Sports Figures Trying Really Hard Not to Melt Down

While there have been famous blowups in the past, some of them don't always start at a level 10, with the person in jeopardy of losing it occasionally doing what they can to hold back their fire.

Yet, like a striking snake, things can escalate quickly, going from zero to 100 in a matter of seconds.

What happened? Who cares, because it's hilarious seeing a grown man doing his best to resist a meltdown only to have it happen, anyway.

And these just so happen to be some of the best moments of that exact moment happening.

Joe Mikulik

OK, so I'm not so sure that Joe Mikulik, manager of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, really kept his mind together in this one.

Still, seeing how he slid into home and then stripped down, maybe he was actually being tame for himself, because I'd really be worried with where else he could take this ridiculous striptease.

Arguing with an umpire is an absolute art, with many different ways to do it.

Fortunately for Mikulik, he has his own way of doing it—and it has produced some hilariously epic meltdowns.

Terrell Owens

While a lot of fans think of people blowing up when melting down, that's not always the case.

No, this countdown features former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens unable to hold back a bunch of tears during a postgame press conference back during a 2008 NFC divisional game loss.

Like a child trying his damnedest to act tough and not let his emotions show, T.O. can't quite do it, letting the water run from his eyes while trying to defend his quarterback.

Chris Michaelson

Just when you think a head coach is going to come in and try and inspire you during a rowdy halftime speech, something like this goes and happens.

As Seattle Mist head coach Chris Michaelson walks into the locker room, it's apparent from the second he opens his mouth that he's upset with how his team is playing. He then continues to rip his players just to get his point across, pushing the boundaries each time.

As one might imagine, the coach got a hard look from the LFL for the expletive-laced rant.

Jose Offerman

A former 15-year MLB veteran, Jose Offerman is probably pretty well-educated in the discipline of arguing with umpires.

But he took things up a notch back in 2010 while managing in the Dominican League, when he took a swing and actually sucker-punched a guy in blue.

What's weird, though, is that Offerman appears to be keeping his cool—for the most part—having just an ordinary manager-umpire argument.

Unfortunately, next thing fans knew, one guy hit the dirt while the other was being held back.

Of course, the former big leaguer earned a lifetime ban from the league.

Jim Calhoun

This is honestly one of the most awkward exchanges that I have ever seen between a head coach and a reporter.

During a postgame press conference, former Connecticut men's hoops coach Jim Calhoun was questioned about making such a hefty salary during tough economic times—and he didn't enjoy it one bit.

Keeping it professional, Calhoun throws a few jabs into the guy before asking him, "You're not that stupid, are you?" and then blatantly tells the guy to just "shut up." He goes on to lay into him about not doing any research and needing facts before putting the coach on blast.

Had this happened privately, I'm not sure Calhoun would have been so calm for as long as he was at first.

Hal McRae

Being a reporter can be a tough job, sometimes.

Just ask the guy who tried asking a simple question to former Kansas City Royals manager Hal McRae. The reporter in the video above simply asked McRae about taking a player out during a game, but it set him off on one of the most classic tirades in sports.

No joke, the entire conversation goes from a pretty subtle, standard procedure to the manager standing up and yelling at everyone in his office, with a memorable tossing of a few things on his desk.

Mike Gundy

Give Oklahoma State Cowboys head football coach Mike Gundy credit for one thing—he certainly seems like he's a good parent.

In fact, he all but says so in this press conference from a few years ago after it was brought to his attention that a journalist wrote some unfair things about a player on his team.

Letting the room hear it from the podium, the wheels are just turning in Gundy's head as to what he's going to say next, finally coming up with this memorable gem: "I'm a man; I'm 40!"

Yes, Mike, you certainly are.

Lance Armstrong

Noticeably bitter about receiving a question about doping—especially when being told he "admired" athletes who did it—former cyclist Lance Armstrong really does his best at not going off on this reporter.

Holding back a rant, Armstrong calmly puts the guy in his place by defending himself and, as Lance does, reminding everyone that he, heroically, defeated cancer.

