FOLLOWING THE HIGH-profile argument that occurred between Carlos Tevez and Roberto Mancini earlier this week, we take a look at seven other memorable sporting in-fights.
7. Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer
Even for a team such as Newcastle, who have been never far from controversy in recent years, this moment represented a new low for the club. Losing 3-0 to Villa, Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer made the less-than-ingenious decision to start fighting each other on the pitch. Both players were red carded, leaving the notoriously temperamental then-Newcastle manager Graeme Souness red-faced.
6. Chone Figgins and Don Wakamatsu
During a nightmare season for the Seattle Mariners, manager Don Wakamatsu and Chone Figgins got involved in a brawl. A shouting match across the dugout quickly turned nasty, with several teammates attempting in vain to prevent the duo from scuffling. Unsurprisingly, Wakamatsu was fired a few weeks later.
5. Keith Primeau and Chris McAllister
A fight between teammates is surely more likely to occur in hockey than in any other sport. After all, fighting in the sport is more or less par for the course given its intrinsically violent nature. Watch one fight below, in which Philadelphia Flyers teammates, Keith Primeau and Chris McAllister, engage in a bout of fisticuffs. Marvel also at how all onlookers bar none aren’t exactly eager to intervene.
4. Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy
You know the story now, unless you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t seen Reeling in the Years lately. Essentially, Mick McCarthy sent Roy Keane home, or Keane walked, depending on who you believe. Here’s part one of that infamous interview in which Keane gives his side of the story:
3. The Cork players strike
In 2008, Cork GAA players refused to play and went on strike, owing to the controversial issue of whether the manager or the county board should pick the teams’ selectors. The dispute lasted 97 days, and ended after it was finally agreed that a new management committee would be established to pick their own selectors. By that stage, most people were just relieved the argument had ended.
2. David Beckham and Alex Ferguson
After Man United’s 2-0 defeat against Arsenal a few years back, Alex Ferguson was none too pleased. A furious Ferguson, upon returning to the United dressing room, kicked a football boot up in the air. The boot, unfortunately, happened to hit David Beckham in the forehead. Beckham, clearly upset with Ferguson, did little to hide his displeasure when confronted by a number of photographers and showed off his new stitches for all to see. He was subsequently left out of the team and sold to Real Madrid shortly thereafter. Though sadly, the incident never made it onto YouTube, we at least have this faithful reconstruction below:
1. Latrell Sprewell and PJ Carlesimo
Carlos Tevez’s antics are nothing compared with the Golden State Warriors’ player-coach feud involving Latrell Sprewell and PJ Carlesimo. Sprewell was incensed by coach Carlesimo’s request that he leave the team’s practice session, prompting him to attack and choke Carlesimo, in addition to issuing death threats to the manager. The incident inspired much debate in the US, as demonstrated by the video below:
