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BigPPup
AGM Linebacker and I will bring the pain.


I'm a sports fanatic. I hail from Nelson County Virginia, and thats where I learned to be a Virginia Cavalier fan. I also learned to be a Dallas Cowboys fan because I hated how good the Redskins were doing. I've played sports at almost every level with the exception of being a fulltime professional, as a result I have a great perception on the sporting world. I love to talk sports and I've never been shy to share my opinion with someone.

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Top 10 Sleaze Balls in Sports

by BigPPup
created April 01, 2009, last edited April 03, 2009
14
Vote

Watching John Calipari sign a massive deal and jump ship, leaving Memphis for the University of Kentucky, got me thinking. Yes, Calipari is a sleaze ball but where does he rank on the Top 10 List of Sports Sleaze Balls? Well since there are no reference points, for this list, I figured it was up to me to short out the details for all our fans out there.

'

10) Carlos Boozer; Center Denver Nuggets: If there was such a thing as a good offender on this list, Boozer
would be the closest thing to it. However, his contract negotiation antics that got him out of Cleveland a few years ago have to be considered sleazy by anyone who is in the know. To make matters worse, with his massive contract coming to an end in Denver, Boozer seems to up to his old tricks again, and ready to screw the Nuggets and head for greener pastures. That is if someone is willing to take on the injury prone center.

9) Tom Brady: Yes he is America's "Golden Boy." Hell, the NFL even changed some of their rules thanks to the injury he suffered in the '08 season opener. They didn't do that when Carson Palmer went down thanks to a similar hit a few years ago. Nonetheless, the reason why Tom Brady makes this list is his off the field activity. Hooking up with multiple super models and then knocking one up not cool. To top matters off he has now taken that kid away from its mother and bridezilla is raising the baby, that's just cold.

8) John Calipari:
He is the new top guy at the University of Kentucky and with the new title will come new scrutiny that's for sure. But controversy is something that has followed John Calipari his entire coaching career. Heck, his move to UK was a controversial move. One thing is for sure, when you bring Calipari into your school, you can expect a ton of baggage to be associated with him. He will get you wins on the court, but at what cost?

7) Al Davis: The man genius behind the Oakland Raiders. Despite residing out on the West Coast for the better part of the last 40 years, Al Davis is a Brooklyn hustler at heart. He runs the Raiders with a vice grip insuring all decisions go through him, even if he is well past his prime and not capable of handling any daily business operations. Also, let's not forget he did move the Oakland Raiders to L.A. and then back to Oakland a few years later simply because he failed to have his way. Talk about a temper tantrum.

6) Jim Calhoun: Yes, his Huskies are in the Final Four once again, and Coach Calhoun has the opportunity to win his third National Championship. Despite all the glitz and clamor Jim Calhoun may be experiencing right now, his team is once again under investigation for NCAA recruiting violations. This is not the first time Calhoun has found himself or his program in hot water. His players have had run in's with the law. Also, don't forget Calhoun shouting down a poor reporter earlier this season when he was questioned about his massive salary.

5) Nick Saban: What can you say about this guy? He has bolted from every coaching job he ever held. It doesn't matter if it's in the pros or in the college game. Nick Saban will leave for greener pastures at a moment's notice. The best part about it is he will swear up and down he has no intentions of leaving; all the while he is on a private jet to the next spot.

4) Terrell Owens: Some like to call him team obliterator, and that would be a very accurate description of the disgruntled wide out. The San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and the Dallas Cowboys have all felt the bite of this snake in the grass. With T.O. already skipping workouts in Buffalo it's safe to say the Bills should be prepared to add their name to the list of teams destroyed by Hurricane Terrell Owens.

3) Barry Bonds: Cheated the game, cheated the fans, and somehow got one of his friends to go to jail rather than squeal on him.
Barry Bonds is a grade A pain in the ass. Even before the home runs, Bonds was a tough character to get along with. He never fit in during his early days in Pittsburgh. He could have been America's sweetheart if he simply wasn't such an ass to everyone around him. Now he stands alone as the symbol of arrogance and shame. Not to mention he is thought of as public enemy number one to most MLB fans.

2) Drew Rosenhaus: Really do I need to go into depth about this one? This is the man who faked taking a phone call on NFL Draft Day just to get his client drafted a few spots higher. Oh yeah and he is the proud agent of none other than Terrell Owens. Top all of this off with the fact that it is known amongst all owners in every league that Rosenhaus really is not that good of an agent. His deals often leave his clients short of signing the mega deals, and tend to leave them wanting more.

1) Don King: He's promoted some of the biggest fights in the history of boxing. He has also stolen from some of the most dangerous men on the planet. I mean seriously who has the Gaul to steal from Mike Tyson and still try to get him to sign a new contract. Oh yeah, and the icing on the cake for this sleazebag, he went to jail for manslaughter before becoming a promoter.


