The 25 Biggest Pariahs in Sports
Once in a while, a player or coach does something so terrible, so obnoxious, so unacceptable, that the sport they love closes their doors on them for good.
Sometimes, it can be because of their personality. Maybe they just rub people the wrong way or are objectively bad people.
Other times, it can be a scandal, a mistake or a dumb decision that costs them everything. But, no matter what, the result is the same: they become pariahs.
Pariah is a term that derives from an Indian word used to describe the untouchable caste in Indian society. They are the people no one wants to be around, interact with or even touch by accident.
We're bringing you the 25 biggest pariahs in all of sports, the 25 guys who found themselves shut out of the sports world for something they did (or, on occasion, something they didn't do). Let's get started, shall we?
25. Milton Bradley
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Bradley has become like the ceremonial fruitcake at Christmas: nobody really wants him, no one likes him, but they keep passing him around anyway.
He's worn out his welcome in eight different cities thus far, and his time in Seattle is only prolonged by the fact that they owe him too much money to dump him right now.
Bradley's temper has caused enough incidents in dugouts, clubhouses and in the outfield with random fans that once Seattle gets fed up (and it won't be long), he's as good as toast in baseball.
24. Albert Haynesworth
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Haynesworth, like Bradley, is still in the NFL for one reason and one reason only: his contract. It's gigantic, and it makes him almost impossible to cut or trade to a new city.
Even so, the man not-so-affectionately known as "Fat Albert" is one of football's biggest pariahs, slacking off, playing dirty, pissing off his teammates and generally being the worst possible player he can be.
Despite his contract, something tells me the Redskins are going to be cutting ties with their hefty defensive tackle soon, and given his history, he may have run out of chance.
23. Nicolas Anelka
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Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has always had a bit of a diva reputation, and has never played nice with other goal scorers (why do you think he seldom sees the field when Didier Drogba's playing?), but it's one incident during the 2010 FIFA World Cup that pushes him over the top in the pariah ranks.
Anelka and the French were losing 2-0 to Mexico in their group stage match, and Anelka wasn't happy with head coach (and resident crazy) Raymond Domenech. He said some very offensive things to the coach, who, already being in a bad mood, kicked the moody striker off the team right then and there.
Not only did Anelka's stunt start an insurrection in the French national team that ultimately undermined what little chance they had at that point, it also earned him what will essentially be a lifetime ban from competing for France in international play.
I understand being mad at your coach, but how big of a jerk do you have to be to get kicked off the team during the World Cup?
Come on, Nicolas; for shame.
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22. Rafa Benitez
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Benitez could still get another managing gig, but it's not going to be easy given his track record.
His management career began at Valencia, where he was great, taking them to a top finish in La Liga in 2001 and 2004. But he clashed with ownership, and was ousted.
Flash to Liverpool, where things started great, as he led the Merseyside club back to dominance. But, he clashed with ownership and was ousted again.
Finally, and most recently, Benitez was named manager of Italian giant Inter Milan. Things did not go well to start the 2010 season, and he was on the hot seat. Shockingly, he then clashed with ownership and was ousted for the third time in his career.
Seeing a pattern of pariah-esque behavior like that is enough for Benitez to earn a spot on the list.
21. Jose Canseco
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Canseco is a former baseball slugger who no one in baseball wants to associate with, thanks to his generally skeezy personality and the fact that he's seen as both a cheat and a rat, two terms you never want associated with yourself in the baseball world.
First, his rampant steroid use set the tone for one of the worst eras of cheating the game has ever seen.
Then, if that weren't bad enough, he blew the whistle on dozens of other big leaguers in a book, not because he wanted to do the right thing, but because he was trying to sell copies.
Needless to say, he's not going anywhere near Cooperstown, or a big league ball field again anytime soon.
20. Nolan Richardson
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Richardson was the head coach of the University of Arkansas men's basketball team. He was also extremely outspoken in regards to his treatment as an African American head coach of a prominent southern university.
During his final season at Arkansas, Richardson challenged athletic director Frank Broyles to buy out his contract; instead, the school waited until the end of the season to fire him.
Despite that being the only losing season in Richardson's coaching career, he was unable to find another job in college coaching, thanks in large part to the discrimination lawsuit he filed against Arkansas, claiming he was the victim of racism in his firing.
He's now coaching the Tulsa Shock of the WNBA, but hasn't gotten a single offer of a college job since Arkansas.
19. Jan Van Breda Kolff
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Van Breda Kolff, the son of legendary basketball coach Butch Van Breda Kolff, was the head coach at St. Bonaventure from 2001-2003.
In 2002, the school admitted promising young forward Jamil Terrell knowing he only had a welding certificate from a junior college, not enough to be eligible for the school.
