Quote Originally Posted by fj1200 View Post
The 'old back-in-my-day post.

Kobe Bryant got a send off. Dwayne Wade got a send off. Plenty of old golfers are appreciated. James will get a send off. Curry will get a send off. Almost any high level player who gets to choose when they leave (and announce it a year before) will get a send off. Fans appreciate talent even if they hated them when they were at the top of their game. "Class act" is in the eye of the beholder.
Some of the rare players I have see treated as such, where even at other parks and stadiums the fans cheered and loved.

Michael Jordan was one of them. Sold out arenas wherever he played. Fans came often to see him even over their own teams.
Derek Jeter was revered wherever he went, and was given a sendoff at every stadium in his last year. Was loved by all mostly.
Pat Tillman. Maybe not as much at the time, but was an NFL player who took a leave to go to war after 9/11 and was killed by friendly fire.
Sweetness! Walter Payton was also a well respected man, on and off the field, and why yearly there is a "Walter Payton, man of the year" award given to someone who showed excellence on and off the field.
An arguable one in Tim Tebow. Was great in college and decent NFL player IMO. Was always interested in praising God for his abilities and success & was quite respectful.
Cal Ripken Jr. was another loved by all wherever he went. But his last year, due to his 'iron man' success, he got a great sendoff in most stadiums as well.

Apples and oranges & different sports. But all well respected athletes.