There is simply no holiday, no other tradition, quite like Halloween. In an autumn season already jam-packed with activities—both natural and man-made—Halloween stands alone as an event that doesn't involve a giant ham, turkey or celebration of some critical moment in America's history.
Nope, Halloween is neither a nod to a great national sacrifice nor a reminder of a society-defining legacy—it's a decadent celebration of buffoonery, candy and sexy transformations of horrific, mythical creatures. It's almost as if Halloween was designed by a 19-year-old frat boy who has seen Evil Dead one too many times.
While seeing children, men and women walking around your neighborhood in costumes—good, bad and ugly—is entertaining enough, the wonderful world of social media has given all of humanity access to the Halloween shenanigans of our favorite athletes and other notable sports icons.
Well, I scoured the interwebs for this year's "best" costumes in sports. And guess what? They can be just as awful, confusing or hilarious as what you or I managed to throw together.
These are the best Halloween costumes in sports for 2012—numbered, but not ranked in any particular order (I'll let you be the judge).
50. Jimmy Clausen, Carolina Panthers
Image via @JimmyClausen
Panthers backup quarterback Jimmy Clausen tried—and failed—to dress up like English actor Russell Brand.
Better luck next year...
49. Jess Gysin, Beach Volleyball Player
Image via @JessGysin
Jess Gysin is a former All-American volleyball player from USC who now plays beach volleyball professionally.
She rocked the pirate wench look with the best of them, and her friend went as pop singer Katy Perry.
48. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Image via @DwyaneWade
I'm actually not sure what Heat superstar Dwyane Wade was dressed as (but I'm sure plenty of readers will let me hear about it).
It looks like he's got Angry Birds slippers on, though.
47. Alexis Augusto, Former Panthers Ice Girl
Image via @AlexisDAugusto
Former Panthers Ice Girl Alexis Augusto and her boyfriend went as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.
46. Joe Lauzon, MMA
Image via @JoeLauzon
UFC fighter Joe Lauzon and his boys dressed up as what looks to be a Ghostbuster, a pimp, a guy with an unfortunate tattoo and their father.
45. Mike Comrie, Retired NHL
Image via US Magazine
Retired NHL player Mike Comrie and his wife, actress Hilary Duff, dressed as a skeleton and a skeleton in a dress.
I guess no new mothers want to be seen in a spandex body suit.
44. Logan Morrison, Miami Marlins
Image via @LoMoMarlins
Marlins left fielder Logan Morrison doesn't just dress himself up for Halloween, he even dresses up his little French bulldog (Chewbacca…aww!) too!
43. Kim Kardashian, Professional Girlfriend
Image via @KimKardashian
Serial WAG Kim Kardashian and La La Vazquez, wife of Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony, have made a career and a lavish lifestyle of marrying well.
42. Caron Butler, Los Angeles Clippers
Image via @realtuffjuice
The Clippers' Caron Butler is dressed up for some trick-or-treating.
Daddy dressed as Freddy Krueger, his daughter dressed as the devil and the little one dressed as a (likely horrified) little pumpkin.
41. Georgia Graham, MMA
Image via @LittleGeorgieG
English beauty Georgia Graham is an MMA enthusiast with a green belt in kickboxing.
She's also sometimes a model and college student studying health and fitness.
40. Vince Romandine, MMA
Image via @feliceherring
Vince Romandine is a head personal trainer and amateur MMA fighter for Team Curran.
I have no idea what he's dressed as, but he seems to be strangling Cammie from Street Fighter 2 with her own hair.
39. Brooke Lowy, Miami Dolphins Cheerleader
Image via @BrookeLowy
Miami Dolphins Cheerleader Brooke Lowy and a man in her life are dressed as Frankenstein and the bride of Frankenstein.
I guess by the end of the night she was simply known as Mrs. Frankenstein.
38. Rashad Evans, MMA
Image via @SugaRashadEvans
UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans dressed as something that will haunt my dreams for years to come.
Thanks, dude.
37. Arianny Celeste, MMA Ring Girl
Image via @AriannyCeleste
MMA's hottest ring girl hasn't posted any photos from Halloween 2012 just yet, but based on the plethora she shared in 2011, I'm expecting them sometime soon.
36. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Image via @DCC_Cassie
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders dressed up as hipster Disney princesses this year.