Enable Comment Auto-Refresher
Steel TownDraft Pick
240 days ago
Score 2+-
Scott Boras. Helping Pirate's management put awful teams on the field for over a decade.
Permalink | Reply
Pittsburgh GunnyMajor Leaguer
240 days ago
Score 4+-
I blame that more on the inept and cheapskate like ways of the Nutting family et. al (i.e. the Pirate ownership group) than any agent out there. If the Pirate owners do not want to compete than sell, move, or fold the team. I am done supporting that useless bunch until new ownership is brought into PNC Park.


Ummm, not to be critical
Permalink
Steel TownDraft Pick
240 days ago
Score 1+-
That's why I said he was merely helping, Gunny. He certainly steered the Bucs away from his clients.
Permalink
RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer
240 days ago
Score 4+-
What a shock, I'm about to defend Tom Brady. Bridget was at his wedding to Gisele.


And if Brady's on the list for dumping a girlfriend, where's Travis Henry?
Permalink | Reply
RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer
240 days ago
Score 3+-
Or Alex Rodriguez?
Permalink
RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer
240 days ago
Score 3+-
And what's kind of sad is that we could do a top 100 pretty easily. There'd be a debate as to where everyone belongs, but finding 100 sleazeballs in sports wouldn't be too hard.
Permalink
SSreportersLegend
240 days ago
Score 7+-
A-Rod dumped his girlfriend for himself.

Hence.....

alex_rodriguez.jpg
Permalink
RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer
240 days ago
Score 3+-
A-Rod cheated on his wife with a musclebound stripper, then rode the village bicycle, and now we know he took PEDs. He's THE scumbag.
Permalink
Steel TownDraft Pick
240 days ago
Score 7+-
I don't really understand how Brady is on this list. Infidelity and children out of wedlock are hardly unique to Brady. Now, if this was a list of guys I would most likely call a douche bag in sports Brady would be at the top.
Permalink
BigPPupMajor Leaguer
240 days ago
Score 1+-
RawB you're correctly this easily could have been a top 100. Brady made the list for his wedlock actions simply because he has managed to avoid virtually all criticism for doing something that many others have been nailed to the wall for.
Permalink
CheezerAll-Star
240 days ago
Score 2+-
How soon before Bus Cook ends up on this list?
Permalink | Reply
CheezerAll-Star
240 days ago
Score 1+-
Good List Pup. You pretty much pegged it for me.
Permalink | Reply
KelsdadAll-Star
240 days ago
Score 7+-
Whoa, whoa, whoa...

I knew it would take an act of Congress to get me to make a cameo here, lacking that it's an unwarranted dissing of Jim Calhoun.

Admittedly biased as an alum and athletic supporter (shut up, Manny), it's still unfair to put this on Calhoun. We both know, BigP, up front, that there is no clean Division I program in the NCAA, at least not a top performing (read: money making) program. From UConn basketball to USC football to the Harvard debate team, everyone is guilty of something.

Is Calhoun responsible for what happens on his watch? To an extent, no. He's responsible for the players. Using the Brady analogy, Calhoun revoked Caron Butler's scholarship and essentially forced him to go pro because of the number of his baby mama's threatening to sue the school. That's his job, not as a babysitter but more as a guardian, authority figure.

Not all of the people associated with a program are coach hired. Some people, like trainers and grad assistants are assigned as part of their grad or post-grad work. That's the case with Josh Nochimson, the real scuzzbag in all this.

He steals a million dollars from Richard Hamilton and gets caught. He tries to extort Rudy Gay and gets caught. He withheld a contract offer from Charlie Villanueva and got caught. So he decides to blow the whistle and save his own ass?

I'm not saying Calhoun or the school is innocent, again, all programs have skeletons in their closets, but let's put the blame where it belongs..a wannabe Drew Rosenhaus who used his influence as an agent and screwed the school which formerly employed him and gave him the education he needed to get to where he is now and the players he befriended and who trusted him.

There are some real a-holes on the list and most of them deserve to be, Calhoun does not. Maybe in a year it comes out and we all find out he orchestrated the whole thing then I'll happily eat crow (again), but him being on any list accusing him of wrong doing is a bit premature at this point.
Permalink | Reply
False ProphetAll-Star
240 days ago
Score 2+-
it's been a real long time since I've said this, but I couldn't agree with KD more.
Permalink
CheezerAll-Star
240 days ago
Score 1+-
From the tubes, "The alleged violations, reported by Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday, center on the program's recruitment of former guard Nate Miles between 2006 and 2008. According to the report, phone records show thousands of calls and text messages between the school's coaches and former UConn student manager turned pro basketball agent Josh Nochimson. He was acting as Miles' adviser, as well as a contact between UConn and Miles exceeding NCAA-mandated monthly limits for phone calls to a prospect."

