All too often, you hear about the professional athlete who runs afoul of the law, or who comes off as kind of a jerk.
And then you hear about a great athlete who’s also a great guy — someone like Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
With many still basking in the glow of the Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory, it’s refreshing to hear about an athlete who is apparently unaffected by sudden fame.
Oak Harbor resident Greg Goebel was fortunate to be seated next to Wilson on a recent flight to New Jersey. While Wilson could easily have remained aloof, he proved to be anything but.
“It was like sitting next to any other polite person,” Goebel said.
“He was just a real gentleman.”
Goebel said he asked Wilson if he would autograph a football, one that he would donate to an upcoming Boys and Girls Club of Oak Harbor auction.
He didn’t have to do it, but Wilson agreed.
How very cool is that?
Wilson signed the football, “To the Oak Harbor 12th Man.”
Word has traveled around the community, and Goebel said he expects the football to reach an auction bid of at least $1,000. Included with the football is the box and the pen used by Wilson.
That’s money that will all benefit a very good cause.
The Boys and Girls Club auction is 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Roller Barn in Oak Harbor. The dinner is being catered by Max Dale’s Steak & Chop House in Oak Harbor.
Tickets for the event, which are $65 each, will not be sold at the door, but may be obtained by calling 360-240-9273 until 6 p.m. Friday.
Whomever is fortunate enough to place the winning bid won’t only be getting a great piece of sports memerobilia, they’ll also know the great story behind the football.
n Keven R. Graves is executive editor and publisher of the Whidbey News-Times. You can email to him at kgraves@whidbeynewsgroup.com
