I knew Sonny Seiler decently well (not great) but I got to know him and his family a little when I worked as a consultant for the "Damn Good Dog" Dog-umentaries that came out around 15 years ago...
One story was where he and the family tailgated for G-Day - myself and a few others who helped with the movie were sitting around with the family... obviously the family was mostly dealing with people who wanted pictures with or of Uga. We had movie posters for Sonny and Cecilla Seiler to sign if fans wanted to (to promote the movie) One of the people that assisted with the movie was a guy named Tom - he was probably in his 60s and 70s back then.... a fan who didn't know what Sonny Seiler looked like asked Tom to sign the movie poster... Tom said "I don't think you really want me to sign it, I'm not who you think I am" - the fan insisted so Tom signed it "Ole Tom"... and the fan looked it at strangely at said to his friend - I guess Sonny is a nickname for Ole Tom.... a few years later Ole Tom passed. I am curious if that fan still has that autograph
Another story also happened about 10 years ago - I was working for CBS for the Masters that day and my job was to ride around the course in a golf cart and assist cameramen who had specialized tapes somewhere on the course (following certain players) - and then when I picked up the tape I would go to another part of the course and put the tape in a reader so people at the compound could see and use it for specialized features to be shown during the coverage or at other times.... and then go to another camera guy and back to the reader and back to another camera guy.... and so on and so on
Well, while I was driving in my cart around hole 14... I ran into Sonny Seiler and his daughter Swann both I knew decently well and Swann recognized me right away... and she said that Sonny was getting tired and if I can take him in my cart to the front of the course near the clubhouse. I was still on the clock and still pretty busy and CBS does not want people with carts to drive non-CBS or non-members around due to that everyone would ask.. there are a lot of extra CBS people around the course plus my specific cameramen needed me at that moment I would be very late for my pickup...
So I was thinking... do I follow directions and listen to my bosses or do I help out a man who owned all the Uga's... I chose Bulldog pride and risked it. Of course I was needed halfway driving around Mr. Seiler but I came up with an excuse and never got caught.
These stories aren't super "wow" but i will always remember them
Do you have any stories of your own?
One story was where he and the family tailgated for G-Day - myself and a few others who helped with the movie were sitting around with the family... obviously the family was mostly dealing with people who wanted pictures with or of Uga. We had movie posters for Sonny and Cecilla Seiler to sign if fans wanted to (to promote the movie) One of the people that assisted with the movie was a guy named Tom - he was probably in his 60s and 70s back then.... a fan who didn't know what Sonny Seiler looked like asked Tom to sign the movie poster... Tom said "I don't think you really want me to sign it, I'm not who you think I am" - the fan insisted so Tom signed it "Ole Tom"... and the fan looked it at strangely at said to his friend - I guess Sonny is a nickname for Ole Tom.... a few years later Ole Tom passed. I am curious if that fan still has that autograph
Another story also happened about 10 years ago - I was working for CBS for the Masters that day and my job was to ride around the course in a golf cart and assist cameramen who had specialized tapes somewhere on the course (following certain players) - and then when I picked up the tape I would go to another part of the course and put the tape in a reader so people at the compound could see and use it for specialized features to be shown during the coverage or at other times.... and then go to another camera guy and back to the reader and back to another camera guy.... and so on and so on
Well, while I was driving in my cart around hole 14... I ran into Sonny Seiler and his daughter Swann both I knew decently well and Swann recognized me right away... and she said that Sonny was getting tired and if I can take him in my cart to the front of the course near the clubhouse. I was still on the clock and still pretty busy and CBS does not want people with carts to drive non-CBS or non-members around due to that everyone would ask.. there are a lot of extra CBS people around the course plus my specific cameramen needed me at that moment I would be very late for my pickup...
So I was thinking... do I follow directions and listen to my bosses or do I help out a man who owned all the Uga's... I chose Bulldog pride and risked it. Of course I was needed halfway driving around Mr. Seiler but I came up with an excuse and never got caught.
These stories aren't super "wow" but i will always remember them
Do you have any stories of your own?
