15 Most Refreshingly Honest People in Sports

Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan is certainly unconventional, but he's also honest, a refreshing quality in the sports world.

Too often, fans are subjected to the numbing monotony of cliched, rehearsed answers from athletes, coaches and executives. It's hard to blame them given the intense glare of media scrutiny, but that just means those who choose to boldly emanate authenticity are even more impressive.  

Sure, a lot of people are honest, but there's a difference between refreshing and annoying when comes to truth-telling. Some might argue Ryan is in the latter category, but that's the fun of opinions, isn't it?

Ryan is one of 15 people in sports right now who regularly demonstrate a penchant for telling it like it is. Not everyone will agree with their statements, but at least these people give you the truth—the truth about their opinions, motivations and even performances.

Let's go.

Honorable Mentions

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There are a lot of people in sports who have said something refreshingly honest at one time or another. Here are a few instances worth an honorable mention.

Brian Kelly: Notre Dame's head football coach told Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune (via NDInsider), "Honestly, I don't know that any of our players would get into the school by themselves right now with the academic standards the way they are."

Mick Daly: The Drogheda United captain tweeted after his team's relegation from the League of Ireland, "Thank you for all the support, absolutely heart broken tonight but facts be known we were the worst team in the league by a mile."

Martin Kaymer: The professional golfer told reporters the reason for his declining performance, per Ryan Lavner of the Golf Channel: "I practiced less. It's pretty simple."

Byron Maxwell: Of free agency, the Philadelphia Eagles cornerback said, "I was just going to whoever gave me the most money," according to Matt Lombardo of NJ.com. 

Rob Gronkowski: On why he doesn't have Snapchat, the New England Patriots tight end tweeted, "To [sic] many chicks would send me pics and it would get to out of control."

Steve Kerr: When Andre Iguodala of the Golden State Warriors expressed disdain for a referee's call, his coach said to KNBR, "To be honest after that call I thought the [refs] deserved to be mocked," per Dubs beat writer Diamond Leung (h/t Deadspin).

Adam Silver

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NBA commissioner Adam Silver proved his professionalism and aptitude for the job almost immediately upon stepping into it in 2014.

Since then, he has shown a respect for honesty not characteristic of all sports executives. In February, he spoke freely to BBC Sport about his jealousy of soccer's Champions League and the passion of its fans.

In November 2014, Silver provided a refreshingly candid take on sports gambling in an op-ed for the New York Times. He advocated its legalization and regulation, a stance he said the NBA has long opposed:

"

In 1992, the leagues supported the passage by Congress of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, or Paspa, which generally prohibits states from authorizing sports betting.

But despite legal restrictions, sports betting is widespread. It is a thriving underground business that operates free from regulation or oversight. Because there are few legal options available, those who wish to bet resort to illicit bookmaking operations and shady offshore websites. 

"

Dabo Swinney

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Remember when Urban Meyer said Notre Dame football was his "dream job" and then ended up at Ohio State?

Clemson head man Dabo Swinney will give no such misinformation regarding his coaching future. On the prospect of someday getting a call from Alabama, Swinney said, "You don't ever say never," according to Jon Soloman of CBS Sports. "You don't ever know what the circumstances would be at any given time."

In fact, Swinney has been open and honest about many topics during his tenure at Clemson, including about his religious beliefs and his disapproval of Notre Dame's independent status.

LeBron James

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Early in his career, LeBron James seemed to care about what people thought of him just a smidgen more than he does now (which appears to be not at all).

During the NBA Finals, James told reporters point blank he is the "best player in the world."

Amid controversy about his relationship with Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kevin Love, he stated he only has three close friends in the whole of the NBA.

Of the ongoing trash talk between him and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, James said, "He started it, and I finished it," per Brett Pollakoff of NBC Sports.  

This is a man who will walk off the court mid-game if he's unhappy. While that particular move wasn't his finest hour, it's nice to see James throwing caution to the wind and just being himself.

Scott Van Pelt

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ESPN personality Scott Van Pelt has always been a man to say what's on his mind—remember the rant about Maryland's student section? But his new midnight SportsCenter has really put that candor on full display.

