Trash Talking

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

Trash talking.

Ya'll know what I'm talking about.

If you are the one delivering it, it can be one of the funnest things about basketball. If you're the one receiving it, it can be one of the most motivating things (or difficult if he's talking AND backing it up on you) that can get your adrenaline going to where you light them up.

But most of all, if you aren't even playing but are just listening it is one of the most hilarious and entertaining things.

Who, in your mind, are the greatest trash talkers of all-time?

What's your favorite trash talking story (something funny someone was saying to someone else in a game)?

What about heckling? Have you ever heckled anyone at a game?

 

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

The greats that immediately come to mind...

CHUCK PERSON. Gary Payton. Larry Bird. DeShawn Stevenson (saying LeBron James is over-rated when he's scoring 50 points on him in the playoffs). Robin Ficker...

I remember the Celtics playing the Lakers when Vlade Divac was a rookie. Larry Bird made some kind of a play and scored all over Vlade and he looks over at him, gets an "And 1" and as he's walking to the free throw line goes "Hey Vlade. Welcome to America." That one was good...

Michael dunking on Stockton and Karl Malone telling him "Pick on someone your own size" then him dunking on Mel Turpin and saying "Was he big enough?"

Hmm....basically anything on the old Secret NBA video.

Of course though some of the greatest trash talking comes from fans in the stands.

I was sitting in the 6th row one night when the Cavaliers were in town and this guy two rows in front was riding Lamond Murray the whole game.

I won't communicate what he said to him that night but he was using some very colorful words. Just mean, unneccesary stuff. Talking about him, talking about his mom, talking about his weight, talking about Cal, talking about him missing shots...saying "Murraaaaaay! Murraaaaaaay Murraaaaaaay!" everytime he came down the floor...i felt bad for the man.

I seriously thought that either security was going to eject the moron from the game or that Murray himself would enter the stands and proceed to beating this guy down. But it didnt happen.

Finally, Murray had enough and he glared at him and shook his fist in his direction and that's pretty much when he stopped heckling Lamond Murray; believe you me. It surprised me because Murray's a nice guy but that night everyone in my section saw him flash the red eye at this clown and we saw the devil in him. It was one of the scariest things I've ever seen...still gives me chills to this day. Lamond Murray is a nice guy but he's scary when he's that mad.

And actually...yeah I have heckled a player before. Nothing profane or mean-spirited but just sarcastic and in a brotherly kind of way.

Once I shouted Kobe's name from 6 rows away and tried to throw him off a little bit (no way he didn't hear me) but that's not heckling...

The only time I heckled a guy was at a hockey game. Some friends had season tickets right on the ice behind the goalie (sweet seats!) and after they scored two or three times on Marty Turco I got carried away, along with everyone else and rode him. He just stood there shaking his head and rolling his eyes after I said whatever I said (can't remember what it was).

 

[flipcyde23]

Michael Jordan. Reggie Miller. Charles Barkley. Larry Bird. Gary Payton. come to mind.

 

[clonetrooper264]

MJ for sure. Definitely the Glove as well. And half the people I play pickup ball with lol.

 

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

We've gotta put Pfeiffer on this list too. Have you heard his show? He has at least 12 lines a show that just makes you go "Ouch. Glad he isn't talking to me."

He's the only guy on this forum who could go on that MTV show "Yo Mama." He would win that show and make those other guys cry.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Frank Breakfast-Styleham wrote:

We've gotta put Pfeiffer on this list too. Have you heard his show? He has at least 12 lines a show that just makes you go "Ouch. Glad he isn't talking to me."

He's the only guy on this forum who could go on that MTV show "Yo Mama." He would win that show and make those other guys cry.

+1 in nonexistent karma for you Frank. Fred could definitely talk some serious trash.

 

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

I remember Chuck Person scoring all over this guy and after getting an And One said "You gotta play some betta' defense than that!" on his way to the line.

Since i grew up watching Person and Barkley and Bird and guys like that, to this day i still talk. I'm the kind of guy who never stops talking - the whole game i'm talking trash.

 

[Brad Miller Passmaster]

During one game on Christmas Day against the Indiana Pacers, before the game Bird told Chuck Person that he had a Christmas present waiting for him. During the game, when Person was on the bench, Bird shot a three-pointer on the baseline right in front of Person. Immediately after releasing the ball, Bird said to Person, "Merry fuckin' Christmas!", and then the shot went in.


I love hearing stories of trash talking by the greats but don't do it myself unless I'm playing a game against close friends or against someone who doesn't shut up to me. I've never played against a trash talker who didn't totally suck or who wasn't doing it to try to look like a man because he was getting torched. It's pretty lame, really, unless you do it with a light-heartedness.

 

[MADman24]

I love to talk trash but I always do it playfully and because I'm so thin I do the most trash talking in the post against much bigger players and I frequently yell when I get a rebound with no one in the hole like I snatched it away from Rodman. Despite my talk I am annoyed by people who are serious about their trash talk but I'm more annoyed off the court because during the game it has no effect on me.

As far as NBA guys I have to give the nod to Shaq as the all time best off the court with my one of my many favorites being "I'm playing like Eric Dampier". On the court I can't think of anyone currently but of course MJ and Bird are some of the all-time greats.

 

[Newskoolbulls]

Did you guys ever see the footage of MJ trash talking to Lindsay Hunter? It was druing the 95-96 season. Lindsay was bringing the ball up and Mike was saying come on I will give you the jumper, take it, and Lindsay passes. Mike says oh you didnt want it. Lmao.