Sounds like Calhoun and his coaching staff to me. It wasn't like Nochimson was calling Calhoun. The phone records indicate that the communication was initiated by Calhoun. This occurred in violation NCAA rectuiment rules.

I do agree that no big-time money making program is innocent. That's why I believe that they should eliminate the scholarships and create semi-pro league for these young players. Pay them to play and have actual students play for the colleges.

If there is information I am not privy to, please link it so I can become better informed.
Permalink
JuTMSY4Legend
240 days ago
Score 2+-
I'll just add to Calhoun's defense...

The man shouldn't have to defend his salary in the face of state budget cuts. Did they ask him to cut his salary? Is it in his own best interest?

But most importantly, is he successful. I believe I saw information suggesting that the UConn basketball team produced 6 million dollars in profit last year (or maybe 2007?). Well, paying Calhoun ~2 mil seems fair to me...nevermind the non-monetary things he brings such as recognition to the school
Permalink
CheezerAll-Star
240 days ago
Score 2+-
You had me until the comments about school recognition. Studies have shown that when a school does well athletically, it does see an increase in student applications. However, it is important to note that the students that are applying do not have very good academic credentials (I don't remember the exact numbers). The result: An increase in enrollment of students that are not at college to learn. In fact they serve as a distraction to the "geeks" that are actually trying to improve themselves intellectually.

You are correct with your profit comments.UConn] made a ton of money. More fuel for the comment I made where I feel the players deserve some sort of payment. Just stop calling them students.
Permalink
JuTMSY4Legend
240 days ago
Score 1+-
most NCAA athletes don't become professionals...

I'll take your word on the studies. But because Calhoun's team is doing well, I'm sure it helps maintain a few other athletic programs at UConn as perhaps an additional value-added portion

Other coaches do that as well...Bruce Pearl and Tom Izzo being fine examples (and nice guys on top of being good coaches)
Permalink
CheezerAll-Star
240 days ago
Score 2+-
I'm talking specifically about the one-and-dones. The marquee scholarship guys. Bobby Knight said it well when he pointed out that they don't even need to bother to make themselves academically eligible once they start college. By the time the grades come out and the penalties come into play their season is done.
Permalink
CheezerAll-Star
240 days ago
Score 2+-
I see an article in my future. "How I Would Fix the College Scholarship Program".

You are correct in saying that we don't want to punish the people that are using their athletic ability to fund an education. That is what is noble about college scholarships. I guess what I'd like to see is scholarships reserved for the true students. People that stay for the full term and get a degree.

I'm just not sure how to do that yet...
Permalink
BigPPupMajor Leaguer
240 days ago
Score 2+-
Calhoun makes it more as a body of work. I like Calhoun a lot especially as a coach. But really what set him apart for me was the whole laptop scandal from a few yrs ago.
Permalink
RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer
239 days ago
Score 0+-
Defending Calhoun's right to get paid:


UConn has a nationally recognized name because of basketball. The basketball team is a tremendous source of pride to Connecticutters, even if they don't go to UConn. The program brings in cash, which helps other athletic programs. And believe it or not, athletics can be a great way to teach kids life-lessons, build confidence, and character. And do you know how college football really got going? Ivy League schools felt the game taught their future executives how to best utilize time, and work as a team.


If UConn or the state of Connecticut don't want to pay Calhoun, that's their prerogative. But they do.
Permalink
Anonymous Fanatic #1
240 days ago
Score 1+-
Um Boozer is on the Utah Jazz. Not the Denver Nuggets.
Permalink | Reply
Mvicks21JV Squad
240 days ago
Score 3+-
Okay...why is Calipari a sleaze ball for leaving Memphis and going to Kentucky? It's called a wise career move. Remember Bobby Petreno when he quit on the Falcons and went back to college, now that guy is a true sleaze ball.
Permalink | Reply
Manny StilesMajor Leaguer
239 days ago
Score 1+-
Where's Donte Stallworth or Jim Leyritz?
Permalink | Reply
RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer
239 days ago
Score 0+-
OJ Simpson, Mike Vick?
Permalink | Reply
Mvicks21JV Squad
238 days ago
Score 0+-
And the list goes on and on!
Permalink | Reply
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Categories: Opinions | Opinions by User BigPPup | April 1, 2009 | April 2009 | Baseball Opinions | Basketball Opinions | MLB Opinions | Boxing Opinions | NBA Opinions | NCAA Basketball Opinions | Carlos Boozer Opinions | Tom Brady Opinions | Al Davis Opinions | Don King Opinions | John Calipari Opinions | Nick Saban Opinions | Jim Calhoun Opinions | Terrell Owens Opinions | Drew Rosenhaus Opinions | Barry Bonds Opinions

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