First of all, this countdown is just for fun and nothing more. We don’t believe, at least for the most part, that these athletes are shitty human beings. We are just listing the players who have demonstrated douche bag tendencies more than a few times in their career. Funny enough, I am big time fan of some of these guys – so please, don’t take it personally if your favorite athlete is listed. Anyway, here are the “Top 50 Douche Bags in Sports History”. Enjoy.
50. Michael Irvin
Coming from the University of Miami, Irvin had a mean streak. He was part of the teams known by the Notre Dame fans as the convicts and him and his teammates rewrote the personal foul list in the NCAA rule book. Just watch ESPN’s 30 for 30 on the U and you will very quickly see that the people that played on those teams were bred as dickheads, but they were great at doing it and they made one of the greatest dynasties in College Football history because of those attitudes. We grew to hate Irvin, but you had to respect how talented the man was.
49. Isiah Thomas
One of the most important players on the Bad Boys, Thomas really knew how to get under the skin of his opponents, as did his teammates. He was a feisty small man who played extremely physical with dominating defense. Thomas was named to the All-NBA First team three times and is the Pistons’ all-time leader in points, steals, games played and assists. He ranks fifth in NBA history in assists and ranks ninth in NBA history in steals. Thomas was known for his dribbling ability as well as his ability to drive to the basket and score.
48. Sidney Crosby
For NHL fans outside of Pittsburgh, Crosby is one of the most hated players in the league. He is hated because he is undoubtedly the best player in the world, and, because of that, the NHL makes sure that they protect him, no matter what. I can even count the amount of games I have watched where Crosby has cried for the call and has gotten it. He is such an amazing hockey player, but if the NHL is going to clearly baby him, he is going to get a ton of flack for it.
47. Johnny Manziel
Johnny Football? What kind of nickname is that? It makes it sound like Manziel created the sport or is one of the best players to ever play the game, both of which are not even close to the truth. Being an incredible athlete, Manziel comes with some massive baggage. Whether it’s partying at the club or making his signature money signs, Manziel has really made it so the entire world, even the Cleveland fans hate him. I am rooting for him to find his game from college, but am unsure it will ever happen.
46. Muhammad Ali
Say what you want about all the shit he talked, Ali backed it up. No one gave him a chance when he went up against Sonny Liston as a young up-and-comer out of Louisville. He told everyone they would eat their words and when he beat Liston, Muhammad made sure to let people know. He predicted victories by the round and beat many opponents before they stepped in the ring by talking all kinds of smack. That smack was always back, and Ali is one of the best boxer’s ever to live.
45. Luis Suarez
The Uruguayan has been on the news for all the wrong reasons in the last couple of years. He pulled a Mike Tyson last year during the World Cup and bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder. The most outrageous part of it is that he has been caught for this same offense three times! Either he just runs all over the place with his mouth open or he has a huge appetite for human flesh. He is one of the most accomplished soccer players in the world, but he really needs to keep his teeth in his mouth and just worry about scoring goals.
44. Hope Solo
Hope Solo could be the loudest and most obnoxious player to ever put on the USWNT jersey. She is very outspoken and, oh yes, has had some trouble with the law recently. Solo was arrested last June on two counts of domestic violence after having to be forced to the ground by the police. She went on to verbally abuse the police officer who had subdued her. Although she is one of the greatest players to play for the US, she has some attitude problems that hold her back.
43. Antonio Cromartie
Cromartie has almost as many kids running around as I have fingers, and they aren’t even with the same woman. He is one incredible athlete, though he has had one of the most inconsistent careers known to date. Even though he does quite a job as a big press corner, Cromartie couldn’t be a worse person, in my eyes. You would think he would stop having kids after the 5th or 6th one, but he just kept going. I do love his football IQ, though.
42. Joakim Noah
Joakim Noah is one of the loudest players on and off the court. He had a very feisty series versus the Cavaliers this postseason and really any series for that matter. He went on to call the the best player in the world a pussy, which could be true, but you don’t call him that, unless you want him to go off. Joakim Noah talks a lot of trash, but isn’t as good of a player as that trash would suggest. Great defensive big man, but tends to go away in big games.
41. LeBron James
King James is the best player in the world, hands down. With that title comes some downside, though, because of the world not liking you. Ever since the special on ESPN “The Decision”, the entire country has come to loathe him. He left his hometown for the money and, then, came back to lead his city to greatness. Whether it’s watching him cry for calls or make mistakes, people find ways to bash him. All in all, though, he has been one of the greatest player in NBA history and could bring Cleveland its first championship in a long time.
