By Lang Whitaker, SI.com
When the Dodgers and Phillies almost came to blows this weekend, it turned out the players weren't the ones most in danger of losing their cool: It was assistant coaches Davy Lopes and Larry Bowa. It was also Bowa, you may recall, who was suspended three games earlier this season after being ejected for ignoring an umpire's warnings not to leave the third base coaching box. As integral as assistant coaches are, one of the key elements of their job description is to stay out of the headlines. Most do, some don't. Here's our list of the five most infamous assistant coaches ...
1. Don Zimmer: Just ask Pedro Martinez.
2. Rick Mahorn: The former Bad Boy was known as a physical player during his years with the Pistons. But this past WNBA season, as an assistant with the Detroit Shock, Mahorn set a new standard when he got tangled up with L.A.'s Lisa Leslie during a bench-clearing brawl.
3. Rick Tocchet: After a long career in the NHL, Tocchet was working as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Coyotes when he was accused of helping finance a nationwide gambling ring.
4. Joe Cullen: The defensive line coach for the Detroit Lions is probably better known for allegedly hitting a Wendy's drive-through window while under in the influence. Also, he was nude.
5. Dwane Casey: The former Kentucky assistant was essentially exiled from basketball for years after he was implicated in a recruiting scandal involving Chris Mills. Casey later made it back and had two runs as a head coach in the NBA.
Who is your favorite infamous assistant coach? Let us know below ...
Lang Whitaker is the executive editor of SLAM magazine and writes daily at SLAMonline.com.
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Comments (15) Add A Comment
How in the world can you forget Buddy Ryan and Kevin Gilbride when they were in Houston
habsjets&jays
Halifax, NS
Total Comments (18)
Love the Tocchet pick.
Redwing19: MARCH…
Ottawa, ON
Total Comments (3160)
I'm surprised Mahorn skated as easily as he did. i saw the fight. He rushed over and chest bumped a woman he has 5 inches and nearly 200 pounds on, knocking her to the ground. Can you imagine the melee that would have resulted if he tried a move like that in an NBA game?
damienw
Kingston , WA
Total Comments (68)
That was the first thing that popped in my mind.
knightmese
Dallas , TX
Total Comments (13)
Norm Chow comes to mind. It seems like he's been interviewed a dozen times for head coaching positions, but he always ends up as an assistant. Of the top 30 single season passing yardage leaders in I-A college football history, 13 of them had Chow as their offensive coordinator.
KingYaz
Total Comments (143)
But then again, I just realized you were looking for infamous & Chow doesn't qualify.
KingYaz
Total Comments (143)
Never forget Pedro and Zimmer.. CLASSIC...
drj0514
Total Comments (3907)
kurt rambis, tree rollins, don mattingly, kareem abdul jabbar, the entire van gundy family, larry bowa and i can go on.
Rey's crew
Charlotte , NC
Total Comments (47)
Ernie Stautner. Years in Landry's shadow, yet he was the architect of the great Doomsday defenses.
krewd
Denver , CO
Total Comments (1)
I almost forgot what a piece of trash Pedro is.
Ice Man
Total Comments (1)
In fairness to Pedro (who is not a Citizen of the Year by any stretch), Don Zimmer came out of the dugout and was headhunting. If you watch the video, Don was clearly came out swinging at Pedro, who put him on the ground in a way where no one was really physically hurt. Yeah, Pedro shouldn't have to worry about a guy who's 50+ years older than him, but imagine how angry people would have been if Don had finished swinging and Pedro hit back?
bbkld5
Total Comments (60)
Pedro and Zimmer still have the top billing. I don't think anyone will ever top that! Gotta love the old guys who still have the brass ones to take it to the field!
diamondgirl121506
Spring , TX
Total Comments (2)
I'm sort of partial to forty-something Nolan Ryan bating the hell out of Robin Ventura.
Nam Vet2
Rosamond , CA
Total Comments (258)
Sorry, I meant "beating the hell out of Robin Ventura.""
Nam Vet2
Rosamond , CA
Total Comments (258)
I am laughing my a*s off just thinking of that highlight video of Ryan. What's worse is, at the time, I thought it was going to be Ventura beating up the old man. That a*s whooping is Ventura's legacy as a major leaguer. Sad...so sad. Guy was a solid ballplayer.
Blood Type_Mets+
Fort George G Meade , MD
Total Comments (4)
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