Trash-talking is like 40% of competitive sports. No matter what level of play, be it pee-wee, high school or college, half the battle of winning a game is getting inside of the other player’s head. Nothing will mess up your game-winning shot more than having your opponent keep reminding you that he fucked your mom. That just digs in there and lives between the left and right halves of your brain. You’ll never not be able to imagine that sweaty kid in the mansweater wooing your mom. You’ll never play the same again. The kid ruined you, and with only 40% of his total effort.
So I always think it’s nice to see that the gabbing doesn’t stop in the pros. Both amongst players as well as refs and coaches. We’ve already seen the refs talking smack to the players during this year’s NHL Stanley Cup Playoff, but now (thankfully), we get everyone tossing on a mic through all every series.