Kirschman: World Series a reminder that sports is full of “the good guys”

Sometimes nice guys finish first. Sometimes they also finish second.

That’s what I… Sometimes nice guys finish first. Sometimes they also finish second.

That’s what I couldn’t help thinking while watching the Giants celebrate their World Series Championship on Monday night.

While I enjoyed  watching San Francisco relish its victory, I couldn’t help feeling for the Rangers, because both teams are filled with the good guys.

From Freddy Sanchez to Josh Hamilton, there are players on both teams who sports fans just can’t help but like. Then there are the Randy Mosses of the sports world, who declared to the media that he will ask and answer only his own questions from now on. In my annoyance, I started thinking: Who are the other good guys in professional sports?

Here are a few I came up with:

Warrick Dunn: The former NFL running back for the Buccaneers and the Falcons, Dunn was the 2005 Walter Payton Man of the Year. He is the creator of the Warrick Dunn Foundation and the Homes for the Holidays program. Through his charities, Dunn helps single parents provide homes for their families. So far, Dunn has placed a down payment on more than 90 houses, and his sponsors have provided furnishings.

Alonzo Mourning: A retired NBA player, Mourning is the founder of Alonzo Mourning Charities, Inc., and Zo’s Fund for Life. Alonzo Mourning Charities, Inc., provides aid to at-risk children while helping to develop families. Zo’s Fund for Life is dedicated to raising money for research on the kidney disease glomerulosclerosis, with which Mourning was diagnosed.

Tim Duncan: The San Antonio Spurs star is one of the best players in basketball, but if you watch for any antics, you won’t see them. He’s not one to pound his chest or mouth off to the media. You definitely wouldn’t find him hosting any decision specials on ESPN. He’s laid-back and quiet, and on a team full of nice guys, Duncan is the leader: he does what he does, and he shuts up about it. He’s also the founder of the Tim Duncan Foundation and was awarded the St. Croix Medal of Honor. Not bad for a four-time NBA Champion.

Steve Nash: Seriously, how can you not love Steve Nash? First of all, he plays point guard the way the position is supposed to be played. He makes the players around him better, and as long as his team wins, he doesn’t seem to care whether he scores or not. He was named the NBA MVP two years in a row and he’s a seven-time NBA All-Star, but his ego? It’s basically nonexistent. He founded the Steve Nash Foundation in 2001 to help underprivileged children. And his endorsement money from those entertaining commercials we all know and love? He used it to fund a pediatric cardiology center in Paraguay. Plus, he just seems like he’d be so much fun to hang out with.

Drew Brees: If you aren’t a die-hard Indianapolis Colts fan, you were probably rooting for Brees to win the Super Bowl last season. And why not? He’s the epitome of a good guy in the NFL. He threw himself into aiding with Hurricane Katrina recovery, with his Brees Dream Foundation, is teaming up with Operation Kids to help rebuild New Orleans. Saints fans call him “Breesus.” Enough said.

Tony Dungy: The former Super Bowl champion head coach isn’t just a nice guy, he’s the nice guy. If there was an award for the nicest guy in sports, Tony Dungy would win it. And then he would turn around and win it again. I mean, honestly, in a world full of head coaches who seem like they can’t scream enough at their players, the recently retired Dungy didn’t yell. He believes that faith and family come first, and his goal was always to remain calm, to teach his players instead of screaming at them. The list of his charitable involvement is long, too long to list here, but trust me — the man has done plenty of good for the community.

Hines Ward: I’m not a Steelers fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I like Hines Ward. It’s hard not to. I mean, the man is hardly ever playing football without a smile on his face. It’s kind of hard to hate a guy who is always grinning at you. Ward draws some criticism for the hard hits he lays out, but it’s football, and hard hits are going to happen. After he broke Keith Rivers’ jaw with a hit in 2009, Ward made sure the message was delivered that he was sorry Rivers was hurt. As for charity work, the Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation works toward the acceptance of multiracial youth in South Korea.

Albert Pujols: He’s arguably the best player in baseball, and he’s also arguably one of the sport’s nicest guys. Pujols is like the anti-Barry Bonds. He’s not focused on the numbers; his focus is on winning. And he hasn’t been accused of using steroids, which is a rarity itself in baseball, especially for a player of Pujols’ caliber. He started the Pujols Family Foundation in 2005 in order to help people with Down syndrome, their families and those living in poverty in the Dominican Republic.

Kevin Durant: I already wrote an entire column about Durant, so I’ll keep this quick. He’s one of the best scorers in the NBA. This summer, he led the United States to a World Championship, and there’s a good chance he’ll end this NBA season as the league’s MVP. But here’s the catch: He doesn’t have LeBron James’s ego. Sure, he’s fiery on the court, but off the court, he’s quiet and humble. There’s a surge of fame about to rush his way for exactly that reason, so here’s hoping he doesn’t turn into James 2.0. I, for one, like Durant just the way he is.

There are more, I’m sure, that deserve mentioning. These are just a few that came to my mind. Once in a while, it’s refreshing to look at the guys who give sports a good name. So the next time there’s an arrest, a college sports coaching scandal or Moss is ranting at the media on your television, remember that the nice guys are out there.

And as the Giants taught us, sometimes those nice guys finish first.