Anger Management

I had the chance to personally witness several high-quality meltdowns during my sportscasting days.  Charles Barkley, then of the Phoenix Suns, once berated the Charlotte media for having the gall to suggest that Alonzo Mourning's defense had played a role in his poor offensive night against the Hornets.  Barkley attributed it to simply a bad night, and the Round Mound of Rebound (and Profane Sound) suggested the media must be engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Mourning to think otherwise.

Former San Antonio Spurs coach Bob Hill once bemoaned NBA officiating after David Robinson failed to get a foul called in the closing seconds of a close loss in Charlotte.  Hill claimed that Robinson did not get breaks afforded to other superstars because he read the Bible instead of shooting rap videos, a reference to Shaquille O'Neal.

But my favorite tirade, hands down, occurred after the Carolina Panthers defeated the New Orleans Saints in 1996.  An exasperated Saints coach Jim Mora was yelling before he opened the door to the interview room.  That's my black, handheld recorder in the shot.  Enjoy. (Warning: The bad language has been bleeped, but keep the youngsters away.)

                                                                    

I loved that Mora both cursed and said things like "diddly-poo."  It also made me some extra $$$ by sending it to national media outlets.  Thanks Jim. 

But this is my favorite rant because Mora had genuinely had enough.  He resigned the very next day.  Mora bounced back and landed with the Colts, and his "Playoffs?!" catchphrase lives on to this day.

There were many others through the years.  A reporter once asked Panthers receiver Steve Smith if the team's lack of a contract offer was a slap in the face.  Smith responded that it was a "spit in my (expletive) face."  Former Charlotte Knights manager Nick Leyva complained his players would "rather play the Pac-Man machine" than focus on baseball.  And ex-Panther Nate Newton comically chided reporters who didn't recognize retired defensive lineman Michael Dean Perry, who was visiting friends. "If that was Dale Jarrett or Jeff Gordon, I'm sure y'all would recognize them."

I still have some of these tapes- I think.  I'll try to find them and post them sometime.