Donovan McNabb, Manny Ramirez and the Most Shocking Athlete Benchings
It seems to come out of nowhere...Star quarterbacks, point guards and pitchers that mysteriously disappear from the game unexpectedly, only to find them on the bench with a look of chagrin on their faces.
Sometimes they are long overdo, but sometimes they leave fans wondering what they just witnessed.
Whether it be for arguing with coaching, poor performance, hidden injuries or just plain spite, these are the most infamous, the most notorious, and the Most Shocking Superstar Benchings Ever.
25. Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos
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In 2009, while with the Denver Broncos, Marshall was benched for the final regular season game by head coach Josh McDaniels for failing to arrive on time for a physical therapy session. The Broncos lost the game in Denver, 44-24, to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The benching is only a small blip on Marshall's personal record. He has had numerous run-ins with law enforcement, including charges of assault on a police officer, involvement in a fatal shooting of teammate Darrent Williams at a night club, and driving under the influence.
24. Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers
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In 1994, the 49ers were losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 40–8 at Candlestick Park, when Young was benched in the middle of an offensive series by head coach George Seifert.
Although Seifert later said he pulled Young because he was "getting manhandled" by the Eagles' defense, Young was visibly distraught and told the media he had "had enough of being scapegoated for 49er shortfalls."
The QB and the coach had a noticeable disagreement on the sideline.
However, the 49ers and Young went on to win 10 straight games. They finished the season 13-3 and won Super Bowl XXIX 49-26 over the San Diego Chargers.
23. Michael Jordan, Washington Wizards
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On April 16, 2003, Michael Jordan played his final game in the NBA. With four minutes and 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Jordan was benched in a blowout to give the younger players more time on the court.
However, in the fourth quarter, fans began chanting "We want Mike!" and the superstar obliged, entering the game with just over two and a half minutes left. Intentional fouls were exchanged, and Jordan made two final free throws before returning to the bench with about a minute and a half left on the clock.
Jordan received a three-minute standing ovation from everyone in the house, including 21,000+ fans in attendance.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
22. Sean Avery, New York Rangers
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"On April 22, 2009, in game 4 of the playoff series against the Washington Capitals, Avery whacked Milan Jurcina on an icing touch-up with his stick and fist that made Jurcina fall to the ice, bleeding. After receiving a minor on that penalty, he then high-sticked Brian Pothier and nearly cost the Rangers a 3-1 lead in the series since the Rangers were short-handed at the end of the game while only maintaining a one goal lead.
He was subsequently benched for the following game by coach Tortorella. Following the Rangers' elimination in game seven of the first-round series, Avery praised Tortorella despite the benching, saying it was the right decision and that Tortorella is the coach for whom he wants to play."
—Wikipedia.org
Other incidents include constant fights, a temporary ban from the NHL, and a "sloppy seconds" comment which he would publicly apologize for later.
21. Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals
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The Bengals WR and reality TV star has had his share of benchings in his outspoken career. Most recently in November of the 2010 season, Ochocinco was benched temporarily in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after verbally abusing his QB Carson Palmer.
The Bengals head coach provided this reasoning for the benching, "Yeah, he was upset, but we've got to play football. If he's not going to get it done right, he's got to take an opportunity to freshen up his mind and get right back in the game. It was good that he got out of the game so he could concentrate and get his job done. When you're playing that position, you can't dictate when the ball comes to you."
20. Ahmad Bradshaw, New York Giants
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Bradshaw was benched in late November of this season for his "butterfingers." At the time, Bradshaw was second in the NFC in rushing yards behind Adrian Peterson, but had fumbled six times and lost five on 185 carries.
He was replaced by Brandon Jacobs, who defended Bradshaw to the media. On the other hand, head coach Tom Coughlin released multiple statements questioning why the benching came as such a surprise, and saying the team needed to go with the obvious choice to stop beating themselves.
19. Nomar Garciaparra, Boston Red Sox
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In 2004, Nomar Garciaparra became part of a four-team deal that landed him with the Chicago Cubs. After spending a brilliant portion of his career with the Red Sox, Garciaparra was missing playing time while being benched for new players coming in.
