We all know teams are like a family. If you ask most athletes, the thing they miss the most about getting traded, or leaving the game altogether, is the camaraderie with their other family – their team. You have to remember these guys play together, eat together, and do pretty much everything together during the season. Although most of the time everything is great, sometimes tempers can get the best of everyone and the fist start flying. They may be brothers on the field of play, but sometimes sibling rivalries pop up, just like in real life. It’s the nature of the beast in competitive sports. Here are ten teammate confrontations that you might have never heard about or even completely forgotten.
10. Renaldo Balkman and Arwind Santos
Remember when Latrell Spreewell grabbed coach PJ Carlesimo’s throat? Well, former New York Knicks first-round draft pick Renaldo Balkman one-upped that moment of stupidity in a Philippine Basketball Association game. After dominating Alaska during the Petron Blaze Boosters’ playoff run, Balkman lost it when their winning streak was coming to an end. Frustrated throughout the game, Balkman snapped with 21.6 seconds remaining. After being called for a foul, he confronted all three referees and made contact with each one of them. His assistant coach, Biboy Ravanes, and teammate Ronald Tubid tried to calm the big man down. But there was no stopping this rage and they were shoved away as well. Enter Arwind Santos, the team’s co-captain. Santos intervened and attempted to calm things down while sticking his arm out. Again Balkman pushed his teammate.This time Santos pushed back, and before he knew it, Balkman grabbed at his neck and looked like he was going to choke slam his captain. Teammates and coaches had to come in and separate the two players, before Balkman was finally calmed down and was subbed out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=53&v=0bmGR2YDa1I Screenshot via YouTube