20 Athletes Who Don't Give a F***

In theory, the idea of someone in professional sports not giving an F about someone, something, or everything, seems like a bad thing. But in practice, the whole concept sure seems to be applied in a way that doesn't deduct points off their rep, if it doesn't help it outright. 

Seriously, how many hands would raise in a room full of 20-30 year-olds if asked, "Would you be ashamed of being described as 'not giving an F'?"

It seems counterintuitive because most of us get emotionally invested in things and events that aren't in any way directly related to us. When there's a major news event like a school shooting, so many people carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. 

But when it comes to sports, it's generally a whole different story. Athletes that don't give an F are often rewarded with success and adoration. The whole "veins filled with ice water" concept is much more palatable when it relates to sports as opposed to anything else. 

That's not to say that every athlete who has no F's to give is a beloved figure. Most of them aren't, but it's generally for entirely different reasons.

That being said, here are 20 athletes who don't give an F. 

20. Jonathan Sanchez, MLB Free Agent

Sometimes it just takes a single event in a career to prove that an athlete doesn't give an F. Although a single event that significant only happens once in a blue moon. 

Such is the case with MLB pitcher Jonathan Sanchez, who was, until recently, on the mound for the Pirates before being cut in May 2013 for having an ERA of 11.85. 

Most Recently: Sanchez's actions in a game against the Cardinals in late April probably factored into the decision to part ways with him. As if another reason was needed. But in that game, Sanchez gave up two home runs and a single to start the inning. 

Sensing things weren't going to improve, he opted to peg the Cards' Allen Craig in the shoulder, earning him an ejection fro the game. He also took Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, who was also ejected, over the plank with him. 

If you can't win, hurt someone. Can't really gives less F's than that. 

19. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

You just knew the king of telling it like it is, or how he thinks it is, Kobe Bryant would be on this list. The legendary Lakers loudmouth has always been nearly adept at speaking his mind as he is at playing basketball. 

He came into the league straight out of high school and almost immediately stepped into a sizable rivalry with (then) teammate Shaquille O'Neal. That's about as sizable as it gets. Despite the success they enjoyed together on the court, the team had to make a choice. 

They made the right one. 

Most Recently: He's been up to some of his old tricks. As Kobe watched the Lakers' 2012-13 season slowly circle the drain, he became more and more vocal about another big man that he was obviously less than fond of—at least at times. 

The Lakers acquired Dwight Howard from the Magic prior to the 2012 season, who became an immediate disappointment in Los Angeles. Kobe wasn't shy about speaking out about Howard's effort, his injuries and his overall inability to relate to the guy. 

18. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets

It's almost as if Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is completely unaware of—or totally immune to—the fact that he's been the object of unending local and national ridicule for the last several years. The kind of criticism that's been lobbed at him on a regular basis would eventually take its toll on someone who gave an F. 

But Sanchez has remained steadfastly stoic, impossibly patient and damn-near impossible to rattle—at least when cameras are present. It seems that no matter how much vitriol is thrown his way, Mark Sanchez is going to just "do him" regardless of all the haters. 

Most Recently: The Sanchize proved that he couldn't care less about his critics, who look for any little thing to criticize. He showed up to a press conference to discuss Geno Smith, the latest person brought to take his job, wearing a slick green headband and sporting a slick new 'do.

Sanchez explained that he was just embracing his "inner soccer player." And you know every reporter in the room was dying to suggest he embrace his "outer soccer player" and quit football. 

But nobody called him Tim and the butt fumble wasn't mentioned, so he didn't give an F. A win is a win!

17. Sloane Stephens, Tennis

Up-and-coming tennis star Sloane Stephens made international headlines when she defeated the legendary Serena Williams at the 2013 Australian Open. Even though Williams was playing with an injury, defeating her was no small accomplishment for the 20-year-old Stephens. 

After the match, many assumptions were made about the nature of their relationship. And apparently, most of them were wrong. Williams was never Stephens' mentor and she was never even her favorite player. 

Most Recently: Stephens didn't seem too intimidated by Williams on the court back in January, and she seemed even less concerned during an interview with ESPN The Magazine in May 2013. 

She lashed out at Williams, accusing her of being a phony and an overall bad human being. Stephens clarified that the two aren't even on speaking terms, let alone friends. 

Wow. Putting Serena Williams on blast for all that and for once failing to sign a poster for her eight years ago? Talk about not giving an F.

16. James Harrison, Cincinnati Bengals

Former Steelers linebacker James Harrison jettisoned to "Zero F's to give" status when a notorious interview he did with Men's Journal was published in July 2011. 

That's assuming he wasn't already securely occupying that space before that interview, in which you may recall he had some very unsavory words for NFL commish Roger Goodell. 