41. Kevin Garnett
If you want to find one of the most focused and driven players NBA, look no further than Garnett. He is known as one of the meanest trash talkers in the game. I mean, look at him. I would not want to go against a guy that looks as intimidating as he does. He definitely has a mean streak and has been ejected from his fair share of games. Even through all of that, Garnett is a gamer and deserves to be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
41. Dwight Howard
Don’t get me started on this dude. He was a pretty likable guy in Orlando until he basically shit on an entire franchise and city. Constantly asking to be traded then changing his mind – he became less predictable and more bitchy than a woman on her period. When he was on the Lakers, he was, once again – a total pussy. Kobe Bryant couldn’t stand his lack of passion and went on to basically loathe him. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think D-12 is a bad dude off the court, but on the court – this guy is one of the more unlikable characters in the NBA.
38. Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis might be one of the best defensive players I have ever seen, but he is straight up a bad dude. In a pretty famous scandal, he was included in an investigation about a murder that happened and was brought to court as a suspect. Though he wasn’t ever convicted, almost everyone knows that he was somehow included in that murder. Add the deer antler spray incident and Ray Lewis just seems like a douche bag. Great player, but nowhere near a great person.
37. Kellen Winslow Jr.
One of the biggest busts in my lifetime, Winslow was one of the cockiest players I have ever seen. I saw a video once of him talking in third person. Rickey Henderson could pull off third person because he was one of the best at doing what he did. Winslow couldn’t even kiss his feet. Winslow talked the talked, but he couldn’t walk the walk. I don’t even think this guy deserved to be in the league. He couldn’t play at the NFL level. And that’s putting it nicely.
36. Philip Rivers
One of the best gunslingers in the NFL right now, Rivers is a known douche bag. When the Chargers choke, which seems like a lot these days, Rivers is seen moping around and getting into it with his players. That captain’s patch on his jersey means he is a leader on the team, and while leaders should be getting on players, Rivers takes it to a whole another level. Though he has that aggressiveness, Rivers is one of the better quarterbacks in the league and continues to play well.
35. Tom Brady
Tom Brady lives the life you and I want to live. He has a scorching hot wife, a huge house, and a nice fat contract. With the Deflategate scandal upon us, many people are coming down hard on him as a cheater, but I am of the opinion that everyone does it. Even if Deflategate didn’t happen, he would be on his list just because everyone is jealous of him. He has the perfect life! He will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks to win and has won an impressive 4 Super Bowls.
34. Ben Rothlisberger
Rothlisberger is one of the toughest guys in the NFL. The beating he takes year round is incredible, but that doesn’t give him the right to dish it when he allegedly raped and sexually assault a girl in 2008. Since then, there has been a stigma about Big Ben being a bad person, but I just think it was very bad circumstances for a guy that is beloved by his teammates. He has been one of the biggest workhorses in the NFL and will finish a very strong NFL career.
33. Rob Gronkowski
I want to party with Gronk. Can anyone hook that up? Gronkowski is one of the most charismatic players in the NFL today. Whether it’s dancing with his shirt off at a club or going to the Kentucky Derby with other members of the Patriots, Gronk is always down to have a good time. He probably gets girls all the time, making him even more of a douche, but one of the best tight ends in the league today. Hey Rob, do you think you can leave some girls for the rest of the men of the United States? Thanks.
32. Kris Humphries
How many DAYS was this guy married to Kim Kardashian? How can a person only be married for 72 days? Kris, man, I’m sorry, but it seems that Kim just liked her men a little bigger, if you know what I mean. Because of that short marriage, Humphries was a punch line for many jokes and it wasn’t even his fault. You have to feel for the guy after putting his heart out on the table. He has been a pretty steady role player in the NBA for some time and continues to play a pretty good game.
31. Richard Sherman
Sherman did not seem like a Stanford alum after his post-game rant that almost made Erin Andrews pee herself. He seemed like a asshole that just couldn’t shut up. Along with that rant, Sherman is on of the biggest trash talkers in the NFL, getting into it with many of the fans that say anything bad about him. He even trash talks Darrell Revis, who is a better corner than him no doubt. With that being said, Sherman does back up all that he says and hasn’t had any outbursts since the Andrews one. Wonder what would have happened if Max Kellerman was interviewing him that night.
30. Josh Beckett
Beckett has taken Chipper Jones’s place as MLB’s resident good ol’ boy. But he’s taken it up a couple notches. Chipper, especially as his career progressed, brought an element of class and professionalism to his hick persona. Beckett, though, is just a braying Southern jackass. Beckett owns his own deer hunting ranch. He actually won the award for the largest deer shot during the TX hunting season, a 14-point, 245-pound buck. He’s a headhunter. He’s an instigator. He’s Roger Clemens 2.0, and boy, was he a great player. Being great, though, doesn’t mean you aren’t a douchebag.
