30 Craziest Trash-Talk Moments Caught on Camera

In professional sports, the road to victory is paved with one-liners and giant egos. 

Everyone knows that sports, by their very nature, have to be competitive. 

As important as it is to have the physical edge in a sporting event, it is equally important and beneficial to have the mental edge against your opponent. When it is you vs. them, nothing will stop the competitive mind from spewing conceited rants and/or demoralizing insults. 

From Terrell Owens to Shaquille O’Neal to Hulk Hogan to John McEnroe, professional sports are filled with some of the shortest fuses, worst tempers and biggest mouths around. 

Nowhere is sacred to these kings and queens of talking smack. Whether it’s been during a heated game, in a press conference after everything settles down or in promotion of event that hasn’t even happened yet, athletes are prone to outbursts of crazy trash talk. 

Take a look at some of the craziest trash-talking moments ever caught on camera. 

30. Reggie Miller Choking

In Game 5 of the 1994 NBA playoffs, Reggie Miller and his Indiana Pacers were taking on the New York Knicks in their home Madison Square Garden. 

As Miller sank another long jump shot, the Pacers capped off a 12-2 run on the Knicks in the fourth quarter. Spike Lee wasn’t pleased. 

Sitting on his permanent courtside throne, director Lee shouted at Miller as he ran down the court. Miller took a moment out of the game to address the diehard fan by rubbing salt on his wounds. 

Miller puts his hands up to his throat letting Lee know he thinks his team is a bunch of choke artists. 

Keep your head in the game, Reggie.

29. Bart Scott Gets Excited

Bart Scott took a minute after the New York Jets defeated the New England Patriots to berate all the people who didn’t give the Jets much of a chance. 

“Especially you, Tom Jackson!” Scott said. 

Scott then slammed a number of different NFL commentators for picking the Patriots to win the game and short-selling the Jets’ potential. 

Scott really knew how to make an entrance and swooped towards correspondent Sal Paolantonio doing his best bald eagle impression. 

That’s one way to get your point across. 

28. Randy Moss Loves the Fans

Randy Moss caught a bomb of a pass in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers to extend the Minnesota Vikings' lead heading into the final minutes. 

Sometimes when athletes feel attacked by fans, they choose not to respond verbally. It’s probably not because they are taking the high road, it’s because they’d rather do something more expressive like pretend to moon them. 

That’s how the wide receiver chose to express his opinion of the “Cheese Head” fans and all present have to agree it got the point across. 

Thankfully it was only pretend.

27. Shannon Sharpe Phones the President

Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe has never been shy around cameras. He has earned the reputation as one of the most boisterous and outspoken players to ever step foot on the field. 

In this gem, Sharpe pretended to call in a code red to the president of the United States. 

The reason? 

He thought the only way to stop the beating they were giving the Patriots that day was if the National Guard showed up. 

You have to admire the confidence he has, even if it is terribly annoying.

26. This One Is for Canada!

In the 1996 World Cup, some of the biggest NHL stars in the world squared off in an United States vs. Canada match. Eric Lindros and Chris Chelios got swept up in the heat of an important game and started the trash talking. 

While both were in the penalty box, the two men began taunting and yelling at one another. 

As usually happens in sports, teammates for both of them got into the argument and soon chaos erupted. Fans began climbing the boards and pounding at the glass, yelling at players and referees. 

Who can blame them? 

Aren’t these guys supposed to be their role models? Monkey see, monkey do.

25. When Chad Ochocinco Was Chad Johnson

Most of us can remember superstar wide receiver Chad Johnson before the crazy boiled over and congealed to form New England’s Chad Ochocinco. 

He’s always been outlandish and outspoken, but something tells me that a certain Patriots coach will keep Mr. Ochocinco’s outbursts to a minimum. 

Here’s to the bizarre enigma that once was one of the best trash talkers in the NFL. 

We hardly knew ye. 

24. Rasheed Wallace Bashes LeBron James

Rasheed Wallace takes offense when a reporter refers to general superstar LeBron James as “King James.” 

Whether you love or hate James, everyone can agree that Wallace hasn’t really produced enough to earn the right to smack talk one of the game’s top performers. 

The only time anyone will call Rasheed “King Wallace” is if he gets a job at Burger King when he retires. 

23. Everybody Hates LeBron James

It’s no surprise that the polarizing but successful LeBron James is the subject of yet another case of trash talking. 

Kobe Bryant took time from teaching at the London School of Basketball to talk about how he could beat James in a game of one-on-one in his sleep. 

With the illustrious type of career that Bryant has had already, he may very well be right on the money with that one. 

