25 worst sports breakups

In 1988, Roy Williams left his assistant head coaching job at North Carolina to become the head coach at Kansas. In his 15 seasons there, only Phog Allen won more games, and it seemed as if Williams was set to be a lifer in Lawrence, especially after Williams spurned the Tar Heels when they offered their head coaching job in 2000. However, when UNC came calling again in 2003, Williams accepted the job, leaving Jayhawks fans feeling jilted. Williams has won two National Championships at North Carolina, while Kansas won one under Bill Self.

When Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, he fired Tom Landry and hired former Arkansas football teammate Jimmy Johnson to be his new head coach. They won two Super Bowls together and brought America's Team back to elite status. After the second Super Bowl in 1994, the two realized they couldn't get along anymore. Jones wanted the pull personnel control away from Johnson, and Johnson didn't like the interfering and public jabs from Jones. They mutually parted in March, with their relationship permanently strained.

Art Modell owned the Cleveland Browns since 1961, but when the city wouldn't fund a replacement for aging Municipal Stadium, he moved the team to Baltimore. Browns fans were furious and still hold a grudge toward the Modell family, but as part of the move, the NFL gave Cleveland an expansion team, keeping the Browns name in the city. Modell still had financial issues, and the NFL forced him to sell the Ravens. He passed away in 2012.

Marcus Allen was one of the best running backs in NFL and MVP of the Los Angeles Raiders' Super Bowl XVIII victory. During his prime, he was forced the share the backfield with newly acquired running back Bo Jackson in the late 1980s and soon fell down the depth chart. After missing the 1989 season with a knee injury, the relationship between Allen and owner Al Davis soured. The two couldn't come to terms on a contract, leading Allen to claim that Davis was intentionally sabotaging his career. He signed with the Chiefs, loving nothing more than showing up Davis and the Raiders when the two teams would meet.

We all know the story: Kobe and Shaq arrived to the Lakers in the same summer of 1996. Together, they won three consecutive NBA championships. Off the court, however, the two struggled to get along as Bryant was craving O'Neal's alpha dog status. The two traded barbs via the media and made no bones about their issues with each other. After the 2004 season that saw Phil Jackson's and Kobe Bryant's contracts ending, the Lakers traded Shaq to Miami, hired Rudy Tomjanovich to be their new head coach and signed Kobe. Shaq won one more title before retiring in 2011, while Kobe won two titles before retiring in 2016, declaring he "just got one more than Shaq" after his fifth ring.

After a poor showing by Winfield in the 1981 World Series, Steinbrenner publicly criticized him. The criticism would continue all during Winfield's time in New York despite putting up big numbers. The feud came to a head in 1990 when Steinbrenner was banned from baseball due to paying a mafia connection who was hired to dig up dirt on Winfield. Winfield was dealt to the California Angels later that season. When Winfield was elected to the Baseball Hall Of Fame in 2001, he went in as a San Diego Padre, a move that angered Steinbrenner.   

Riley's Knicks were successful in the early 1990s, going 223-105 in four seasons and getting to the 1994 NBA Finals. After the 1995 season, Riley abruptly left the Knicks to become the head coach and team president of the Miami Heat. Riley quit the Knicks via fax, and the team accused the Heat of tampering (Miami would send money and a 1st round pick to New York as compensation). This started a bitter rivalry between the two organizations for the next several years, and from 1997 to 2000 the two met in the postseason four times (New York won three of the four). 

In 2007, Bobby Petrino left Louisville to take over as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. The team struggled, dealing with Michal Vick's dog-fighting punishment and lacking talent. Then that Petrino secretively accepted the job to become the University of Arkansas' head football coach and left before the Falcons' season was even over. All Petrino did was leave a laminated note on each player's locker informing him he was leaving in what is criticized as a cowardly move by the players and fans.

After missing the playoffs in 2004, the Raptors cleaned house by firing the GM and the coaching staff as Carter grew frustrated with the front office. The team assured Carter it would add star players, but that didn't come to fruition. Carter, upset, reportedly wanted the team to trade him. New coach Sam Mitchell started to bench Carter late in games because he felt the team needed a more cohesive feel. Two months into the season, Carter, arguably the biggest hoops star in Raptors history, was dealt to the New Jersey Nets.

On his return to Toronto, fans booed him and considered him a baby and nicknamed him "Wince Carter." He is still booed whenever he plays in Toronto.

As an Akron native drafted by the Cavs, LeBron was expected to bring multiple championships to Cleveland and spend his career in his home state. Then "The Decision" happened, with LeBron fleeing his home state to form the Big Three in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Fans burned LeBron jerseys, booed him at every turn and owner Dan Gilbert wrote an open letter to fans blistering James.  Not only was LeBron the most hated athlete in Cleveland, but fans all over turned on him. That all changed in 2014, when LeBron came back to Cleveland as a free agent and led the Cavaliers to their first NBA title in 2016.

