The Most Infamous Snubs in Sports

There are a hell of a lot of things worse than being snubbed in life, but it's up there as one of the many situations that no one wants to find themselves in.

Whether that means being a normal guy who gets stood up on a date, the lone person in the office who doesn't get a piece of cake during a party or a pro athlete who doesn't get what they, seemingly, deserve, being snubbed is a feeling that flat-out sucks.

Since it happens all the time in sports, the best thing to do is just list the most famous snubs in sports for you to read about—which, hopefully, don't bring up any bad memories.

Snubbed NCAA Tournament Teams

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

While there's a saying that declares the only things certain in life are death and taxes, another thing sports fans might want to add to that list are the teams snubbed while choosing the NCAA basketball bracket each season.

That's because, year-after-year, there are always teams who could stake their claim as to why they should be in the field of 68, hoping to become the Cinderella who never wakes up from their dream.

Unfortunately, though, there have been plenty of instances where teams are snubbed from the tourney, with the Temple Owls earning this year's title as the most disappointed squad for being left out.

Matt Kemp Not Winning the 2011 NL MVP Award

Chris Carlson/Associated Press

2011 was a very good year for current San Diego Padres outfielder Matt Kemp.

In addition to his breakout season in which he batted .324 with career highs in home runs (39), RBI (126), runs (115), hits (195) and steals (40), Kemp's performance earned him a massive contract extension with his team at the time, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

One thing that didn't go right for him, though? Walking away as the NL Most Valuable Player, as the Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun received the award.

However, with the admission that Braun had used PEDs, there are many who think Kemp should receive the award—including the player himself—along with those who believed voters struck out on not giving it to Kemp in the first place.

The 2001 Oregon Ducks Football Team

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Although the Oregon Ducks football team has played in two national title games in their 98-year history, many wonder if they shouldn't have had at least one more appearance on their resume.

That's because, following a 2001 season in which they went 10-1 during the regular season, some silly system called the BCS was in place, which, many of us fans remember, screwed over a lot of teams.

With the Nebraska Cornhuskers 11-0 and entering the final regular-season game against the Colorado Buffaloes, Nebraska was humiliated by the No. 15 team in the nation, losing 62-36, dropping the then-No. 1 Huskers to No. 4—one spot ahead of the Ducks in the BCS rankings.

However, thanks to computer rankings, it was Nebraska, not Oregon, who found itself pitted against the Miami Hurricanes in the national title game, which it lost 37-14, while the Ducks were forced to play that same Colorado team in the Fiesta Bowl—winning 36-16—and showing that they, probably, deserved more.

Thankfully, with the adoption of the College Football Playoff, these types of scenarios shouldn't be as prevalent any longer—although nothing is ever perfect.

Aaron Ramsey Wants Nothing to Do with Piers Morgan

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

There have been a number of instances where an athlete doesn't shake the hands of a team that just defeated them, causing plenty of controversy among media members.

But what just occurred the other day between Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey and longtime broadcaster—and Arsenal supporter—Piers Morgan is just straight-up silly.

The outspoken Morgan, who has often referred to Ramsey as a liability, got shunned by the 24-year-old, who refused to shake his hand when the former editor found his way down by the pitch following a match against Chelsea.

So much for players not paying attention to the media, huh?

Eli Manning Doesn't Like 'Sun' Diego

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

When a player gets drafted No. 1 overall, it’s usually a cause for celebration.

In the case of quarterback Eli Manning, though, he and his family weren’t all that giddy when the youngest of the Manning children was taken in the top spot by the San Diego Chargers in the 2004 NFL draft.

Openly saying that he didn’t want to play in San Diego, Eli spurned the Southern California destination for the chance to play in New York with the Giants, working out a gentleman’s deal to be dealt had the Chargers taken him first overall.

Eventually traded for Philip Rivers—who was taken No. 4 by the G-Men—Eli has led the team to two Super Bowl titles in his time there yet still has a few enemies from his snub of San Diego 11 years ago.

