Joe Montana Gets Up in Our Grill (XB360)

Joe Montana, football legend turned product pitchman, glared at me, his face was inches my nose. "Joe Cool" was clearly not happy -- but why? A security guard, sensing the pending confrontation, made his way towards me -- but would he get there in time?

It all started innocently enough at EA Sports' 14th Madden Bowl, held on January 31 at the Martini Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. Scores of pro football players, including Chad Johnson and Laurence Maroney, attended the event to compete in a live Madden NFL 08 tournament.

The free-flowing booze and photo ops drew the attention of other famous faces, including former NBA superstar Dennis Rodman, ESPN's Chris Berman and Hall of Famer Joe Montana who, with bodyguard in tow, shook many hands before sitting down with a few friends.

Since the party was a media event (athletes hammed it up for the cameras all night long), I took three photos of Montana for my Madden Bowl recap story. I then turned away to check my work, surprised to find the football icon missing from the last photo.

It only took a second to realize where he'd gone. Montana was behind me, bumping into me to get my attention. Startled, I turned to see a stone-faced Joe who looked at me with disdain before asking, "Do you have a fucking problem?" I politely shook my head, and said I didn't know that I wasn't allowed to take pictures of him.

Montana mumbled something incoherently before security jumped in between us and led him back to his couch. Meanwhile, I processed what'd happened. Holy crap, Joe Montana, four time Super Bowl champion and role model, had gotten up in my grill!

I was instantly glad I've never idolized Montana, because in a matter of seconds, he could've screwed a significant portion of my childhood. Here's Joe Montana, dropping the f-bomb on me because I took his picture, something other people had been doing all night – not to mention his entire career.

For all I know, Joe could have a condition in which flashes do terrible damage to his skin, and if that's the case, then it all makes sense. But until the world hears Joe Montana's explanation of why he thinks he can somehow avoid the price one pays for being a celebrity, then he's just another disappointing case of a famous athlete acting like a huge jerk.