Hilarious Sports and Music Collaborations

When sports and music collide, when athletes and artists collaborate, the results can be pretty hilarious.

This could be unintentional collaboration—like karaoke or a parody set to a particular song—or it could be more intentional—enlisting Imagine Dragons for a hype video, for example.

Whether it’s Pau Gasol with his rendition of “How to Save a Life” or a bunch of mascots shaking it off, get ready to laugh at these sports-music combos. 

Gus Malzahn

Featuring: MC Hammer, Gus Malzahn

Who knew that Auburn head football coach Gus Malzahn was an MC Hammer fan?

Back when Malzahn was a high school football coach, he starred in a homemade music video set to the classic Hammer hit, “U Can’t Touch This.” His players at Shiloh Christian watched the video every year before the playoffs, according to Jon Solomon of AL.com.

You’d think the funniest part would be his dance moves, but take a closer look. It's got to be those khaki shorts and tube socks.

New Seminoles

Featuring: Giant Productions, New Seminoles

At first it’s hard to tell if this rap video by Florida State football players is a joke or not. From the terrible lip-syncing to the overabundance of bro hugs and sunglasses at night, none of this is good.

Freshmen Demarcus Christmas, Derrick Nnadi, Lorenzo Featherston and Jacob Pugh called themselves “New Seminoles” in this video of their single “Gotta Make It To the Top,” produced by Giant Productions.

Turns out, it likely is a joke designed to parody another rap video by someone who calls himself Ice JJ Fish, according to Deadspin's Tom Ley. 

La, La, La, Gerard Pique

Featuring: Shakira, Shakira’s boyfriend

When pop stars date athletes, epic collaborations can happen.

Shakira, girlfriend of Spanish footballer Gerard Pique, enlisted his assistance with the music video for her single, “La La La (Brazil 2014).”

It looks like Pique got his buddies involved in this soccer-themed video as well. Neymar and Lionel Messi are just two of the other famous faces you’ll see in this video.

While it’s actually pretty cool that soccer stars appear in the video, watching Pique and Neymar bob their heads and lip-sync, “La, la, la” is good for a laugh or two.

Alexander Ovechkin

Featuring: Katyla Lel, Alexander Ovechkin

Katyla Lel is a Russian pop star. Her new music video for “Let Them Talk” features a rather well-known Russian hockey player.

It’s actually unclear whether this is Alex Ovechkin in the flesh or some type of statue. The majority of the three-plus minutes involve Ovie standing still and challenging anyone watching to a very intense staring contest. 

Pau Gasol Karaoke

Featuring: The Fray, Pau Gasol

This one is a bit of a throwback, but it had to be included.

A 7’0” NBA star singing “How to Save a Life” by The Fray is going to be hilarious 99 times out of 100 (as an estimate). Pau Gasol did that very thing at a fundraiser for UNICEF in 2012.

His performance, while not necessarily “good,” per se, was extremely impassioned. He definitely knew all the words, too, so there's that.

Goran Dragic

Featuring: Slovenian comedian Klemen Slakonja, Goran Dragic

Goran Dragic of the Phoenix Suns has his own music video. Well, actually, Slovenian comedian Klemen Slakonja has his own video, and it’s based on Dragic.

According to Greg Esposito of Suns.com, Dragic explained that the lyrics are a form of satirical praise, and the video tracks his journey as a basketball player. Slakonja gallivants around town in a Suns jersey, riding a stone dragon, hanging out with a mascot, playing musical instruments—you know, random stuff like that.

This video of Dragic watching the video is pretty funny too.

Amar'e Stoudemire

Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

Featuring: Taylor Swift, Amar'e Stoudemire

Amar'e Stoudemire is not what one might call a talented singer. 

That didn't stop the New York Knick from singing his own rendition of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" with Ms. Swift herself by his side. While funny, the noticeable lack of other sounds in the arena makes this a bit awkward. 

Let's just say the Jumbotron at Madison Square Garden has seen better days. 

Madden GIFs

Featuring: Evanescence, Madden GIF mastermind

EA Sports has something called a GIFERATOR, and someone used this tool to make a video involving Madden players and “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence.

The intensity of the song juxtaposed with the lighthearted player celebration images makes for a pretty funny scene.

Plus, who does this? Genius.

#ImagineAvs

Featuring: Imagine Dragons, Colorado Avalanche

We learned from the Shakira video that athletes lip-syncing is rather awkward. Yet, here it is again, courtesy of the Colorado Avalanche.

This playoff hype video set to “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons might not have been entirely awful if not for the sweaty, forced (and did I mention extremely sweaty) lip-syncing. Who agreed to this?

Battioke

Featuring: Various musical artists, various Miami Heat players

Let’s see another gem from the karaoke file, shall we?

Apparently, Shane Battier hosts a karaoke fundraiser every year called “Battioke” that benefits his foundation. In 2014, the Miami Heat put together a little video to entice people to show up.  

Where do we start with the hilarity? From Battier’s Dumb and Dumber tux to Udonis Haslem’s wig, an abundance of faux facial hair and just a general lack of talent, this video is worth a watch or two.

Big Ten Mascots

Featuring: Taylor Swift, Big Ten mascots

Because one Taylor Swift reference isn't enough. 

The Big Ten might be having a rough football season, but its mascots are on top of their game. Sparty, Brutus and Bucky Badger were joined by several fellow mascots to make this hilarious video to “Shake It Off.”

The mascots jam all around their respective campuses. In the process, they show the rest of the college sports world that the Big Ten is the conference to beat, at least in terms of mascot awesomeness.

Dirk and the Mavs

Featuring: Run DMC, Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks recently released a video of Dirk Nowitzki, Monta Ellis and Chandler Parsons doing their best Run DMC impersonation.

Their video, “Can’t Be Stopped,” even got a Twitter shoutout from the real Run DMC.

Nowitzki is an old pro when it comes to covering songs, but adding his teammates in was a good addition to the overall hilarity this time.