Get off My Lawn! 10 Crankiest Old School Sports Stars

Why is it that some "old school" sports stars come off as cranky and even miserable people during interviews and other public appearances? 

There is no one answer to that question. Going from an adored figure to somebody who is not immediately recognized by younger fans can't be easy. There are also many unfortunate and even sad stories about former sports stars who either battle personal demons or make unwise business decisions en route to losing the fortunes that they earned when they were in the primes of their careers. 

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Goose Gossage, who is in the Hall of Fame, has been in the news for a variety of comments that he made about the current state of baseball. Gossage has targeted Bryce Harper, National Football League quarterback Cam Newton and supposed "nerds" who help build MLB rosters during rants that could make one wonder if Gossage is OK these days. 

Gossage is, of course, not alone on the list of former sports stars who have earned headlines by criticizing current athletes. Oscar Robertson, one of the greatest players in the history of the National Basketball Association, took shots at current Golden State Warriors phenom Stephen Curry earlier this year. Former Cleveland Browns QB Bernie Kosar has put his foot in his mouth more times than one could count this year. 

Former athletes, particularly all-time greats, can undeniably contribute positive things to coaches, players, announcers and fans who are involved in the sports world today. Those sports legends can even be critical of current athletes so long as those comments do not come off as personal shots. Some aged former stars would, however, be wise to stay away from microphones and from cameras. 

Silence truly can be golden. 

Stephen Jackson

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are doing something special this NBA season. The Warriors were 60-6 as of March 16, 13 victories away from breaking the all-time regular-season wins record set by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls. Curry is going to win back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player awards before the end of the current campaign. 

Stephen Jackson, the former NBA player who spent over a decade in the league and who last played in 2014, is apparently not all that impressed with the 2015-16 Warriors. 

It was in late February when Jackson, as explained by Matt Moore of CBS Sports, appeared on ESPN's The Jump. During that segment, Jackson "guaranteed" that the "We Believe" Warriors from the 2006-07 NBA season that beat the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs as a No. 8 seed would defeat today's Warriors. 

But wait. There's more. 

TMZ Sports caught up with Jackson on March 15: 

"

"I don't see [Steph Curry] being one of the Top 5 best ever" -- Stephen Jackson. 

So, we were talking basketball with the ex-NBA star in L.A. when he dropped some real talk about how Steph and LeBron James will be remembered after their NBA careers are over. 

Jackson says he likes Curry a lot ("he's having a helluva season") but he'll never crack the Top 5. 

"

We'll take these one at a time.

The "We Believe" Warriors could have defeated the 2015-16 Warriors in a one-off. We know that because today's Warriors haven't had a perfect season. Golden State lost to the awful Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month.

Derek Knight of SB Nation's Golden State of Mind chose to break down the numbers to determine which version of the Warriors would prevail if the two were to meet in a playoff series. We won't bore you with the details, but we will leave you with the mic drop delivered by Knight: 

"

Somewhere in the echo chamber of the internet, someone mentioned Jackson also mentioned "heart" favoring the We Believe team. Heart, while hardly empirical evidence, is something obviously both teams have. I can break "heart" down into different components, all of them being abstract concepts: resiliency, togetherness, chemistry, intensity. These are all qualities that describe both teams.

So, sorry, Jackson, but just because the new Warriors are wildly more successful on the court than We Believe sadly ever was, that doesn't make this contemporary unit a soulless, corporate shill. The notion that being less successful somehow intrinsically makes you more authentic, or have more "heart", is a romanticized idea.

The best evidence for the claim that this Warriors team would beat the We Believe team is any numerical evidence. Any of it. Pick one, and the new Warriors are probably better at it than the We Believe Warriors were.

"

As for Curry's place in history: Can't we all agree to enjoy watching Curry do what he is doing on almost a nightly basis without having to compare him to Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson or any other legends of the game? Curry is the best offensive player in the NBA today. 

That should be enough for now. 

John Rocker

Kevin D. Liles-USA TODAY Sports

One would hope that John Rocker wouldn't be so grumpy these days

Nobody is going to be full of happiness and joy all of the time. We all have bad days. Who among us hasn't wished for something bad to happen to the individual who nearly causes an accident via his reckless driving on the highway only to then immediately feel terrible about having such emotions toward a stranger? 