Of course, everything that the former athlete was saying turned out to be a lie, which, maybe more than not raising his voice to the reporter, might even be more impressive.

Lou Piniella

Never one to turn down an argument, former big league manager Lou Piniella is one of the most notorious sports figures whoever lost his cool.

In this specific instance, I really like how Sweet Lou "calmly" marches out to the umpire to state his case—no doubt thinking about what he's going to say to piss him off—mutters about one word and gets tossed abruptly.

In true Lou fashion, it's after getting the hook that Piniella really lays into the ump and goes ballistic.

Zinedine Zidane

Even after the former French soccer star ended his playing career with one of the biggest boneheaded plays in World Cup history, he still isn't remembered for being much of a violent player.

Still, during France's 2006 World Cup Final against Italy, even Zinedine Zidane was susceptible to an opposing player hitting the wrong nerve, causing him to headbutt Italian defender Marco Materazzi. However, after watching the video, fans can see the wheels spinning in Zizu's head, wondering what he'll do.

Rather than verbalize his anger for what Materazzi was saying, Zidane chose to act physically, unable to restrain himself from delivering a vicious headbutt right to the guy's chest.

Viktor Troicki

As soon as tennis player Viktor Troicki leaves his side of the court by going over the net and to the other baseline, you know something bad is about to happen.

The Serbian player first acts calmly, thinking that he'll just talk with the chair umpire about a call that Troicki clearly believed he missed.

But as soon as the player noticed where the ball mark was, he took things to the next level, raising his voice and acting like an upset child.

What happened next, though, was something no one had probably witnessed before, as Troicki actually grabbed a camera to get a closeup of the ball mark in order to help defend his case.

This is one meltdown that people in attendance probably won't ever forget.

Jim Everett and Jim Rome

Ah, yes, yet another classic example of a pest who just doesn't know when to stop.

Note to all those kids out there who think that they're smooth by poking a bigger, stronger kid with their words—don't do it.

At some point, that bigger, stronger kid will lose his cool and go after you.

That's what happened here with former NFL quarterback Jim Everett, who, while being interviewed by reporter Jim Rome, lost his cool by literally going after Rome during the filming of a sit-down interview.

Credit Everett for holding back his anger initially—and Rome for being ballsy enough to keep calling the football player Chris Everett.

Finally, though, the player had had enough, and he did what he probably wanted to do ever since seeing Rome—knock him on his ass.

Steve Coburn

Hell, can you blame Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome's owner Steve Coburn for his rant following the horse's loss at the Belmont Stakes?

The guy had just lost out on a piece of history that hasn't happened in over 35 years, not to mention a boatload of cash for winning the famed Triple Crown.

Talking immediately after the third leg of the Triple Crown, Coburn was red in the face and piping mad about the rules that allow fresh horses to race a Belmont, even telling his wife to stop trying to settle him down—which, as you can see, didn't really work too well.

Dennis Green

One of the all-time favorite rants in sports history, former Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green seemed to do everything he could to try and avoid going off during a postgame loss to the Chicago Bears in 2006.

After his team had a meltdown of its own, blowing a 20-point halftime lead, Green just couldn't keep his emotions in check—although he certainly tried.

Answering a reporter's question with a disappointed tone to begin with, as he spoke more, he realized just how fuming mad he really was, eventually leading to a few choice swear words and, yes, even a heavy slap of the microphone and podium.

George Brett

One of the funniest instances of a player blowing up in baseball history, Hall of Famer George Brett showed that he wasn't even able to hold all of his anger in.

After being questioned for using too much pine tar on his bat—which might be the dumbest rule in baseball—Brett was ejected.

Seemingly both calm and confused in the dugout with his teammates, when the umpire announced the decision to kick Brett out, it was as if the player had gotten shot out of a cannon, sprinting toward home plate and going ape.

It's like any time a kid gets told they can't have their favorite toy while shopping, going from excited to straight-up screaming.