Why can’t Miami’s hero get any love?

22. Wes Welker, Master of Subtlety

At press conferences, Patriot’s wide receiver Wes Welker is always on his toes. 

The New England Patriots seem to always be at odds with division rival New York Jets. 

When news surfaced that Jets coach Rex Ryan’s wife had allegedly been involved in an Internet foot fetish video, Welker jumped at the chance to make as many subtle references to it as possible in this press conference. 

While Ryan and his family deserve a bit of privacy over the matter, it doesn’t make this embarrassing series of innuendos any less hilarious.

21. Floyd Mayweather Smack Talks Manny Pacquiao

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. sat down with legend Oscar de la Hoya to discuss an upcoming fight with Manny Pacquiao. 

While Mayweather has some nice words for de la Hoya, he doesn’t have anything nice to say at all about Pacquiao. 

I guess his mother never told him to just say nothing at all then. 

“I would bet all the money in my bank account that he doesn’t win,” Mayweather said.

20. Sam Cassell Isn't Amused

This reporter tries to get NBA guard Sam Cassell riled up with pointed questions about his reputation as one of the ugliest players in the game. 

The reporter totally bombed and ended up back-pedaling as Cassell calmly told him how he wasn’t amused. 

Cassell handled the interview the same way a teenager handles family dinner: shrugging off questions and giving short, angry answers. 

In the end, Cassell won and the reporter awkwardly exited as a loser.

19. Mark Cuban Also Sick of King James

From the beginning of the season until the end of the playoffs, the Miami Heat and their superstar roster were the most talked about commodity in the NBA. 

Even after the Dallas Mavericks had sealed their fate, the media still buzzed about how and why Miami didn’t win. Focus, again as per norm, shifted to LeBron James and Co. 

In this interview, Mark Cuban dismissed a question about James and told the media that this moment is for Dallas. 

He was right.

18. Deion Being Deion

People seem to love to hate NFL quarterback Jay Cutler. There has always been buzz of the great potential that Cutler has, but it has never crystallized with any measurable success. 

It also doesn’t help that Cutler has quite a bit of a temper and loves to talk himself up. 

Deion Sanders takes the anti-Cutler platform and says that the young quarterback hasn’t earned the right to talk about himself because he hasn’t done anything worthwhile. 

17. Slow Shaq Is Quick Witted

NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal has never been one to hold his tongue. 

His candid honesty in interviews has created a certain give-and-take rapport with reporters and media.

There is no older trick in the trash-talking book than to insult someone's mother. 

When a reporter tried to zing the center with a backhanded “Yo Mama” joke, Shaq Fu emerged and quickly put him in his place. 

“No, but I would with your wife,” O'Neal quipped.

16. State of His Face

Boxing superstar Lennox Lewis is a force to be reckoned with. 

After a fight with rival Vitali Klitschko, Lennox wasn't concerned with answering a reporter’s actual questions.

Instead, Lewis emphasizes his hard-fought victory by the terrible condition of his opponent’s face. 

Trash talking is always more credible when it comes after a definitive victory. 

15. Ray Lewis Laughs It Up

On the field Ray Lewis is a lightning bolt of physicality and intensity. He is one of the most successful and feared linebackers in the NFL, and quarterbacks always keep an eye on No. 52 at all times. 

Lewis shed his intimidating persona to laugh it up with reporters about comments made by Jets coach Rex Ryan. 

Lewis said that he “does the barking” and won’t be listening to the New York coach any time soon. 

“They watched the Super Bowl from the same place we all did—your couch,” he said. 

He didn't seem to be concerned. 

14. What Michael Vick Used to Be Like

Michael Vick is one of the greatest athletes in the NFL. 

After spending nearly two years removed from the game in prison for dog fighting charges, Vick has re-energized the Philadelphia Eagles and turned them into a contender. 

Everybody loves a comeback, and the media has been buzzing nonstop about how Vick was able to go from convict to sports hero in a short time. 

It wasn’t always this way. 

Here Vick let a poignant hand gesture do his trash talking for him.

13. One More Than Shaq

Kobe Bryant is an unstoppable force of athleticism and skill on the court. With the way he once played—seamlessly at times—with teammate Shaquille O’Neal, you’d think the two were best of friends. 

When O'Neal left town, it all turned sour. 

In this interview, Bryant revealed what made this championship victory sweet: It gave him one more ring than Shaq. 

12. Rasheed Freaks—Again

What else do you expect from the player with the most technical fouls in the history of the NBA? 

You don’t get that stat by pleasing referees, and in this video, Wallace shows us that very fact. 

