Trash Talking in Sports

Regional MMA fights are one of the few remaining sports left on television during this time of the year. There has been all sorts of different action going on in these fights as these young fighters attempt to claw their way to the top. A young fighter named Olivera was taunting his opponent by standing a few feet away from him with his hands behind his back. Just moments later, Marco Elpidio knocked Olivera to the ground.

Taunting opponents, then immediately having it back fire is one of the oldest traditions in sports. There is nothing more frustrating than it backfiring, but absolutely nothing compares to backing up your own trash talk.

There have been multiple instances of players either guaranteeing a win, or a championship, or victory in a one-on-one battle during the course of a game. This has effected players of all calibers. Even the greats like Lebron James. Lebron guaranteed multiple championships after his signing with the Miami Heat. He then immediately lost that year in the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks.

These type of instances are not just for basketball. It also happens in the NFL from time to time. As a Titans fan, one of these instances will forever stick in my mind. Cortland Finnegan, if that name doesn’t ring a bell, you’re lucky. He was a cornerback for the Titans for a few years, and the most notable thing he did was get absolutely crushed by Andre Johnson. He was trash talking Andre Johnson, got beat up, and then immediately got up and start clapping as if he had won the fight. I never liked Finnegan, but that really sealed the deal on my hatred for him until he left the Titans.

Baseball is a little different as it is not nearly as known for its trash talking as the other sports. Baseball has less one-on-one interaction than the other sports. The players are more spread out for the majority of the game. Every now and then, tempers still flare as players are thrown at and yelling ensues. The most memorable time this occurred in recent history took place between Jose Bautista and Rounged Odor. The rivalry between the Rangers and the Blue Jays started after Bautista hit a three-run homer and displayed one of the best bat flips in MLB history. Bautista was hit by a pitch months later, then the next meeting between the teams is when it all went down. Bautista slid late into second base in an attempt to take out Odor. Odor shoved and then socked Bautista in the jaw. Both teams stormed the field as more punches were thrown and suspensions were handed out.

Trash talking and taunting is one of the most entertaining parts about sports. It always brings a little bit more excitement to the game. I, personally, am a huge fan of showing a respectful amount of emotion on the field. It gives the fans a chance to know the players on a more personal level as they see more of their personality. As long as you are confident, you can back it up, unlike some of these stories, I encourage it.