Michelle Bundy, Shannon Sharpe and Most Shocking Sports Sex Allegations Ever
CBS' Shannon Sharpe took the traditional "leave of absence" today while dealing with the accusation that he raped and threatened to kill a woman. Sadly, this is just another in the long line of sex-related scandals to hit pro sports.
True or not, the claims are always fodder for newspapers, magazines, television shows and gossipers. Here are 10 of the most memorable and shocking sex scandals.
No. 10: Mark Chmura
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Back when Brett Favre was just a young pup, one of his favorite targets was tight end Mark Chmura. The Boston College product earned three trips to the Pro Bowl from 1995 to 1998 at the height of Green Bay’s resurgence.
Injuries to his spinal cord force the Packers to release Chewy prior to the 2000 season. During his comeback attempt, however, the Chmura family’s 17-year-old babysitter accused him of sexual assault.
Although he was acquitted in 2004, he admitted to acting inappropriately. And although, at the time, the allegation was a shocking revelation, his image has certainly rebounded.
He was inducted into the Packer Hall of Fame in 2010 and contributes to the team’s pre-game radio show. This is an example of the public forgiving a sports celeb who admits to making a mistake.
No. 9: Lawrence Taylor
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Nothing L.T. does should really be that shocking. His drug additions and subsequent arrests during more than a quarter-century in the New York spotlight are legendary.
Even admitting on 60 minutes that he routinely sent prostitutes to the opposing players hotel rooms on the night before a game was not necessarily “startling.”
After years of drug rehab and drug relapse—thanks in part to his golf addiction—L.T. stayed away from major trouble for years. And his “Dancing With The Stars” appearance and Nutri-system weight loss commercials exhibited a new L.T.
This spring, however, he was arrested for allegedly raping a minor. His lawyer has vehemently proclaimed his innocents saying Taylor never had sex with the defendant. We will have to wait for the trial.
Because of his past, this particular offense is not necessarily earth-shattering. But because he steered clear of scandal this newest allegation IS shocking. We all wanted to see him overcome his demons, but that doesn’t seem to have happened.
No. 8: Ben Roethlisberger
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We never saw him in handcuffs on television, because he was never actually arrested. But Roethlisberger has thrown away any credibility he had off the field by twice being accused of rape.
In today’s sports world, Roethlisberger’s first rape allegation, in 2009, was not as shocking as it might have been 20 years ago. But to be accused of the same crime again a year later stunned everyone.
He wasn’t even charged the second time. Still Commissioner Goodell suspended him for that very reason. The allegation was bad enough. But not learning his lesson the first time is what makes his behavior so mind-boggling.
No. 7: Tiger Woods
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Having a gallery of mistresses—no matter how hot or how surprisingly average—is, of course, not a crime. But what Tiger did was as unthinkable as any sexual crime imaginable.
We all know how gorgeous his now ex-wife is. So why cheat on her. That was pretty weird.
When you’re the wealthiest and most recognizable athlete in the world, however, you’ve got to assume that each of your mistresses will do one of the following:
a) Write a tell-all
b) Blab to the tabloids
c) Blackmail you for money
d) Claim to be carrying your child
e) Save your voicemails about hiding the relationship for future proof
Somehow the most Tiger mis-read those putts.
No. 6: Mike Tyson
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In 1992, Tyson was sentenced for committing rape and released in early 1995. He spent a little over three years in prison for the crime.
Still in his mid-20s, Tyson forfeited three years of his prime. And although resumed his career upon his release, he was never the same. Years later, stories have come out about Tyson’s “evil” side, so the rape charge didn’t come against someone who we all thought was a choir boy.
Maybe Tyson’s career would have fallen apart and become bankrupt anyway. But to commit such a heinous crime, when you are on top of the world, is just blatant self-sabotage.
Unfortunately, no one on this list learned from Tyson’s mistake.
No. 5: Shannon Sharpe
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Sharpe was definitely a big over-the-top in his public career. He was a big mouth on the field—“Call the national guard, cause we are killing the Patriots.”
And every Sunday pre/post-game show on CBS was a bit cartoonish with Sharpe’s antics: fake crying to mock T.O., loud rants punctuated by bizarre colloquialisms spoken in a distinctive Southern drawl/lisp. But I don’t think anyone viewed him as a “bad guy.”
That is why the recent news that he threatened the life and raped a woman was stunning. We only know the public persona, and cannot see what someone is like away from the camera and behind closed doors. But if this charge is true, Sharpe’s image did not mesh at all with Sharpe-the-man.
No: 4: Marv Albert
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For a broadcaster—and not a former player—to make this list, it takes a little something extra. Marv Albert’s sex scandal of the mid-1990s provides it.
The revelation that Albert wore a toupee—alleged during the trial—had virtually zero shock effect. We all pretty much knew that.
Instead the use of words like “sodomy” and “biting” attributed to his bedroom activities are publically spoken in court, is what caught our attention.
That type of freakiness (among other claims) boosted Marv onto this list.
No: 3: Mike Price
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If you take over the hallowed Alabama head coaching gig once held by Bear Bryant, your every move will be scrutinized.
When Mike Price accepted that post in 2003, we all assumed that, if he were to lose his job, it would be because of poor recruiting, losing too often to rival Auburn or disastrous decision making.
That is not what cost Price the job however. Just a few months into his tenure at Alabama, Sports Illustrated reported that Price went to a Pensacola strip club, got drunk and checked in to a hotel with one of the strippers.
Although Price denied the claim—accept the drunk part—Alabama (essentially) fired him. This episode was most shocking for a few reasons.
One, he hadn’t even coached a game yet at Alabama.
Two, a bald, grey-haired, glasses-wearing 57-year-old isn’t exactly a magnet for a juicy sex-scandal.
And three, the alleged incident happened within a week of Iowa State basketball head coach, Larry Eustachy, being suspended (and subsequently resigning) because was caught on film kissing and drinking with students.
Price should have at least waited a week until trying to top the Eustachy fiasco.
No. 2: Eugene Robinson
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Being caught soliciting a prostitute is bad enough. It’s worse when you’re married. It’s even worse when you’re a celebrity. But former NFL safety Eugene Robinson set the bar much higher in January 1999.
On the night before he would start Super Bowl XXXIII for the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson was arrested for (allegedly) offering an undercover cop $40 for oral sex. Robinson denied the allegation and was released later that night and still started the game against Denver.
Early in the game, John Elway torched the Falcons secondary for an 80-yard touchdown to Rod Smith. Robinson immediately became scapegoat. Especially when Atlanta lost 34-19.
It’s ridiculous to assume that the Falcons would have won that Super Bowl without he distraction of Robinson’s arrest. They probably would have lost to the 10-point favorite Broncos anyway. But it certainly didn’t help.
Ironically enough, during Denver’s first touchdown drive, the No. 5 culprit on this list, Shannon Sharpe, injured his knee and missed the rest of the game.
No. 1: Kobe Bryant
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Like Roethlisberger, it would seem that Kobe never committed a crime, when he was accused back in the Summer of 2003. And like Tiger, it’s hard for regular Joes to understand why he would cheat on his beautiful wife….and then purchase a “Kobe special” as an apology.
Nevertheless, that is not what made Kobe’s case national news for weeks. Kobe’s apparent (but, again, it turned out not to be) repeat of Mike Tyson’s crime a decade earlier is what stunned everyone. At the time, it seemed like déjà vu all over again: a young athlete in the prime of his career headed for years of prison.
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