It happens. 

Former MLB relief pitcher John Rocker has seemingly never been happy. Rocker looked menacing on the mound as he glared at opposing batters, which could have been to his benefit. We know, however, that his anger wasn't part of an act or gimmick, and that Rocker has had terrible things to say about fellow humans throughout his adult life. 

Huffington Post ran a story in August 2013 about alleged racist comments that Rocker made during a Reddit AMA, and that piece also touched upon Rocker's past remarks. 

TMZ Sports ran a story in July about Rocker losing it on a supposed "business associate":

"

The ex-MLB pitcher -- and former "Survivor" contestant -- was out in Cooperstown, NY this past week signing autographs at an event for Paterno Brothers Sports ... and things went fine until it was time to go the airport.

According to Brian Paterno ... Rocker's car was running late due to unexpected traffic on Monday -- and when it got to his hotel, Rocker was furious -- and ripped into the people who were in charge of his transportation. 

One of the people traveling in the car with Rocker began recording Rocker's meltdown -- in which you can hear John tearing everyone a new A-hole. 

Lots of cuss words ... some insults ... more cussing ... and more general Rocker rage. 

"

Rocker, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, was in the news again this February. Per Craig Schneider of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 

"

The controversy centers on his involvement in a real estate deal to build a $22 million apartment complex in north Florida. While the details of the dispute are complicated, Rocker’s signature inflamed rhetoric still shines through.

Speaking Monday with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Rocker talked about the company he is suing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District in Atlanta. He called them a “vulture capital” group and at one point referred to them as “these clowns.”

Rocker filed the lawsuit asserting he owns 21 percent of the 254-unit apartment complex.

"

Heath Evans

Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has earned criticism. Manziel partied, partied and partied some more. He was not ready for NFL action when he started for the Browns in December 2014, and he spent over 90 days in a rehabilitation facility during the 2015 offseason. 

Any hopes that Manziel had turned a corner have since disappeared. Manziel eventually made a return to his partying ways, found himself in the dog house of former Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine on multiple occasions, and was involved in a domestic violence investigation in Texas that is ongoing. 

The Browns parted ways with Manziel earlier this month. 

Former NFL player Heath Evans, a journeyman who will never be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, now serves as an analyst for the NFL Network. Evans, as noted by Ryan Glasspiegel of USA Today, recently blasted Manziel and then even went so far as to say that Manziel should be blackballed from the NFL: 

"

“I wish Roger Goodell would pass out a memo leaguewide memo saying we’re gonna blackball this young man,” Evans said. “For the betterment of future of our league, for every young man that gets to watch our great game and the great NFL shield. Say we’re not tolerating this type of selfish, childish, mindless behavior.”

“I’m okay with first, second, third strike opportunities,” Evans continued. “Breaks and mercy, you won’t find anyone more forgiving. But time and time again this kid spits in the face of our league. There’s too many guys — Solly [Wilcots], myself, Willie McGinest, Eric Davis. I’ll go through a whole list of that guys at our network who have come before him, done things the right way, and he just refuses to respect our game, our shield, and our league.”

"

Somebody should tell Evans that he needs to have buckets of ice ready if he is going to routinely drop such scorching hot takes. 

Manziel is a 23-year-old, a 23-year-old who has not yet been officially charged with any crime, let alone with a crime that should have him blacklisted from the NFL. One does not need to be a psychologist or medical expert to understand that Manziel's issues go far beyond immaturity or a love of partying. The NFL shouldn't expel players such as Manziel, troubled wide receiver Justin Blackmon or former Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle. 

The league needs to help these young men before the unthinkable occurs. 

Carl Lewis

Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

Carl Lewis was not a flawless athlete during his prime.

Carl Lewis is widely regarded as one of the greatest Olympic athletes to ever represent the United States. Lewis won nine Olympic gold medals spanning from 1984 in Los Angeles to the Centennial Games of 1996 that took place in Atlanta. An expert long-jumper during his prime, Lewis was a spectator when Greg Rutherford won gold in the long jump at the 2012 Summer Olympics with a jump of 8.31m. 