Despite repeated warning from athletic director Gothard Lane, school president Robert Wickenheiser admitted the player. When the NCAA told them Terrell was ineligible, the season was almost over, and the Bonnies would have to forfeit every game he played in.
Van Breda Kolff denied knowledge of the scandal, and was cleared of any wrongdoing by the NCAA. But that didn't stop St. Bonaventure from firing him. He hasn't worked in college basketball since, and his only coaching job was with the Nashville Broncos/Music City Stars in the now defunct ABA.
18. Steve McClaren
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McClaren was the former manager of Premiership middle-runner Middlesbrough, who led the team to its most successful era in history.
However, he was a bit overmatched when placed in charge of the English national team, and when they struggled, he immediately became the scapegoat.
McClaren was fired after the team failed to qualify for the 2008 UEFA European Championships, and there's a good chance he won't manage in England again in the future.
He's now in Germany, coaching VfL Wolfsburg, but his name no longer pops up as a candidate for any English gigs.
17. Larry Cochell
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Cochell was the longtime head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners college baseball team. He was best remembered for taking the team to the 1994 College World Series title, but in 2005, one moment ruined his legacy.
Cochell was giving an interview to ESPN2 prior to his team's game in the College World Series, when he went on a lengthy racial diatribe in which he used the N-word numerous times.
The coach wasn't using the term in reference to a player, but the media took it and ran with it, and soon after, the embarrassed coach called it quits at Oklahoma.
He hasn't worked in baseball since, despite both the player and father of the player saying they weren't offended by it, and didn't want Cochell fired.
16. Latrell Sprewell
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The last time we saw the crazy that was Latrell Sprewell in the NBA was 2005. That year, as a free agent, the then-35-year-old forward rejected a three-year, $21 million contract offer from the Minnesota Timberwolves, declaring "I got my family to feed!"
Spree then turned down several overtures from other teams midway through the 2005-2006 season, opting to wait until they "Got desperate." His agent told reporters that the $5 million mid-season exception was unacceptable, a pay decrease to which his client refused to drop.
So, the player best remembered for choking his coach as a member of the Golden State Warriors in 1997 was effectively blackballed from the NBA, as teams stopped calling and inquiring about his services.
15. Gary Barnett
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Barnett was the head coach of the University of Colorado football program from 1999 through 2004, but his tenure with the Buffaloes was marked by scandal.
In 2003, numerous reports surfaced that CU was enticing recruits to come to the school through sex and alcohol, while the following year, placekicker Katie Hnida told Sports Illustrated that during her tenure at Colorado, she had been repeatedly harassed and molested, as well as being raped by a teammate.
When Barnett was asked, he turned defensive, telling reporters that not only was there no evidence to substantiate Hnida's claims, she wasn't a good player, which was why the school cut her. Because when you're being asked why you cut a player who was alleging numerous sexual assaults, the best way to answer is by belittling her talent, of course.
Barnett was suspended, and ultimately fired, when it was revealed that he had tampered with sworn testimony, among other serious charges.
Needless to say, he hasn't worked in football since.
14. Rick Barry
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Rick Barry was one of the best shooters the NBA has ever seen, a pure scorer, plain and simple, and one of the best small forwards of all time. He also produced four sons who all played professional basketball at some point.
But, Barry was also the biggest jerk the NBA has ever seen. He was almost universally disliked by teammates for his arrogance and belittling attitude, and flopped even harder as a broadcaster thanks to a penchant for saying the worst possible thing imaginable in every conceivable situation.
Many have speculated that the biggest reason Barry has never coached in the NBA is not a lack of ability or desire to do so (he's applied for countless jobs over the years), but that he's a humongous jerk who no one seems to like.
13. Roger Clemens
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We all know Roger Clemens, right? The man known as "The Rocket" finished his career as one of the most successful pitchers baseball has ever seen, racking up 354 wins, 4,672 strikeouts and a 3.12 ERA despite playing in the most prolific offensive era in baseball history.
But, Clemens will probably never get to Cooperstown, because of allegations of repeated steroid use and a federal grand jury hearing for perjury.
The allegations alone wouldn't be enough to keep Clemens out, but his stubborn arrogance regarding steroid use, and his willingness to throw even close friends (like Andy Pettitte) under the bus so quickly have turned almost everyone against him.
12. Floyd Landis
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It's not just Landis' repeated denials of steroid use that turned fans off to him, although that certainly didn't help his cause, particularly when he admitted to it in 2010.
It was the lying coupled with his repeated attempts to rat out other cyclists who Landis claimed were cheating, a move that quickly alienated him from fans, the media and the cycling world.
Landis called it quits in 2011 after failing to find a team to sponsor him, but since his first ban in 2006, he had been unable to find a big name team to ride for.
