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Comparing Bryan Price’s tirade to epic sports rants throughout history

By Stanford Crissey

Jul 10, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price, left, talks with right fielder Skip Schumaker, right, in the second inning during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 10, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price, left, talks with right fielder Skip Schumaker, right, in the second inning during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /
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Reds manager Bryan Price went on a legendary tirade yesterday. Let’s compare it to more epic sports rants from the past

With seven losses in the past eight games, Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price had apparently reached a breaking point. A seemingly innocent report that catcher Devin Mesoraco did not travel with the team to St. Louis over the weekend ended up setting off the powder keg.

This report led Price to go on a legendary tirade, unleashing 77 f-words in just five and a half minutes, or one every 4.33 seconds (h/t SB Nation for the calculations).

Here’s a sample of Price’s rant:

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Price apparently took exception to the media reporting things about his team, which in his second season as manager shouldn’t exactly be new to him. He seems to have a strange idea of what baseball reporter’s jobs are, at one point telling them “your job isn’t to sniff out every f—- little thing that is about the Reds and f—– put it out there for every other f—- guy to hear. It’s not your job.”

That’s really going to disappoint some Cincinnati beat writers. They thought they had their jobs all figured out, but oh no, here comes Bryan Price to throw a wrench into things. Now they’ll need to go back to covering parades.

Price’s rant will immediately earn him a place in the pantheon of great sports rants. So how does it compare to some of the more memorable tirades in sports history? Let’s take a look.

1. Mike Gundy’s “I’m a man! I’m 40!”

This one is just incredible. Gundy was upset about an article in the Oklahoman, arguing for a quarterback change and alleging that QB Bobby Reid was “scared.” Gundy took offense, and unleashed a legendary tirade against the media for coming after an amateur athlete, capped, of course, by his legendary line, “I’m a man! I’m 40!” Gundy later tried to trademark the phrase.

How Price’s rant compares: There’s just no topping this one. Gundy got a round of applause from the media as he left; this tirade sounded like a scripted moment in a dramatic sports movie, not a postgame press conference. Where’s Gundy’s Oscar?

2. John Chaney goes after John Calipari

Chaney, Temple’s head coach, apparently believed that Calipari (then of UMass) was manipulating the referees in this 1994 game, and took it to heart, physically going after Calipari while the opposing coach held a press conference. While being restrained by security, Chaney shouted, “When I see you, I’m gonna kick your ass!” then began to repeatedly yell, “I’ll kill you!”

How Price’s rant compares: Price didn’t go after or physically threaten any of the media members at his press conference, so it’ll have to remain a cut below this one.

3. Dennis Green, “They are who we thought they were!”

Some coaches could do anything; win five championships, become the greatest coach in the history of their sport. But when a rant like this is part of their career, you know what they’ll be remembered for. And for Dennis Green, his memorable, angry “they are who we thought they were” press conference remains his best known moment.

How Price’s rant compares: Unfortunately Price is missing that singular catch phrase. The best rants have one particular memorable line, but Price doesn’t have one, so he can’t match Green here.

4. Royals coach Hal McRae goes off on the media:

This one is actually very similar to the Price rant; both coaches were angry about perceived “stupid questions” from the media. McRae’s does feature him throwing all the reporters’ equipment off the table and ending with a fantastic “put that in your f—- pipe and smoke it!”

How Price’s rant compares: They’re at about the same level. Price doesn’t have as strong of an ending phrase, but he does have the remarkable curse words per minute record that other ranting coaches will now be striving for.

5. Allen Iverson’s “practice” rant

One minute, 39 seconds. Allen Iverson managed to say “we’re talkin’ about practice,”15 times and “not the game” eight times. Unlike these other rants, Iverson wasn’t angry; he was just a little incredulous that people were asking him about practice. Not the game. Practice.

How Price’s rant compares: No one can top this.

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