Roger Clemens Not Winning the 1999 AL Cy Young Award

PETER MORGAN/Associated Press

When former MLB pitcher Bob Welch won the 1990 AL Cy Young Award after compiling a 27-6 record and carrying a 2.95 ERA and striking out 127, there probably aren't too many arguments these days.

But there are more than just the casual stats, of course.

That's because, then Boston Red Sox pitcher, Roger Clemens had a season that was even better, going 21-6 with a 1.93 ERA and fanning 209, as well as leading the league in shutouts with four.

While The Rocket had six less wins than Welch, advanced numbers prove that Clemens actually had the better season when it came to WAR (wins above replacement), earning eight wins to Welch's 1.2.

Even more, according to seamheads.com, Welch's record would have fallen to 19-14 had he received average run support in his starts, which wasn't the case when Clemens took the mound due to his Boston teammates providing little offensive production—yet he still had one hell of a season and should have been rewarded for it.

Isiah Thomas Kept off of the 1992 Dream Team

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

As rivals during the late '80s, the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons developed quite the animosity toward one another, with Detroit developing the "Jordan Rules," which was a way of pestering and bullying Bulls star Michael Jordan.

But things got even testier when the Bulls defeated the Pistons in 1991's postseason, with Detroit walking off the floor—and past the Bulls bench—without shaking their hands.

Rather than complain about it, Jordan got back at Pistons star Isiah Thomas in an even bigger, black-balling move, keeping the former All-Star off of the famed 1992 Dream Team, which was a roster made up of future Hall of Famers and, arguably, is referred to as the best squad ever assembled.

Saying that both he and his Chicago teammate, Scottie Pippen, wouldn't have played if Thomas had been part of the team, his exclusion was a major snub—but one that was enforced by the best baller on the planet.

Tom Brady Gets Left in the Cold

He's a four-time Super Bowl champion, is married to the world's most popular supermodel and is a surefire Hall of Famer, but even Tom Brady gets stood up every once in awhile.

In one of the more famous videos of high-fives gone wrong, Brady was seen on the sideline with his hand in the air waiting for anyone to give him some skin—to no avail, unfortunately.

It became a common theme for the quarterback and his teammates throughout the 2013 season, with the signal-caller opening up about it toward the end of the year—and then jabbed actor Mark Wahlberg for leaving New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft hanging while sitting in the owner's box last season.

Kobe Bryant Doesn't Take Home the NBA MVP Award

PAUL CONNORS/Associated Press

Both future Hall of Famers, Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant have done some tremendous things during their NBA careers.

While Bryant's biggest accomplishment has come with the five titles he has won, there's a certain individual award that he would have preferred to win a few more times too.

That would be the league's MVP award.

And, although Kobe has won it once in his career, he may have deserved to win it at least once more, when, during the 2005-'06 season, he got beat out in the voting by the aforementioned Nash—which was the point guard's second straight.

Forget the numbers themselves—Kobe averaged 35.4 points five assists and 4.5 rebounds per game to Nash's 18.8 points and 10.5 assists per game—and just see the supporting casts to see who was most valuable to their team.

Nash was playing alongside fellow All-Stars on a team that went 54-28, while Bryant played with guys like Chris Mihm and Smush Parker yet still led them to a 45-37 record and playoff berth.

Sure, Nash's Suns got the best of Bryant's Lakers in that first-round matchup, but is there any denying the fact that, without The Black Mamba, the Lakers wouldn't have been anything but a top-five lottery team?

For that reason, he should have been rewarded for his efforts.

Russell Westbrook's Missed High-Five

One of the fiercest competitors in all of sports, when Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook gets upset about something during a game, everyone will know it.

So when his teammate, Jeremy Lamb, left him hanging on a high-five in a game earlier this season, Russ wasn't just going to play around and make it an ongoing joke like the aforementioned Tom Brady did.