Even after helping the Red Sox, Garciaparra was shopped for trades while still under contract, proving it was time for him to leave. The treatment of the shortstop would be overshadowed a few seasons later with the falling out of outfielder Manny Ramirez.
18. Terrell Owens, Dallas Cowboys
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Owens is becoming more known for his reality TV series with now-teammate Chad Ochocinco than he is for life as an NFL receiver. Maybe that is a good thing for him...
T.O. has been benched several times in his career, most notably while a member of the Dallas Cowboys. Owens has been spotted on camera multiple times fighting with Cowboys QB Tony Romo and the coaching staff.
17. Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals
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When Kurt Warner retired, it was apparent in Arizona that backup Matt Leinart would finally get his chance to start for the Cardinals. However, during the 2010 preseason, newly-signed Derek Anderson took the starting job, and Leinhart was once again benched as the backup.
Leinart has since moved to the Houston Texans, and the Derek Anderson project in Arizona has been largely considered a failure.
16. Joba Chamberlain, New York Yankees
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Chamberlain has been jockeyed back and forth between the Yankees' starting rotation and the bullpen, which includes games in which he's been benched in order to allow his mental game to rest.
He has been touted as the future of the Yankees' pitching staff, but his inconsistency has pushed him to the bench several times.
15. Drew Brees, San Diego Chargers
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After the 2005 season, speculation was looming that the San Diego Chargers were finally ready to start Philip Rivers in place of injured QB Drew Brees. The starter had multiple surgeries to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff issues, and the Chargers felt Brees would be a liability to bring back as a starter.
Therefore, back-up QB Philip Rivers became the starter and Brees signed with the New Orleans Saints. Although Rivers would go on to a 14-2 record in his first full season as Chargers starter, he has yet to win a Super Bowl.
The signing and subsequent re-emergence of Brees as a member of the New Orleans Saints has led to a complete turnaround of the franchise, culminating in a Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 on February 7, 2010.
14. Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards
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In Arenas' NBA career, he has had numerous off-the-court problems, including receiving a suspension and criminal charges for bringing handguns into the Wizard's locker room.
Aside from the firearm incident, Arenas also benched himself, claiming he was injured. It was later revealed he had lied about his injury to allow a teammate to play, feeling he was not getting enough playing time.
Arenas was recently traded to the Orlando Magic, and the Wizards will soon be quoted as saying, "Gotcha!"
13. Stephon Marbury, New York Knicks
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Marbury first began running into problems as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Persistent disputes with Timberwolves management, stemming from a dispute with coaches about his role in the offense, led to his agent demanding a trade.
Later in his career, while playing for the New York Knicks, Marbury began publicly feuding with head coach Larry Brown, and Brown benched him several times in an attempt to get through to Marbury. Brown would leave the Knicks, but things did not get better for Marbury in New York.
Brown was replaced by Mike D'Antoni.
"After D'Antoni took over, the Knicks signed Chris Duhon, leading to speculations over Marbury's future in New York. Marbury arrived to training camp, and competed with Duhon for the starting point guard job. Duhon won the position battle, and Marbury was put on the team's inactive list—according to D'Antoni, to avoid embarrassing him with limited playing time.
However, when D'Antoni told Marbury that Marbury had an opportunity to play approximately 35 minutes in a game if he wanted to, Marbury, apparently feeling he and the Knicks had gone their own ways, allegedly refused. Following that, on December 1, Marbury was banned from attending any Knicks' practices or games, and was instructed to stay home."
-Wikipedia.org
12. Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs
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Zambrano has never been known as a "calm" player. His short temper and emotional outbursts are constantly in the headlines year after year.
His altercations with coaches and players have resulted in multiple suspensions and benchings, but most notably his benching stemming from a dugout argument with manager Lou Piniella and bench coach Alan Trammell.
The fiery pitcher is still dominant, but will be remembered for his emotional outbursts long after his playing days are over.
11. Kurt Warner, New York Giants
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Just two days after being released by the St. Louis Rams in 2004, Warner signed a deal to play for the New York Giants. However, after starting 5-2 on the 2004 season, the Giants lost the next two games and Warner was replaced by rookie Eli Manning.
The Giants won only one game under Manning for the rest of the season, finishing 1-6 with him and 6-10 overall. The following year, Warner signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Since the benching of Warner, the Giants won Super Bowl XLII, a game in which Manning was given the MVP Award.
Many have said the benching of Warner led to the rise of Eli Manning, and recent history seems to point in that direction.
10. Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox
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"In the summer of 2003, Ramirez missed several games with pharyngitis. When it became public that he was spotted in a bar (in the same hotel where Ramirez lives) with a close friend,Yankees infielder Enrique Wilson, when Ramirez was supposedly too ill to play in the Yankees series, Boston manager Grady Little benched him for one game.
Despite his strong play in the 2003 postseason, the Red Sox lost to the Yankees in a seven-game showdown in the ALCS. The new Red Sox ownership and management, trying to rid themselves of his massive contract, put Ramirez on irrevocable waivers, thus making him available to any team willing to assume the remainder of his contract. However, all 29 other teams passed on the opportunity to claim Ramirez."
-Wikipedia.org
9. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles & Washington Redskins
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After the 2007 NFL season, McNabb posted a comment on his personal blog asking for "Playmakers" following the Eagles' 8-8 season.
In 2008, after a 13-13 tie with the Cincinnati Bengals, McNabb put up a horrible performance against the Baltimore Ravens, a game in which he threw two interceptions, was sacked twice and fumbled once. In the second half of the game, head coach Andy Reid benched McNabb in favor of backup Kevin Kolb.
McNabb came back as the starter for the rest of the season, leading the Eagles to the NFC Championship game, a 32-25 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The QB received numerous criticisms for inaccurate passes from the commentators and post-game analysts.
He was continuously criticized in Philadelphia for his playful demeanor and lack of leadership qualities. In 2010, the Eagles traded him to the Washington Redskins for a second-round (37th overall) pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and a conditional third- or fourth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Michael Vick was released from prison on July 20, 2009, following his sentence for dog fighting charges. He was signed by the Eagles in Week 3 of the 2009 season.
The Eagles, under Michael Vick, are currently 10-4 and have clinched the NFC East. The Redskins, at 6-9, have been eliminated from the playoffs, and McNabb has again been benched, this time in favor of backup Rex Grossman.
8. Nicolas Anelka, France World Cup Squad
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During a game against Mexico in the 2010 World Cup, Anelka unleashed a verbal attack on coach Raymond Domenech at halftime after being criticized by him for being out of position. The incident was reported to the French Football Federation (FFF) and Anelka was kicked off the team.
Following the dismissal of Anelka, teammate Thiery Henry also refused to play, and several starters were benched, which ultimately resulted in Team France's loss to South Africa and elimination from competition.
Since the incident, the entire France team, recently including Anelka and Henry, have agreed to forfeit their World Cup bonuses, which are paid for by the rights to use their images in advertisements.
7. Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
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Larry Brown officially left the Philadelphia 76ers prior to the 2003-04 season, replaced by Chris Ford. Tensions began to build between Iverson and Ford immediately, and began to bubble over when Iverson was suspended for missing practice and fined for missing a game due to illness without notifying Ford.
Ford then benched Iverson because he felt the guard needed more time to recover from injury, and Iverson refused to play in the game because he felt "insulted" that Ford wanted him to come off the bench.
Things continued to go south for Iverson in Philadelphia, and in 2006 he requested a trade.
6. Vince Young, Tennessee Titans
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The 2010 season does not mark the first time Titans head coach Jeff Fisher has benched QB Vince Young.
In Young's second season, 2007, Fisher benched him for an exhibition game after Young left the team hotel in favor of sleeping at home, without notifying the team or Fisher. Young later apologized for the miscommunication and accepted his benching.
In 2008, Young injured his knee and was expected to miss two to three weeks. Fisher replaced him with Kerry Collins, and once Young was healthy, Fisher stuck with Collins, who led the team to a 13-3 record. The next season, Fisher announced he would make Collins the starting QB and said Young would have to earn the job.
Later that year, Young was involved in a strange disappearance in which he left his house without his cell phone and was unreachable. Fisher called for a police search, and Young was soon found unharmed.
Then, after the Titans got off to an 0-6 start, Young was announced as the starting QB. The Titans finished the year in disappointment, but Young was named the starter for the 2010 season.
In a game against the Washington Redskins, Young was slightly injured, but was prepared to re-enter the game. However, Fisher told him to remain on the bench, and Young threw his shoulder pads in frustration after the game. In the locker room, the coach and Young were involved in an altercation, and Young stormed out.
Fisher announced Rusty Smith would become the Titans' starting quarterback.
5. Todd Bertuzzi, Vancouver Canucks
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"Perhaps Bertuzzi's most career-defining moment unfortunately occurred near the end of the 2003–04 campaign.
On March 8, 2004, Bertuzzi retaliated to a Steve Moore hit on Markus Näslund in a previous game by sucker-punching him from behind late in the third period. Moore suffered a broken neck after being knocked unconscious and Bertuzzi was subsequently suspended indefinitely, finishing with 60 points on the season."
-Wikipedia.org
4. Latrell Sprewell, Golden State Warriors
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Latrell Sprewell is included in this countdown for the way he was benched, and the reason he was benched.
in 1997, Sprewell received a 68-game suspension while with the Golden State Warriors after an altercation with head coach P.J. Carlesimo at practice. Sprewell choked Carlesimo before being escorted off the court by security.
Carlesimo had urged Sprewell to make more efficient passes, asking him to "put a little mustard on it." When Sprewell told the coach he wasn't in the mood to take criticism, Carlesimo approached him, and Sprewell threatened to kill him before dragging him to the ground by his neck.
Other reports say Sprewell fought with teammates, once bringing a two-by-four to practice.
3. Drew Bledsoe, New England Patriots
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In 2001, Drew Bledsoe suffered internal bleeding caused by an injury in the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Jets.
His backup, a QB out of Michigan by the name of Tom Brady, entered the game as his replacement. After a rocky start, Brady went on to win 11 games in a stretch of 14 contests. Once Bledsoe was healthy, the Patriots stuck with Brady, and they have since won three Super Bowls, and Brady has been named MVP in two of them.
Bledsoe retired in April of 2007 as a former Pro-Bowler, No. 1 overall pick in the 1993 NFL draft, and an All-American at Washington State.
2. Vladislav Tretiak, Soviet Hockey
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In the 1980 Winter Olympics, in a game which is now known as the "Miracle on Ice," Soviet coach Viktor Tikhonov pulled Goaltender Vladislav Tretiak, widely considered the best goalie in the world at the time, for Vladimir Myshkin after just the first period of a 1-1 tie with the United States.
The Soviets were heavy favorites, but the US pulled out a 4-3 win while Al Michaels delivered the famous line: "Eleven seconds, you've got ten seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles?...YES!"
It was an amazing win for the US Olympic team, and many believe it would have never been possible without the removal of Vladislav Tretiak after the first period.
1. Wally Pipp, New York Yankees
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After briefly playing for the Detroit Tigers before finishing college, Pipp played for the New York Yankees from 1915 until 1925. Along with Yankees manager Miller Huggins, Pipp recruited a young player from Columbia University named Lou Gehrig.
On June 2, 1925, Pipp was removed from the starting lineup for reasons debated in folklore. Some say he had a headache that day, others say Huggins wanted to shake up the slumping lineup, while others still say he suffered a skull fracture, which didn't happen until a month later.
No matter how it happened, Gehrig started in place of Pipp and it would be the first game of Gehrig's streak of 2,130 consecutive games played. Pipp was traded to the Cincinnati Reds the following season, where he eventually retired. He was hired on as one of the first writers for Sports Illustrated, and the rest as they say, is MLB history.
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