Sports Selfies That Went Viral

Ah, yes, the selfie.

No longer the choice of just teenagers, people of all ages have turned their cameras toward themselves a lot in recent years, as things like the selfie stick were invented and, yes, even the word "selfie" itself was recognized as the word of the year in 2013 by Oxford Dictionaries.

With growing popularity, you know that some of our favorite selfie moments have come from the world of sports, with players and fans hoping to capture their experiences to share with the world.

Naturally, some of these have been more epic than others. These are the most viral sports selfies ever!

David Ortiz and Barack Obama

Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press

If I ever got some reward that sent me to D.C. for a White House visit, you'd better believe I'll be snapping pics left and right—where appropriate, of course.

That seemed to be the mindset of Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who did just that during the team's visit to see President Barack Obama following their 2013 World Series title.

Unfortunately, some criticism came soon after, as the stunt was part of a marketing campaign that turned some people off.

Honestly, though, who cares? Because the extra attention not only paid off for that particular brand of phones, but it also made the pic between the Commander in Chief and Big Papi one of the Internet's favorites.

Francesco Totti

Luciano Rossi/Associated Press

Over the years, there sure have been some iconic sports poses by which athletes are defined.

The Air Jordan logo. The Tiger Woods fist pump. The Heisman Trophy stiff-arm.

One that's missing from there, though, is the Francesco Totti selfie celebration, as the Italian player showed during a match against Lazio earlier this year.

With athletes trying to figure out unique ways of celebrating something, the use of cell phones has become more and more prevalent, with Totti's becoming somewhat of a phenomenon.

Just imagine if Jordan, Woods or any of the Heisman winners had done this way back when—it would have blown the Internet up.

Manny Pacquiao and Jimmy Kimmel

It was touted as the Fight of the Century, but when Manny Pacquiao was walking toward the ring to face off against undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., he had some humor on his side.

That's because late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was standing behind him, helping escort Pac-Man toward the canvas in the biggest fight of his career.

Stopping for a selfie just as he left the tunnel into the arena, Pacquiao's selfie might have just been one of many that he had done as part of a promotion for his Samsung sponsorship, but it also became hilarity gold, as Kimmel was dressed to mock Justin Bieber—who had worn something similar during a previous Mayweather bout.

Running of the Bulls Selfie

You know those people who will go to extraordinary lengths for a good story? If not, well, nice to meet you, because I'm one of them.

Another guy who seems to be is this dude named Christian, who upstaged anyone who has ever attempted a selfie by doing so during the Running of the Bulls a couple of years ago.

For those unfamiliar, the event is when full-grown bulls chase down competitors through the streets of Pamplona, Spain, with participants hoping to make it to the inside of an arena—where they still have to avoid the behemoth animals.

There have been dangerous selfies, and then this one—which brought things to a level never before seen, helping it get so popular.

Sammy Watkins

When a football player hears his name called by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on draft day, it's not only a relief, but it's also one of the most emotional minutes of a young 20-something's entire life.

All the hard work during the past decade-plus of playing football has finally earned him a spot in the NFL.

And while most guys tend to lean in and give Goodell a massive hug—which has gained popularity in recent years—wide receiver Sammy Watkins changed the tune a little bit when he was taken No. 4 overall by the Buffalo Bills.

Standing on stage with the Commish, Watkins was the first player in league history to take a selfie with his new boss, adding, "Been waiting my whole life for this moment"—which we're all glad he shared with us.

Rory McIlroy

I know, I know. Technically speaking, this photo of PGA golfer Rory McIlroy isn't really a selfie—it's a photo of him taking a selife. Still, that doesn't mean it doesn't fall under the same subcategory as these others, so it deserves some love here.

Following tradition of other players who have posted pics of themselves with their tournament trophies, the world's No. 1 golfer did just that, upping the ante by snapping this photo with a bunch of fans, himself and the Claret Jug after his win at the British Open last summer.

Having quite the past with some of his other trophy selfies, too, McIlroy's pic from 2014 became a sensation—even if some aren't too fond of his turning the camera on himself.

J.R. Smith

One of the best moments for a pro athlete comes when his or her team celebrates some sort of championship, allowing them to sip champagne and dance around with teammates for all the hard work they persevered through together.

And, thanks to social media, sports fans have had a little glimpse into the locker rooms of teams to see what it's like firsthand to win—and party after winning—a title.

In the case of J.R. Smith and his Cleveland Cavs teammates this year, it was the Eastern Conference Finals victory over the Atlanta Hawks, as the shooting guard filmed himself and some mates smiling and holding bubbly in a hot tub, showing just how much chemistry there was for the Cavs toward the end of this season.

Kayleigh Hill

Does anyone else remember college baseball fan Kayleigh Hill?

Whether you do or not, she's the young lady who decided that running onto the field during a College World Series game against UCLA and Mississippi State would be the time to get her 15 seconds of fame.

While I certainly can't condone such behavior, it did, sort of, work for Ms. Hill, who's selfie of her about to get taken down by security became something that the Internet got a good chuckle from.

Stephanie Rice

I'm not going to say that this particular photo is the main reason sports fans knew about Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice, but it certainly helped spread her popularity prior to the 2012 Summer Games in London.

Since the photo had nothing to do with sports—but did involve an athlete—there were a few people who criticized the Aussie for showing a little bit too much skin, which is a bit ironic considering she swims for a living.

Either way, the Internet ate it up, making her one of the stars to watch during the Games—which, unfortunately, ended without any medals around her neck.

Neymar

Typically, when someone runs onto the field or court at a sporting event, security is quick to take them down and squash any chance of interacting with players.

But when that fan is just a little guy who happened to find his way onto the pitch in a game in 2014, it was all smiles from everyone in the stadium.

Getting to meet his favorite soccer player, Neymar, the kid was able to pose for a few photos and even get held by the Brazilian star, with the player even putting it on his personal Instagram account to show how much fun it was.

Pretty cool stuff to see.

Kelly Nash

Although it's every baseball fans goal to catch a foul ball during batting practice or a game, reporter Kelly Nash had a way-too-close call in getting her own souvenir a few years ago.

Standing atop Fenway Park's famed Green Monster, Nash turned the camera on herself to snap a pic to share with all of her followers—completely normal, considering it was in MLB's oldest stadium.

However, in the moment she clicked the trigger button, a baseball from the Boston Red Sox batting practice whizzed by her head, coming within a few inches of, no doubt, knocking her out.

Lucky to escape unharmed, she proved to have a guardian angel in the outfield that day—with the photo instantly becoming an Internet phenomenon.

LeBron James Got Skinny

The ridiculous amount of attention that this photo of LeBron James' extreme weight loss from last summer was incredible, as the Internet was shocked at what they saw from the four-time league MVP.

Shedding weight to help maintain his body over the long haul of his NBA career, James showed up on Instagram looking like he was starving himself, dramatically appearing thinner than his normal, toned physique that fans had grown so accustomed to.

Of course, within a few months, Bron was back to his dominating self, leading the Cavs to an incredible NBA Finals run that proved he was still one of the strongest players in the league.