan Palombizio, Charles Macon

 

I'd say this makes up for the lack of other names.

 

agreed.

 

Where I live now?

Football: Galen Hall, Mike Reid
Basketball: Doug West, Danny Fortson
Baseball: Well, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head.

In my hometown?

NHL: John Cunniff
Football: Jermaine Wiggins is from the next neighborhood over, and I covered him a bit in high school