Sports Facts That Might Be TMI, but We'll Tell You Anyway
While being a sports fan is fun, it can often be tough to keep up with all the happenings that go on on a daily basis.
From records being broken to what dumb stuff an athlete posted on social media, fans have to try their best to keep up with a ton of information.
For that reason, I figured I would dive into an even deeper conversation, giving you information that is both entertaining and, hopefully, valuable.
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Sure, you may never need to know any of this stuff, but if a question ever comes up during a debate with your buddies, at least you'll have the answers—as these are the sports facts that are a little bit TMI.
10. It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a season's supply of footballs.
Some people will pay a hell of a lot of money for a good steak and some premium leather. Of course, the NFL is one of them.
With an abundance of footballs being used throughout the NFL season, it actually takes 3,000 cows to supply enough leather for those game balls that quarterbacks grip every Sunday.
Remember when the NBA actually switched to a synthetic ball some years ago? Yeah, maybe the NFL should consider doing something similar, seeing as how cows are dropping left and right to get through an NFL season.
9. Nolan Ryan's jock fetches $25,000.
One of the most devastating pitchers to face in MLB history, former flamethrower Nolan Ryan was a hitter's worst nightmare anytime he was on the bump.
While lasting in the majors longer than anyone else—27 seasons—he recorded seven career no-hitters, putting him in the lead in that category in baseball history.
After Ryan earned his final no-hitter in 1991, one fan was so enthusiastic about the feat that he purchased the pitcher's jockstrap for, get this, $25,000. That's right, someone wanted Ryan's sweaty, well, opposite of strikes really badly.
I'm just wondering what that fan is doing with the thing today.
8. Stadium food is getting grosser and grosser by the season.
If you think that the food options at sports stadiums and arenas are packing on the greasy or sweet goodness lately, well, you would be right.
With things like bacon-covered s'mores, Bacon Hot Dog Donuts and the Churro Dog, chefs at these stadiums are packing on the pounds of fans with deliciously, fatty options.
However, seeing as how this Churro Dog at the Arizona Diamondbacks' Chase Field is a whopping 1,100 calories, it might be something that fans in the desert stay away from—especially for those looking to keep their tight figure.
A cinnamon churro wrapped in a chocolate-glazed eclair, topped with froyo, whipped cream and caramel and chocolate sauces, the Churro Dog isn't for the faint of heart—or for anyone who wants to avoid having a heart attack.
7. Offensive linemen sweat a lot.
There might be a saying that it's "raining cats and dogs," yet in an offensive lineman's case, they can claim to sweat cats and dogs during an NFL game.
Based off scientific info, a goliath man who blocks defenders from sacking quarterbacks for a living could lose as much as nine pounds of water weight on the job.
So, when you see one of these big fellas constantly sipping water or some sports drink on the sideline, now you understand it's not just for the taste.
6. Legendary streaker Mark Roberts has done so 518 times in his life.
There's just something liberating about being naked, isn't there?
Anytime we're allowed to just let it all hang out, it's always a little bit risque, as we're unsure of who might see us or what type of reaction there might be.
In Mark Roberts' case, though, well, he just didn't give a damn.
That's because he literally made a living doing what all of us do in the shower every single day, baring it all to become the most legendary streaker on the planet.
Rushing some of the world's premier sporting events' 518 times in his life—he was once paid $1 million to do it at the Super Bowl—Roberts was unafraid to strip off his skivvies and flash what the good lord gave him without any shame.
5. Eli Manning's first name isn't what you actually think it is.
A two-time Super Bowl champion and game MVP, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has proved that he has just as many good games—if not records—as older brother Peyton on the football field.
Still, that doesn't mean the name on his birth certificate doesn't resemble what we all know him as, as the name reads "Elisha," which means he shares a first name with model/actress Elisha Cuthbert.
Sure, that's a little bit strange, but, hey, at least he was able to shorten it to just Eli before he became this big, superstar signal-caller, right?
4. Steve Young has one famous great-great-great granddad.
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young is probably proud of all that he accomplished during his NFL days, but one thing that is high up on the bragging list is a relative whom sports fans might be familiar with.
That's because Young, who attended Brigham Young University during college, is actually the great-great-great grandson of the man who founded the school, Brigham Young himself.
Even without all that the lefty signal-caller accomplished there, I wonder if he still had to pay tuition?
3. Lyoto Machida drinks his own urine.
As pro athletes continue to get bigger, faster and stronger, they try alternative methods to keep their bodies in top condition.
While many have discovered hyperbaric chambers and spent hundreds of thousands to maintain such great shape, one athlete uses a method that might not catch on too soon.
Revealing to Brazilian fight magazine Tatame (h/t Yahoo! Sports) that he and his family have drunk their own urine for years, MMA fighter Lyoto Machida said that he got the method from his dad years ago, believing that the recycling of his fluids help as a natural medicine.
I gag over a shot of vodka because of a bad experience, so I couldn't imagine what might happen if I had a cup of my own piss near my mouth. Barf.
2. Shh..."It" happens in sports more than you think.
I may be 30 years old, but I'm still immature enough to find poop jokes hilarious.
From using the smiling poop emoji more often than any other option on my phone to playing Tetris on my Game Boy while doing my business, let's just admit it—poop will always be funny.
Want to know what might not be too humorous, though? Going No. 2 while performing sports.
We saw an instance of a Florida Gators football player, happily, doing it during a game last season, but believe it or not, he's not the only one. Athletes have been doing it for years—with or without fans knowing how often it happens.
Hey, in the words of Forrest Gump, "it happens."
1. Mouthguards are filthy cesspools.
Football players are supposed to be tough, willing to fight through nagging aches and pains and never backing down from a challenge.
So when a player drops his mouthguard on the turf, quickly wipes it off on his already sweaty jersey and pops it back into his mouth, it's probably not looked at as being too manly.
Yet, after hearing what types of digesting germs those things contract, it might be the biggest battle a player faces all game long.
In a study done by a professor of forensic sciences, pathology and dental medicine, a mouthguard actually contains things like chemicals, opposing players' spit and DNA and, yes, even animal poop.
They might protect your teeth, but a mouthguard is just straight-up nasty.
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