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Over the weekend, you probably spotted many fascinating characters dressed from head to toe in the spirit of Halloween. In the sports world, we’ve been blessed with many characters who, unlike us, don’t need heavy makeup, fake hair or slutty get-ups to attract the wildest of reactions.
With too many to list off, a notable few deserve recognition during the time of year where outrageous equals approval.
Mike Tyson
One of the most dominant heavyweight champions of all time, boxer Mike Tyson is know for his antics outside of the ring rather than for his right hook inside it. After compiling a group of devastating victories, Tyson lost his title against underdog Buster Douglas in 1990.
In 1992 Tyson went to jail for sexually assaulting Desiree Washington. In his defense, Tyson responded to the allegations, “Anyone with a grain of sense would know that if I punched my wife I would rip her head off. It’s all lies. I have never laid a finger on her.”
After serving his three-year sentence, Tyson regained his championship crown before losing it to Evander Holyfield. In the rematch, Tyson infamously bit a portion of Holyfield’s ear off, earning him a disqualification.
Leading up to his final championship bout, Tyson had this to say about his opponent, Lennox Lewis: “Lennox Lewis, I’m coming for you man. My style is impetuous. My defense is impregnable, and I’m just ferocious. I want your heart. I want to eat his children. Praise be to Allah.”
Tyson’s defense did, in fact, get knocked up, as Lewis easily retained his championship.
Although his boxing career is (hopefully) over, Tyson remains in the spotlight, most recently by appearing as himself in a fantastic cameo in “The Hangover.”
Regardless of all the biting, threats of eating an opponent’s offspring and his signature facial tattoo, Tyson has somehow gained a favorable image from the public since his boxing days ended.
Al Davis
The longtime owner of the Oakland Raiders, Davis runs a team whose fans dress like it’s Halloween for every game, sporting black and silver face paint and spiked shoulder pads.
However, the costume award goes to the owner himself, who looks so much like a zombie that it’s very possible he could have died four years ago, and with the way the Raiders have played in recent memory, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to find out that their owner is no longer living.
Dennis Rodman
The king of bizarre athletes, Rodman gained athletic fame first as a “Bad Boy” with the late ’80s Detroit Piston teams. Rodman became a household name after joining the Chicago Bulls and becoming the comic relief for the all-business Bulls led by Michael Jordan.
On the court, Rodman was known for being one of the most tenacious rebounders the game has ever seen, while sporting some of the wildest hairdos ever donned by an athlete. Often dyed an array of colors, Rodman’s hair was a visual treat every night.
Rodman garnered attention off the court by marrying “Baywatch” star Carmen Electra, then walking around in public in full drag – wedding dress included.
It could be argued, that no one combined the skills on the court with the unorthodox behavior off it as well as Rodman. Regarded as one of the greatest rebounders of all time, Rodman was also a high-profile personality away from the court.
We tend to treat Halloween as an opportunity to dress up and become someone other than ourselves. For these three, eve