Joe Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl titles, winning three Super Bowl MVP awards in the process. In the 1990 NFC Championship Game, Montana was blind-sided by Leonard Marshall of the New York Giants, knocking him out of that game and virtually the entire following two seasons. When Montana was set to take back his starting job in 1993, the Niners had become Steve Young's team. Fans, and seemingly the organization, were torn between the face of their franchise and the guy who will lead them to the future. With both players wanting to be starter, Montana demanded a trade to the Kansas City Chiefs, which was honored.

Ramirez was part of the team that ended up winning the franchise's first World Series in 86 years and won a second ring in 2007. The 2008 season pushed the limits of the relationship, however. Ramirez famously got into a fight with Kevin Youkilis during a game. Later, he got into a physical altercation with a 64-year-old traveling secretary over tickets. When the team disciplined him for this, he started missing games with what he said was a sore knee, though results showed no damage. When he did play, he claimed his knee was bothering him and refused to run out ground balls and rarely hustled on the field. The Red Sox were so frustrated with Manny that they dealt him to the Dodgers.

All of Roy's accomplishments with the Canadiens — 10 seasons, three Vezina Trophies and two Stanley Cups — made the Quebec-born goalie beloved in Montreal. However, all that came crashing down after one night. On Dec. 2, 1995, Roy was lit up by the Detroit Red Wings. New Habs head coach Mario Tremblay didn't pull Roy and instead watched him give up nine goals in an 11-1 loss. Fans even mocked him after making a routine save, and Roy responded by waving his arms at the crowd. Tremblay pulled Roy in the second period, and the goalie stormed by the team president and said he was done with Montreal. Roy and Tremblay got into a shouting match in the dressing room The team suspended him then quickly dealt him to the Colorado Avalanche.

Terrell Owens is one of the greatest receivers in NFL history. Yet it seems as if no one wants T.O. to be part of his team. Owens broke into the NFL with San Francisco with a bang. Those good times turned bad quick when T.O. questioned Jeff Garcia's sexuality and then had a messy exit when he tried to force his way out of San Francisco with a dispute over voiding his contract. He was dealt to Philadelphia where he, again, got off to a great start. After one great season and returning after missing the postseason to have a great game in the Super Bowl, he hired Drew Rosenhaus as his agent in the offseason and wanted a renegotiated deal. He started publicly slamming Donovan McNabb and the organization, the Eagles suspended him four games, deactivated him for the rest of the season and then released him.

Controversy followed him to Dallas (his overdose, spitting in DeAngelo Hall's face, touchdown celebrations), and his career faded out after a few years and a few stops. Owens attempted to make a comeback, but no team was willing to take the risk.

Bobby Knight won three national championships and more than 600 games for Indiana University. Then in 2000, a former player claimed that Knight choked him during a practice. Knight denied this happening, though a video surfaced showing the act. University President Myles Brand placed a zero tolerance policy on Knight, which was soon tested. Knight reportedly grabbed a student and scolded him for calling him "Knight." Brand asked Knight for his resignation, which was refused, and then fired him. Indiana students and fans protested the dismissal, leaving some to no longer support the program. Knight and the university still have a strained relationship. When the school honored the 35th anniversary of its 1981 championship squad, Knight was noticeably absent.

It's got to be tough to be fired from a team that is named after you. That's what happened to Paul Brown, who was offered a piece of the Cleveland franchise to coach the team. During the 1950s, however, players complained about his demanding style, and new owner Art Modell struggled to regain power from Brown. After a trade that brought the draft rights from the Redskins for star tailback Bobby Mitchell (Modell knew nothing about it, and Davis would never play a game before dying from leukemia), Modell fired Brown.

Though A-Rod won two MVPs with the Yankees, he was often mocked for coming up small in the postseason.  He finally won a World Series title with the Yankees in 2009, but he was embroiled in a steroid controversy. In 2013, the steroid allegations came to a head along with a controversial hip injury and treatment. MLB suspended him through the entire 2014 season. Unlike Derek Jeter, A-Rod didn't get a yearlong retirement celebration after announcing 2016 was his final year. The Yanks did commemorate A-Rod's final game but immediately released him.

Brett Favre won three MVPs, a Super Bowl and broke countless records with the Packers. His final two seasons, the Packers felt a bit hostage by Favre's possible retirement plans. They had been grooming Aaron Rodgers to take over when Favre hung them up, not really knowing exactly when that was going to happen. In 2007, the team demanded Favre make a decision, and he retired. Except he didn't. Green Bay moved on, but Favre wanted to play again. He reported to training camp for the 2008 season, causing a public feud between he and GM Ted Thompson and putting thhe new franchise QB in an awkward situation. Favre wanted to be released so he could sign with rival Minnesota. The Packers, instead, traded him to the Jets for a conditional pick. 

Since his actual retirement, Favre and the Packers have slowly worked things out, and the team retired his No. 4 jersey.

Lane Kiffin tends to leave destruction in his wake everywhere he goes. As a 31-year old head coach of the Oakland Raiders, owner Al Davis wanted Kiffin to resign after one season (he didn't), and four games into his second season Davis fired Kiffin over the phone. After the firing, Davis held a news conference where he called Kiffin a "liar" and a "disgrace." Kiffin then coached just one season at Tennessee before leaving for USC, but not before blasting Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier on his way out the door.