29. Jonathan Papelbon
Every time Jonathan Papelbon comes in to close a game, he goes through the same routine each time he throws a pitch: He gets the ball back from the catcher. Then,taking longer between pitches than any other hurler in baseball, he steps on the rubber, takes a deep huffing breath, sets, and makes the Jonathan Papelbon Scary Face. Papelbon is like the guy in the frat house who’s a little functionally slow, has the emotional capacity of an 8-year-old, and still somehow finds himself in a leadership position. Even with all of that, he is still one of the best closers in the game.
28. A.J. Pierzynski
When Delmon Young punched Pierzynski in the face during a play at home plate in 2010, he was striking a blow for the rest of the American League. Pierzynski is the kind of guy whom opponents hate, and teammates hate behind his back. He’s the kind of dirty player who thinks being a constant irritant is the same thing as being a “gamer.” He’s also the kind of guy who appears on professional wrestling programming. Saying that, Pierzynski has been a consistent player in the MLB for many years and will go down as one of the best catchers of his generation.
27. Bryce Harper
The hair, the eyeblack, the stance, the attitude, the swing. What do all those things have in common? They are all things that people hate about Bryce Harper. He is an enigma and really comes with a ton of off the field baggage. He isn’t trying to get respect from anyone but his teammates. He wants to be the best player in the world and he doesn’t care who likes or hates him in the process. He will still be known as the second best player in his draft, behind only Mike Trout. Not too shabby.
26. Lane Kiffin
How did Lane Kiffin ever get a head coaching job? For a guy that struggles to coach, he has gotten many opportunities to do so. Kiffin is a cocky a-hole that thinks he invented the game of football, which isn’t nearly the case. If his father wasn’t the great Monty Kiffin, Lane would struggle to find a job somewhere. He has rode the coattails of his father for way too long and I can’t believe he still has the chance to coach anywhere. He does know offense pretty well, but so do a lot of people that don’t get the chances that he gets.
25. Ray Rice
Do I really have to explain why Ray Rice is even on this list? I shouldn’t have too, but I will. He knocked out his wife on an elevator with a punch heard around the country. What guy in their right mind would ever touch a woman like that, let alone knock her out? He is a piece of dirt that should never again be allowed to play in the league again. Do you want to know the funny thing? His initial suspension was shorter than Tom Brady’s? Wow, that says a lot about the NFL.
24. Sean Avery
One of the biggest goons I have ever seen play in the NHL, Avery actually thought he was a good player. Whether it was taking too many untimely penalties or getting suspended for stupid on ice plays, Avery would never disappoint with making a bonehead mistake. He was very controversial hockey player and succeed at one thing: taking penalties. He was very good at instigating players to take penalties as well, but really wasn’t good at anything else besides being a lady’s man.
23. Bill Lambeer
Another member of the Bad Boys on this list, Lambeer was one of the most physical players in the paint in NBA history. The reason he was part of this team was because he played a tough, grinding defense and was a strong man who didn’t get pushed around much, if, at all. He ripped down timely rebounds and just was a bitch to deal with in the paint. He is on this list because of how hard he was to play aginast, and how much a an a-hole he was on the court.
22. Brett Favre
One of the most memorable quarterbacks in league, Favre was not only a gunslinger, but could throw any ball he needed to. He was also a huge douche bag. One of the main reasons why is when he sent pictures of his Nether region to a Jets’ worker when he played for the Jets. Like what girl would be turned on by that? It’s Brett Favre, not Ronaldo. He also thought that if he retired as many times if he did, people would actually like him. Well after the second time, everyone was annoyed. One of the better quarterbacks of our generation doesn’t mean he has to be an angel.
21. Mike Tyson
Tyson is one of the best boxer’s to ever fight in the ring, but, man, was he a crazy mother. From doing enough cocaine to get the entire country of India tweaked out on it to biting off a piece of a Evander Holyfield’s ear in a fight, Tyson was almost as predictable as the Puppy Bowl. One thing I will say is Tyson has completely turned his life around and really has made some incredible changes. He is now a stand up guy, which is good. The way he was going, he was going to die within a couple of years.
