Memorable Coach/Player Dustups

Memorable Coach/Player Dustups

Jamie Squire/Getty Images, John Iacono/SI

Angry that Shea Hillenbrand had written the "ship is sinking" on a clubhouse bulletin board, Toronto manager John Gibbons challenged him to a fight during a team meeting in July and later made sure that the outfielder was traded. "He had a chance yesterday to defend himself in front of his coaches and his teammates. He chose not to," Gibbons said.

AP

Barely a month after his showdown with Hillenbrand, Gibbons got into a heated argument on the mound with pitcher Ted Lilly on Aug. 21. Shortly thereafter Lilly headed to the clubhouse; Gibbons followed him and was later seen with a bloody nose.

AP

After being pulled from a 1977 game in which he didn't hustle on a play in the outfield, Yankees star Reggie Jackson got into an argument with manager Billy Martin that was seen by millions of viewers on television. Of course, Martin had his share of dustups with players and fans alike. In a 1985 skirmish with Yankees pitcher Ed Whitson, Martin walked away with a broken right arm.

AP, Courtesy of Golden State Warriors

Upset at criticism from his coach during a December 1997 Golden State Warriors practice, Latrell Sprewell grabbed P.J. Carlesimo by the throat, dragged him to the ground and choked him for 10 or 15 seconds before other players tore Sprewell away.

AP

During a 1997 Indiana practice that was videotaped (see link below), head coach Bob Knight grabbed junior Neil Reed by the throat and began yelling at him.

John W. McDonough/SI, Barry Gossage/NBAE/Getty Images

After being pulled in the fourth quarter of a game at Boston, Suns forward Robert Horry cursed at Phoenix coach Danny Ainge and threw a towel in his face.

Heinz Kluetmeier/SI

Cincinnati reliever Rob Dibble and manager Lou Pinella got into a clubhouse wrestling match in September 1992 after Dibble got upset over what he thought were misleading comments about the condition of his pitching shoulder.

David E. Klutho/SI, Robert Beck/SI

Though Kyle Turley denies the allegation, the NFL lineman was said to have threatened to kill his head coach, Mike Martz, when both were with the St. Louis Rams in 2004.

AP

Already upset over critical comments that rookie coach Mario Tremblay (inset) had made about him while previously employed as a broadcaster, Patrick Roy decided enough was enough when Tremblay refused to pull him after the Red Wings scored nine goals in a December 1995 game. Roy skated to the bench and told team president Ronald Corey that he had played his last game with the Canadiens.

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Antonio Bryant threw a sweaty jersey into the face of Dallas coach Bill Parcells during a June 2004 workout and was escorted from practice by security. He didn't rejoin the team until training camp and was traded in October of that year.

AP

The first pick in the 1990 draft, Jeff George wasn't afraid to give coaches a piece of his mind. A sideline argument with Atlanta coach June Jones in 1996 drew George a suspension. He also had an animated discussion with Marty Schottenheimer when both were with the Redskins.