49ers that you met in public (not at autograph signing, games etc...)

When I was completing my master's at SJSU, I met Delanie Walker in downtown San Jose two years ago during the Super bowl XLIV (Saints versus Colts).

He saw me inside 'Smoke Eaters' with a 49er shirt, waved from the outside and said "Wassup!!" through the glass. My friends noticed how big he was and thought he was an ex-teammate of mine.

I was like, "Holy, S***, it's Delanie Walker from the 49ers". I ran outside like a little school-girl, he was about 50 yards away, and I yelled "Yooooo, I'm a huge 49er fan, can I take picture Delanie?!". He found my desperation funny as he chuckled and walked back toward me. My first experience meeting a 49er outside Candlestick.


Note: I've also met Isaac Sopoaga at Starbucks, and Mike Iupati works out at the 24 hour fitness I workout at off of Curtner in San Jose. My roommate has also met Iupati at the Bestbuy he used to work at off of McCarthy Ranch in Milpitas (See Below):



[ Edited by Imfasterthanur on May 8, 2011 at 07:31:05 ]

Mostly guys with Hawaii ties..

Jesse Sapolu twice. Seen him once at a golf course my friend used to work at awhile back. Mark Tuinei was there too and was all drunk and causing a scene. Then met Sapolu at the airport in March on my way to Vegas. He was cool and just smiled and said "hey howzit going?"

Saw T.O. at a club called Pipeline one year but didn't approach him. Probably a good thing tho cuz I was drunk and probably not making too much sense at that point :)

Met Anthony Carter (NY Knicks) at Aloha Tower after a UH basketball game that he killed in. A blond chick under each arm...Sid Fernandez at my elementary school when he came to speak at a assembly...and Akebono (hey sumos a sport too!) Cuz he's from the same town as me.

Mike Iupati at Costco in San Jose right when the first lifted the lock out before the draft.

I met David Kopay at a sports bar last year. We talked, he bought me some drinks, and we watched the 49ers lose in tragic fashion to Atlanta. It should be noted that the only other game I've seen at this bar is the loss to the Vikings from two seasons prior. Further, it should be noted, I'll never watch a 49er game at this bar again.

I live in the Central Valley (California), but met Joe Montana durring in Detroit. My brother and I were flying to Pittsburgh PA to see part of my family that had just moved out there. We ended having a lay-over and durring the hiatus between flights I looked down no more than 20 feet away and who was there but Joe cool. I was shocked, however I recognized that I may never get this opportunity again, so I composed myself the best I could, grabbed my niner hat and walked up to him. It was intimidating being confronted with such an icon. I managed to open my mouth and not so eloquently said "Hi Joe, I'm a huge niner fan and a fan of yours, Can I have an autograph. He then very graciously signed my hat. It is truly one of my favorite memories. It is still surprising to this day though, out of all the places I might meet him, Detroit? I know he's from Western PA but still,if I ever was going to meet him I would have thought it would be somewhere in the Bay Area which is only about 2 hours away. The whole thing was very serendipitous and unforgettable.

I met Ronnie Lott in the security check-in line at SJ International while flying back to San Diego about 4 yrs back. I was grabbin up all of my belongings out of the Xray tray when someone behind me asked if I was a Marine. I turned around and it was #42 RL USC'd out, &boi was I star struck. He went on to shake my hand and gave me the "thank u for serving" while was still in awh haha... pretty dope memory.

Met Isaac Sopoaga at a Subway in San Jose, dude is mammoth in person.

Met Iupati at Oakridge Mall in San Jose during Christmas week, super nice guy.

Also, last year at Giants opening day, Jerry Rice sat directly in front of me, got his autograph and shook his hand :)

In high-school, I worked at Tri-City sporting goods store in Fremont one year (2001 I think) A lot of players from the Niners and Raiders used to come in to buy gear and other apparel. Mooch used to come a LOT and saw Rice a couple times as well. I think he was with the Raiders then.