In 2011, fans made hundreds of animated GIFs of the best, worst, silliest, and most amazing moments in the world of sports. Here are the 50 greatest animations we saw all year.
Jan 4, 2012 -
One moment, the guy in the blue shirt and khakis was mingling. The next, he was reclined over the front seat of a utility cart. "Pfffft y'all trippin', I gotta bounce. AUTOCART GO!" Nobody was seriously injured here, which makes this the most ballin' exit of all time.
Or at least, it would have been. As field staffers raced to his aid, his mind raced desperately to come up with the ballin-est accompanying rap jam he could think of. Something to really complete the moment. Unfortunately, this was the only rap he knew.
The greatest opportunities are wasted on the unprepared. Pity.
(Via Jagfire from the Something Awful forums)
This throw was supposed to slice through spacetime, creating a wormhole through which Robert Griffin III could enter his native dimension, the Griffin Continuum, in which he and the 73 other Roberts Griffin could use their limitless powers to rule the universe with a just hand. But he missed his chance and now he is confined forever to Earth, where the Winters are cold and the cable television packages cannot be broken up a la carte. You would despair, too.
(Via River Avenue Blues)
A cautionary lesson to clubhouse managers: make sure you stock enough baseballs. Because if you don't, suddenly it's the ninth inning and you're out of baseballs, and the game has to be played with one of those bouncing dots that appear above lyrics in sing-alongs.
Unfortunately for the Yankees' infield, the bouncing sing-along dot was borrowed from this song.
(Via Baseball Nation's Jeff Sullivan)
A less biased curator of this list might not rank this so highly. As for myself, I had to fight the urge to rank it at No. 1.
These days, the baseball world is primarily occupied with debating the legacy of players whose greatest years came during the Steroid Era. Jeff Bagwell, who probably ranks as one of the best first basemen of all time, was not voted into the Hall of Fame this year. Not because we know he used PEDs, or because anyone has any evidence that he used PEDs, or even because anyone is specifically accusing him.
I like to follow along with the facts and debates surrounding the PED issue, because it's interesting to see what other people think, but I just don't care anymore. Don't do steroids. Do all the steroids in the world. Do three or four steroids. Do, like, 30 steroids. Do half a steroid. I do not care. For a time I tried to get myself to care because I felt as though I should have an opinion.
It didn't take, and I think it will be to my benefit. Because a few years down the road, Jim Thome -- one of my favorite players -- will become Hall of Fame-eligible, and based on how Hall voters have regarded Bagwell a decade after the fact, it seems reasonable to assume that Thome will be subject to the same brand of pseudo-scrutiny. And if I cared, and if he didn't make it in, I couldn't bear it.
I love the Hall of Fame and I would love to visit it but I no longer really care how they choose to decorate it. I want to drag a pallet of chipboard out into the middle of a wheat field and crudely nail up my own Hall of Fame, with the walls bearing the names, scrawled with a half-dried Sharpie, of everyone who can hit the baseball hard as a motherf***.
In these times, I appreciate baseball as Delmon Young appreciates baseball. HOOOOOOOOOO.
Follow @sbnation on Twitter | Like SB Nation on Facebook | Sign up for our Newsletter
(Via @bubbaprog at Mocksession)
PUNTCON THREAT LEVEL PROTOCOLS
PUNTCON-5
PUNTCON-3
PUNTCON-2
PUNTCON-1
21 comments
Comments
Aaaaand I'm dying.
Game over, man.
by sanford_and_son on Jan 4, 2012 2:03 PM EST reply actions
This article has made my week.
by Socrates Johnson on Jan 4, 2012 2:05 PM EST reply actions
I cried at least once on each page.
Which is a bit awkward here at the office.
by thehakujin on Jan 4, 2012 2:10 PM EST reply actions
A fine list!
Submitted for your approval as #51:
by impiri on Jan 4, 2012 2:14 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
thank you!
and actually, true story: this one basically WAS #51. it was originally going to be in here, but another (forgot which one it was) bumped it out.
Featured Contributor, SB Nation
by Jon Bois on Jan 4, 2012 2:51 PM EST up reply actions
Quality hustle by the cameraman
Don't Panic.
by 4.0 Point Stance on Jan 5, 2012 10:40 AM EST up reply actions
The Jeff Van Gundy one and the Michigan one
made me die
by terpfan812 on Jan 4, 2012 2:39 PM EST reply actions
FUN FACT, USING BASIC MATHS, I HAVE DEDUCED THAT TATER ROPED.
Best GIF of the year, best Dugout of the year.
I've got these tiny hands!
-Alex Smith
by Swamp Thing on Jan 4, 2012 2:43 PM EST reply actions
My roomates think I'm crazy.
Partially because I was cry-snorting through this whole article.
Carter Jurica!
"Has anyone really been for even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?"
by GrahamCrakalaka on Jan 4, 2012 2:46 PM EST reply actions
Thank you, Jon!
These are awesome.
by GBSimons on Jan 4, 2012 3:16 PM EST reply actions
Where is the Paul Rhoads guitar gif??
Top 5 for sure, no?
Never forget Wolf Island, or pie! #AHAMF, it's vaguely sordid.
by Spider_Monkey on Jan 4, 2012 5:06 PM EST reply actions
Agreed - one of my favorites this year
Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!
Follow @cornnation Twitter
cornnation@gmail.com
by Jon Johnston on Jan 6, 2012 7:03 PM EST up reply actions
No Paul Rhaods?
That gif mesmerized me for a good month when I first saw it
Quick! To the Schianocopter
by steelinnj on Jan 4, 2012 7:55 PM EST reply actions
Did you see Jeff Skinner?
Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.
by red army line on Jan 4, 2012 8:13 PM EST reply actions
I feel this list is lacking...
…without a little Fausto.
by Foobstin on Jan 4, 2012 9:22 PM EST reply actions
I didn't think No. 1 was all that funny...
…until I read your commentary! It’s been quite a while since I laughed that hard at something on the Internet. The inverse-color GIF for PUNTCON 1 had me in stitches.
by austinh on Jan 5, 2012 12:23 AM EST reply actions
Oh fuck.
I am dying. Well done.
I seriously cannot stop laughing
When you were a baby in your crib, your father looked down at you, he had but one wish, that you would grow up to be a man. Well, look at you now. You just got your asses WHUPPED by a bunch of god damn nerds. NERDS!!
whatever the new union name is #9 #9 #9 #9 #9
by Failed Twin on Jan 5, 2012 2:42 PM EST reply actions
Any number of Jonathan Stewart stiff arms could have been added to this list too
Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing you will be an idiot in the future and common sense is knowing you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques
I don't always dress like a pirate...but when I do, I do it in this picture.
by Vagus on Jan 5, 2012 4:51 PM EST reply actions
Bosh
I know Bosh is a GIF HOF inductee, but how could this not end up anywhere:
by Franklin7777 on Jan 5, 2012 5:08 PM EST reply actions
They all made me laugh
but the hockey players “drinking” made me snort my drink on the keyboard.
by daddy18 on Jan 6, 2012 2:34 AM EST reply actions
Arsene Wenger trying to get his hand in his coat pocket was my favorite of the year. (assuming that it in fact happened before New Years, which I honestly am not sure about now)
by ahowie on Jan 9, 2012 5:23 AM EST reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed