James Harrison and the 20 Most Outspoken Athletes in Sports
In the world of sports we have athletes who prefer to go unnoticed off the field and in the press. And then there are athletes who don't mind stirring it up and speaking their minds. These athletes are characterized as controversial, outlandish and sometimes offensive, but no matter what they know how to make noise.
These athletes have said enough on the field and off it to be noticed in a not so flattering way. Here is a list of the 20 most Outspoken Athletes in Sports.
20. Manny Ramirez, MLB
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You know it must be one heck of a list when you are leading off with Manny Ramirez. The slugger has not only been known to take days off, but put his foot in his mouth. Before coming back on the Indians in the 2007 ALCS, Ramirez famously said it wasn't the end of the world if they didnt win. It wouldn't have been so bad if Boston fans thought he cared at all.
19. Bart Scott, NFL
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Bart Scott can do a lot of things, but keeping his mouth shut isn't one of them. You know you have a hard time staying quiet when you have to call out long time TV analyst Tom Jackson for his picking against the Jets in the Patriots game.
For once we wish someone would call out Chris Berman.
18. A.J Pierzynski, MLB
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His antics get him in trouble on the field, but he's just as bad off the field. He's never afraid to speak his mind. This is why Ozzie Guillen once famously said “If you play against him, you hate him. If you play with him, you have him a little less.”
For a guy who has no trouble mixing it up and speaking his mind, is there any wonder he wound up with a wrestling career?
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17. Brian Urlacher, NFL
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While he might be the perfect linebacker on the field, when he gets in front of the media he's anything less than perfect. The rumor has it he referred to Jay Cutler as a something along the lines of a pussy cat. He also called out Gayle Sayers and his win loss record with the Bears and criticized the change in offense to a passing style upon Cutler's arrival.
He'd be more well liked around his own city if he learned how to keep his mouth shut.
16. James Harrison, NFL
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Speaking of linebackers who don't know how to keep their mouth shut.....James Harrison always has something to say. Whether it's threatening to retire after the NFL came down on him for illegal hits, or recently claiming that Roger Goodell cares more about money than safety, Harrison can always find his foot planted firmly in his mouth.
15. Carl Edwards, NASCAR
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There are a lot of guys out there who are more hated than Carl Edwards, but I can't seem to find them. Not only did he attempt to run Brad Keselowski off the road, but afterward he was outspoken about NASCAR claiming that restrictorplate racing keeps them in a box and NASCAR won't change it until someone gets killed.
I hope that isn't actually printed in the rule book.
14. Kevin Garnett, NBA
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You know, just because the press doesn't get it on tape, doesn't mean you aren't outspoken. KG has earned himself a reputation by not only by his bullying tactics on the floor, but also his nasty trash talk. Perhaps his competitive nature caused him to tell Charlie Villanueva that he was a “cancer patient” in reference to his rather hairless appearance.
For the record KG denies saying it just like he denies all those cheap shots.
13. Kyle Busch, NASCAR
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Hanging out in garages all week will get you to start talking. Kyle Busch certainly doesn't mind that. Maybe the most win first driver NASCAR has to offer he isn't afraid to admit to put Brad Keselowski into a fence or calling Dale Earnhardt Jr's fans “crazy.” Oh, there is nothing Busch won't say.
12. Milton Bradley, MLB
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Milton would be quite the ball player, and quite the rich man if he could just keep himself in check. After a dismal season with the Chicago Cubs he publicly admitted that the fans at the Friendly Confines routinely shouted racial slurs.
While there is no way to know if it was true or not(no one else could admit to ever hearing racial slurs in the outfield) it certainly didn't make him anymore popular in the Windy City.
11. Brett Myers, MLB
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Look, beating up your wife is bad enough, but then you have to talk smack about your teammate. It was Myers who told Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels that he thought he quit during the 2009 World Series. He was also the same affable Myers who went on a profane tirade to Phillies beat reported Sam Carchidi in 2007.
It appears Myers is better at making people hate him then he is at pitching.
10. Shaquille O'Neal, NBA
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With so many fun moments in Shaq's career, it's hard to think that he would be so high on this list, but Shaq has never be one to keep his thoughts to himself. It was Shaq who asked Kobe how his “ass tastes.”
From calling out Stan Van Gundy to Dwight Howard and even questioning Steve Nash's second M.V. P award, Shaq has never met a microphone he couldn't light up.
9. Randy Moss, NFL
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Randy Moss is as talented as he is outspoken. Take this past season for instance. After publicly speaking out about his unhappiness with Patriots, he was traded back to the Minnesota Vikings.
How does Moss acclimate himself back to the city where he started his career? By publicly opining for New England again. If this was the first time Randy needed a censor we could let it slide, but this has been his M.O for years.
8. Joakim Noah, NBA
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While Chicago embraces Noah, the rest of the league does not. Noah famously said there was no reason to come to Cleveland and joked that no one ever went to vacation in the city. The sting of his words were a little more potent when Cleveland's prodigal son, LeBron James, bolted for the sunny weather of South Beach.
While Noah is signed with the Bulls for quite some time, we know one place where he won't be playing.
7. Chad Ochocinco, NFL
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Chad gets credit not for venom, because there often is none, but for the sheer volume with which he runs his mouth. Whether it be proclaiming he would change his name back to “Johnson” if Darrelle Revis shut him down, or the rant that propelled him to change it to Ochocinco in the first place, Chad loves to talk and the media loves to listen.
6. Floyd Mayweather, Boxing
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Everyone loves Floyd Mayweathers brash attitude, but calling Manny Pacquiao a “little yellow chump” takes things to another level. He also insinuated that Pacquiao will say anything he wants, any time he wants, to anyone he wants.
He just won't fight Manny Pacquiao.
5. Bode Miller, Olympic Skier
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Bode Miller might be good on the slopes but he's even more interesting in an interview. During the 2006 Olympics he gave a interview to 60 Minutes where he compared the feeling of skiing to driving drunk. He also claimed that during those 2006 Olympics he actually decided to give his best.
Miller might be a gold medalist, but when it comes to media savvy he can't even get the bronze.
4. Ron Artest, NBA
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There is nothing that Ron Artest likes to do more than run his mouth...except maybe fight with fans or give interviews in his boxers. The always controversial Artest has had run ins on and off the court with Phil Jackson, Pat Riley and Kobe Bryant. From screaming matches to physical altercations, Artest always lets you know what's on his mind whether you like it or not.
3. Lleyton Hewitt, Tennis
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Hewitt must spend all day trying to think of ways to piss of everyone else. He's loves creating a stir. Whether it's calling a judge “spastic,” the Australian public “stupid” or claiming an African-American line judge was racist, Hewitt does whatever he can to stir the pot. It makes you wonder why he hasn't hired someone to handle his public apologies.
2. Floyd Landis, Cycling
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Oh, yeah. Calling out the poster child for Cancer research, Lance Armstrong, and accusing him of doping...that's bound to land you on the front page of the news. But Landis took it a step further when he suggested that they legalize doping.
Anyone want to guess that he won't be speaking at any high schools anytime soon?
1. Terrell Owens, NFL
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It's no wonder T.O got his own reality show. He's been making news worthy moments his whole career. Whether it was calling out teammate Donovan McNabb, or refusing to be traded to the Baltimore Raven, T.O loves it when the world is talking about him. So the next time two guys are around the water cooler talking about the time T.O called Jeff Garcia gay, he'll be smiling somewhere.
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