Most Recently: He refused to negotiate a pay cut with the Steelers, who are struggling with salary-cap issues. Instead, the always-vindictive Harrison decided to sign with Bengals—where he'll make less money than if he had accepted the pay cut and stayed in Pittsburgh. 

15. Ilya Bryzgalov, Philadelphia Flyers

I'm not sure that when the Flyers signed goalie Ilya Bryzgalov to a nine-year contract, worth over $50 million, back in 2011 that they had any idea what they were getting themselves into. For one, his play hasn't been great. He's also confrontational, yet dismissive, and potentially crazy. 

Unapologetically so on all accounts. Bryzgalov talks too much for someone who never says the right thing. During the 2012 playoffs, he was more focused on his fear of bears and the intellectual shortcomings of animals shot into space. Stupid monkeys not being able to fly space ships! 

Most Recently: Bryzgalov made international headlines for tweeting about his Angry Birds achievements during IIHF World Championships in May 2013—just about a week after he offered definitive proof that he's afraid of hockey pucks. 

Obviously, Bryzgalov's disappointing season with the Flyers hasn't been weighing heavily on his mind. A month prior, he was accused of napping during a team meeting and when Philly failed to make the Playoffs, he left the media with a big fat FU in April that was reiterated in May. 

14. Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls

Looking simply at his draft day photo, you could tell that the Bulls' Joakim Noah wasn't going to be a people pleaser coming into the NBA. And for the most part, that's proved true. 

Noah doesn't care what people think about his unconventional look. He doesn't care what they say about how he spends his down time. And he doesn't even care about throwing an elbow at Chris Paul during his very first All-Star game. 

He just seriously doesn't give an F. 

Most Recently: Noah has been giving it back to critics who think teammate Derrick Rose should be playing in the 2013 playoffs, telling them to "shut up." In their series against the Heat, Noah led them to a Game 1 victory and played a little too hard in their Game 2 loss, getting ejected in the second half.

As for the hostile middle finger thrust in his face as he left the court? Something tells me it won't be keeping Noah up at night—because he doesn't give…you know. 

13. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

If there was ever a time when Yankees dud Alex Rodriguez was a well-liked player in MLB, I seriously can't remember it. It's been nothing but narcissistic photo shoots, womanizing and being linked to steroid scandals for as far as the eye can see. 

Perhaps a time existed before he was linked to steroids and donned the pinstripes in which A-Rod was less of a villainous character. But if that is the case, that era is long gone. Also long gone is the era in which he was even any good at baseball. 

Rodriguez has been a salary black hole for the Yankees in recent years. They just keep dumping money down it and he just keeps producing nothing. He's been so terrible of late that he spent most of the 2012 playoffs eating sunflower seeds in the dugout and hitting on chicks in the stands. 

Most Recently: After his paid vacation in the playoffs, Rodriguez added insult to injury by reminding the world of a no-trade clause that he has no intention of waiving. Ever. 

Then came the news that he would miss most, probably all, of the 2013 season with injury. And then came, of course, the Miami New Times report on a local clinic providing PEDs in which Rodriguez was named as the primary figure. 

Naturally, he denied the accusations, but that was after he failed to secure the purchase of clinic documents to keep them out of the hands of MLB. Whatever though. A-Rod gets paid $30 million a year to sit on his ass and deny using steroids. 

You think he gives an F? Of course not. 

12. Luis Suárez, Liverpool

Perhaps deciding that you don't give an F very early in life is the only way to survive growing up in a household with seven brothers, as was the case for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. Although he didn't just learn how to survive; clearly, he's thrived.

Suarez is well aware that he is one of the most reviled figures in the game. In 2010, he received a seven-match ban for biting the arm of an opponent. In 2011, he received an eight-match ban for hurling racial slurs at an opponent.

That was the same year Suarez was twice accused of cheating, by defending with his hands, in two different games. 

Most Recently: In April 2013, Suarez was caught exercising his vampire tendencies on Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic. The incident was clearly captured on video and earned him a 10-match ban. He didn't appeal the ruling, but he wasn't exactly contrite.

That's because he's never contrite. Suarez has never come across as anything less than pleased with himself. And he made it clear in a December 2012 interview that it doesn't matter what anyone has to say, he still sleeps "soundly every night." 

11. Randy Moss, NFL Free Agent

There are few athletes that have wasted more potential with an "I don't give an F" attitude than NFL free agent wide receiver Randy Moss. He's played his whole career with an imaginary chip on his shoulder—like he was somehow always being wronged. 

Which is probably why Moss never left a team that wasn't happy to see him go. If he was displeased with his contract, he said so. If he didn't feel the team's catering was fit for canine consumption, he said so. 