At USC, he took over a program that was under sanctions after the Reggie Bush scandal. Kiffin's Trojans performed well in their first two seasons.  However, USC underwhelmed as the 2012 team was ranked preseason No. 1 but finished 7-6. Five games into the 2013 season, Kiffin was pulled off the team bus and fired at the airport. The following season, Kiffin signed on to be the offensive coordinator at Alabama. In 2016, Kiffin accepted the head coaching job at Florida Atlantic but stayed on at Alabama through the playoffs. A week before Alabama was set to play Clemson in the National Championship Game, Saban abruptly dismissed Kiffin from the team.

For 45 years, Joe Paterno symbolized what was good about college sports. He led Penn State to two National Championships and one of the winning-est coaches in history. In 2011, however, the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke, which threw everything Paterno built into a tailspin. During an investigation, it was determined Paterno failed to act appropriately when given info about Sandusky. Paterno offered to retire at season's end but was immediately fired. Fans and former players were upset that Paterno's legacy was tainted by the heinous acts of an assistant. To this day, there is a bit of a gap between Paterno supporters and ones outraged by the scandal. Paterno passed away just two months after his firing.

The Baltimore Colts wanted the city to fund a new stadium to replace the aging Memorial Stadium. For years projects were formed and negations took place, but nothing got done. The Colts openly discussed relocation with Indianapolis and Phoenix, eventually deciding on Phoenix. Maryland's senate felt it had the right to seize the Colts by way of eminent domain. The Colts felt threatened and immediately told Phoenix they would be coming, but the Arizona capital backed out due to Maryland's actions. Colts owner Robert Irsay then called Indianapolis to say he would like to come there, hammered out a deal, and then packed the team up and moved to Indy in the middle of the night.  

The trucks took different routes so state police couldn't stop them at the border. The look was horrible for not only the Colts, but for the NFL as a whole.   

How can you leave a racing team that has your name in the title? If you are Dale Earnhardt Jr., it is because you have no say in its operation. When the elder Earnhardt died in a crash at Daytona in 2001, his wife, Junior's stepmother, Theresa took over ownership. The two clashed as Junior wanted better equipment while his stepmom wanted to minimize cost. In 2008, Junior left DEI and moved the Hendrick Motorsports' elite stable of drivers.  Sponsors left DEI and flocked to Earnhardt at Hendrick. DEI hit some financial issues and has since merged with Ganassi Racing.

Let's run it down. Davidson College: First head coaching gig and quit for the ABA before coaching his first game. UCLA: Coached for two seasons in Westwood, taking his first team to the NCAA title game. He left before that appearance was vacated due to ineligible players. Kansas: Five years, two Final Fours and that magical 1988 title team. However, Brown left after that season, and the NCAA banned the 1989 team from the tournament due to improper benefits.  

Spurs: Just 38 games into his fourth season, Brown abruptly quit the Spurs and took the head coaching job for the L.A. Clippers. Clippers: After his first full season with the Clippers, Brown left to become the head coach of the Pacers. After four years in Indiana, Brown was forced out. Sixers: Brown and star guard Allen Iverson had a love-hate relationship during his six season, and Brown left the Sixers a couple years after a Finals appearance to take over in Detroit. Pistons: Brown won his first NBA title with the Pistons, becoming the only person to win NCAA and NBA titles as head coach. He only lasted two years in Motown as his flirtation with other jobs caused the team to dismiss him.

USA Basketball: Brown was head coach of the 2004 Olympic team that finished a disappointing bronze medal. Players complained about Brown and caused USA Basketball to completely revamp the program. Knicks: Brown lasted just one season with the Knicks as he led them to a horrid 23-59 record where he publicly lashed out at players and management. Bobcats: Brown clashed with management in Charlotte and resigned early in his third season in the Queen City.

SMU: Back in college, Brown resurrected the Mustangs program. However, the NCAA found Brown didn't report violations and subsequently banned SMU from postseason play. The school discovered more violations, and Brown resigned. 

For 13 seasons, Peyton Manning brought success to the Indianapolis Colts. That was until 2011 when a neck injury forced Manning to miss the entire season. The spinal fusion surgery he had made his return to the NFL up in the air. The Colts had a horrible season (2-14) and owned the No. 1 pick in the spring's draft. Andrew Luck was considered a can't-miss stud, and the team had to make a decision. With the opportunity to draft Luck and Manning due a $28M roster bonus, the team decided to part ways with its franchise player.

Upon its formation, the Big East basketball conference was one of the best ever assembled. In the 1990s, the league decided to form a football league and expanded the conference to include football-centric members (think: Miami).  In the early 2000s, the ACC lured Big East teams to join the league, which caused the Big East to invite new programs. The league was still successful, but when the ACC took Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Notre Dame from the Big East, the league struggled to find replacements and became watered down. However, the Big East still has 10 teams, including 2016 NCAA Champion Villanova.