7 Good Guys On The Minnesota Sports Scene
Whether it's healthy or not, any of us that pay attention to professional sports in any capacity idolize athletes.
They dedicate their whole life to playing sports and get paid a lot of money to do so. They also get paid big bucks, whether we like it or not, to say good things about household products we buy, where we choose to eat or what we should be drinking.
But what are they like when they're away from the playing field? Are they in the community and do they generally enjoy interacting with fans who spend big bucks to watch them play on a daily basis? Here are seven Minnesota athletes who by all accounts are also good dudes.
Brian Dozier, Twins 2B
On the field, Brian Dozier has become one of the best second basemen in baseball. He can hit for power, and he's got one heck of a glove. He also seems like one of the nicer guys you'll ever meet. He handles every interview request with class, takes pictures with fans at every available opportunity and is a very public figure for the Twins in charity appearances.
Dozier's popularity among the fans also helped get him to the All-Star Game last year. Though the #VoteDozier campaign didn't win, he did take second and got to the All-Star Game after another player's injury. He made the most of it with a home run in his first at-bat.
Glen Perkins, Twins P
We immediately cling to Glen Perkins as fans because he's "one of us," originally from Stillwater. In addition to being one of the better relievers in the big leagues, he's pretty much always made himself available to the media. He's not afraid to face the music when he's struggling, and he's very active on social media. His Twitter account has little to do with baseball. It's largely about his wife and two children, barbecue and home brewing his favorite beer. He's grown up a lot in the big leagues and seems like he would be a fun guy to have a beer with.
Chad Greenway, Vikings LB
There isn't a Minnesota Viking with a better public image than linebacker Chad Greenway. He's earned the team's Humanitarian Award several times for his work in the community with charities. He's a Midwesterner from South Dakota and just "gets it." He's a fan favorite who always has time for autographs and pictures, and he's easy to cheer for on the field. It also doesn't hurt that he's coming off one of his better years on the field when they needed him to make make plays, and said after the Vikings' playoff loss that he wants to come back for another year.
Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings QB
Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel were in the same NFL Draft class. When Manziel was available on multiple occasions, the Vikings passed and eventually took Bridgewater. The second-year player just finished his first full season as a starter and helped lead the Vikings to the playoffs. Manziel, meanwhile, is living quite the partying lifestyle and has been in and out of treatment for addiction. His own father said he may not make it to his next birthday if he doesn't clean up his act.
Bridgewater is humble, seems like a nice guy but is also a competitive athlete. After signing his first NFL contract, he bought his mother, a cancer survivor, a brand new pink SUV. He even took a Kentucky high school teen to her prom after her mother approached Bridgewater about the possibility.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves C
He's halfway through his rookie season, but Karl-Anthony Towns is already turning into a superstar in the NBA. He's the favorite to win the league's Rookie of the Year, and remains incredibly humble despite his early success. When asked about his game after scoring 35 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a win last week, he said, "I'm surprised by the two open shots I missed and some free throws I missed."
He's always aiming to get better, and he relishes any chance to get out in the public eye to interact with kids and charities.
Adreian Payne, Timberwolves F
Athletes regularly meet people or children battling illness or cancer. But rarely to those relationships mount to anything after they meet for the first time. Adreian Payne will probably never be recognized for his stats in the NBA. What he will be known for is his friendship with 8-year-old Lacey Holsworth. The two met during his days with Michigan State. Payne honored Lacey with his suit at the 2014 NBA Draft. She died of cancer in April of 2014, but the friendship those two had will never be forgotten.
Zach Parise, Wild F
He's a Minnesotan, and Zach Parise is one of the top players for the Minnesota Wild. He keeps his life away from hockey mostly private, but does his fair share of charity work when the time allows. Parise is most appreciated by fans for his effort and hustle on the ice, and his honestly about the team to the media. If the Wild is playing poorly, he doesn't sugarcoat it. He's a leader both by his numbers and by his mentality as an athlete.
While we idolize a lot of these professional athletes as stars, they're also human beings. It's refreshing to see that despite fame and fortune being thrown at them, they're humble about who they are seem like good people. It's a hard switch to turn after being in heated competition on the playing field.