Perhaps no example is more poignant than his monologue regarding the media portrayal of former NBA star Lamar Odom. 

Odom was found unconscious in October and rushed to a hospital in Las Vegas. Media coverage was thick, partly because of Odom's status as the estranged husband of Khloe Kardashian. 

SVP, as relayed by Mark Hinog of SB Nation, took issue with anyone referring to Odom as a "Kardashian reality star."

He said (h/t ESPN):

"

Lamar Odom, unlike those for whom fame is oxygen, whose fame comes in the absence of accomplishment, his fame was earned: as Sixth Man of the Year, as a multiple NBA champion, as the result of his significant role with the Los Angeles Lakers teams and being a beloved NBA teammate and peer. ... I understand not everyone watches sports, but 'Kardashian reality star?' His name is Lamar Odom, and we knew it long before he got married on a TV show that we don't watch.

"

Serena Williams

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If you ask Serena Williams a question, she'll give you an honest answer. The tennis star once said she hates working out or "anything that has to do with working physically," per Adena Andrews of espnW. 

It wasn't until September, however, that Williams displayed some of the most refreshing honesty you'll ever see in sports. 

After defeating her sister at the U.S. Open, Williams had to answer a question about why she wasn't smiling. Her response was perfection. Per the official interview transcript on the tournament's official site, here's how it went down: 

"

Reporter: 'You just won a match. Normally you smile when you win you come here, you laugh. What happens tonight? Is just because you beat Venus or because you're thinking about what is going next? What's wrong?'

Williams: 'It's 11:30. To be perfectly honest with you, I don't want to be here. (Laughter.) I just want to be in bed right now. I have to wake up early to practice.'

"

Zack Greinke

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Certainly, money is not the only factor in all free-agent decisions. However, for those who think it's more important than a lot of players let on, you're not alone.

In 2013, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke talked about money in free agency. In a blunt statement, he said, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, "It's obviously the No. 1 thing. I could play for the worst team if they paid the most."

In February, Greinke spoke about his team's many offseason moves. He wasn't completely complimentary, especially given the previous year's success.

According to Mark Saxon of ESPN, he spoke with "loveable candor" and said, "In the playoffs last year, I thought our team was the best team in baseball. To say we're better than that, I don't know if you could say that, especially without seeing us play."

Rory McIlroy

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While Greinke is refreshingly saying money is the most important thing to him, Rory McIlroy is equally breezy in his assertion of the opposite.

In September, when asked about a $10 million bonus attached to a FedEx Cup victory, McIlroy responded, "Luckily, that amount of money doesn't mean much to me anymore," per Bob Harig of ESPN. In other words, "Guys, I'm already rich."

McIlroy's honesty has long been a mainstay at press conferences and media appearances. In 2014, someone asked him about Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson missing the Tour Championship, and he simply said, "They're just getting older," per Jason Sobel of the Golf Channel.

His assessment was, of course, true but not meant to sound malicious—he went on to call Woods and Mickelson, "the two best golfers of this generation." Unfortunately, even non-malicious honesty is sometimes misconstrued, but kudos to McIlroy for continuing to fight the good fight.

John Tortorella

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Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella has long had a reputation for blunt honesty.

The most successful American-born coach in the history of the NHL, Totorella's madness has a method—honesty with his players in good times and bad.

Forward Brandon Dubinsky recently said of Tortorella's approach, per Josh Cooper of Puck Daddy, "I think it's something we needed in here. We needed a guy to come in and be real honest with us in how we were playing individually and a group. I think he's done that. Nobody can hide."

Bill Simmons

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HBO personality Bill Simmons is notoriously candid pretty much all the time. In fact, as reported by Sports Illustrated, his views on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell got him in some hot water with former employer ESPN at one point.

He was also suspended from Twitter in 2013 for his views on a heated segment on ESPN's First Take.

Whether people agree or disagree with Simmons' opinions, it is refreshing to see a media personality stating his true, naked thoughts about controversial topics in sports. 

Marshawn Lynch

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Like it or not, at least Marshawn Lynch's attitude toward the media is an honest one. The most famous example is, of course, when he answered 29 questions with "I'm just here so I won't get fined" during media day for Super Bowl XLIX.