As Martha Kelner of the Daily Mail explained recently, Lewis is unimpressed with Rutherford's accomplishment, and with the sport in general:

"

Four-time Olympic long jump champion Carl Lewis said the standard of competition in his event has plumbed new depths.

‘The long jump is the worst event in the world right now. Awful,’ he said.

"

Those are bold words from anybody. Lewis, per Duncan Mackay of the Guardian, admitted back in 2003 that he had tested positive for banned substances during his career and that he was one of "'hundreds' of people getting off" and escaping suspensions for those infractions. Maybe Lewis is not the best person to talk about the state of athletics and what are hopefully clean competitions. 

Oliver Brown of the Telegraph ripped into Lewis following the athlete's comments, saying that the "last thing athletics needs is a lecture from Carl Lewis":

"

For this is the same Lewis who, in 1988, failed three drug tests. In this context, his 100m gold in Seoul, which he grasped by default in the midst of Ben Johnson’s disgrace, has rightly been perceived as a hollow, there-but-for-the-grace-of-God victory. Lewis acknowledged in 2003 that he was “one of hundreds” of American athletes allowed to escape bans for testing positive for banned substances. Against that backdrop, his opinion on those who run and jump clean should be considered null and void.

"

Pete Rose

Pete Rose is arguably the greatest hitter in MLB history.

Rose accumulated more hits than any other player before him. The only current player close to matching Rose's hit total is Alex Rodriguez, who is roughly 1,200 hits shy of Rose's historic mark (h/t Baseball-Reference). A-Rod, who will turn 41 years old this summer, would have to play for at least another decade to get to the magical number of 4,257 hits. 

We don't love Rodriguez's chances. 

Rose's playing career has been overshadowed by his exploits as a manager. Rose bet on baseball, lied about it time and time again and is currently banned from the Hall of Fame. Even admitting that he did bet on baseball in his book My Prison Without Bars did not earn Rose a reprieve from MLB. It probably did not help Rose's cause that he used his admission as a way to launch a book tour and sell copies of his autobiography, but that's another story for another piece. 

2015 was not a banner year for Rose. Rose criticized Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson after Donaldson exited Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series because of a head injury. Kyle Koster of TheBigLead.com provided Rose's full quote on the matter:

"

“Does everybody know what we’re playing for now? I mean, you get a tweak and you got to leave the game. You take a knee to the head, and you’ve got a helmet on, and you gotta leave the game to go take a test that you pass. I mean, because you’re a little light-headed?

I got light-headed how many times in my career? I still went out there and played. I guess it’s just different from when I played to when they’re playing today, Frank. I can’t see you sliding into second there and leaving the game, I really can’t.”

"

That Rose continued playing while "lightheaded" during his career could explain a lot.  

Rose's out-of-touch comments about head injuries came a couple of months before it was learned that he would remain banned from MLB. Commissioner Rob Manfred, per ESPN.com, offered the following comments on his decision: 

"Mr. Rose's public and private comments, including his initial admission in 2004, provide me with little confidence that he has a mature understanding of his wrongful conduct, that he has accepted full responsibility for it, or that he understands the damage he has caused," Manfred wrote.

Bernie Kosar

It is difficult to explain to non-Cleveland people how beloved former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar is to this day among local sports fans. Need an example? One topic discussed on Cleveland sports-talk radio earlier this month was who would make a better team president for the Browns between Kosar and Peyton Manning. 

Yes, in case you're wondering, there were some fans of the Browns who chose Kosar ahead of the two-time Super Bowl champion who is five years away from being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Kosar was serving as a broadcaster during a preseason game involving the Browns and the St. Louis Rams in August 2013 when the former QB thought he'd try out a new comedy routine while in the booth. Chris Wesseling of NFL.com wrote about Kosar's comments: 

"

The most egregious comments were directed at Rams backup quarterback Kellen Clemens, of whom Kosar said, "I can't stand watching him play."

When Browns play-by-play man Jim Donovan relayed an anecdote about Clemens giving an autograph to Pope Benedict XVI, Kosar quipped, "Bless me father for I have sinned. I have to watch him the whole fourth quarter."

Kosar went on to call rookie Tavon Austin and the Rams receivers "horrible," while suggesting their parents "would be embarrassed" if they were watching the game.

