The Most Insane Meltdowns In The History Of Sports
What are the worst sports meltdowns of all time?
Every caliber of professional in the world of sports is susceptible to a hard-to-watch freakout. That means minor-league managers, independent-league infielders, career backup NBA point guards, NBA flameouts, and MLB umpires. But it also includes hall-of-fame pitchers, hall-of-fame hitters, hall-of-fame coaches, hall-of-fame quarterbacks, hall-of-fame tennis players and hall-of-fame heavyweight boxers. Indeed, draft busts and legendary sports heros alike have caused chaos. We’re talking all-out brawls with fans, falling apart under the brightest lights, and literally spitting in the face of an official. So here are the most notorious sports meltdowns of all time.25. Mets Collapse In September
The 2007 Mets had a comfy seven-game lead in the National League East with 17 games remaining on their schedule.
It’d evaporate — the Mets needed a win agaist the division’s last-place Florida Marlins on the last day of the regular season and had ace Tom Glavine on the mound; he got just one out and surrendered seven runs to complete a 5-12 skid and miss the playoffs.
24. Andrew Bynum Elbows J.J. Barea
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The Lakers’ attempt at defending their 2010 title ended in emphatic fashion in the second round of the 2011 playoffs — in a sweep at the hands of the eventual champions, the Dallas Mavericks.
The last game wasn’t pretty: The 122-86 loss was punctuated by Andrew Bynum’s clotheslining an airborn J.J. Barea to earn an ejection in the fourth quarter.
23. Larry Holmes Wants Trevor Berbick Again
Ten years after defending his heavyweight boxing titles against Trevor Berbick, Larry Holmes fought him again — on the street. While celebrating his 1991 knockout victory over Tim Anderson, Holmes and Berbick threw down and had to be separated by police.
Soon after, Holmes ran over two cars, seen here, to get back to Berbick and continue the donnybrook.
22. Red Sox Go From First To Home
After 135 games, the 2011 Boston Red Sox had the best record in all of baseball. Then they finished the season 7-20, culminating in a Jonathan Papelbon blown save on a walk-off hit surrendered to the Baltimore Orioles, who finished the year with the fourth-worst record in baseball.