11. Jim Harrick
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Typically, college basketball is a very forgiving place. As long as you claim to have put past troubles behind you, odds are good someone will give you another shot.
In the case of former UCLA, Rhode Island and Georgia coach Jim Harrick, though, that was far from the case, thanks to one of the worst academic scandals the sport has ever seen.
First, Harrick got in trouble at UCLA, where he was fired for lying to university investigators about a recruiting dinner.
So, he headed to Rhode Island, where his tenure went more or less without incident.
But, at Georgia, things completely fell apart for him. His son and assistant coach, Jim Harrick Jr., awarded several players A's in a "Basketball Strategy" class they never attended. He was found to have players who had racked up $1,600 in unpaid long distance fees, and paid $300 in expenses to Tony Cole, a player on the team.
Harrick resigned on March 27, 2003, and was given a seven-year "Show-Cause" order from the NCAA for the academic fraud, as well as telling two players to lie about the infractions.
Odds are, Harrick won't be seen on a college sideline for quite some time now, even with his blackball period up.
10. J.R. Rider
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Rider was one of the more talented scorers in the NBA during the 90's, but failed to stick with any team he played for.
Why? Simple; the guy couldn't quit crossing the law.
From his rookie season of 1993-94 through his eventual blackballing from the league in 2001, Rider was a walking police botter, winding up in trouble for everything from assaulting a female bar owner to owning an illegal cell phone to frequent marijuana busts.
Things came to a head with the Atlanta Hawks in 1998-99, when Rider was in trouble with the law more than he was on the court, and by 2001, the onetime prodigy was out of the NBA, never to return, despite solid statistics throughout his career.
9. JaMarcus Russell
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Russell was the first overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft, taken by the Oakland Raiders thanks to a strong junior campaign and potential unlike almost anyone the NFL has ever seen. With his unique combination of arm strength and scrambling ability, Russell was touted by Oakland as a star in the making.
What they got instead was three seasons of some of the worst quarterback play the NFL has ever seen. Russell flopped in a major way in the NFL, and coaches, teammates and media all critiqued his lack of work ethic and general lackadaisical demeanor.
Finally, prior to the 2010 season, the Raiders had seen enough, and cut the hefty first pick outright.
As if that weren't enough, Russell was arrested when he was found to have a cup of a substance known as "Purple Drank," a concoction composed of grape cough medicine and Sprite.
Needless to say, he didn't see the field in 2010-11, and no NFL team is likely to give him another shot at this point.
8. Marty McSorley
18 of 25McSorley was one of hockey's most feared enforcers in the 1990's, but in 2000, his brawling bad boy antics would cost him everything.
With three seconds left in a game between McSorley's Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks in February 2000, McSorley swung his stick and hit Canucks enforcer Donald Brashear in the side of the head. The force of the stick combined with the considerable force of hitting the ground knocked Brashear unconscious.
Brashear suffered a grade 3 concussion, while McSorley was handed a one-year ban from the NHL.
The enforcer tried to play in Britain, where his brother was a coach, but the International Hockey Federation blocked him from doing so.
The longtime pro would play just 14 games in the IHL for the rest of his career, and never suited up at the highest level again as a result of one of the most brutal cheap shots in the NHL's history.
7. Clem Haskins
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Clem Haskins was a former NBA player-turned coach, hired by the University of Minnesota to help rebuild its flagging basketball program. Haskins did just that, leading the school to a Final Four berth in 1997, and a pair of NIT titles in 1993 and 1998.
But Haskins would find himself blackballed after a massive academic scandal. In 2000, the manager of Minnesota's academic counseling office Jan Gangelhoff told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that she had written close to 400 assignments for 18 current and former Golden Gophers.
The school immediately suspended four players, although it was uncertain whether Haskins was involved.
As it turned out, he had paid Gangelhoff $3,000 to write the papers. The school fired him in 2000 after a lengthy investigation, and he was slapped with a seven-year show-cause order by the NCAA, meaning unless a school could show that he had been adequately punished, they couldn't dream of hiring him.
Even though the order was lifted in 2007, Haskins hasn't come up in any school's job searches, effectively blackballed from the game.
6. Kelvin Sampson
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Typically, schools are willing to overlook seedy pasts for the sake of winning, and Kelvin Sampson was an excellent example of that.
Sampson led Oklahoma to a stellar run of success in the early 2000's, but the school found itself embroiled in a massive investigation surrounding Sampson's recruiting practices.
He jumped ship in 2006, just as he was hit with a one-year ban from recruiting off campus, and was found to have made some 550 illegal phone calls to potential recruits.
Then at Indiana, more of the same issues surfaced. The coach was found to have made 35 impermissible calls to recruits during the 2007-08 season, and knew that the calls were illegal according to his previous punishment. The NCAA also claimed Sampson lied to both Indiana and the NCAA in their respective investigations.
