Overexposed Sports Figures Of 2008

As the last few days of December tick off the calendar and a new year approaches, we can look back on 2008 and remember all the stories that remind us why we love sports so much.

From the Giants improbable Super Bowl victory to Mario Chalmers rescuing Kansas in the NCAA title game.

There was Rafael Nadal bumping Roger Federer from the top perch in tennis and Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen joining forces to rekindle the flame of a long extinct basketball dynasty.

And who will ever forget Michael Phelps total domination and record setting eight Olympic gold medals?

But with every great comeback victory and feel good story, there are, unfortunately, a collection of knuckleheads that just by the mere act of opening their mouths are able to induce eye rolling and head shaking from the masses.

So without further adieu, here are the Most Over Exposed Sports Figures of 2008.

Brett Favre – Every spring there are certain indicators that winter is just about gone.  Birds return north, baseball season begins, and Favre plays his annual attention seeking charade of “Will he or won’t he retire?” This past year was the topper as Favre threw such a tantrum that he forced a trade to the New York Jets and promptly kicked all of his fans in the rear end on his way out the door. So to summarize, a crybaby athlete acts like a petulant child, gets what he wants, and is adored by New York fans. That sounds about right.

Roger Clemens– Since we’re on the subject of self-obsessed narcissists who think it is their birth right to hold their team hostage while taking their sweet time to decide if they want to play next season, is there anyone who does it better than Clemens? But the topper this year was the Clemens-Brian McNamee Congressional soap opera in which the Rocket took his best friend Andy Pettitte and catapulted him under the bus by disputing Pettitte’s affidavit in which he stated that Clemens had told him he used Human Growth Hormone. Clemens famously said of Pettitte, “I think he misremembers.”  If only it was as easy to “misremember” Clemens ever existed.

Manny Ramirez– While there’s no doubt Ramirez will be a first ballot Hall of Famer, this past season the aloof outfielder sealed his enshrinement in the Jerk Teammate Hall of Fame. Ramirez apparently felt slighted that after paying him a mere $160 million over eight years, the Red Sox had the audacity to decline granting him a contract extension and expected him to produce in order for them to pick up the two additional option years on his contract valued at another $40 million.

So instead of earning his money, you know, like the majority of the working world tries to do, Ramirez implemented Plan B: Quit on your teammates and force your way out Boston via a trade. The Red Sox unloaded Ramirez at the trade deadline to the Dodgers on the condition that his option years would be torn up and he’s now a free agent seeking another desperate team to sign him to a huge contract.  Let Manny Be Manny somewhere else.

Scott Boras– To include Ramirez on this list without mentioning Boras would be unfairly cheating the super agent out of the “credit” he deserves. Take an off the record poll of baseball’s general managers as to who the agent they least like to negotiate with is and the results will overwhelmingly come back in favor of Boras. That’s not a compliment. There’s no doubt Boras had a hand in helping Ramirez escape from Boston given that without a new contract, he wouldn’t earn a cent off of his new client. Boras may be good at what he does but does the end really justify the means?

Stephon Marbury – Let’s see, what we have here is a selfish, stat-oriented ball player who cares first and foremost about his contract and his numbers. Meet the NBA’s version of Manny Ramirez, that is, minus the playoff success.  Marbury goes by the nickname “Starbury.” Not bad. But has he ever considered going with “Me First?”

Here’s what you need to know about him. For a supposed franchise point guard, he’s been traded three times. Keep in mind this is the guy who couldn’t share the spot light with Kevin Garnett in Minnesota. How’d that workout last spring for Paul Pierce and Ray Allen?  Does the stance Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni is taking against Marbury make anyone else smile?  Thought so.

Adam “Pacman” Jones–Yes, he did ask not to be referred to as Pacman so hopefully this tweaks him because his despicable behavior tweaks the rest of us. Today’s society dictates second chances for almost everyone but this clown has been arrested twice since joining the NFL and was involved in a fight and shooting in 2007 at a strip club in Las Vegas that wounded two men and left a third paralyzed. Model citizen this Jones guy.

After being suspended for the entire 2007 season, what was Pacman’s reward?  Of course, a return to the NFL and his millionaire life style all because he can cover receivers and return kicks better than most of us. With any luck, sooner rather than later we’ll all see “game over” for Pacman’s football career.

Terrell Owens– Did someone say malcontent Dallas Cowboys players? Ah, T.O. A knucklehead’s knucklehead. Owens’ combination of size, speed, strength ,and ability have been found in only a handful of receivers ever yet this guy has been a locker room disruption for three different teams. Owens is upset about the relationship that Tony Romo and Jason Whitten have developed, yet Romo has thrown more balls to Owens than to Whitten. Am I missing something?

Is anyone else surprised that Owens is represented by the NFL’s answer to Scott Boras in Drew Rosenhaus or that Jerry Jones scooped him up when given the chance?  The following was overheard in the Dallas locker room after Romo opened his Christmas gift from Owens. “A double edged knife. This will be perfect for when you stab me in the back this off-season. Thanks, T.O.”

Chad Johnson– How can we begin without mentioning that Johnson changed his surname in the off-season to “Ocho Cinco”, which is the number he wears for the Bengals.  In fairness to Johnson, Cincinnati hasn’t treated him very well.  They only signed him to a $35.5 million contract in 2006.  How will he afford to feed his family?  So how did he repay the Bengals? Simple. He threatened to sit out the 2008 season according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. And in an unrelated story, Johnson is also represented by Drew Rosenhaus. Go figure.

The New York Yankees – If the 2008-09 free agency period was a buffet, then the Bombers were the 400 pound fat person that forced their way to the front of the line, started stuffing the bag they brought with all the best food, and then snarled at you as you called them a bunch of pigs. Look, I understand that from their viewpoint, they have a responsibility to the organization and their fans to do everything within their power to field a winning team. And it should be noted that the Yankees have done nothing that is not within the rules that Major League Baseball has implemented.

But when you take a look at the economic climate of the country, what New York has done is disgraceful and insulting to every struggling person trying to find a job and/or keep their home from being foreclosed.

The Yankees spent over $400 million dollars on three free agents and the reality is that if they choose, they could give Manny Ramirez the earth shattering deal he’s dying for too. But here’s the kicker.  The Yankees had the gall to ask for public funding for their new stadium. Are they for real? Hey Hank Steinbrenner, if you’re looking for a name for the new ball park, how about Cash Cow Stadium? Nice to know that greed is alive and well and apparently thriving in the Bronx.

Brett Favre – No, this is not a typo.  I’m fully aware that “the gunslinger” (translation – a nickname that justifies Favre being an interception machine) was listed at the start of the article. I just felt the need to emphasize how much this guy sold the Packer organization, his former teammates, and his loyal fans down the river all because of his enormous ego. So if there’s any justice, the Jets will miss out on a playoff spot in today’s season finale thanks to an untimely end of the game interception thrown by Favre (like that’s never happened before).

That way he can begin the process of dragging out his decision about retirement and have even more time to film some more of those tiresome Wrangler commercials.

So there you have it. I’m sure we’ll be back next year with another list of knuckleheads. Unfortunately.