Athletes' Craziest In-Game Shenanigans

Wild antics from Lance Stephenson, Manny Ramirez and more.

Lance Stephenson Blows in LeBron James's Ear - It happened May 28 during Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. In between plays with the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat, Lance Stephenson blew in LeBron James’s ear, clearly trying to antagonize the four-time league MVP. King James laughed off “Born Ready’s” air and the Internet proceeded to go Photoshop crazy, using the shot of Stephenson and sticking it in any and every picture. Insanity.(Photo: Courtesy ESPN)

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Lance Stephenson Blows Into LeBron James’s Ear - Entering Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson said he was going to “just play ball” and stay away from the trash talking. Yeah, right. If you believe that, we have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you, too. This is Lance Stephenson we're talking about! Stephenson proceeded to blow in the ear of Miami Heat superstar LeBron James on Wednesday night. Heat veteran Ray Allen called Stephenson’s acts “buffoonery.” Call them mind games, tactics or antics, Stephenson joins a long list of athletes who have pulled such shenanigans during games. (Photo: ESPN)

Manny Being Manny - When it comes to athletes’ craziest in-game shenanigans, Manny Ramirez may be king. One can’t contest the claim, considering the phrase "Manny being Manny" stemmed from the former outfielder’s years of zany, unexplainable plays and acts during games. After mistaking his first hit — a ground-rule double — for a home run, Manny just kept the many crazy memories coming through the years, especially while a member of the Boston Red Sox. There, Ramirez did everything from using the bathroom during a game, kicking a live playable ball while on defense, giving a fan a high-five over the wall while making a warning track catch, and most notoriously, cutting off Johnny Damon’s relay throw for no apparent reason. Manny being Manny…gotta love it! (Photo: J Rogash/Getty Images)

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Manny Being Manny - When it comes to athletes’ craziest in-game shenanigans, Manny Ramirez may be king. One can’t contest the claim, considering the phrase "Manny being Manny" stemmed from the former outfielder’s years of zany, unexplainable plays and acts during games. After mistaking his first hit — a ground-rule double — for a home run, Manny just kept the many crazy memories coming through the years, especially while a member of the Boston Red Sox. There, Ramirez did everything from using the bathroom during a game, kicking a live playable ball while on defense, giving a fan a high-five over the wall while making a warning track catch, and most notoriously, cutting off Johnny Damon’s relay throw for no apparent reason. Manny being Manny…gotta love it! (Photo: J Rogash/Getty Images)

J.R. Smith Loves Goofing Off on the Court - J.R. Smith loves touching other players’ accessories on the court. After Vince Carter dropped two consecutive 3-pointers, giving the Dallas Mavericks a lead over the Knicks, Smith pulled at Carter’s headband. When asked about it after the Knicks 110-108 loss, Smith denied it to reporters despite cameras catching him in action.

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J.R. Smith Unties Players’ Laces - The NBA warned New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith after he untied the shoelaces of Dallas Mavericks forward Shawn Marion during a January 2014 regular season game to refrain from similar conduct. So what did J.R. do? He attempted to do the same thing the very next game to Detroit Pistons power forward Greg Monroe. Smith thought it was funny. The league…not so much. The NBA fined him $50,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct. (Photo: Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Terrell Owens to Philadelphia - Owens played in the N.F.L. for 15 seasons for more than three top franchises. His most memorable trade was in 2004 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Owens led the Eagles to win Super Bowl XXXIX. But his vocalized displeasure with QB Donovan McNabb and the team led him to be released.(Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Terrell Owens's Sharpie, Popcorn Celebrations - In his prime, Terrell Owens’s in-game shenanigans had seemingly no limits. Let’s see, there was the October 2002 game in which he celebrated a touchdown by whipping out a stashed Sharpie from his sock and signing the pigskin live on Monday Night Football. And who could forget the November 2007 incident in which he hauled in a touchdown reception and celebrated by emptying a carton of popcorn into his helmet? Perhaps most notorious was when T.O., then a member of the San Francisco 49ers, tried to celebrate his second touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys on Dallas’ star midfield before he got his block knocked off by Cowboys safety George Teague. Crazy! (Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Chad Johnson’s Creative Antics - Perhaps the only NFL player who could rival Terrell Owens’s in-game shenanigans was Chad Johnson. The latter wide receiver did everything from proposing to a cheerleader after a touchdown to using the pylon as a faux golf club and attempting to bribe an NFL official with a dollar bill — a stunt that cost him $20,000 via a league fine. Oh, did we mention he donned a sombrero and wore a ready-made Hall of Fame induction jacket inscribed with, “Future H.O.F. 20”? That boy is insane! (Photo: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

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Ron Artest Pulls Down Paul Pierce’s Shorts - Be clear — Metta World Peace deserves an entire list for his wildest moments. But keeping with the theme and not counting his rough-house style, there was a time that Peace, then known as Ron Artest and playing for the Indiana Pacers, pulled down the shorts of then-Boston Celtics guard Paul Pierce right in the middle of the game. Oldest trick in the book, Ron Ron! (Photo: Doug Benc/Getty Images)

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Ron Artest Pulls Down Paul Pierce’s Shorts - Be clear — Metta World Peace deserves an entire list for his wildest moments. But keeping with the theme and not counting his rough-house style, there was a time that Peace, then known as Ron Artest and playing for the Indiana Pacers, pulled down the shorts of then-Boston Celtics guard Paul Pierce right in the middle of the game. Oldest trick in the book, Ron Ron! (Photo: Doug Benc/Getty Images)

Rickey Henderson - The 10-time all-star won two World Series and was active in the major leagues until the age of 43. (Photo: OTTO GREULE/ALLSPORT/Getty Images)

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Rickey Henderson’s Snatch Catch - There’s no doubting Rickey Henderson’s place in baseball history as one on the game’s all-time best. But along the way of his prolific 25-year career — which included him notching MLB records for most stolen bases and runs scored — Henderson definitely irked a good amount of players. Henderson's penchant for “snatch catching” or “snap catching,” a flashy movement in which he’d flick his glove out for incoming fly balls and whip his arm behind his back after making the catch, rubbed even his own manager the wrong way at times. The competition thought Rickey was trying to show them up…and Rickey could care less. Antics in their finest form. (Photo: Otto Greule jr/Allsport/Getty Images)

Squirming In and Out of Trouble - With a nickname like "The Worm" it's not surprising that Rodman found himself in more than a few tight spots during his NBA days. His temper often got the best of him, such as when he kicked a cameraman in the groin after he lost control of the ball during a 1997 game. (Photo: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport)

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Dennis Rodman’s Antics With the Bulls - While with the Detroit Pistons “Bad Boys,” Dennis Rodman was a flat-out hardnosed player. But something changed in the infamous forward when he joined Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1995. Rodman’s three years with the Bulls resulted in three NBA championships, while also seeing him do everything from repeatedly patting Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning on the backside to continually tripping Utah Jazz power forward Karl Malone during playoff games. You can’t mention antics without mentioning the “Worm.”(Photo: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport/Getty Images)