The Strangest Scenes in Sports Since 2000

In sports, we have seen some things over the years that have made our jaws drop and stunned us with their randomness, causing us to ask ourselves, "did my eyes really just witness that?"

But unlike a last-second shot or a ridiculous hole-in-one, a few moments in sports can only be described as peculiar for literally leaving fans and media alike speechless because of the magnitude of them actually occurring.

If you're a fan of those once-in-a-lifetime moments, this article is for you. I'm listing the strangest sports scenes since 2000, the likes of which we may go a long time before ever seeing again—assuming we ever actually do see them again.

Michael Jordan as a Washington Wizard (2001-03)

BILL KOSTROUN/Associated Press

As someone who admired NBA legend Michael Jordan ever since I can remember, I, along with every other hoops fan who saw him play, never imagined he would don anything other than a Chicago Bulls jersey in professional basketball.

However, following his second retirement from the league in 1998, MJ found himself getting the itch to play again after taking over a front-office position at the Washington Wizards, believing that, at age 38, he still had something left in the tank.

Jordan proved that, averaging 21.2 points 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists for a Wiz team that improved with the G.O.A.T. on the floor—although they never reached the postseason in his two years with the franchise.

Seeing any superstar wearing another team's colors than the one with which you associate them is always strange. But with no player on the level of Jordan in any sport, this one was a little bit harder to get accustomed.

Steve Bartman Interferes (2003)

Forget the fact die-hard Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman interfered with the baseball during a critical moment of the 2003 National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins because that happens all the time.

What made this scene so bizarre was the immediate aftermath of Bartman's attempt at catching a souvenir, which not only impacted the outcome of that Game 6, the MLB playoffs and the ongoing curse of the Cubbies but his identity for the rest of his life.

Few sports fans are remembered the way that Bartman is—as one of the contributing factors in the Cubs' ongoing postseason misfortunes—with his play causing a series of events that would cost his team a place in the World Series and made his fellow supporters turn against him as he was escorted out of Wrigley Field.

Arkansas State Football Player Booker Mays Trust Falls (2014)

With tons of football games played every single year, one could argue that there may be more bizarre plays than this one. But this trust fall from Arkansas State player Booker Mays against the Miami Hurricanes in a matchup during the 2014 season is definitely toward the top.

Making matters worse for the Red Wolves isn't just head coach Blake Anderson's ridiculous play call to have a guy faint to try and distract opponents—it's that he did so while also calling a faking punt, ending with an interception.

For any future offensive play-callers, leaving this one off of your play chart would be a wise idea if you want to avoid being, well, offensive to the entire sport of football.

Phillip Wellman's Ejection (2007)

Earl Weaver, Lou Piniella, Bobby Cox. They are all names of baseball managers synonymous with some epic blowups.

The one ejection that trumps them all, though? A minor league manager named Phillip Wellman, who went full crazy during a game back in 2007.

After arguing balls and strikes with the umpire in defense of his pitcher, Wellman decided that, after getting tossed, he would let all of his frustration pour out, putting on a display that was both rare and shocking.

Tossing rosin bags like grenades, crawling on all fours and exiting through the outfield wall with one of the bases, Wellman might well have produced the biggest managerial tirade in baseball history, and it came in one of the most bizarre ways imaginable.

Zinedine Zidane Headbutts Marco Materazzi (2006)

It's not that a soccer player in a World Cup received a red card and got sent off of the pitch—it's that the player who did it happened to be one of the all-time greats of his generation, as well as the captain of the France national team, Zinedine Zidane.

After announcing that he would be retiring from the sport once his team was eliminated from the 2006 World Cup, Zizou's swan song was to be played during that year's World Cup final, as France faced off against Italy.

As the teams went to extra time after a 1-1 tie in regulation, a remark by Italy's Marco Materazzi caused Zidane to lose his cool and bulldoze his bald head right into the Italian's chest, earning him a costly red card.

Uncharacteristic of the normally cool Zidane, France saw its leader head for the dressing room, as well as Italy hoist the World Cup trophy after winning on penalty kicks.

Lance Armstrong's PED Admission (2013)

There was always a cloud of doubt hanging over the head of former seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong during the years he was a pro cyclist.

Yet each time anyone implied that Armstrong had doped, he vehemently denied any wrongdoing, stood by his defense and belittled the person questioning him for even thinking otherwise.

So when Armstrong finally changed his tune in 2013 and admitted to Oprah Winfrey that he had indeed been doping for the majority of his cycling career, the news caused a lot of different reactions, one of which was certainly shocking—as he finally put to bed any doubts about his legacy.

Randy Johnson KO's Bird (2001)

Standing in the batter's box opposite newly crowned Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson, a guy standing 6'10" who could throw a baseball near triple digits, must have been a terrifying proposition.