20. Kurt Busch
Who knew that there could be an douche bag driving in NASCAR? The way Busch acts, he could be one of the best agitators in the NHL. He picks fights after races and drives very recklessly during the race. His brother, Kyle, just narrowedly missed this list. Did their mother beat them when they were kids or are they just this aggressive? Busch is a very solid racer and has won his share of races during his career. I don’t usually watch NASCAR, but when I do, it’s usually because Kurt Busch did something really, really stupid.
19. Cristiano Ronaldo
Don’t lie. If you were living the life of Cristiano Ronaldo, you’d be cocky as hell too. From bagging multiple hotties to consistently impressing on the field, Cristiano is living that life. He may have said some some crazy stuff from time to time, like claiming to be better than Lionel Messi, or saying that he was sent by God to Earth to show people how to play soccer, but in the end, he backs it all up by leaps and bounds and overly dramatic flops. He is a huge reason why many Americans hate soccer with all of his flops.
18. Michael Vick
Michael Vick made a lot of money when he was with the Atlanta Falcons. Some of it was from his off the field activities though. Vick was arrested and served time in jail on charges of tax evasion, but is better known for the dogfighting ring he was involved in. Many people have a soft spot in their hearts for dogs, so this did not go over well with the people in the country. Vick has really improved his character since his youth, but people will never forget the atrocities that he and his gang committed. Hurting Dogs? Come on man!
17. John McEnroe
He was nicknamed both McBrat and SuperBrat for his on-court abuse of officials, but in the cocky department, McEnroe could always walk the walk. He won seven U.S Open and Wimbledon singles titles between 1979-1984, and his combined eight U.S. Open singles and doubles chips between 1979-1989 are a record. He’s mellowed considerably since, but during his hey, Mac was as cocky and as good as they come. He was still one of the biggest douche bags in sports history though.
16. Tonya Harding
In 1994, Harding’s ex-husband and bodyguard attacked her main competition, Nancy Kerrigan, so she couldn’t compete in the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit. How much of a douche bag move is that? Having two thugs break the legs of this little girl is as bad as killing Jesus. Okay, not that bad but you get the point. She was a very good figure skater, but this just isn’t a thing you do in any sport. It wasn’t even the Olympics, Tonya!
15. Randy Moss
Randy Moss is one of the most gifted athletes to ever lace up the cleats. He would tell you that as well. You know that when someone pays their fines in cash, that they are bad, bad people. He had enough dough to pay in cash! I think I would just sit and look at all that money. He infamously mooned the crowd after scoring a touchdown, making sure that no one would forget who he was. I think if you are one of the best players at your position in the history of a sport, you can be a cocky a-hole.
14. Kobe Bryant
It’s no secret that the Black Mamba’s got a big ego, and in between winning and giving us news stories for years, we’ve seen it shine through plenty. Whether it be his revered trash talking, forcing the Lakers to ship Shaq out of town, letting a fan know he’s top three all time, “raping” a woman (He didn’t rape her, but the way he handled himself during that trial was rather douchey),or even the hilarious “Kobe System” commercials, Kobe knows he’s one of the best to ever lace ’em up, and has no problem letting you know that too. I love Kobe, but even I can admit he belongs a spot on this list.
13. Roger Clemens
Clemens was a rare athlete, so gifted that he played baseball on his own terms. He had the confidence to demand $22M from the Astros and didn’t even travel with the team, he was conceited enough to lie about his steroid use, and had the balls to say “I thought it was the ball,” when he took Mike Piazza’s shattered bat and threw it at him during the ’00 World Series. Even with his steroid use, Clemens was a dominate pitcher. One that is constantly used with the phrase “could have been.”
12. Tiger Woods
The confidence of Tiger Woods would intimidate every old man in a pair of khakis on the links. For years he was the most dominant golfer in history, scaring the shit out of every old timer on the PGA Tour, but that was nothing compared to the real life of Tiger. The most athletic golfer of all time blatantly cheated on his wife with a seemingly endless list of porn stars and reality TV castoffs. He’s kind of lost his edge since the whole saga played out publicly, but if he gets his swag back, the PGA Tour better watch out, because he is coming for their wives.
11. Albert Haynesworth
Remember when Haynesworth was thought of being one of the best signings in the NFL offseason? That thought quickly went away after he failed his conditioning test multiple times in his career. If you are getting paid 100 million dollars, you sure as hell better be able to pass a conditioning test. His Redskins’ career didn’t last long, and didn’t play in the NFL much after he was let go. For a guy oozing with talent to be dominate, Haynesworth really didn’t show anything and did not warrant a contract that big at all.
