Just getting back to some earlier comments - when I was a kid (lets say 30 years ago....) I used to stand outside the change rooms at North Sydney oval, and wait for the players to come out & grab their signatures. (I dont know if anyone else remembers North Sydney - but, the general public could walk straight pass the change rooms into the snack shop/milk bar. Nothing has changed, if you walk down the steps - but, there isnt any shop there anymore). They used to lock the back entrance, to stop people from getting into the game for free.
Anyway, even then, when players probably didnt get the attention they do today, some players were happy to sign autographs & other no so interested. Funny enough, I usully found the forwards to be the ones more likely to sign stuff. Mark Graham, Fred Au Kuoi, Don Mckinnon & Johnny Gray. (I used to take particular pleasure in going up to Dallas Donnelly, when Wests played at North Sydney, because he and some of the lower graders did a fencing job on our next door neighbours, and I made friends with him. All the other kids looked on in awe, when I said hello to Mr Donnelly as " hi Dallas".
Not everyone is made for public speaking/appearances. Some people, even footballers, are shy. Of course, you are going to get one or two who think they are above mixing it with fans, but, they are probably young, and will realise when they get older, that they should appreciate people that want to rub shoulders with them. (Case in point Johnny Gibbs. As a kid, my dad took me to a test match in Wigan. We met some of the players, and it was quite obvious that Mr Gibbs didnt have any time for anyone except himself.(His nose was well & truly stuck in the air - bloody typical Manly player:lol
![Smile :) :)](/data/emoji/263a.png)
Years later, I used to bump into him at the TAB, usually at Spit Junction, while he was getting his car washed across the road. Things had definatly changed with his attitude, and we are now on a 1st name basis. (If you can believe that I would have anything to do with ANY Manly player, that alone someone disliked as much as Johnny Gibbs!!:lol::lol
Cut the boys some slack. Over the years, I have had a lot to do with some pretty good athletes, and believe me, there are a lot that think their sh*t dont stink - but, thats generally because they know that they are good.
Some play for themselves, some play for the team, some play for the fans. Some play for all 3 - and generally, they are the ones that I like best.
End rant.
![:cool: :cool: :cool:](/data/emoji/1f192.png)
NSE