As scary as that scene sounds, though, imagine being the bird who was just caught at the wrong place at the wrong time.

That's what happened back in 2001 when, during a training game, one of the Big Unit's heaters caught a bird flying in the pitcher's path, getting struck and appearing to explode in mid-air.

In addition to the bird that bloodied Fabio's face on a roller coaster some years back, this is one of the wildest things I have ever seen.

The Decision (2010)

No matter how big an athlete's reputation is, normally, the player just has his agent release a statement saying that he or she will be either re-signing with his current team or signing elsewhere.

As we all know, though, LeBron James didn't follow that plan in 2010.

2010 was one of the biggest summers in the history of the NBA because of the amount of superstars on the free-agent market. Teams were planning their entire futures around the first week of July, when players were available to negotiate with any team.

With James—the league's biggest star—wanting to make a splash, he organized a national TV program called The Decision, on which he was going to announce his intentions.

Shocking the world with the words, "I'm going to take my talents to South Beach"—where he joined forces with fellow superstars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh—James caught serious heat for coming across as narcissistic, causing controversy that he could never have believed would occur.

James may have raised $6 million for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, but his national broadcast was a PR nightmare that took him a couple years to clean up. Luckily, he learned his lesson by announcing his return to the Cleveland Cavs in 2014.

The Metrodome's Roof Collapsing (2010)

Things such as this just aren't supposed to happen. This is the reason smarter people than me go to school for engineering—to make sure roofs of huge buildings don't cave in.

Unfortunately, during a massive snowstorm in Minneapolis in 2010, then-Minnesota Vikings home stadium the Metrodome had enough of a problem holding the weight the powder that it actually collapsed, causing an unforgettable scene that was caught by stadium surveillance cameras.

Luckily, no one was actually inside the place when it happened. This is one unforgettable instance of stadium engineering gone wrong.

Baltimore Orioles-Chicago White Sox Have No Attendance (2015)

There aren't a whole lot of things stranger to see than a gigantic major league stadium completely empty.

With over 40,000 seats and the reputation as one of the nicest ballparks in the bigs, Baltimore's Camden Yards was just that a couple of weeks ago, though, as a game between the Orioles and the Chicago White Sox was played before, you guessed it, zero spectators.

That's because the riots in Baltimore actually caused MLB and the Orioles to close the game to the public, creating the first time that a regular-season contest had been played in an empty stadium.

With just both teams, umpires, ball boys and a few media members in the press box, it looked more like a backyard game on the sandlot than one with pro athletes playing.

The Yankees Get Attacked by Midges (2007)

The New York Yankees have always been synonymous with winning, pride and legacy, building a franchise like no other in all of American sports.

With 27 World Series titles—16 more than any other MLB team—it's clear that opponents have been wondering how to knock the Yanks off of their pedestal, trying various lineup changes, pitching rotations or other tactics to get into their heads.

Yet the most effective might just be midges, the small insects that fly around the Great Lakes region during the drop in temperature from warm to cool nights.

Unfortunately, the Yankees happened to be in that area during Game 2 of the 2007 American League Division Series, facing off against the Cleveland Indians and being attacked by the little mosquito-like bugs.

Although midges don't bite, the effect they had just swarming Yanks pitcher Joba Chamberlain was extreme, leading to the then-rookie reliever being frazzled enough to throw two wild pitches in the eighth inning, leading to the Indians winning the game 2-1 before taking the series two games later.

One could say those midges sure did bug Chamberlain.

The Malice at the Palace (2004)

Tension between sports rivals is always at boiling point no matter what the score or setting.

In November 2004, basketball fans saw what happens when things get taken a bit too far, as a hard foul and shove preceded a full-on brawl that came to be known as the Malice in the Palace.

After a little bit of shoving took place between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers, then-Pacers player Ron Artest lounged on the scorer's table, hoping to avoid furthering the chaos.

Boy, did he change that in a hurry.

After getting hit by a plastic cup, Artest launched into the stands with fists blazing, swinging at fans as some of his teammates followed.

It was one of the ugliest scenes the league has ever seen, leading to multiple player suspensions and one of sports' most intense moments, as multiple fans in the stands were attacked by pro athletes.

The Tiger Woods Incident (2009)

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

One of the most influential athletes ever, as well as the best golfer since Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods epitomized what the All-American guy was supposed to be.

The truth on Woods came out in a big way on Thanksgiving Day in 2009, though.

That was when Tiger's then-wife Elin Nordegren was allegedly swinging like one of Woods at the tee, causing Tiger to crash his car.

It turns out that the then No. 1 golfer in the world had some secrets he was hiding from everyone, hooking up with porn stars, prostitutes and others when he could, which caused Elin to confront him.

After admitting his adultery, Tiger held an even more bizarre scene—a press conference in which he apologized and announced he was going into rehab—something no one would have ever imagined the golfer having to do.