Viral Songs and Memes That Caught on in Sports

Whenever a song or meme goes viral, its popularity often bleeds into the sports world.

Songs, dances, facial expressions and takedown moves—all of these have been the inspiration for Internet fame at one time or another.

Sometimes trends originate outside of sports and are simply adopted by athletes. Other times, it's the other way around, and athletes inspire movements in the mainstream. It's a good bet that regular folks are out there right now Kaepernicking or thinking up things Tim Howard could save.

Let’s take a look at the best songs and memes that have caught fire in sports.

LeBroning

During the 2014 NBA Finals, LeBron James had to be carried off the court in Game 1 due to cramping.

Because he’s LeBron James, this of course led to criticism and mocking. It also led to a new meme deemed #LeBroning.

All over the Internet, folks posted photos re-enacting the scene of King James being carried off the court.

Harlem Shake

The Harlem Shake pretty much took over the Internet in 2013, and sports were no exception.

The whole thing starts with one person dancing while a group of people sit around and go about their normal business. When the beat drops, the scene suddenly changes to everyone dancing in costumes like maniacs. This was a perfect trend for sports teams to get involved in, and guess what—they did.

Special shout out to the Miami Heat for nailing the costumes—although LeBron James’ facial expression is a bit unsettling.

Maria Sharapova

According to Tennis World, Maria Sharapova told reporters during Wimbledon that she didn’t know who Sachin Tendulkar was.

This really insulted cricket fans, since Sachin Tendulkar is one of the greatest cricket batsmen of all time. Folks took their frustration to the Interwebs, and the hashtag #whoismariasharapova was born.

Cat Daddy

“Cat Daddy” is a song by Rej3ctz. Clayton Kershaw has used it for his walk-up music, but you’ve probably heard more about it in conjunction with a certain supermodel.

Kate Upton famously performed the dance in a bikini in 2012, but YouTube banned the video for being a little too risqué.

Te'oing

Deadspin broke the story of Manti Te’o and his fake girlfriend in January 2013. The sad and confusing tale, of course, inspired Internet mockery in the form of #teoing.

Folks posted pictures of themselves with one arm out—as if their arms were around people who weren’t actually there.

Now Te’oing is a bona fide pop culture reference—it even has its own entry in Urban Dictionary.   

Gangnam Style

In June 2014, Psy’s “Gangnam Style” became the first YouTube video to reach two billion views, according to Forbes.

But this craze really hit its stride in 2012, with NFL players doing the dance after touchdowns left and right. The Ohio State University marching band played the song during halftime, and who could forget Mike and Mike of ESPN doing a parody of the video for Halloween?

Kaepernicking

Similar to Tebowing, Kaepernicking is the phenomenon of imitating Colin Kaepernick’s signature bicep-kiss move. This is generally done in times of celebration—say, scoring a touchdown.

In other news, if you have a tattoo of Colin doing his Kaepernicking, apparently you might be able to get the quarterback himself to sign it.

Shmoney Dance

You may remember John Wall from the John Wall Dance. Well, he’s got a new dance now, and it’s called Shmoney. This updated version of the two step originated with a Brooklyn rapper named Bobby Shmurda, and it’s taken the sports world by storm.

Julius Thomas and Joel Embiid have been seen doing the Shmoney lately, and Jameis Winston created his own version, adding a bit of Heisman flare to it.

Lance Stephenson

Lance Stephenson is a funny guy. In an effort to (apparently) distract LeBron James during the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals, Stephenson was seen blowing into James' ear.

Clearly, such a ridiculous image was destined for Internet stardom. Images popped up of Stephenson blowing bubbles, blowing up Marilyn Monroe’s skirt and even causing the atrocity that was 50 Cent’s first pitch.

Turn Down for What

"Turn Down for What" by DJ Snake and Lil Jon is an athlete favorite.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen busted out some spirited moves to the song, and the Texas Tech mascot got down as he promoted free waffles for students.

Also, Triple-Crown winner Miguel Cabrera sported a “Turn Down for What” T-shirt, Zubaz and aviators in either the best or worst outfit in sports history.

McKayla Maroney

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

When the president gets in on a meme, now that’s a big deal.

Following the 2012 Olympic Games in London, U.S. gymnast McKayla Maroney's infamous uninterested scowl caught fire. Even famous athletes couldn't escape her photoshopped apathy.

Maroney’s medal-stand image was inserted into photos of Muhammad Ali, Usain Bolt and LeBron James, just to name a few.

Call Me Maybe

Before there was “Turn Down for What,” there was “Call Me Maybe.”

Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale was caught on video dancing to the pop song at a wedding in 2012. Harvard’s baseball team occupied itself on the road with its own rendition, and the U.S. Olympic swim team did the same thing. Spoiler alert: The swim team’s was better.

The RKO

Gallo Images/Getty Images

WWE star Randy Orton’s signature move, the RKO, is an Internet sensation. People have inserted Orton and his takedown move into existing videos of regular people wiping out, and the result has been glorious.

This soccer fall is perfectly timed, and one national anthem singer’s embarrassing moment was at least made into a hilarious Vine.  

Teach Me How to Dougie

This one is an oldie but a goodie. “Teach Me How to Dougie” by Cali Swag District is not just a song—it was a movement.

The Dougie took over the sports world in 2010, with athletes like Reggie Bush, John Wall and Glen “Big Baby” Davis all getting in on the action.

Tim Howard

Even though the U.S. men’s national team didn’t win the 2014 World Cup, its goalie won the Internet with his dominating performance.

In the U.S. team’s final game against Belgium, Tim Howard saved 16 shots and inspired a new meme sensation, #ThingsTimHowardCouldSave.

What are some things Tim Howard could save? Mufasa and Private Ryan, for starters.