The Most Awkward Divorces in Sports
No one likes divorce, but, unfortunately, it happens for a number of different reasons. Sports are no different; we've seen marriages between players and franchises or teammates end abruptly.
While fans are often shocked when it happens, it makes things stranger when it's something awkward. It then makes things uncomfortable if and when a player returns to that city in what is anything but a homecoming.
Since there have been so many instances of this, here are the most awkward divorces in sports, with some reactions still yet to be known.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook
What makes this divorce compelling is that no one knows the real story behind why Kevin Durant left Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder this offseason for the Golden State Warriors.
While some believe it was because the two couldn't coexist—a theory that's always used when two superstars are on the same team and aren't the best of friends—there are other theories, like that of Bleacher Report's Howard Beck, that suggest Durant was frustrated with his former teammate.
Earlier this year, Westbrook said Durant was, "like my brother," per Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman.
But that tone seems to have changed recently.
Josh Hamilton Disrespects the City of Dallas
There are some athletes who make the mistake of badmouthing a former franchise or teammate, and they are left to live with those words for the remainder of their careers. Former American League MVP Josh Hamilton is one of those players.
Following some tremendous seasons to help resurrect his career with the Texas Rangers, J-Ham left town for the L.A. Angels in 2012 and decided talking crap about the city of Dallas was the polite way to exit.
His words about Big D not being "a true baseball town" while criticizing "spoiled" fans in an 2013 interview with Dallas-Fort Worth CBS left a sour taste in everyone's mouths (h/t Richard Durrett of ESPN).
What made this even more awkward, though, is the fact that Hamilton returned to the Rangers in 2015—which, for some reason, the fans applauded with a standing ovation. Guess they just moved on.
Patrick Roy Walks Out On the Montreal Canadiens
To this day, the way Patrick Roy and the Montreal Canadiens parted ways is one of the strangest in sports history.
The future Hall of Famer may be considered one of the best goalies ever. But following a miserable performance during a 1995 contest against the Detroit Red Wings—in which he allowed nine goals on 26 shots—Roy got testy with then-head coach Mario Tremblay.
Roy believed Tremblay left him out there to be embarrassed. When he finally did get pulled from the game, he marched by his coach and emphatically proclaimed, "it's my last game in Montreal," per Patrick Cwiklinski of TheScore.com.
Turns out he was right. The team unloaded him to the Colorado Avalanche, where he eventually earned two Stanley Cup titles.
Ray Allen Leaves Boston for Miami
Boston sports fans are known for being some of the most passionate and educated in all of sports, but they have a history for being pretty damn vicious, too—especially if they feel disrespected by one of their own.
NBA three-point leader Ray Allen found that out the hard way, when, in 2013, he made his return to Boston after spurning the Celtics to sign with the Miami Heat.
Hearing a barrage of boos, Allen was shocked at the response from fans—although, after saying the team forced him to leave that prior offseason, he probably should have seen something like this coming.
Keyshawn Johnson's Antics Are Too Much for Jon Gruden
Former No. 1 overall pick Keyshawn Johnson, who enjoyed a solid career in the NFL, was always one of the most outspoken athletes in the league. It isn't shocking to hear he got into it with his former head coach, Jon Gruden.
Unfortunately, Key's decision to make "Chucky" upset resulted in some stiff consequences, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took swift action following the two's spat on the sideline that, eventually, was publicized.
Following the dispute with Gruden, the Bucs deactivated Johnson for the final seven games of the 2003 season. Then they shipped him off to become the Dallas Cowboys' problem in the offseason, because it was clear they didn't want him around any longer.
Dwyane Wade Feels Disrespected, Leaves South Beach
One of the most recent examples of a messy divorce between an athlete and a franchise was that between Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. It still hasn't hit many fans yet that Wade isn't a member of the Heat any longer. Such is the business side of sports, though.
Wade was a Heat lifer who sacrificed plenty for the organization to succeed. Many believed it was just a matter of time before the team would give him a deal that would keep him in South Beach for years to come.
Including good friend and former teammate LeBron James.
That never happened, though, as tension between Wade and Pat Riley grew higher with each passing day this offseason, leading to the future Hall of Famer returning to his hometown to play for the Chicago Bulls.
Eric Lindros and the Philadelphia Flyers Just Couldn't Get Along
Who would have guessed that the hate between former Hart Trophy winner Eric Lindros and his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, would lead to decades of awkwardness? That's what ended up happening in this spat, though.
Following a number of unfortunate injuries during the 2000 season with Philly, Lindros embarked on a trade with then-Flyers general manager Bobby Clarke. The GM was accused of forcing Lindros to play without medical clearance during some of those injuries.
Eventually traded to the New York Rangers in 2001, Lindros never seemed to move on from his feud with Clarke. He didn't even shake hands with the guy until an alumni game in 2011, 10 years after he last played for the Flyers.
While the Hockey Hall of Famer squashed his beef with Clarke, he didn't thank the Flyers' former trainer, John Worley, during his induction into the team's Hall of Fame in 2014. Lindros might have felt as if he was part of the conspiracy in forcing him to play years back.
Dwight Howard Forces His Way Out of Orlando
Just look at that video and you'll know exactly why the divorce between Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in 2012 is one of the most awkward ever.
In addition to the impromptu press conference with his Magic head coach, Stan Van Gundy—which is an all-time cringeworthy moment—Howard repeatedly waffled between suggesting he wanted to stay in Orlando when free agency hit and wanting out of the organization.
He eventually was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster deal before the 2012-13 NBA season—which didn't work out either. The center later took shots at his former team for having guys "nobody wanted" on its roster, per a 2013 interview with CBS Los Angeles (h/t Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel).
Please, Dwight, tell us how you really feel.
Brett Favre Blasts Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay
Things between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers were expected to always be good—after all, the guy is the best quarterback in team history and one of the greatest ever—but there was a time when things were a bit less friendly.
That's because Favre, who was known for often changing his mind on whether he should retire or play, failed to communicate with his former team what his plans really were. It led them to take a flier on some guy named Aaron Rodgers during the 2005 draft.
While Favre remained Green Bay's starter for three seasons, when he did decide to call it quits following the 2007 season, things began to get heated between him and the franchise. He continued to question his former team following a trade to the New York Jets—which came after the Ol' Gunslinger changed his mind on playing again.
And when Favre rejoined the NFC North by inking a deal with the rival Minnesota Vikings the following year, the fans in Lambeau Field were quick to let him know how they felt about the way he played things out. Favre was showered with boos.
Just to add more drama to this story, there was the subtle, backhanded compliment he gave Rodgers after the latter won a Super Bowl in 2010, saying he was surprised it took him so long to do so.
LeBron James Makes His First Decision
Nothing in the history of sports will ever be as awkward as LeBron James' prime-time TV appearance known as The Decision to let the World know of his 2010 free-agency choice.
While there's no doubting James' words—he said "this is hard" as he was making the announcement—the fact that he led the Cleveland Cavaliers on and then left them at the alter is downright dirty.
As we all lived through, the reactions were harsh, with Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert firing off an open letter about James, which compared him to Revolutionary War-traitor Benedict Arnold.
The two sides have made up, played nice and have gone to back-to-back NBA Finals together—with the most recent appearance ending a 52-year title drought in Cleveland. But James' decision in 2010 will never be forgotten as the spark that started the flame of hate for four years from his hometown club.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
