Sports is a business, and that is a fact of life.
Emotional ties and longstanding bonds in the sports world take a backseat in the modern day to the bottom line of what’s best for the team, and occasionally that ends up with some odd results. When a player like Johnny Damon crosses sides and goes to the Yankees, that invokes an emotional reaction from the fans, regardless of the business side of sports.
But what about the players themselves? How do they get along when thrown into the same clubhouse as a former mortal enemy?
That’s the scenario Kevin Youkilis now finds himself in after accepting a one-year, $12 million deal with New York. All the way back in 2007, Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain threw at Youkilis twice during one at-bat starting a feud that has lasted since. Of course, being teammates seems to solve everything, and since Youkilis’ signing Chamberlain has already called up the former Red Sox infielder to smooth the waters.
But that’s a real-life oddball scenario which made us wonder, what other New England sport-related combinations could we come up with? And what would be the most bizarre?
The most recent example is the shoving match between Kris Humphries and Rajon Rondo, which resulted in a two-game suspension for Rondo, and a lot of harsh words for Humphries. Tom Brady and Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs have a longstanding war of words that goes back years. And, finally, Zdeno Chara nearly faced criminal charges for a hit he put on Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty almost two years ago, and there’s been no love lost since.
So what do you think; which of these four pairs would (or do) make the oddest teammates?