Of talking to the media, Lynch told American Way (h/t Mike Florio of NBC Sports), "[If] someone forces you to take medicine, you don't want to take it. If you tell me to do something and I want to know why and you don't want to tell me why — no. I'm not jumping off the bridge because you're telling me to."

Kobe Bryant

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Kobe Bryant is unapologetically honest. After struggling with injuries and the Los Angeles Lakers' on-court woes, his penchant for bluntness is even more apparent in the 2015-16 NBA season.

Three games in, he said, per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, "I'm the 200th-best player in the league right now. I freaking suck." Fellow truth-teller LeBron James essentially said "psssh, right."

Later, ESPN's Baxter Holmes wrote about Bryant's views on his new role as a proponent of ball movement. This is, of course, ironic given his longstanding tendency to keep the ball to himself.

Per Holmes, he said, "When I've become the voice of 'ball-movement reason,' you know you have an issue. ... That's crazy. I can't believe I'm saying this s--t. Are you kidding me? Like a kid that grows up and just starts sounding like his parents."

Jurgen Klopp

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Since taking the high-profile Liverpool job in October, manger Jurgen Klopp hasn't been shy about the challenges he and his team will face going forward. He doesn't make promises of victory, just hard work. And frankly, it's nice to hear. 

Upon taking the job, Klopp told LFCTV (h/t BBC Sport), "In this moment we are not the best team in the world, but who cares? We want to be the best team in the world in the future."

After a big win over Manchester City in late November and despite the appearance of a real turnaround, Klopp cautioned against too much optimism regarding a top-four finish. He said, per Jamie Jackson of the Guardian, "We have to work, that's all. Somebody asks us if we can go to the top then it's not my problem. I don't think that way. The money is in the Champions League but I can't promise it now. It's hard work."

Gregg Popovich

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San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is one of the best in the biz. Still, he is not a man to care about, say, hurting a reporter's feelings. Pop's brutally authentic media interactions over the years have led to videos such as this, an NBA "Best of Coach Pop" compilation.

In a story for the Washington Post, Popovich told Michael Lee about his views on honesty. Talking about his players, Pop's comments were utterly refreshing:

"

They are different. I just try to be as honest with them as I can. I just think blowing smoke at guys and trying to manipulate guys or trick guys into thinking this, that and the other, it doesn't work. And it’s tiresome. You've got to remember what you told somebody last week. And this week, I can't do that because I did that, and now I got to do this. That doesn't work.

So if you're just brutally honest with guys, when they do well, love them and touch them and praise them, and if they do poorly, get on their [butt] and let them know it and let them know that you care. And if a player knows that you really care and believes that you can make it better, you got the guy for life.

"

Charles Barkley

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Former NBA star and TNT analyst Charles Barkley has long held a reputation for his blunt honesty. From burning DeAndre Jordan on his shooting to guaranteeing New York Knicks' playoff berth, there is virtually nothing this guy won't say, and it's a breath of fresh air in the oft-stifled sports media landscape.

For instance, Barkley's disdain for ESPN personality Skip Bayless is legendary. He called him a "scumbag" on the Dan Patrick Show in February (via Ryan Glasspiegel of the Big Lead).

Barkley's long-held belief that jump-shooting teams can't win championships was disproved by the Golden State Warriors in June, but Barkley remains steadfast in his convictions. He told Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports Radio (via the San Francisco Chronicle) that "we would have just mauled them," meaning him and the other back-in-the-day NBAers.

Rex Ryan

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Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan is notorious for just telling it like it is.

In early November, he wore a Clemson helmet to a press conference, presumably because son Seth plays football there. New York Jets safety Calvin Pryor, who played for Ryan and went to Louisville, alleged via Twitter that Ryan pulled the stunt for the attention.

Ryan replied, per the New York Daily News, "He's right. What else am I going to do? Just stand up here. He's mad because Clemson put it on Louisville again."

Then, leading up to his team's recent Monday Night Football showdown against the New England Patriots, Ryan was asked what a win might do for the Bills in the AFC East. He replied, per John Breech of CBS Sports, "Does that give us an opportunity to win the division? No. They are going win the division."

Yes they are. Especially after the Bills lost, 20-13.