And he's freely admitted to smoking weed—not exactly a capital offense, but breaking NFL rules, and the law, isn't something players usually brag about. 

Most Recently: At Super Bowl media day in January 2013, Moss declared himself the greatest wide receiver of all time. Sure, he doesn't hold a candle to Jerry Rice, but thankfully Moss "don't really live on numbers."

You know…minor details. The kind of details that are irrelevant to someone who doesn't give an F about anything except himself. 

10. Metta World Peace, Los Angeles Lakers

No one that changes his name to Metta World Peace gives an F about anything. Right? I think we can all agree upon that as an established and indisputable fact and work from there. 

Back when he was Ron Artest and playing for the Pacers, his reaction to a jerk Pistons fan was the spark that lit the inferno now known as the Malice at the Palace. Many suspensions and relocations would follow. 

But even since he took on his friendlier new moniker, MWP has still managed to prove he's still the same guy at heart. The elbow he delivered to the dome of the Thunder's James Harden prior to the 2012 NBA playoffs was proof positive. 

Even though the Lakers went on the lose in the playoffs and the Thunder advanced to the finals, MWP continued to jab at Harden via Twitter straight through the playoffs. Irony is one of the many things lost on the baller formerly known as Ron Artest. 

Most Recently: MWP proved just how against the grain he could go with his amazingly off-the-wall support of Jason Collins, the NBA player who recently became the first openly gay American athlete in history. 

Not only did he eventually state implicitly that Collins would be welcomed on the Lakers, explaining that "Everybody's different," MWP initially expressed his support for Collins via an amazing metaphor about his potential Cookie Monster outfit. 

9. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

The Patriots got one heckuva good football player when they drafted tight end Rob Gronkowski out of Arizona in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft. But they also got a little bit more than they bargained for in the personality department. 

Gronk's high-profile dalliances with porn stars, post-Super Bowl loss dancing and offseason wrestling with a broken arm has been ruffling some feathers in the organization for some time. It's just not The Patriot Way. Eye roll. 

Most Recently: I'm not sure if the Patriots have ever publicly asked Gronk to tone down the Gronk, but it's hard to imagine it hasn't been addressed privately. His response? Sorry for partying ;)

He's so not sorry. 

8. Mario Balotelli, AC Milan

If the middle finger could be a jersey number, the first one issued would have to go to AC Milan's Mario Balotelli. He's one of the most unpredictable and self-indulgent athletes on the planet, with a rich history of telling the world to sod off with his actions. 

Most of Mario's mischief, to date, took place back when he was still with Manchester City. Fighting with his opponents, teammates and coach were always tentatively penciled in on his agenda. But Balotelli's is well-documented, so let's skip all that and fast forward to present day. 

Most Recently: As I write this, it's been exactly one day since Balotelli managed to make international headlines just by going go-karting. But apparently, his contract with Milan forbids him to drive the mini-karts, for safety reasons.

Instead, Balotelli decided to hit the kart track in his brand new Ferrari, worth nearly half a million, for a few laps. So he was technically following a rule. Sort of. 

7. Charles Barkley, Retired NBA Star

Listen. He never said he was a role model. NBA great Charles Barkley made it clear early on in his Hall of Fame career that he had no intention of living up to anyone's standards but his own. In 1993, Sir Charles uttered the six infamous words—I am not a role model—in a commercial for Nike.

Words which still define him today. Barkley is known for his vices, which include gambling, drinking and overeating. He's also pretty well known today for losing weight recently via Weight Watchers and modeling his new figure in a clingy black dress.

Barkley went full drag because he simply doesn't give an F. 

Most Recently: He, once again, reopened the can of worms that is his hatred for ESPN's reviled blowhard Skip Bayless. Barkley's hatred of him dates back years, stating in 2009 that Bayless was "one of the two people [he'd] like to kill." 

In May 2013, he went on the record again with his desire to see Bayless eradicated from existence. During a segment on TNT's Inside the NBA, Barkley stated plainly, "If I could get Skip Bayless in a room, you'd need DNA to find out who he was."

6. PK Subban, Montreal Canadiens

The fact of the matter is that there are very few black athletes in the NHL. And apparently, the hockey world is still "adjusting" to PK Subban as its first black superstar, that according to Jack Todd of the Montreal Gazette.

One person in need of no adjustment time is the man himself. Subban is confident, many say cocky, and doesn't ever play like a man concerned about the required adjustment time of others. He enjoys rankling the opposition and doesn't care how many "most hated" lists he makes. 

Most Recently: Subban proudly declared that his Canadiens were the better team, one day before losing to the Senators in five games during the first round of the 2013 playoffs. 

Although, he may have rankled more than the opposition in that Game 5 loss; Subban was blasted for an end-zone-like celebration after scoring a goal in the first period. 