"

Kosar was not a preseason commentator for the Browns in 2014 or 2015. His love for the Browns has not died, however, and he apparently offered his services to troubled QB Johnny Manziel.

Manziel, as explained by Josh Peter of USA Today, was not interested as of this past January: 

"

 “I’m embarrassed to even tell you how many times I tried," Kosar, the beloved former Browns quarterback, told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. “I have tried to call him directly 18 different ways. If he chooses not to talk to me, that’s his choice.

“I’m not mad at him. But there’s a point where there’s an element of respect that’s involved."

"

Kosar may not be the best mentor for a player in need of help such as Manziel. It was in April 2014 when Kosar pleaded no contest to a reckless operation charge. Per USA Today: 

"

Kosar had been charged with drunken-driving in September, but he entered a plea to the lesser charge and received a $750 fine and suspended jail sentence.

He was pulled over for speeding in suburban Cleveland, and officers said they smelled a strong odor of alcohol. Kosar told an officer he couldn't perform the standard one-leg stand or walk and turn tests as he had undergone several surgeries on his knees and ankles because of his playing days.

"

Roy Keane

One of the most memorable moments of the 2012 UEFA European Championship occurred when Spain played Ireland. Spain, undeniably the better of the two sides, took it to their overmatched opponents, and the eventual winners of the Euro hit the back of the net four times en route to an easy victory over Ireland. 

The events on the pitch are not what live on nearly four years since that night occurred. Despite the 4-0 scoreline, Irish fans in attendance belted out a rendition of "Fields of Athenry" that caused announcers calling the action to go silent so that we at home could enjoy and appreciate the passion of the fans. 

Irish footballing legend Roy Keane, in the ITV studio at the time, was not at all inspired by the fans. From Adrian Russell of The 42:

"

“I think the players and even the supporters, they all have to change their mentality, it’s just nonsense from players speaking after the games about how great the supporters are,” he said afterwards.

“Listen, the supporters want to see the team doing a lot better and not giving daft goals away like that. I’m not too happy with all that nonsense. To praise the supporters for sake of it … Let’s change that attitude towards Irish supporters.

“They want to see the team winning – let’s not kid ourselves, we’re a small country, we’re up against it, but let’s not just go along for the sing-song every now and again.”

"

Nobody should have expected anything else from Keane. Head over to your favorite search engine and enter "Roy Keane mis," then don't be surprised if that search term automatically fills in to "Roy Keane miserable pundit." One Liverpool FC Forum user wondered in March 2013 if Keane was "the unhappiest man in the world." 

Keane revealed in an autobiography that he was "glad" Clive Clarke suffered a heart attack during a match in August 2007. Mark Ogden of the Telegraph offered Keane's explanation for that reaction. 

"

Irishman Clarke was on loan from Sunderland at Leicester City when he went into cardiac arrest in the City Ground changing rooms during a match against Nottingham Forest in August 2007, forcing the tie to be abandoned at half-time.

Sunderland, then in the Premier League, lost 3-0 at home to League One club Luton on the same night.

Keane, who was Sunderland manager at the time, wrote: "I had the evil thought: 'I'm glad he had it tonight'; because it would deflect from our woeful performance."

"

Oscar Robertson

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Oscar Robertson and others need to quiet down about Stephen Curry.

An Internet commenter who is playing amateur psychologist may suggest that the previously mentioned Stephen Jackson is maybe slightly jealous of Stephen Curry and of the Golden State Warriors. Jackson was never an international superstar as is Curry in 2016. There weren't, no disrespect meant, discussions during Jackson's career about if he was among the best players in history. 

Oscar Robertson, though, has no reason to be jealous of Curry. Robertson was a 12-time NBA All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist, and was named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history (h/t NBA.com). The resume by the "Big O" speaks for itself. 

Why, then, did Robertson feel the need to diminish Curry's accomplishments during a segment on ESPN Radio this past February? 

Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead listed Robertson's exact comments: 

"

“He’s shot well because of what’s going on in basketball today,” Robertson said. “In basketball today, it’s almost like if you can dunk or make a three-point shot, you’re the greatest thing since sliced bread.

“There have been some great shooters in the past. … But here again, when I played years ago, if you shot a shot outside and hit it, the next time I’m going to be up on top of you. I’m going to pressure you with three-quarters, half-court defense. But now they don’t do that. These coaches do not understand the game of basketball, as far as I’m concerned.”

