Top-15 sports rants since Allen Iverson's practice speech

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Today marks the 15th anniversary of an unforgettable moment in Allen Iverson’s career. No, it was not him stepping over Tyronn Lue – Iverson probably wishes that’s what we are talking about.

It is the anniversary of the practice speech.

We have all seen the practice video a million times, so instead of showing that clip, let’s look back at some of the best sports rants in the last 15 years.

Mad-Manny

April 2017: After being thrown behind by Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale for a slide that clipped the knee of Dustin Pedroia two weeks prior, Manny Machado went on a post-game rant about how he’s lost respect for the Red Sox organization.

Brain Kenny vs. Floyd Mayweather: “A man of many things, but a master of none”

2009: Undefeated as a professional, Floyd Mayweather never seemed flustered in the ring by his opponents. But outside the ring, ESPN’s Brian Kenny was able to get in Floyd’s head and fluster the champ.

Herm Edwards: “Play to win the game.”

October 2002: Former Jets coach Herm Edwards has a rant probably as well-known as Iverson’s. It is not necessarily what he said — “You play to win the game” — rather how he said it that makes this rant so famous.

At least Edwards can make light of it in this Coors Light add:

Richard Sherman to Skip Bayless: “You’re not the best 22 of anything”

March 2013: Most people probably would love to be in Richard Sherman’s shoes and tell Skip Bayless that they are better at life than he is. 

Mike Gundy: “I’m a man! I’m 40!”

September 2007: Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy did have some reasoning behind this rant. A newspaper criticized of one of his players and “kicked him when he was down.” But all of the substance goes down the drain when he utters, “I’m a man, I’m 40!”

Dennis Green: “Let them off the hook”

October 2006: Cardinals coach Dennis Green imploded after the Cardinals' fifth-straight loss, 24-23, to the Bears. This was a game that the Cardinals opened with a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but as Green would later say, they let the Bears off the hook.

Green also pokes fun at himself in a Coors Light commercial:

Cats and Dogs?

September 2011: This may be one of the more bizarre rants in recent sports history. Coastal Carolina’s football coach David Bennett simply wants his players to play more like dogs instead of cats. But it’s hard to tell what he’s trying to convey as Bennett bounces around a story full of meows.

Why are you laughing, Derek?

November 2010: Arizona Cardinals QB Derek Anderson was caught laughing on the sidelines during an embarrassing Monday Night Football loss. But this was no joke to Anderson, who says “nothing is funny.”

Someone get this man a rebound

March 2008: Michigan women’s basketball coach Kevin Borseth had one of the more physical rants we’ll see. That poor podium took not one, but two blows at the hand of Borseth because he is tired of getting out-rebounded.

I love my Quarterback

January 2008: We go from the most physical rant we’ve seen to one of the more emotion (or dramatized). Terrell Owens starts to weep in a post-game presser about how the media criticizes QB Tony Romo.

So are we talking about basketball here?

February 2009: UConn coach Jim Calhoun is asked a question pertaining to his $1.6 million contract during the harsh economic times in 2009. His response to this ignorant reporter is perfect.

C’mon man

November 2015: This postgame interview with the Rockets’ James Harden is going as smooth as one can go … until the final seconds when the reporter asks Harden if he has found a rhythm now.

Fake News!

November 2006: Giants defensive end Michael Strahan goes off on the media for falsely reporting on his team. Seemingly ironic considering Strahan is part of the media now. 

Charlie Manuel to Howard Eskin: “I’ll knock you out”

2013: Charlie Manuel, who had already challenged Howard Eskin to a fight in 2007, decided it was time to extend the offer again.

Meltdown at the Palestra

February 2003: Then-Brown coach (and former Penn head coach) Glen Miller went on a tirade about the referees after a 73-66 loss to Penn at the Palestra. Unfortunately, we do not have a video for this one but had camera phones existed at the time, it might be considered one of the better rants in sports history. Miller was quoted saying, “We got jammed up our asses by three officials."

"It's a matter of playing five against eight the whole freakin' game. That's why there's such an imbalance in this goddamn league because you can't go to Penn and Princeton and get a fair shake. Our guys outplayed them the whole freakin' game." 

Since 1989, Princeton and Penn dominated the Ivy League. Princeton won (or shared) the title eight times and Penn six times – there was a three-way tie between Princeton, Penn and Yale in 2002 (see full story).

Bonus

Instead of showing you the video of AI’s practice speech, we are going to give you Frank Caliendo giving that same speech in Morgan Freeman’s voice. 

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