I gotta admit, I'm loving this idea.
35. Logan Morrison, Miami Marlins
Image via @LoMoMarlins
Apparently, Marlins left fielder dressed up as Ben Franklin because the ladies love the founding fathers.
I absolutely agree with him. What I wouldn't give for a time capsule and just 60 minutes alone with Alexander Hamilton.
34. Brandy K., Former Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader
Image via @Brandy_AT
33. Ashley Ferrara, MMA Ring Card Girl
Image via @AshleyFerrara
Looks like MMA ring girl Ashley Ferrara and her gal pal dressed as Playboy Bunnies.
Aspirational, or just for fun? You be the judge.
32. Carie Small, (Former) LFL
Image via @CarieIsSoVery
Former LFL player Carie Small went as a zombie Princess Leia and her friend as a zombie Conehead.
Your Princess Leia fantasy never looked so scary.
31. Kim Glass, American Olympic Volleyball
Image via @Kim_Glass
Olympic gold medal volleyball winner Kim Glass dressed as a sexy cat in a skintight bodysuit, knee-high boots and headband ears.
I've always been a dog person, but I'm reconsidering all that now.
30. Jenna Jaeger, Denver Broncos Cheerleader
Image via @jenna_jaeger
The adorable Denver Broncos Cheerleader Jenna Jaeger dressed as what I can only guess is Katy Perry, mostly because she looks like a busty piece of candy with a ridiculous wig.
Homegirl looks good, though.
29. Ryan Bader, MMA
Image via @ryanbader
UFC fighter Ryan Bader dressed as a woman, and his buddy (UFC fighter Aaron Simpson) apparently dressed as his very aggressive-looking boyfriend.
28. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Image via @LarryFitzgerald
This may not actually be Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, but he did mention that when he got home recently, this guy was waiting for him. Pretty horrifying.
27. Rebecca Grant, Former Sports Broadcaster
Image via @RebeccaGrants
Former NFL on FOX and ESPN reporter Rebecca Grant is definitely at a Halloween shop trying on costumes, but whatever that dress is supposed to be, it's quite clear she's not going the scary route.
26. Felice Herrig, MMA
Image via @feliceherrig
MMA fighter Felice Herrig dressed as Cammie, my second-favorite character from one of the greatest video games of all time: Street Fighter 2. My favorite character, of course, was Ryu (he was handsome, and I could do tricks).
25. Denver Broncos Cheerleaders
Image via @tristandear
Katy Perry, sexy Dutch girl, sexy Smurfette, sexy sailor, another sexy Dutch girl (?), a sexy monster, a sexy cowgirl and a deranged and kinda sexy Cookie Monster.
Obviously, the deranged Cookie Monster is my favorite.
24. Caron Butler, Los Angeles Clippers
Image via @realtuffjuice
The Clippers Caron Butler, Chris Paul, Matt Barnes and former NBA player Gilbert Arenas look (to me) to be dressed as a king, a Pharaoh, a Viking and a dude with comically over-sized sunglasses.
23. Molly Moenkhoff, Tennessee Titans Cheerleader
Image via @Molsk8s
Titans Cheerleader Molly Moenkhoff and her fellow cheerleaders prepare their Halloween costumes for the game.
22. Alex Galchenyuk, Montreal Canadiens
Image via @AGally94
Recent Canadiens drafted player Alex Galchenyuk may not be ready for Halloween himself, but his adorable dogs are going trick-or-treating dressed as a bumblebee and a pumpkin. Awww!
21. Royce Reed, WAG
Image via @Roycelr
Royce Reed rose to fame as the star of VH1's Basketball Wives. She and Lakers big man Dwight Howard have a child together.
She and her brother aren't dressed for Halloween, but they did hit up a haunted house to roll their eyes at the ghosts.
A girl after my own heart.
20. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
Image via @CP3
Clippers superstar point guard Chris Paul doesn't look like he did the whole costume thing this year, but, being the kick-ass dad that he is, he took his little girl out trick-or-treating, and he says (and it looks like) she had a ball.
19. Carla Esparza, MMA
Image via @CarlaEsparza1
MMA fighter and promotional model Carla Esparza (pictured on the right) dressed as Cleopatra, and her fellow fighter and friend Felice Herrig dressed as Cammie from Street Fighter 2.
