11 People in Sports Who Need to Lighten Up

Come on Andy Dalton. That Red Ryder BB gun joke was funny!

Some people in sports, like the Red Rifle, just need to lighten up a little—learn how to take a joke or not get so defensive.

Now, there are certainly times to take things seriously in sports. For coaches and professional players, this is a livelihood, after all. However, there are other times when a little chill could be exercised. Teammates rib on each other, scheduling changes happen and the media has a job to do. None of these things necessarily warrant a freak out in and of themselves.

The following are a few people who refused to exhibit any sort of chill whatsoever in a recent moment that probably warranted some. These are the anti-Rex Ryans of the sports world, basically.

In the interest of keeping things light, let's steer clear of anything too intense. It is a holiday week, after all.

Honorable Mention: Kirk Cousins

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins went off the rails for just a few seconds after a comeback victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in October.

Cousins' performance had been under some scrutiny leading up to the game. After the win, perhaps feeling vindicated, the QB yelled aggressively to CSN Washington reporter Tarik El-Bashir, "Do you like that! Do you like that!"

At first it was like, whoa, settle down Cousins. But then, the gesture became charmingly immortal, as these things often do. Cousins even had T-shirts made and sold them for charity.

Actually, you know what? Forget it, Kirk Cousins. You do not need to lighten up.

Odell Beckham Jr.

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There is not exactly an abundance of evidence that New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. needs to lighten up. Still, his quarterback said he should at one point, so that counts for something.

In January, Beckham sat out for part of the team's minicamp as a precaution related to a hamstring injury. His teammates ribbed him a little for it, and Beckham didn't appreciate that.

According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, he said, "everybody" was giving him a hard time. "Because of the hamstring last year and then the fame, it's like, 'Oh, you're too big-time now,' all that. So I mean, I just hear it and you want to blow it off, but after a while it gets old, and it kind of bothers you."

Eli Manning said on WFAN's Boomer and Carton (via Todd Dewey of the Las Vegas Review-Journal), "You're not practicing, people are gonna get on you a little bit. If you're not practicing, you've got to sit there and take it. It's fun-loving."

Boo Weekley

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Boo Weekley is a professional golfer who does not like to play golf, at least not at certain times of the year. In early November, Weekley addressed the fact that the PGA Tour's season now includes fall events.

According to Kyle Porter of CBS Sports, Weekley said, "Honestly, this wraparound season sucks. It does, seriously."

Other nuggets included, "It's aggravating having to play this much," and, "It's just golf after golf after golf. Ain't no time for hunting and fishing, man."

Weekley is entitled to his opinion, of course, but he seemed perhaps overly upset about golf interfering with his fishing plans. Poor guy. 

Zach Mettenberger

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Andy Dalton should've learned his lesson from Zach Mettenberger. Don't freak out about a harmless joke from J.J. Watt.

Back in 2014, Mettenberger, a quarterback for the Tennessee Titans, posted a selfie before a game against Watt's Houston Texans. Later in the game, Watt sacked Mettenberger and mimed taking a selfie. Not a big deal, right?

Man, did this turn into a ridiculous beef. According to Tania Ganguli of ESPN, Watt said after that game, "This is the National Football League, not high school."

Months later, in July 2015, Mettenberger was still fired up, apparently. He told CampusSports.net, per Ganguli, "J.J. had to say it's a bit high schoolish that I take selfies, and I think he still rags me on Instagram every time he posts a selfie. At the same time, if that's high schoolish, he got a letterman jacket made—a Texans letterman jacket. That's pretty high schoolish to me, don't you say?"

All right, Mettenberger. It's all in good fun. 

Central Michigan vs. Toledo Refs

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During a MAC showdown at Central Michigan in early November, the home referees actually stopped the game against Toledo to ask the band and cheerleaders to quiet down.

Now, an NCAA rule does state the band can't play once the ball is spotted, according to Nate Schneider of the Morning Sun. But the cheerleaders, too? Come on, man.

Per Schneider, the MAC later made the following statement: "The official in question last night erred by making his announcement without following the proper protocol and identifying CMU's cheerleaders."

Indeed.

Jim Harbaugh

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Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh is a notoriously passionate guy, at least when it comes to yelling at referees. It's becoming apparent he doesn't take too kindly to unwanted media questions either.

Now, it's understandable why Harbaugh would balk at questions about pro coaching jobs during his team's season. Still, it's the media's job to ask, right?

Harbaugh's name has been coming up regarding a possible job opening in Indianapolis next season. In October, he called questions to that effect "disrespectful," per Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free-Press (h/t Kevin Trahan of SB Nation).

