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Matt Cooke and 10 Athletes Who Should Be Banned From Their Sports

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By @nick_villano

Matt Cooke and 10 Athletes Who Should Be Banned From Their Sports

Matt Cooke Dirty
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

There are so many players who are considered "dirty" in their respective sport. There are players who try to hurt others, and then there are players who just make their teams and their sport look bad. There is just no room in sports for these kinds of players. These 10 should just retire.

10. Richie Incognito

Richie Incognito
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10. Richie Incognito

Richie Incognito
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Richie Incognito was known as a dirty player and overall bad guy prior to this season. After the turmoil he caused the Miami Dolphins and Jonathan Martin, he should just separate himself from the sport. The story of bullying and racism took over the airwaves to the point of nausea. I am sure that most sports fans would not be upset if Incognito went away for good.

9. James Neal

James Neal
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9. James Neal

James Neal
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Do you find a cross-check to the head a dirty play? What about a knee to the head while someone is on all fours? Blind-side hits? Cheap shots? James Neal is guilty of all of the above. He is one of the dirtiest players in the game. He shows no mercy when going after his opponents. It seems he doesn't care about the health of his fellow players. There is making a point, and then there is James Neal.

8. James Harrison

James Harrison
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8. James Harrison

James Harrison
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James Harrison is not the dominant force he used to be. He has been known to be a headhunter, and has frequented Roger Goodell's doghouse. While not all fines were deserved, he is a dirty player. He has caused dozens of concussions in his career. His status as a free agent shows that maybe his time in the NFL is over.

7. Ndamukong Suh

Ndamukong Suh
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7. Ndamukong Suh

Ndamukong Suh
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You probably knew you were going to see Ndamukong Suh on this list sooner or later. When you literally stomp on a guy, you are going to get people calling for your exile from the league. He needs to get his act together, and fast.

6. Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez
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6. Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez
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There is nobody left in Alex Rodriguez's corner. His team doesn't want him there. His coaches don't seem to want the headache. His teammates are sick of everything that comes with him being on the team. The fans want nothing to do with him. His latest suspension will go through this season. He still has a few years left on his contract. He is a media circus on two legs.

5. Todd Bertuzzi

Todd Bertuzzi
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5. Todd Bertuzzi

Todd Bertuzzi
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This is due to what happened to Steve Moore. He has yet to be able to play hockey since the ugly incident that broke his neck. Forced retirement should have been the punishment to Todd Bertuzzi. He will probably retire after the season, but it is a decade too late.

4. John Scott

John Scott
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4. John Scott

John Scott
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There just isn't room in the NHL for a "goon." It had a place in the game for years, but not anymore. That is all John Scott brings to the game. He is there to fight people and hurt people. These kinds of players might be what is keeping the NHL out of the mainstream.

3. Aldon Smith

Aldon Smith

3. Aldon Smith

Aldon Smith
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There comes a time when an athlete's attitude and drama outweighs the talent he brings to a team. Talking about a bomb in an airport is that point for anyone. Aldon Smith is too much of a headache for John Harbaugh and the rest of the San Francisco 49ers.

2. Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett
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2. Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett
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It is hard to say this about a future Hall-of-Famer, but Kevin Garnett still seems to act like he did when he was one of the best in the NBA. He is still trash talking and going over the line. He will talk down to his teammates and hurt the locker room. Luckily, the Nets are veteran laden and they get it. There still isn't room for Garnett in the league.

1. Matt Cooke

Matt Cooke
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1. Matt Cooke

Matt Cooke
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The NHL cannot allow players to continue to work for the league if they are hurting others on a yearly basis. It is one thing to hurt someone on clean hits, but to repeatedly get into trouble for playing dirty should mean the player being shown the door. Matt Cooke is the dirtiest player in North American sports. There is no more room for him in the NHL.

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