18. DeJuan Blair, Los Angeles Clippers
Image via @DeJuan45
In some of the more inspired costuming I've seen in recent years, Clippers forward and his boys paid homage to the great RUN-D.M.C.
17. Erica, Tennessee Titans Cheerleader
Image via @EricaL_TTC
Titans Cheerleader Erica, accompanied by a cheerleader friend, made a trip up to the owners box for a meet-and-greet with Titans owner Bud Adams at the home game on October 28th.
16. Robert Golden, Pittsburgh Steelers
Image via @R0bG0lden
Safety Robert Golden signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2012. For Halloween this year (or last?), he dressed as either a Roman soldier or the mascot from USC.
15. Nikki J. Fraser, Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleader
Image via @Nikki_JFraser
Former Bucs Cheerleader Nikki J. Fraser says she dressed as a ladybug for Halloween, but she definitely took some sexy liberties with that one.
That's a ladybug that is guaranteed to get your heart racing.
14. Stephen Jackson, San Antonio Spurs
Image via @DaTrillStak5
Spurs forward Stephen Jackson decided to go back a Batman sequel and do the Heath Ledger version of the Joker.
Why so serious?
13. Molly Moenkhoff, Tennessee Titans Cheerleader
Image via @Molsk8s
Tennessee Titans Cheerleader Molly Moenkhoff dressed up her unhappy looking dogs as the Titans mascot.
I love the one who has just given up and dropped to the floor, accepting his fate.
12. Vania Brandt, Cincinnati Bengals Cheerleader
Image via @VBGal11
I have no clue what Bengals cheerleader Vania Brandt's costume is, but I definitely don't hate it.
I might try to fashion something similar myself next year.
11. Ty Lawson, Denver Nuggets
@TyLawson3
This Nuggets point guard doesn't get much points for originality with the whole Batman thing, but he definitely put a little effort into his costume.
10. Tracy Lee, MMA
Image via @mstracylee
MMA fighter and personality Tracy Lee really went above and beyond the call of duty with her Mystique costume from the X-Men.
You really gotta have some serious self-confidence to pull that off, and she clearly does.
9. Elisabeth Nuesser, MMA
Image via @FIGHTCHIX
MMA personality Elisabeth Nuesser rocked one of the most convincing Wonder Woman costumes I've ever seen—which was no easy chore. I've seen this costume butchered in a big way many times.
8. The San Antonio Spurs
@DaTrillStak5
The Spurs had a killer Halloween party and posted all the pics to Twitter and Instagram, which means they're awesome.
A big thanks for nothing for everyone else who failed to do this.
7. Kali Nicole, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Image via @DCC_Kali
Cowboys Cheerleader Kali Nicole and two of her fellow DCC homies dressed as characters from the classic kids cartoon The Flintstones.
They were definitely the NSFK (kids) versions.
6. Kyle Kingsbury, MMA
Image via @Kingsbu
UFC fighter Kyle Kingsbury apparently dressed as a blue man, and ring girl Natasha Wicks dressed as a smoking hot girl in a puffy green bag. (I'm sorry, I have no idea what they're supposed to be.)
5. Jasmine Raphaella, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader
Image via @DCC_Jasmine
Cowboys Cheerleaders Jasmine and Alex dressed as hoodrats, and I must say those costumes are pretty clever—without being offensive. Good job, girls.
4. The Pittsburgh Steelers
Image via @Wallace17_daKid
3. Alex Morgan, US Women's Soccer
Image via Instagram: alexmorgan13
Alex Morgan and her teammate Sydney Leroux took on one of the most popular meme's of the year by dressing as the unimpressed U.S. women's gymnast McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas.
2. Grace Deissroth, Philadelphia Flyers Ice Girl
Image via @gracie_deiss
Flyers Ice Girl Grace Deissroth (right) and her equally lovely friend both dressed as Sophia Loren's character from the classic film One Million Years B.C.
1. DeJuan Blair, San Antonio Spurs
Image via @DeJuan45
The Spurs' DeJuan Blair dressed as a member of RUN-D.M.C., and Manu Ginobili rocked it out dressed as the legendary Zorro.
To see what Amber Lee (Me) dressed up for Halloween, you'll have on the Twitter machine.
Image via Instagram
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