Wallace continued to taunt and stare down the ref minutes after a controversial play occurred and racked up two technical fouls. 

Wallace, once again, was ejected and was able to hop in the car early and beat traffic. 

11. Little Baby

A hockey game can be one long blur of brutal intensity. It’s no surprise that these players who constantly skate and smash opponents can get a little heated once the horn blows. 

Here Brandon Dubinsky called Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby “a little baby” after a confrontation between the two during a game. 

Dubinsky remained casual and straightforward with his insults and got a dig in on superstar Crosby.

10. Serena Williams Finally Breaks

The typically calm Serena Williams recently lost her cool at the 2011 US Open. 

When she felt the umpire was shortchanging her on calls, Williams responded by halting the game and yelling at the judge. 

No one will question Williams’ ability. Her resume and sheer physical strength speak to that directly. 

What makes this a great moment is to see the straw that broke the camel’s back for this normally relaxed player. 

9. Before The Rock Made Terrible Movies

While wrestling may not be everyone’s favorite sport, you can’t deny the fact that a large part of being a professional wrestler is the ability to talk some trash. 

One of the most famous wrestlers of all time, The Rock, goes off the handle with this rant during an incident with Jeff Hardy.

While it may be completely scripted and ridiculous, The Rock’s general charisma make this a great moment in trash-talking history. 

8. Shannon Sharpe Keeps Talking

Apparent arch-enemies Shannon Sharpe and Ray Buchanan started a war of the words through the media with vicious back-and-forth insults. 

Both men insulted each other’s looks, talent and human value in this onslaught of trash talking. 

While they may not like each other, both men gave us this great moment in NFL trash talking history.

Hopefully Buchanan never needs a lift home from Sharpe if his car breaks down on some lonely, winter night. 

His words, not mine.

7. Roy vs. Roenick

Jeremy Roenick and Patrick Roy don’t appear to like each other very much. 

When Roy said in an interview that the next time the two squared off Roy would emerge victorious, Roenick took the chance to remind the goalie how he scored on him in Game 3 of the playoffs. 

Roy couldn’t care less. His rings are blocking his ear. 

Roy responded with one of the greatest comebacks you will ever hear.

6. Sean Avery Is Classy

New York Rangers star Sean Avery has most recently been in the media for vicious comments about ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert’s new beau and his “sloppy seconds.” 

Here Avery skipped the gossip and went right for the insults with New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur. 

Avery got right to the point and slammed Brodeur in this short clip. 

5. John McEnroe, First Ballot Trash Talk Hall of Famer

Tennis star John McEnroe is one athlete who is known for a dazzling resume of important victories on the court amidst a slew of vengeful tirades and hissy fits. 

When McEnroe played in Stockholm in 1984, he believed a call did not go his way and he responded the only was he knows how: by storming off the court and making everyone wait until his tantrum is over. 

We salute you, John McEnroe, one of the greatest trash talkers ever to live.

4. Rex Ryan Calling the Kettle Black

There must be some bad blood brewing in the Ryan family tree. 

Here New York Jets coach Rex Ryan disses his brother, Cleveland Browns coaching staff member Rob Ryan, by donning a less than flattering costume meant to mimic his overweight brother. 

Ryan eventually takes off the flowing blond wig and shirt stuffing and answers some questions about his team.

3. Mike Tyson Has a Quiet Discussion

Mike Tyson takes a breather from a promotional press conference to berate opponent Lennox Lewis and threaten to murder members of the audience. 

Between bouts of screaming “you can’t last two minutes in my world!” Tyson stared down challengers with the icy cold eyes you’d expect to see on a shark. 

With the way Tyson generally behaves himself, this is about the level of sanity we’ve come to expect and cherish from Iron Mike.

2. Dennis Rodman Speaks with Headbutts

Dennis Rodman isn’t exactly a model of stability. 

Through countless cans of technicolor hair dye, hours and hours of fitting for wedding dresses and years of wild antics, Rodman is one athlete with more crazy than talent. 

Rodman often got into fights with players but also never failed to miss an opportunity to trash talk with referees and fans as well. 

Rodman escalated the conversation rather quickly with a well-placed headbutt in this clip.

1. Shaq: The Trash Rap

After the Kobe Bryant dynasty forced Shaquille O'Neal to pack his bags, relations between the former teammates escalated into a nasty media war before too long. 

Bryant took shots at O'Neal in the media but never really crossed the line.

In this clip, O'Neal crossed the line driving about 100 mph and took his frustrations out on the Los Angeles golden boy. 

Still waiting for Bryant’s return diss track.