I think everyone by now saw Jay Cutler’s rocky mountain reception this weekend. Most of us didn’t feel bad for him. I mean, at the end of the day he’s still a multi-millionaire star athlete.
But it got me thinking about all the other athletes that have burned a team, only to have to play there again and get showered with boos and booze. Here are the best cases I could come up with. Enjoy!
1. Manny Ramirez – Manny hasn’t been back to Boston yet, but that’s probably for the best. Since Sox fans are convinced that Manny quit on the team in order to get traded (and they’re probably not far off), he is persona not welcome in Boston.
2. Terrell Owens – How bad is Owens at making an exit from a city/franchise? He’s hated in places he never even played. The city of Baltimore and it’s Ravens loyals are still peeved that he ditched them at the last minute for the Eagles. But every team he’s played for (San Fran, Eagles, Cowboys, soon to be Bills) has gone through a messy break-up with Owens. And the venom is still there.
3. Tom Glavine – What was supposed to be a fun last hurrah in the city that made them famous (a la Griffey in Seattle) turned into a nightmare real fast. The Braves unceremoniously dumped Glavine right on his ass when they realized they didn’t really need him anymore. Basically, he can’t go home because they kicked him out and changed the locks.
4. Michael Vick – We all know Vick is going to face harsh fans wherever he goes, but let’s all go ahead and mark Sunday, December 6th on our calendars. That’s Week 13 of the NFL season. When Vick and his new team (the Eagles) square off against the franchise he left in shambles while being dragged off in shackles (the Falcons).
5. Johnny Damon – Apparently there are two things Red Sox fans will not tolerate: quitters and playing for the Yankees. After breaking the curse in Boston, Damon traded in his long hair and beard for a corporate look and pinstripes. Massholes tend to look down on that type of thing.
I’m sure there are some I’ve forgotten, leave some of your favorites in the comments!
I don’t blame Sox fans for hating Damon one bit. But then, I hate almost everyone who plays for the Yankees.