Regrettable Athlete Comments
Tyson's tirade, Reggie Bush's blunder, plus more.
1 / 10
Riley Cooper - Speaking your mind can have consequences, especially if you're an all-star athlete and the whole world is watching. Read on for a round-up of stars whose questionable comments made headlines. — Britt Middleton After a video surfaced of Riley Cooper dropping the N-word at a country music concert in July, the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver quickly apologize for his choice of words. "I am so ashamed and disgusted with myself. I have been offensive," Cooper said in a statement. "What I did was wrong and I will accept the consequences." (Photo: AP Photo/Michael Perez)
Photo By Photo: AP Photo/Michael Perez
2 / 10
Reggie Bush - What's wrong with a little R&R? Apparently a lot, especially when an NFL lockout is concerned. Running back Reggie Bush was bashed by fans in 2011 after tweeting that he preferred the "vacation, rest and relaxation" to "slaving in 100 degree heat, practicing twice a day, while putting our bodies at risk for nothing." He later said he was only joking. (Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
3 / 10
Amar'e Stoudemire - Last June, New York Knicks guard Amar'e Stoudemire was fined $50,000 after tweeting a homosexual slur to a fan. "F--k you. I don't have to do anything f--," Stoudemire wrote in a direct message after the fan questioned the star's competitiveness. Stoudemire did apologize publicly for his misstep. (Photo: Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
4 / 10
Kobe Bryant - Last April, Kobe Bryant's notorious temper really got the best of him — and it cost him big. The Los Angeles Lakers guard was fined $100,000 by the NBA for using an anti-gay slur against a referee. Following the incident, Bryant and his teammates appeared in a video promoting tolerance. (Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
5 / 10
Rashard Mendenhall - In 2011, NFL running back Rashard Mendenhall drew ire after discussing Osama bin Laden's death on Twitter. "What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side..." he wrote. Several days later, Mendenhall apologized "for the timing" of his comments and said that they "were not meant to do harm." (Photo: Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 10
Mike Tyson - Mike Tyson has never been short for colorful commentary. In one rant aimed at Lennox Lewis, Tyson once raised eyebrows (and turned stomachs!). "There is no one who can match me. My style is impetuous, my defense is impregnable, and I’m the ferocious. I want his heart! I want to eat his children! Praise be to Allah!" Tyson said. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
7 / 10
Antonio Cromartie vs. Matt Hasselbeck - In 2011, New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie was an outspoken opponent of the NFL's collective bargaining agreement. Then-Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck apparently took a jab at Cromartie on Twitter, questioning if "he knows what CBA stands for" (the tweet was quickly deleted). Cromartie responded: "hey Matt if u have something to then say it be a man about it. Don't erase it. I will smash ur face in." (Photos from left: Bob Levey/Getty Images, Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
8 / 10
Serena Williams - Tennis star Serena Williams was fined $2,000 for her outburst during finals at the 2011 U.S. Open. Accusing an official of "having it out for her," Williams was caught on camera telling the official, "If you ever see me walking down the hall, look the other way. You're a hater and you're just unattractive inside." Two years earlier, she was disciplined at the same competition for a similar offense. (Photo: DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)
9 / 10
Lolo Jones - Olympic track star Lolo Jones faced lots of scrutiny for her sense of humor. One of the most infamous cases came in June when her Twitter followers went on attack after she compared Rachel Jeantel, a witness in the second-degree murder trial of George Zimmerman, to Tyler Perry's movie character, Madea. (Photo: Lolo Jones via Twitter)