Top Ten Opponent Baiters

[notsosilentbob]

1. John Aldridge to Brian Laws - 1989
You've just scored an own goal in an FA Cup semi-final, it seems like you will never make it to the (then) biggest game in the English football calendar. Do you really need the opposition striker to rub your head to say well done? Nice touch John!

2. Thierry Henry to Chris Kirkland - 2007
Henry didn't quite do the Aldridge thing after Fitz Hall put through his own net for an Arsenal equaliser, but by handing the ball to Chris Kirkland in reference to his supposed time wasting earlier in the game he left a bad taste in the mouth of most onlookers. One imagines he would have taken it just as well if Junior Belletti had handed him the ball in the Champions League final in reference to the three one-on-ones he missed.

3. Martin Keown to Ruud Van Nistelrooy - 2003
There have been many scary sights in football, but few more than a jubilant (though he didn't really look it) Keown leaping at Van Nistelrooy after he had missed a penalty against Arsenal.

4. Alf Inge Haaland and Roy Keane - 1997 and 2001
A case of what goes around comes around? When Keane snapped his cruciate ligament against Leeds at Elland Road (lets not forget, after kicking out at David Weatherall), Haaland told him to stop feigning injury while he was on the floor writhing in agony. Keane saw his chance for revenge when Haaland later faced him playing for Manchester City. The United captain committed a horrible stamp on Haaland's knee that earned himself a red card, not before he repeated Haaland's earlier insult.

5. Muhammad Ali to Ernie Terrell - 1967
Terrell made the mistake of calling Ali 'Clay' before the fight, a reference to his previous name, Cassius Clay. He certainly was not the only fighter to do this, but Ali made a point of punishing Terrell, prolonging a beating until the referee stopped the fight in the 15th round, all the while shouting 'What's My Name?'

6. Terrell Owens dancing on the Dallas Star - 2000
T.O. has created more controversy than any current NFL player and loves to annoy opposition players and crowds. Most famously, while playing for the San Francisco 49ers on two occasions he celebrated a touchdown by dancing on the Dallas Star in the middle of the pitch. On the second occasion Dallas safety George Teague made himself a local hero by blindsiding Owens and sending him to the turf. Owens would join Dallas in 2006.

7. Nigel Winterburn to Brian McClair - 1988
Of course, Keown was not the first Arsenal play to goad a Manchester United forward for missing a spot kick. After McClair failed to convert from 12 yards in an FA Cup tie at Highbury, Winterburn gave him a gobful that sowed the seeds for the 21-man 'brawl' in the Battle of Old Trafford two years later.

8. Naseem Hamed-Vincenzo Belcastro - 1994
This was the first time Naseem fought for a title, contesting Belcastro's European belt, and for many the first time they had seen him on national television. For 11 rounds he dazzled, toying with his experienced opponent before the last round where he tried to mimic Sugar Ray Leonard against Marvin Hagler, doing laps of the ring backwards while jutting his chin out. It was the first of many occasions that he would draw the ire of the boxing purist.

9. Jason McAteer to Roy Keane - 2002
This was the first time the two had come together since Keane left the Ireland camp prior to the 2002 World Cup. The Manchester United capatain had since drawn criticism by making capital out of the situation in his controversial autobiography. After he got booked in this match, the two exchanged a little trash talk and McAteer stood behind the ref mimicked a writing motion. The jibes worked as Keane was sent off for a flailing arm aimed at his former teammate later in the game.

10. Shane Warne to Andrew Hudson 1994
Sledging is more common prior to a wicket than after it. Not on this occasion, just a year after the 'Gatting ball', Warne's first brush with infamy came as he gave the God-fearing Hudson an unholy mouthful after finally dismissing him. Warne was fined for his actions and later listed the incident as one of his greatest regrets - and he had a few.

[Source - sky sports]

[Detomah]

Surely this should be number 1:

Crystal Palace fan to Eric Cantona



Or my favourite:

Roy Keane v Alan Shearer



Love how afraid Shearer looks.

