Top 5 Minnesota Sports Villains Of All Time
From arrogant pretty boys and pregnant lady kickers, to faux mooners and Kardashian accessories, Minnesota has had its share of athletic rapscallions.
Isaiah "J.R." Rider
Rider is perhaps the most notorious and troubled player to ever don a Timberwolves uniform, which he wore from 1993 till 1997.
He gained the adoration of NBA and Wolves fans alike when he won the 1994 NBA Slam Dunk Contest at Target Center, unveiling his "East Bay Funk Dunk."
But he blew a lot of that goodwill just one month later. After a sports bar called to chide him for not showing up at a sponsored event, he decided to show up -- and kick the bar's pregnant manager in the back, which led to an assault conviction.
A drug conviction and a brief jail sentence followed, as did a championship ring with the Lakers, despite his exclusion from the roster in the playoffs.
Oh, and did we mention his foray into the music world? (WARNING: contains strong language).
Christian Laettner
By the time Laettner made his NBA debut with the Timberwolves in 1992, the Duke University legend was already one of the most hated personalities in American sports.
He was tall, handsome, seemingly privileged (even though he came from a working-class family) -- and remarkably arrogant.
Two things cannot be denied about this New Yorker: He is perhaps one of the greatest players in college basketball history, and his on-court trash-talking reputation rivaled that of Michael Jordan, and it wasn't confined to just his opponents.
His comfort with his own villainous reputation has made him a perennial focus of haters around the world, re-spiking each year on social media during March Madness.
Randy Moss
Moss is villainous in the minds of Green Bay Packer fans, who witnessed the legendary wide receiver's simulated mooning at Lambeau Field in 2005.
Minnesotans, however, fondly remember Moss for the gesture, and the iconic catchphrase he uttered to a journalist who asked him how he planned to pay the $10,000 fine issued by the NFL.
"Straight cash, homie," Moss replied.
He returned to the Vikings after a six-year absence in 2010, only to be waived a few weeks later after publicly criticizing Coach Brad Childress -- who himself was booted by the team 20 days later.
Brett Favre
Vikings fans spent 15 years hating "The Gunslinger" during his tenure with the Green Bay Packers.
But they were oddly delighted when Favre joined the Purple People Eaters in 2009, and then were downright honored when he decided to end his career with the team in 2010.
Minnesotans were also grateful that he left his sexting tenancies in New York.
Kris Humphries
Kris has yet to play with a professional Minnesota team, but the Twin Cities native has certainly drawn the ire of sports fans since his brief time with the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 2003-2004 season.
Some fans and critics felt Humphries wasn't much of a team player, opting to steal the spotlight for himself instead of helping out his struggling program. He was drafted by the Utah Jazz after just one season with the Gophers in 2004.
He didn't make too many waves until he became romantically involved with Kim Kardashian in 2010, spreading Humphries hatred around the globe in the process.