10. Jose Canseco
Jose Canseco thought we didn’t know he took steroids. Now come on, my grandmother who is 80 years old could have figured out he was on the juice. Anyone that feels the need to ruin one of the most natural games in the world deserves to be on this list. Canseco also thought he could do some MMA, losing by submission in his only fight to Hong Man Choi. For a man that had a homerun ball go off his head, he is a very arrogant a-hole who is still trying to relive the glory days, if you can call them that since he took steroids.
9. Milton Bradley Jr.
Bradley is the poor man’s Gary Sheffield in that he’s the kind of player it would be easy to falsely impugn due to his race and his prickly, media-unfriendly personality, but who makes it impossible to do so because he’s such an ignorant asshole. To be fair, Sheffield could actually hit. Even before his disaster of a career in Chicago, Bradley was a nightmare for every team on which he played. He went after umpires. He went after announcers. But a few tears doesn’t erase the years of damage in his wake. Milton Bradley had so much God-given talent, and it seemed to all go to waste.
8. Lance Armstrong
This is an interesting one. He used to be my second favorite one testicle man in the world, behind John Kruk. Everyone knew the story of Armstrong and loved the Livestrong charity he started. That all changed when it came out that he was doping for almost his entire career. He was known as probably the most dominate cyclist in the sports history, but couldn’t fight the urge to dope in a sport where doping is considered the norm. He still did incredible things on the bike, but many people stopped having him as a hero after his doping record came out.
7. Barry Bonds
Bonds was brash, and a pitcher’s worst nightmare. He’d sit on his bat like it was the world’s most uncomfortable bar stool and admire the arc of every home run. He withdrew from the MLB Players Union because he thought personal brand independence would be more lucrative. The all-time home run champ even perjured himself to the feds. He was so polarizing in the clubhouse that Giants second baseman Jeff Kent once fought him in the dugout for “being selfish.”
6. Alex Rodriguez
I want to defend ARod as a person. I want to like him. But he makes it impossible. Everything out of his mouth is calculated and disingenuous. He’s had the misfortune to employ some of the worst advisors and PR wonks in the history of wonkdom, but if ARod had even one relatable human characteristic, he wouldn’t need all the spin. Ken Tremendous said it best on Twitter when Rodriguez hit his 600th home run:
‘Alex Rodriguez is my favorite baseball player of all time!’ said nobody.
5. Metta World Peace
Metta World Peace? It seems like he is trying to be a copy of World B. Free, another former NBA player – who was much better for the record. I liked him more when he was Ron Artest. He had an edge when he was on the court, and most times, it wasn’t a good thing. Most people remember when he fought a fan as a member of the Indiana Pacers. Most players just ignore hecklers in the crowd, but MWP made sure the fan knew who he was dealing with. Metta had so much natural talent, but he was such a screw up mentally that he never reach his true potential.
4. Chad Ochocinco
A list of the biggest dickheads in sports history just wouldn’t be complete without Chad Ochocinco. From his innovative, hilarious and downright arrogant touchdown celebrations to his “Future Hall of Famer” jacket, Ochocinco exudes cockiness through every pore in his body. Since joining the Patriots, however, the attitude has been toned down-as has the playing time. But as they say, when one door closes, another one opens. That new door is called Twitter where Chad flourishes on a nightly basis.
3. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Aside from boxing enthusiasts not too many people had heard of Floyd Mayweather prior to the mid-2000’s. Sure, he was undefeated back then and had won titles, but after Mayweather left Top Rank promotions in 2006 to become his own boss that’s when the world really got to know Pretty Boy Floyd. From his classic 24/7 moments to his other ridiculous rants, Money Mayweather has shown a belief in himself not matched by many other athletes. Unlike everyone else on this list, Floyd has never lost as a professional. The legend (and ego) grows.
2. Dennis Rodman
How does a man have that many piercings and still play games with them in? Dennis Rodman is one of the best defensive players in the history of the NBA. I think my main reason for putting him on my list is his unwavering support for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Now I know that Jong-un is one of the worst leaders in the world, treating his people with disrespect. Rodman says he is a nice guy, but anybody who has any idea of the real world knows he is a rat. Leave it to Rodman to think he is a great guy. Still Rodman was a great NBA player, just wouldn’t want to have coffee with him.
1. Terrell Owens
T.O. is the guy cocky receivers look at for inspiration when they wake up in the morning. Throughout his tumultuous career filled with drama and spectacular success, Terrell Owens had the bravado and eccentricity few ever will. In Philly, he was famous for taking an interview in 2004 while working out shirtless. He dishonored the Dallas Star as a 49er, called his QBs out like nobody’s business, and of course had his own reality show. Terrell Owens was one of the most disrespectful players in NFL history. Hey, at least he always brought it on the field.
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