Five Worst Displays of Athletic Arrogance

Athletes are arrogant. We all know that. And if we made millions of dollars per year to do something we actually like, we'd probably be a little on the arrogant side, too.

Unfortunately, that arrogance can turn into a huge foot being stuck into the mouth of the offender. Last I checked, feet don't taste too good.

Everyone says things that they end up eating later, but most of us aren't important enough to have our words blown up on ESPN's Around the Horn.

Therefore, athletes should live by the old adage, "You are what you eat," and make sure that they don't have to feast on their own feet after a comment.

Stupidly, some athletes keep making that same mistake, even after so many people have tripped on the same bump in the locker room. Once you see it done once, that should be enough.

It's like being at a bar and watching someone put something foreign into your drink and saying to yourself, "Hey, I'll drink it anyway. What's the worst that could happen?"

Uh, things like rape, robbery, and even death. After all of the late-night PSAs about date-rape drugs and the bad possibilities, you wouldn't drink that.

And athletes shouldn't make dumb predictions and guarantees. Leave that for the analysts.

Besides, you don't want to give the other team bulletin-board material. More importantly, you shouldn't want to look stupid.

Here are five situations in which athletes made bold statements and ended up with a big Shaq-sized foot in their mouths.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers and Anthony Smith's "Guarantee"

Okay, when you are preparing to play one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history, and you're a second-string safety thrown into duty because of injury, you would think that if anyone were to be quiet, it would be you, right?

Not if you're Anthony Smith.

Not only was Smith not quiet, but he said those little words that give sportswriters something to talk about all week.

"We're going to win."

C'mon, Smith. Why?

Even his teammates were in the media hanging him out to dry for that comment. You're playing the NFL's current dynasty, the New England Patriots, and you are an under-developed, inexperienced safety with less starts than your kicker's jersey number, and you're making guarantees?

Not only did the Steelers go on to lose 34-13, but Smith gave up multiple TDs, with one being a 63-yard strike to Randy Moss, in which Brady got in his face and further embarrassed him. Sigh.

Foot in Mouth Factor (on 1 to 10-toe scale): 3 Toes

4. Kobe Bryant's Rant to the Boston Fans

Okay, Kobe "Tell Me How My A** Tastes" Bryant, you are a great player and showed class by taking that beating from the Celtics like a man.

But did you honestly believe that you were going to win Game Six of the 2008 NBA Finals? Apparently so, since you were mouthing off to the Boston home crowd after a quick first quarter start.

Maybe since we viewers couldn't hear you, you thought we wouldn't know what you were saying.

We knew, thanks to Jeff Van "Always Saying Weird Things" Gundy, as he told us you were yelling to someone in the front row, "Not tonight, man! Not tonight!" Oh yeah, Kobe. Tonight and in the worst way.

The only reason I didn't rank this horrible display of arrogance higher is because you're Kobe Bryant, the most individually talented player since veinte y tres, or No. 23 (for you non-bilingual folks).

But to lose a game in which you said you wouldn't by 40, and score less points in three quarters than you did in the first, that's just plain horrible. You lost by 40! 40 points? Yes, 40!

If you ever do that again, I'm going to place you in the Rasheed Wallace Hall of Fame for botched guarantees, and you don't want to be in the same category as Mr. Technical Foul. Unless, you get more than him.

Never mind.

(Editor's Note: Kobe had more technicals in the 2008 NBA Playoffs than Rasheed Wallace. And everyone else.)

Foot in Mouth Factor: 5 Toes

3. Pat Riley's Bold Assertion

Let's face it. Riles had his days. He has been a successful coach, and he was a pretty successful player. We will never forget him, and I respect what he has done.

But what the heck was he thinking when he addressed the Miami fans after their 2006 NBA championship over the heartless Dallas Mavericks?

I don't know, but he brought new meaning to the word, "arrogant." After telling the fans, "Guess what? [next year] We're gonna win it [championship] again!" His Miami Heat were bounced by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

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