Written by Graham BrunellLos Angeles Dodgers' superstar, Manny Ramirez, was recently suspended for 50 games, found in a drug test to be using an illegal performance-enhancing drug called HCG. It is used by players to generate the body's hormone production after steroid use. Although I don't think Manny used steroids.
After all, as Bob Ryan points out, Manny could be telling the truth; a physician subscribed Ramirez to a drug, and Manny simply took it without knowing it was a banned substance.
"If any baseball superstar is capable of taking a medication in all innocence, and then finding out that something in it is included on Major League Baseball's banned list of substances, it is Manny Ramírez. It certainly fits the profile."And this isn't the only recent "incident" that has taken place to raise the term "Manny being Manny." But I won't go through all of them. You NBA fans might get sick.
Or would you? Every league has it's troublemakers. It's goofballs. It's Manny's. Which one (or ones) is the NBA's culprit? Let's take a look.
Latrell Sprewell
On December 1st, 1997, Sprewell attacked head coach P.J. Carlisimo. Here's why. Sprewell (during practice of course), had been asked by Carlisimo to make sharper passes (quoted saying "put a little mustard on it"). Latrell responded that he was not in the mood for criticism. When Carlisimo approached, Sprewell proceeded to choke the coach for 10-15 seconds before players separated them. As he was choking Carlisimo, he threatened to kill him while DRAGGING Carlisimo to the ground.
In the beginning of the 2004-05 NBA season, the Minnesota Timberwolves offered Sprewell a contract that would give Latrell $21 million dollars over a span of three years. Sprewell said in a comment after being offered the deal "I have a family to feed."
Joe Loudmouth offers his take on another incident:
"Latrell Sprewell got into a fight with a teammate during practice and returned with a 2 X 4. Where was practice, at a Home Depot? A 2 X 4 ? Did he keep one in his locker in case he and the guys decided to build a tree house?"Rasheed Wallace
Charles Barkley once said on TNT that Wallace had the talent to be one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. Wallace would be lucky to be in the top 100 players, never mind the top five or 10. His antics on and off the court remind me so much of Manny's own shenanigans.
His hugging of Kevin Garnett before every game of last year's ECFs remind me of Manny's constant mellow personality. Although Manny was never humiliated by his opponents like Wallace was.
Ron Artest
Jawing at Kobe (although he was surprisingly mature in the recent situation between the two).
Pantsing Paul Pierce.
Running in the stands to beat up an obviously childish fan.
Nah, he's just a jerk (although entertaining).
Derek Rose
Rose is kind of just... not intelligent. In an interview last year, he was asked about Memphis' success and the reason for their dominance. He responded "Well, we're all just really good friends so...." Before last year's NCAA championship game, all Rose ate was Twizzlers.
And like Manny, he is one heck of a player.
Dwight Howard
Does Dwight ever stop smiling!? Good God this guy is the exact opposite of Kendrick Perkins. He's probably the most go-lucky guy in the league, and after five years in the association, he still can't find a way to be serious. In an appropriate way of course.
The amount of hype that surrounds the dunk contest because of this guy makes me laugh; not because I don't think it's fun to watch (for I do think it's VERY entertaining), but because a lot of people are oblivious to the fact that it doesn't even technically matter.
So who do you think is the Manny Ramirez of the NBA? Those are some good nominees right there for starters. Feel free to enter your own!