Not that a little hemming and hawing is going to deter the Norris Trophy finalist from doing what he does!

5. Dennis Rodman, Retired NBA Star

Ever since his very colorful playing days with the Bulls, the entire world has been well aware that Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman didn't give an F about much of anything. He certainly didn't care what people thought of his ever changing clown wigs. Tattoos. Piercings. Quickie marriages. Dressing in drag. 

When he wasn't winning championships, or gambling, Rodman was usually thinking of new and inventive ways to prove he had no F's to give. But after a few decades of the same shenanigans, it started to seem as if there was no way he could ever possibly top himself. 

Most Recently: He topped himself. In February 2013, Rodman essentially appointed himself the American Ambassador to North Korea, visiting the country to befriend pudgy dictator Kim Jong-un.

In May 2013, he announced he'd be returning in August to negotiate the release of an American prisoner there because, as he said, President Obama "can't do s**t." Rodman is the king of not giving an F. 

4. Titus Young, NFL Free Agent

Former Lions wide receiver Titus Young, a second-round draft pick, was cut from the team in January 2013 after just two seasons with the team. His play in his sophomore season in Detroit was severely limited due to a number of incidents on and off the field. 

Young was even banned from OTAs in 2012 after he sucker punched teammate Louis Delmas. Despite threatening and daring the Lions to cut him on Twitter, Young was later signed by the Rams…and was released less than a week later. 

Most Recently: Young was arrested in May 2013 twice in the span of 15 hours. His initial arrest was a misdemeanor charge of DUI. But after being released a few hours later, he was arrested for felony burglary when he tried to steal his own car from the impound lot. 

3. Joey Barton, Olympique De Marseille

As if anyone needed to be reminded that footballer Joey Barton doesn't five an F. The fact that he hasn't landed himself in jail for a significant period of time yet is absolutely stunning. 

Barton is a brawler who has thrown down with opponents, teammates, strangers at bars and even teenagers on the street. Oh, and he once put out a cigar in the eyeball of a teammate. Yeah. 

Most Recently: Barton incurred his latest suspension in May 2013 for berating an opponent via Twitter, calling him an "overweight ladyboy." Another day, another suspension. 

2. Floyd Mayweather Jr., Boxing

Does any other current athlete care less about everything this life has afforded him than belligerent boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.? Unlike almost everyone else in professional sports, he has the luxury of hand picking his opposition, always assuring his undefeated status. 

He has consistently refused a bout with fellow welterweight Manny Pacquiao. Sometimes his excuse has to do with steroids. Sometimes it has something to do with scheduling. Sometimes it has something to do with money. Sometimes he abandons reason altogether and resorts to racial taunting. 

Mayweather has a story, or a threat, for everything because he knows that he occupies some special place where people refuse to call him on his BS. He's been busted for beating women. He gambles away his money, throwing it away with the same nonchalance most of us reserve for used gum. 

Yet Mayweather remains the most unshakably self-assured athlete in American sports today. 

Most Recently: Mayweather's recent victory lap after beating another nobody is proof that he doesn't give an F that he is famous for fighting nobodies. Not to mention proof that the public is still more than willing to feed the overblown ego of the only active American boxer they could name if a gun was held to its collective head. 

Mayweather will never give an F about anything because his entire career has been a "get out of jail free" card. Both figuratively and literally.

1. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

There may be no successful quarterback in the NFL more continuously abused than Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. And there may be no athlete in the history of all sports that is as completely immune to it than Joe Flacco. 

Being drafted by the defensive-minded Ravens put Flacco at a significant disadvantage throughout most of his career to date. In 2008, Terrell Suggs said on a national radio show that Troy Smith should be the starter because he was "the better man for the job." 

Despite his success, he was routinely criticized by members of the media, fans, not to mention his own teammates—Ed Reed publicly accused his (former) QB of being "rattled" by the Texans during a playoff game in 2012. Reed had less to say after the Super Bowl victory Flacco led the team to just a year later. 

Most Recently: Flacco doesn't give an F. He never has and he never will. So he won a Super Bowl? Big deal. The self-described best QB in the league would expect nothing less from himself. Was he ready to make and illegal sideline tackle during the game if need be? Of course. 

He becomes the highest-paid player in the NFL? No big deal. It's not like he's going to stop riding the bus to BWI or anything. Oh, and those famous Ray Lewis motivational speeches? Flacco found them hilarious. 

Flacco is chosen to portray Johnny Unitas in a movie and the Unitas family is disappointed. Guess who doesn't care—Joe Flacco. He doesn't care if you think he stinks at serving ice cream, either. Joe Flacco thinks Joe Facco is amazing and he doesn't give an F about dissenters.