Instead, Westbrook actually went back and demanded that Lamb finished giving him some skin, as well as actually talking it out with the young fella to make sure it didn't happen again.

It might have seemed silly, but Westbrook doesn't do silly on the hardwood—unless it's making a defender look that way.

Armando Galarraga's Near Perfect Game

The joy of throwing a perfect game is one that only 23 pitchers in MLB history have ever experienced.

You know whose name isn't on that list, though? Armando Galarraga. But it's not because of a lack of a very close attempt.

Most of us know the story by now.

It was the top of the ninth inning in a game against the Cleveland Indians back in 2010, with Galarraga just one out away from completing the difficult feat.

With a slow roller that was sure to be the final straw before putting his name alongside others in the annals of professional baseball, first base umpire Jim Joyce missed a call that was a sure out, even admitting to doing so afterward—which is a rare occurrence by an umpire.

Galarraga took the high road and forgave and forgot, but his near perfect game still remains as one of the biggest snubs in sports history.

Aaron Rodgers' Draft Fall

No joke, after watching this video all the way through, it's almost as if the analysts—specifically host Chris Berman and guest Torry Holt—knew exactly how quarterback Aaron Rodgers' career was going to go down.

While Rodgers went from a potential top overall pick in the draft to the 24th overall back in 2005, Holt was spot-on when he predicted Rodgers' career would begin as the understudy of Brett Favre, who was still manning the huddle for the Green Bay Packers back then.

People fume while waiting in the doctor's office reception area, so imagine what it was like for the two-time league MVP as he waited to hear his name called by an NFL team—which, he seemed to have used as motivation ever since, adding a Super Bowl title to his individual accolades.

One of the best signal-callers the NFL has right now, Aaron Rodgers' draft-day snub may have hurt then, but it may have worked out best for him now.

Any Year LeBron James Doesn't Win the NBA MVP Award

J Pat Carter/Associated Press

At this point in his career, LeBron James is in the same position that Michael Jordan once was during the latter part of his NBA days.

No, it's not that he's completely bald—although Bron is getting close to that, too—but the fact that voters are actually comparing James' previous feats to his current ones after he has set a standard for himself that no other player could accomplish.

While James will not, nor should, win the league MVP every season that he plays, he is the perennial favorite each and every season, no doubt staying atop the mountain as the best player on the planet.

Unfortunately, due to voter exhaustion of LeBron, he, once again, will probably see someone else hoist the trophy this season—although he has been just as valuable to his Cleveland Cavaliers team as he ever has on any team.

John Elway Snubs the Indianapolis Colts

Sal Veder/Associated Press

Not only one of the strangest trades in sports history, but when John Elway forced his hand from the Baltimore Colts to the Denver Broncos in 1983, it was a backhanded slap to the city of Baltimore, snubbing its entire fanbase in the process.

Unwilling to play for then-Colts owner Bob Irsay, Elway threatened to pursue a baseball career if the Colts didn't trade him before his rookie campaign.

Rather than risk it, Baltimore granted the future Hall of Fame signal-caller his wish, shipping him to the Broncos for Chris Hinton, Mark Herrmann and a first-round pick.

While Hinton was a solid offensive lineman who made six Pro Bowls in seven years, with all due respect, Elway finished with two Super Bowl wins in five career trips to the Big Game, making this snub one that should make Colts fans furious.

Pete Rose and the Hall of Fame

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

He's the all-time hit king in MLB history, but former big leaguer Pete Rose's name isn't in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown.

Of course, it's because of a bad decision that he made when he bet on baseball while he was a player and manager, which forced MLB to blackball Charlie Hustle and put him in exile that has prevented him from the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Still, Rose's exclusion from others who have impacted the game and had accomplished careers is one that will be debated until he actually gets his lifetime ban lifted, as years have gone by that have given fans a chance to forgive the guy for what he did, while also respect his feats even more.