12 Sports Stars Who Put Up with a Lot of Crap
Life isn't always easy for your favorite sports stars. Sure, the big ones make millions of bucks and enjoy all of the finer things this world has to offer. But sometimes that isn't enough.
There are always those who endure an inordinate amount of abuse—admittedly, a lot of that is self-inflicted. And industry-changing tools like social media mixed with the advances in mobile communication have created this super storm of crap athletes have to deal with.
Knowing the world we live in, let's all click the slideshow and find out who constantly puts up with glorious amounts of crap on a daily basis.
Alex Rodriguez
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The ultimate "he brought it on himself" case on this list has to be New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez.
For years, A-Rod was considered to be one of baseball's best hitters. He was a young buck churning out numbers with the Seattle Mariners.
Everything changed perception-wise for Rodriguez in 2009 when he came out and admitted that he had used performance-enhancing drugs. That somber dosage of news tarnished a lot of what A-Rod had achieved during his time with the Texas Rangers from 2001 until '03.
Free of his sins, Rodriguez resumed playing ball for the Yankees.
As if that wasn't enough, another wave of bad news would surface just a few years later. We all got word that A-Rod would be suspended for the entire 2014 MLB season for his role in the whole Biogenesis scandal.
Talk about earning all of the crap that's been thrown your way.
Darrelle Revis
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No matter what he does, Darrelle Revis can't win.
The man signs with the New England Patriots, he gets shunned by New York Jets fans and the media. He wins a Super Bowl with the Pats, winds up back in New York, and suddenly they start singing his praises all over again, as Ken Chin of Bleacher Report pointed out.
Can't you people just let the NFL's top defensive mercenary live? Put aside the New York vs. New England blood feud for a second and please, let Revis do Revis.
LeBron James
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LeBron James' days of being mistreated really kicked into gear when he fled Cleveland and helped form the Big Three down in South Beach.
Going from one of the most popular, baby-face players in hoops to a villain in a matter of minutes was a turnaround we hadn't seen before.
For all of his "troubles," James got his two NBA titles with the Miami Heat, and then he came back up north to finish his quest with the Cavaliers.
Still, everything LeBron does is always going to be thrown under a microscope. Earlier this season when he was having issues, media pundits like Grantland and ESPN catalyst Bill Simmons questioned James.
LeBron has partly earned all of the heat—no pun intended—he received early on. However, being the most important figure in the NBA comes with barrels of hate. No matter what King James does, there will always be people out there scorning his every move.
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Jay Cutler
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Jay Cutler has a reputation for being an unlikable player. He's even been labeled as a disinterested individual, via a story written by Rick Reilly of ESPN.com.
Cutler has continuously taken a beating in the press and with Chicago Bears fans because of his porous play at times and his cold attitude. Even when fans burned his jersey, Cutler didn't care, via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago.
I guess when you're so nonchalant about things—good or bad—you pretty much deserve to put up with a ton of crap. Sorry, Jay. There's no solid defense for you in this slideshow.
Dwight Howard
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Believe it or not, there actually was a time when Dwight Howard wasn't getting fed crap sandwiches on a weekly basis.
He was playing for the Orlando Magic in those days, wearing a Superman cape.
Howard's care-free world came to halt when he fled Orlando for the Los Angeles Lakers after telling everyone he was going to stay in Florida. It was Sam Amick of USA Today who scored an exclusive interview with Howard, talking about all of the mistakes he had made with the Magic while playing in Cali.
As if that wasn't enough ammunition to get the party started, Howard bailed on the Lakers after only one season and signed with the Houston Rockets.
The crap train that started in Orlando really got going after that debacle.
Tim Tebow
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Has there been a player in NFL history more controversial than Tim Tebow?
The craziest part is, it's not even like he's a bad guy. Tebow's successful career as a member of the Florida Gators—where he won a Heisman Trophy and two BCS titles—followed by is polarizing stint in the NFL created this maelstrom of opinions.
He went from winning an NFL playoff game with the Denver Broncos in 2011 to being cut by the New England Patriots two years later.
The entire conversation surrounding Tebow always circles back to one burning question: "Is he a true NFL quarterback?" An odd throwing motion and having a history of playing in more "run-heavy" schemes makes you think he can't be.
But now with Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles giving him a shot at redemption, per Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, the argument that died on the vine two years ago will once again become a burning narrative this offseason.
So it's time to let the Tebow debate rage on. Because without it, what would professional football be?
