Lawrence Phillips, College Football Star, Dies in Prison in Suspected Suicide

Gilbert Arenas' Sexist Instagram Rant

Former basketball star Arenas invoked the wrath of the WNBA when he demanded sexier female players and suggested they dress like strippers instead of "cast members from #orangeisthenewblack."

Also Read: Gilbert Arenas Slammed by WNBA for ‘Repugnant’ Rant Demanding Sexier Female Players

NBA Suspends Rajon Rondo for Homophobic Comments

The Sacramento Kings guard was punished by the league after he launched into a homophobic rant against veteran referee Bill Kennedy, who recently announced he is gay.

Also Read: NBA Suspends Rajon Rondo for Homophobic Rant Against Gay Referee

Hollywood Rips Into Ronda Rousey After UFC Loss

Not only did Rousey get her ass kicked and her championship taken by Holly Holm, she then got blasted for focusing too much on her TV and movie roles, and not enough on fighting.

Also Read: Why Ronda Rousey Couldn’t Live Up to Her Own Hollywood Hype

Bill Simmons Blasts ESPN, Again

Sportscaster Simmons' beef with ESPN went public last year when he called out network bosses over coverage of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. The feud reached a boiling point in May and the parties parted ways -- but Simmons, who has since signed with HBO, has continued to criticize his former network, especially since its closure of Grantland in October.

Also Read: Goodbye Grantland: Inside ESPN’s Decision to Kill Bill Simmons’ Site

Greg Hardy Assault Photos Spark Outrage

Eighteen months after Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy attacked his ex-girlfriend in a violent assault, police photos of her graphic injuries sent fans into a frenzy, prompting many to demand discipline from the team and the NFL.

Also Read: Shocking Photos of NFL Star Greg Hardy’s Abuse Victim Spark Online Outrage

Lamar Odom Collapses in a Nevada Brothel

Fans feared it was the end for former NBA star Odom when he was found unconscious in a brothel last October. He pulled out of a coma, but his road to recovery has been rocky as the former Laker still struggles to walk.

Also Read: Lamar Odom Hospitalized After Being Found Unconscious in Brothel

Colin Cowherd Should Cancel His Dominican Vacation

“I’ve never bought into that ‘baseball is just too complex,'” Cowherd said on his ESPN radio show in July. “A third of the sport is from the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic has not been known, in my lifetime, as having world-class academic abilities."

Also Read: Colin Cowherd Booted Early From ESPN Due to Dominican Republic Comments (Video)

Curt Schilling Benched by ESPN

The former MLB star-turned-broadcast analyst was suspended by ESPN for posting racist tweets comparing Muslims to Nazis. “It’s said only 5-10% of Muslims are extremists. In 1940, only 7% of Germans were Nazis. How’d that go?” he wrote.

Also Read: ESPN Benches Curt Schilling for Remainder of MLB Season

Jets' Geno Smith Gets Sucker-Punched

Most injuries happen on the field, but New York Jets QB Geno Smith got his jaw broken in the locker room by his own teammate following an altercation over money, $600 no less.

NASCAR Lowers the Confederate Flag

Auto racing is a sport of the South, where many people still consider the Confederate flag to be an appropriate symbol of their culture. When the controversy over the banner hit peak publicity this year, NASCAR made the tough business decision to ban it from official events.

Also Read: NASCAR to Fans: Leave Confederate Flags at Home

FIFA Playing the Bribery Game

FIFA boss Sepp Blatter finally stepped down after becoming the main figure in an enormous soccer bribery scandal -- but it took a hell of a lot of media backlash to dethrone the futbol king.

Also Read: Sepp Blatter to Resign as FIFA President

Keith Olbermann's Un-Happy Valley

A Penn State student tweeted the sports anchor a link to an article about the school’s fundraising efforts to fight pediatric cancer, which included the school rallying cry “We Are…”

Olbermann responded “…pitiful,” which angry tweeters took as a criticism of the school’s philanthropy efforts. As for why he called the charitable cause “pitiful,” the anchor said it was a simple rushed mistake, while saying social media is used as an alternative to “Wild West saloon brawling.”

Also Read: Keith Olbermann Suspended by ESPN for Penn State Tweets

Warren Sapp Rushes the Passer, Walks the Street

Warren Sapp was arrested for soliciting a prostitute in 2015, hence his sad mugshot to the left. That frown was most definitely not turned upside-down when the former NFL great was canned by the NFL network.

Also Read: NFL Network Fires Warren Sapp After Alleged Solicitation of Prostitute (Updated)

Everyone's Talking About Tom Brady's Balls

Yes, Deflategate was 2015 -- even though it feels like years ago by this point. Brady allegedly instructed the New England Patriots' equipment manager to deflate his footballs, allowing for ease of passing and catching. He was initially suspended for four games, but that later was overruled by a federal judge.

Also Read: Tom Brady’s ‘Deflategate’ Suspension Overturned

Jim Rome Is Burning About "Dorks"

During the big College Football Playoff bowl games on New Year’s Day, sportscaster Rome wrote on Twitter: “Is there anyone not in a marching band who thinks those dorks running around with their instruments are cool?” Apparently, there were lots of people who felt “those dorks” were cool, and that Rome’s comment was not.

Also Read: CBS Sports Radio Host Jim Rome Calls College Marching Band Members ‘Dorks’ on Twitter, Apologizes