Temper tantrums
Whether they are caused by bad calls from umpires and referees, or turnovers and errors that their team makes; baseball managers, basketball coaches and football coaches are famous for temper tantrums. John Wooden, the famous UCLA men’s basketball coach said, “If you tell those players who lose their tempers that they will be outplayed, you can’t act like a raving maniac yourself. It is just as well to say that a coach who loses his temper will be out-coached.”
This archived article was written by: David Osborne Jr.
Whether they are caused by bad calls from umpires and referees, or turnovers and errors that their team makes; baseball managers, basketball coaches and football coaches are famous for temper tantrums. John Wooden, the famous UCLA men’s basketball coach said, “If you tell those players who lose their tempers that they will be outplayed, you can’t act like a raving maniac yourself. It is just as well to say that a coach who loses his temper will be out-coached.”
Knowing that coaches and managers have temper tantrums and can’t control their emotions I have listed five ways to let your temper flair and the coaching counter parts to back them up during the game and even after.
5- Point fingers
Coaches and managers are great at passing the blame onto referees, umpires and even their own players for dropping the ball, literally and figuratively. Bo Pelini is notorious for pointing fingers at his players, poking them in the chest, and even hitting them. Taylor Martinez was the quarterback for Pelini at the University of Nebraska. After a few impressive games in the beginning of his freshman season Martinez fell apart when playing Texas A&M. During the game against A&M Pelini came over and started poking his quarterback in the chest and screaming at him. So to let your temper flair a little point and poke with your finger.
4- Snap Hulk Hogan style
Jim Playfair was the coach for the Abbotsford Heat hockey team. After a penalty was called on J.D. Watt that got him thrown out of the game, Playfair went crazy. Playfair started by breaking a stick and then throwing it out onto the ice. He then stood up on the bench and tore off his suit coat the way Hulk Hogan would in the middle of Hulk-mania, Playfair even tore his tie off and ruined it. To cap off the tirade he grabbed the hockey stick from a player sitting next to him and broke that as well along with throwing it out on the ice. Playfair then said to the press after the game that the referees’ call was wrong and that he didn’t agree with it and that was all. Go Hulk-mania to let more of your temper flair.
3- Curse, insult and defame to cover your inadequacies
Ozzie Guillen, former manager of the Chicago White Sox was famous for cursing, insulting and defaming their competition and it was usually passed off as “Ozzie being Ozzie.” Guillen may be known best for his tirade against his own players and their terrible batting after not hitting a ball off of Bruce Chen from the Kansas City Royals. Guillen’s tirade included, “There’s nothing more painful than losing the f—— game against Bruce Chen once again. F—— pathetic. No f—— energy. We just go through the motions. We take the day off today instead of tomorrow.” Guillen always seemed to find a way to insult and definitely curse when he lost, definitely a great way to show off one’s temper.
2- When in doubt hit or throw a chair
Bobby Knight may be considered the most temperamental coach of all time. Knight threw fits constantly for bad calls and players not playing to the best of their ability, at least in his eyes. In February 1985, Knight, famously threw his chair across the free-throw lane from the bench in argument to a call. This is only one item on a long list that Knight did in frustration. Another time Knight allegedly hit Michael Price under the chin to get him to make eye contact. Price defended Knight and said that he didn’t hit him, and nothing happened to Knight, but remember throwing a chair really grabs people’s attention and gets you suspended, but quite a nice temper flair.
1- Go big or go home
What happens when a ball is called a strike, but really was a ball? Well if you are manager Phil Wellman of the Mississippi Braves you go nuts. After throwing his hat and sunglasses and even covering home plate in dirt and then kicking it off, Wellman army crawled on his elbows to the pitcher’s mound. He then capped of the tirade by literally stealing third and second base and walking out to the outfield and then disappearing into the wall. Wellman then reappeared to blow kisses to the crowd before disappearing again. That is the best way to let your temper show, although the blown kisses aren’t really but they are a nice touch.
And this has been temper flairs, next on the tee.