Tony Romo
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Crap follows Tony Romo around like a lost puppy. As one of the most gifted quarterbacks in the NFL, Romo has endured a feverish amount of abuse from fans and media alike.
It can't be easy being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. They are one of the most renowned franchises in all of sports. On top of that, having a vocal owner like Jerry Jones out in front of the media—a guy who's used to success—doesn't help the situation.
All of the crap Romo puts up with comes directly from the perceived "non-clutch" gene that lies in his body. In six playoff games since 2006, Romo has a 2-4 record.
He's also had plenty of regular-season moments that soured over time. The Cowboys lost back-to-back Week 17 games from 2012 to 2013, which cost them the NFC East crown.
Does Romo deserve all of this flack? In some respects, he does. But that doesn't mean he isn't a top-tier QB. He's the Cowboys all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns thrown and completion percentage—among qualifying QBs.
Sidney Crosby
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No one is denying the fact that Sidney Crosby is one of the most talented players in hockey. When you get down to it, Crosby has been at the top of the NHL for years in terms of skill, smarts and having the wherewithal to blend both of those traits together.
Crosby led the Pittsburgh Penguins to Stanley Cup victory in 2009, and ever since he joined the club, they've been able to compete at a high level.
The abuse Crosby gets is made up of a combination of factors. First and foremost, he's been known to partake in his fair share of "dives" on the ice. On the flip side, Crosby constantly gets media coverage because of his stature—something he can't control.
Those factors have resulted in the anti-Sidney Crosby agenda. Which is a shame, because when you break it down, he really is an excellent hockey player.
Peyton Manning
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The reason for Peyton Manning being on this list is simple: Tom Brady.
As dueling foes and two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Manning and Brady will always be compared to one another. Fair or not, that's the life they chose.
Manning may have all of the statistical advantages—138 more touchdowns, 16,433 additional passing yards—but all anyone cares about is how many championships you have.
Manning doesn't deserve a lot of the crap he takes on. Sure, he's had issues in the postseason. But when it comes down to it, Manning is 11-13 during the playoffs and he does have a Super Bowl ring.
The ongoing Manning vs. Brady debate will always be there. Sports fans and pundits need that type of stuff in their lives. Unfortunately, the fallout seems to always land on Manning's shoulders.
Robert Griffin III
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What would this slideshow be without Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III?
Fresh out of the 2012 NFL draft, Griffin was the pride of D.C. His exciting dual-threat style changed the franchise.
When RG3 crumbled to the ground in that brutal 2013 NFC playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks, the world crumbled with him. The hero and offensive juggernaut was suddenly gone.
In the seasons and offseasons that followed, stories of turmoil surrounded Griffin. Because of his comments and attitude, he's earned the right to be vilified. It's tough to deny that.
The upsetting part is that RG3 is still a talented player who enjoyed a period of greatness early on in his career. Too bad all of the injuries and negative media coverage have put a damper on his reputation.
Russell Westbrook
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Russell Westbrook is amazing. Sorry, but before we go any further, that sentence had to be thrown out into the open.
Now let's get into the business at hand.
The Oklahoma City Thunder guard is one of the best players in basketball. He's a 6'3", 187-pound freight train on the hardwood. The shenanigans Westbrook puts up with seem to stem from him being perceived as a ball hog and his ongoing battle with the media.
Forget the fact that according to ESPN's Hollinger index, No. 0 finished the 2014-15 regular season as the second-most efficient player in the NBA. When Westbrook took 43 shots earlier this year, that effort drew some flack from the social media world.
Thankfully Kobe Bryant went on Twitter and put everyone back in his or her place.
Where Westbrook gets most of his crap comes on the media side of things. His relationship with the press is rocky to say the least.
In today's world, when you create memorable sound bites over time, the crap tends to keep on coming your way. Just ask Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.
Richard Sherman
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Richard Sherman is one of the NFL's top defensive backs. He's also one of the most outspoken athletes in all of sports.
Sherman's verbal skills took on a life of its own starting with the war of words against ESPN personality Skip Bayless. It would culminate with his epic postgame explosion after the 2013 NFC Championship Game.
When you fire vocal rounds like that into the air, there's a really good chance that crap is headed your way. We can go back-and-forth for hours arguing whether he deserves it. The truth is, despite being brash, Sherman is a really smart guy—his time at Stanford reflects that. Basically, he knows what he's doing.
The line between confidence and arrogance can get blurry fast. Sherman has fallen victim to that narrative over the last couple of years.
Unless noted otherwise, all game scores, stats and information courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.
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