[-Honchy-]

Tbh I give Shearer the edge in that fight... don't know why, just think it'd be Keane running in doing all the gob-work and Shearer just knocking him down.

[MaKo]

Almost all the best baiting comes from sledging. Got a list somewhere lemme find...

[MaKo]

1. Rod Marsh & Ian Botham:
When Botham took guard in an Ashes match,
Marsh welcomed him to the wicket with the immortal words: "So how's your
wife & my kids?"

> 2. Daryll Cullinan & Shane Warne:
As Cullinan was on his way to the
wicket, Warne told him he had been waiting 2 years for another chance to humiliate him. "Looks like you spent it eating," Cullinan retorted.

3. Glenn McGrath (bowling to portly Zimbabwean chicken farmer Eddo
Brandes):
"Hey Eddo, why are you so F**ing Fat?"
Eddo Brandes: "Because everytime I F*** your wife, she throws me a biscuit"

4. Robin Smith & Merv Hughes:
During 1989 Lords Test Hughes said to Smith
after he played & missed:"You can't f**king bat". Smith to Hughes after he smacked him to the boundary: "Hey Merv, we make a fine pair. I can't f**king bat & you can't f**king bowl."

5. Merv Hughes & Javed Miandaduring 1991 Adelaide Test, Javed called Merv a fat bus conductor. A few balls later Merv dismissed Javed:
"Tickets please", Merv called out as he ran past the departing batsman.

6. Merv Hughes & Viv Richards:
During a test match in the West Indies, Hughes didn't say a word to Viv, but continued to stare at him after
deliveries. "This is my island, my culture. Don't you be staring at me.
In my culture we just bowl." Merv didn't reply, but after he dismissed him he announced to the batsman: "In my culture we just say f**k *ff."

7. And of course you can't forget Ian Healy's legendary comment which was picked up by the Channel 9 microphones when Arjuna Ranatunga called for a runner on a particularly hot night during a one dayer in Sydney...
"You don't get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat c**t!!!"

8. James Ormond had just come out to bat on an ashes tour and was greeted by Mark Waugh....... MW : "F*ck me, look who it is. Mate, what are you doing out here, there's no way you're good enough to play for
England " JO : "Maybe not, but at least i'm the best player in my family"

9. McGrath to Ramnaresh Sarwan:
"So what does Brian Lara's d*ck taste like?"
Sarwan: "I don't know. Ask your wife."
McGrath (losing it): "If you ever effing mention my wife again, I'll F*ing rip your F*fing throat out."

10. Mark Waugh standing at second slip, the new player (Adam Parore) comes to the crease playing & missing the first ball. Mark "Ohh, I remember you from a couple years ago in Australia. You were sh*t then, you're fu*king useless now".
Parore- (Turning around) "Yeah, that's me & when I was there you were going out with that old, ugly sl*t & now I hear you've married her. You dumb c*nt".

11. Yet another Australian witticism with this time porky Sri Lankan batsman Arjuna Ranatunga the victim. Shane Warne, trying to tempt the batsman out of his crease mused what it took to get the plump character to get out of his crease and drive. Wicketkeeper Ian Healy piped up,
"Put a Mars Bar on a good length. That should do it."

12. Ravi shastri v/s the aussie 12th man (don't remember who, and don't want to slander anyone )
shastri hits it to this guy and looks for a single...this guy gets the ball in and says "if you leave the crease i'll break your f***ing head"
Shastri: "if you could bat as well as you can talk you wouldn't be the f***ing 12th man"

13. Malcolm Marshall was bowling to David Boon who had played and missed a couple of times.
Marshall : "Now David, Are you going to get out now
or am I going to have to bowl around the wicket and kill you?"

14. Fred Trueman bowling. The batsman edges and the ball goes to first slip,and right between Raman Subba Row's legs. Fred doesn't say a word.
At the end of the over, Row ambles past Trueman and apologises sheepishly. "I should've kept my legs together, Fred". "So should your mother" he replied.

And the classic...

'Batsman, you got a bit of **** on the end of your bat'

at which point the batsman will always look at the toe of the bat. followed up by

'No, not that end.'