"

That sports change should not need to be explained to any former player. An icon of the game such as Robertson should understand that he played in an different era when basketball was not the sport that it is today. To say that Curry and that coaches such as Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich "do not understand the game of basketball" insults what those men have achieved.  

Marvin Harrison

"Does 'X' deserve to be in the Hall of Fame?" It is the topic that is debated across different sports whenever nominees are made public. 

Former NFL wide receivers Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison were both finalists for the 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. Harrison was elected, but Owens will have to wait at least one more year to receive the honor that he earned with his production on the field. 

According to Ron Borges of Talk of Fame Network, Harrison has zero sympathy for Owens: 

"

Speaking nationally for the first time since being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Feb. 6, Harrison told the Talk of Fame Network what he thought of Owens’ somewhat ungracious reaction to having failed to gain entry to the Hall in his first year of eligibility while Harrison finally made it on his third try.

“I wasn’t concerned at all (about the possibility he and Owens would split votes and thus deny each other entry this year),’’ Harrison told TOF’s hosts Ron Borges, Rick Gosselin and Clark Judge this week. “I’m not concerned about, you know, T.O. Not one bit. I was concerned about myself. I wasn’t worried about splitting the vote with anyone. That was it.

“The person who was supposed to get in got in. And that was me. If he didn’t get in, that’s his problem. He can talk all that other bullshit like he’s been doing. That’s on him. But I’m in. My jacket is gold. I will look in the rear view for nobody.

“So he can get his a-- in whenever he gets in … if he gets in. If he doesn’t get in too bad. The hell with him.’’

"

Harrison clearly doesn't believe that it is an honor just to be nominated for an award. We also shouldn't expect Harrison and T.O. to sit down and enjoy a meal together anytime soon. 

Harrison may want to take a quick look at the numbers, though, before he thinks about lashing out at Owens. Owens finished his career with more receiving yards than Harrison. Owens had more receiving touchdowns.

Harrison has more career receptions than Owens; 24 more to be exact (h/t Pro-Football-Reference). 

It is also worth noting that Owens did not spend the majority of his career playing alongside the best regular-season QB in NFL history. 

Goose Gossage

Oh, where to begin with Goose Gossage? Gossage has seemingly decided to use spring training as a forum to explain all that is wrong with the game of baseball, which is, in his opinion, being ruined by just about everybody who is involved with the sport. 

Gossage, per ESPN.com's Andrew Marchand, had a plethora of complaints about the game. The former pitcher lashed out at Jose Bautista and Yoenis Cespedes for flipping their bats after hitting home runs. Gossage, a member of the Hall of Fame, is also apparently not fond of individuals running MLB front offices: 

"

On a separate subject, Gossage, 64, said he does not like people who never played at the highest level running the game.

"It is a joke," Gossage said. "The game is becoming a freaking joke because of the nerds who are running it.

"I'll tell you what has happened, these guys played rotisserie baseball at Harvard or wherever the f--- they went, and they thought they figured the f---ing game out. They don't know s---.

"A bunch of f---ing nerds running the game. You can't slide into second base. You can't take out the f---ing catcher because [Buster] Posey was in the wrong position and they are going to change all the rules. You can't pitch inside anymore. I'd like to knock some of these f---ers on their ass and see how they would do against pitchers in the old days.

"

It is 2016, and so any "get off my lawn!" take voiced by an aged former athlete should, of course, include a mention of Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton. Newton, the reigning NFL MVP, has been criticized for his celebrations and his dances during games. 

Kevin Kernan of the New York Post relayed the comments that Gossage had on Newton: “It’s a shame, it breaks my heart to see the direction this game is going. What, do we want a bunch of Cam Newtons running around?

In short: MLB could only be so lucky to have "a bunch of Cam Newtons running around." 

MLB is going to be in the shadow of the NFL for the foreseeable future. One reason is that the NFL has more stars who are recognizable to casual sports fans. MLB needs players such as Bautista, Cespedes, Bryce Harper and others generating headlines, Internet memes and business. 

The game itself may not have passed Gossage by, but Gossage doesn't get that big league baseball is a business as much as it is a competition.