The Hoosiers fired him, and the NCAA slapped him with a five-year show-cause order.
However, even when what is essentially a ban is lifted, don't expect to see Sampson on a college sideline any time soon.
5. Stephon Marbury
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Marbury was one of the NBA's better point guards in the late 1990's and early 2000's, but trouble seemed to dog his every move. He wore out his welcome in Minnesota, then New Jersey, then Phoenix, before landing in New York in 2004.
There, the frequently sullen superstar found himself constantly clashing with coaches and management, and by 2007, his playing time had begun to suffer as a result. By the time then head coach Isiah Thomas was replaced by Mike D'Antoni in 2008, Marbury had lost his starting gig with the team, and was soon placed on the inactive list, as D'Antoni claimed not to want to embarrass him.
However, in 2009, reports surfaced that the Knicks coach had offered the man known as "Starbury" a chance to play 35 minutes per game. Marbury refused, and was dealt to the Celtics at the trade deadline of that season.
The veteran was offered the veteran minimum by the Celts before the 2009-10 season, but he declined it, opting to play in China instead. After being relegated to the bench for so long, Marbury was simply forced out of the league.
4. Elijah Dukes
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Dukes was a top prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, and someone many people thought would be an All-Star for years to come.
But, the one-time top prospect in baseball is now out of the game entirely has been out of the game since 2009, despite only being 26 now.
Why? He seems to love getting in trouble with the law. Dukes has been breaking laws since 1997, when he was just 13 years old, and it was enough for both the Rays and Nationals to give up on the once promising prospect.
For a player to be out of baseball at 26 shows you just how bad Dukes' repeated run-ins with the law had to be; after all, Milton Bradley is still technically in baseball.
If he ever gets another shot at the big leagues, I'll be stunned.
3. Barry Bonds
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Barry Bonds was one of the game's greatest players, netting three MVP awards between 1990 and 1993, then taking home four straight from 2000 through 2003.
But Bonds' second run of MVP awards was tainted by serious allegations of steroid use, and those rumors and allegations eventually turned into a federal perjury charge for lying to a grand jury about performance-enhancing drug use.
Baseball responded to the controversy by blackballing Bonds from finding when his last contract ended in 2007, forcing one of the best hitters the game has ever seen into an earlier retirement than he would have liked.
With Bonds set to be up for the Hall of Fame in 2012, you can bet the slugger will get blackballed from Cooperstown, too. The voters tend not to look kindly on cheaters, particularly cheaters who lie about cheating.
2. Dave Bliss
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Dave Bliss, the former head coach of the Baylor University men's basketball team, is one of the most justifiable pariahs on the list.
When Bears forward Patrick Dennehy was found dead in a ditch in 2003, the victim of a stray bullet from friend and teammate Carlton Dotson's gun (the pair had bought the guns after being threatened by other members of Baylor's team; classy, right?), Bliss had a secret that he wanted kept quiet.
See, the coach had been paying Dennehy's tuition under the table, along with that of another player, something that was a major NCAA violation, and would result in his firing.
So, rather than face the music in light of the tragedy, Bliss lied to everyone about a dead man's life, telling reporters that Dennehy was a drug dealer, which was how the forward had paid tuition when his scholarship was up.
But, one of Bliss' assistants, Abar Rouse, recorded the coach telling both players and assistant coaches to lie about Dennehy's lifestyle, and gave the tape to the press.
Needless to say, Bliss was fired on the spot, and was given a show-cause order from the NCAA that lasted 10 years, until 2015.
Even when that's gone, the odds of Bliss coaching ever again are even slimmer than the odds of me playing college basketball.
1. Pete Rose
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Everyone else on this list has been banned from the sport they played or coached thanks to an unspoken agreement. Rose, a baseball lifer who was one of the most prolific hitter the game has ever known, was banned from the sport by executive order.
When the man known as Charlie Hustle retired from baseball, he became a manager of his hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds.
The only problem was, Pete loved to gamble. A lot. He also loved baseball. So what better way to combine his two biggest loves than to gamble on baseball?
There was just one problem: sports tend not to like it when you bet on the sport you're a part of, since you can, you know, influence outcomes.
So, when Major League Baseball (and the police) found out about Charlie Hustle's ways, they acted quickly.
Rose was jailed for tax evasion, and baseball banned him for life, despite Rose's continued claims of innocence.
Rose has since admitted to gambling on baseball as a manager, although he claims never to have bet on the Reds to lose. Even so, his mistake has cost him the ability to set foot in a baseball stadium, or be inducted into the Hall of Fame, or even wear a Reds hat, ever again, unless some commissioner decides to reinstate him.
For his mandated lifetime ban, Rose tops the list of sports' biggest pariahs, as he's the only true untouchable in sports.
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