And later, when a reporter dared ask him again, he said, "Stop. Just stop yourself. No comment," according to Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com

OK, OK. Geez. 

Fantasy Football Owners

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Fantasy football owners need to stop blaming NFL players for their virtual woes. Those players are out there doing a job, and guess what? They don't care about Joe Schmo's fantasy points. Some of them will even let him know.

In September, Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson told Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post, "I don't go to other people's jobs and tell them: 'Hey, you (stink). You're trash.'"

In early November, one fantasy owner expressed frustration that Arizona Cardinals wide receiver John Brown didn't see game action despite his active status. The fan tweeted, per Darren Hartwell of NESN, Jones had "earned a trip to my bench next week."

Broncos kicker Brandon McManus responded to a pretty mean "thanks for the 0 points loser" tweet with "You're welcome," per Nick Schwartz of For the Win.  

Settle down, fantasy owners.

Avery Williamson

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Tennessee Titans linebacker Avery Williamson wasn't the only person upset about Cam Newton's touchdown dance, but his criticisms might've been the most unjustified.

Williamson got in the Carolina Panthers quarterback's face after he celebrated a late TD. Unfortunately for Williamson, he celebrated a sack of Newton earlier in the game. Pot, meet kettle.

To Williamson, and anyone else upset about Newton's dance moves, calm down. If the Tennessee mom can get over it, anyone can.

It's like Newton said, per Terry McCormick of Titan Insider, "… if you don't want me to do it, then don't let me in."

Bill Cowher

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Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan clearly doesn't take himself too seriously. He is famous for off-the-wall antics, and so no one should've been all that surprised when he pulled something on the New York Jets, the team that fired him in December. 

Ahead of the Bills vs. Jets matchup in Week 10, Ryan named defensive end IK Enemkpali a captain. Fans might remember Enemkpali from the Geno Smith sucker-punch fiasco. 

Some thought this was a hysterical move on Ryan's part, but others, not so much. Former NFL coach and current CBS analyst Bill Cowher said on air, per NFL.com: 

"

The captain tag is something that every head coach in this league takes seriously. The captain tag is something that players vote on, head coaches they give their title to. It requires a player that you think exemplifies leadership. You earn that. Rex Ryan has made a mockery of it and to me it's annoying. I'm just saying that to put that out there. It's not always about Rex. Everything isn't about Rex. 

"

Nick Saban

Warning: Video contains a tiny bit of NSFW content.

Nick Saban: The man who never smiles. The Alabama football coach is a serious guy. There's no doubt about that.

Still, now he's launching unprovoked rants at the media for no real reason? Perhaps anticipating criticism over Bama's FCS opponent, Charleston Southern, in late November, Saban came to a preceding media session, guns blazing.

A reporter asked Saban a totally legitimate question about the quality of CSU quarterback Austin Brown, and Saban went after him.

It's really worth watching to get the full effect, but the gist was that Bama doesn't take anyone lightly, and how dare anyone think differently?

Andy Dalton

Gary Landers/Associated Press

When the Houston Texans beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10, J.J. Watt was fired up.

Really, all the defensive end did was make an on-point reference to A Christmas Story. Per Coley Harvey of ESPN, Watt said, "Our goal was to come out here and make the Red Rifle look like a Red Ryder BB Gun, and I think we did that. (The "Red Rifle" for those unaware, is the nickname of Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.)

Harmless, right?

Wrong. Dalton had this to say in the postgame presser, via Nick Schwartz of For the Win:

"

I'm disappointed in him. The integrity of this game – I have a lot of respect for him. He's a really good player. There's a lot of kids and a lot of people who look up to him. For him to make comments like that, he's showing that's acceptable to do that kind of stuff, to say that kind of stuff. It's disappointing for one of the best players in this league to come out and say something like that.

"

To his credit, Dalton later admitted he probably overreacted.

Dallas Mavericks

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At the risk of generalizing an entire sports teams' circle of influence, the Dallas Mavericks really need to get over the whole DeAndre Jordan thing.

So Jordan said he would play for the Mavs and later backed out. These things happen. However, months later, Mavericks nation is still up in arms about it.

The team played a video in its arena mocking Jordan titled DeAndre Jordan: The Frightened Man-Boy. The center was booed mercilessly when his Clippers played at Dallas in early November. After the Mavs won, the team's Twitter account posted, "Hey @LAClippers! Good game! Have a safe trip home!” followed by a whole mess of transportation-related emojis.

Chill out, already.