2011's 5 Most Notorious Off-Field Incidents in Pro Sports

In almost all major sports, the offseason has more headlines than it should. Many athletes simply cannot stay out of trouble. It's pretty common to hear of sports figures ending up in legal trouble these days, but sometimes they are the victims too.

There was definitely no shortage of off-field stories in 2011. Let's take a look at the five most notorious incidents of the year.

Honorable Mention: Kobe Bryant's Divorce

Less than a week ago, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant's divorce hit the celebrity buzz headlines. Absolutely no one was surprised to hear the predictable news. After suspicion of Kobe cheating on his wife for years, Vanessa Bryant finally filed the divorce papers. According to TMZ.com, the Lakers' superstar was busted by fellow basketball wives. 

Vanessa officially divorced Kobe because of "irreconcilable differences," but we all know the real reason behind the split up. The only shocking news in this whole incident is that there was no marital prenup when the Bryants got married. So as the end result of the divorce, Vanessa is entitled to half of pretty much everything Kobe owns.

5. Wilson Ramos Kidnapped

Last month, Washington Nationals' catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped in his native country of Venezuela. Ramos was abducted by a group of men at gunpoint, who later took him deep into the county. At first, the scary news was devastating to baseball fans everywhere. Many feared that Ramos would never be found alive. Luckily, he was rescued by a police raid after days of diligent search.

4. Alfredo Simon's Shooting Incident

Last January, Alfredo Simon was charged with manslaughter after shooting two people when visiting the Dominican Republic. The Orioles' reliever allegedly killed a 25-year-old man, and also wounded his younger brother. Sources speculated that Simon was just taking part in a celebration and was likely intoxicated when aimlessly firing his gun. Simon turned himself over to authorities, and was acquitted from all charges just last month.

3. Packers' Johnny Jolly Sentenced to Six Years in Prison

Last month, Green Bay Packers DE Johnny Jolly was sentenced to a six-year prison term for violating his drug probation. Jolly was suspended for the whole 2010 season after being charged with possession of codeine. Unfortunately for Jolly, he was never able to overcome his addiction. Both Jolly and his mother begged the judge for rehab, rather than the harsh jail time. Even after the emotional trial, Jolly was given the career-ruining sentence. 

2. Mariners' Greg Halman Stabbed to Death

A month ago, Seattle Mariners' outfielder Greg Halman was killed in his home country of the Netherlands. The very sad news left the Major League Baseball community in shock.

At the young age of 24, Halman was stabbed to death in the town of Rotterdam. Halman's brother was arrested by Dutch police, but still no charges have been made. Halman was known as one of the Netherlands' premier baseball players, as well as a bright prospect for the Mariners. 

1. Javaris Crittenton Charged with Murder

Javaris Crittenton is well-known for what he does off the court, rather than what he does on it. Crittenton allegedly killed a mother of four in a drive by shooting in August. Police believe that the woman probably wasn't the target in the shooting. Crittenton was released from jail not long ago, and is still awaiting his upcoming murder trial.

Of course this is not the only time Crittenton got in trouble with the law. Nobody can forget the late 2009 incident, when star Gilbert Arenas and Crittenton pulled guns on each other in the locker room.