Recent Off-the-Field Sports Stories That Took Over Social Media

Some stories dominate social media more than others. 

A variety of factors affect a story's shelf life on those platforms. Superstar athletes sell merchandise and generate both television ratings and page views. We care more about particular sports leagues. The National Football League, for example, earns more attention in any given year than the National Hockey League in the United States. 

All kinds of off-the-field sports stories have dominated read-and-share websites in recent years. 

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick seemingly started a movement with his actions on sidelines before preseason games. Tim Tebow continues to dominate news cycles even though he is no longer an NFL player. Multiple Ultimate Fighting Championship stars received surprising bans, proof the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) isn't messing around. 

Social media changed how we learn about and discuss sports stories. Everybody has an opinion and a hot take. Some reporters are desperate to be first to relay a rumor, even if they don't possess all of the facts when they press the "Tweet" button. Therefore, it is both the best and worst thing to happen to the sports world. 

That likely isn't changing anytime soon. 

USADA Hits UFC

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"If there's a way to keep the stars in the universe, they're going to find a way to do it," explained Josh Nason during the August 24 edition of Wrestling Observer Live.

Nason was speaking about both Jon Jones and Brock Lesnar facing USADA-enforced suspensions after the fighters tested positive for banned substances during the summer. 

Such perceptions and opinions have existed in combat sports for years—and maybe even for decades. They faded from existence in 2016, however, after multiple test failures were announced to the public. 

Lesnar facing what may, per Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting, be only a one-year ban is not a massive story. After all, Lesnar turned 39 years old this past July, and he is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment. For all we know, his fight against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 was a one-time thing. 

Jones is a different story. Jones was pulled from the UFC 200 card days before his scheduled bout against Daniel Cormier after he tested positive for a banned substance before the event. UFC 200 was set to be the biggest show in the history of the promotion, in part because it was supposed to feature Jones in the main event. 

We now know, per Dave Meltzer of MMA Fighting, UFC 202 appears to be the "most successful non-boxing pay-per-view event" in the history of combat sports. 

Don't undersell what this means for mixed martial arts and other genres. Fighters know, more so than ever before, they must adhere to guidelines regarding what they can and cannot put into their bodies if they want to compete at major shows.

Teddy Bridgewater's Injury

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We know Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a serious knee injury during a practice session on August 30. Bridgewater will consequently miss the entire 2016 NFL regular season. 

It's understandable Bridgewater's injury caused social media to erupt. Bridgewater is a starting QB for a team that, as of the morning before he went down, was a playoff contender. The 23-year-old also happens to be a potential future superstar who could become one of the faces of the NFL if he continues to improve.

As A.J. Dellinger of the Daily Dot explained, Bridgewater's injury also led to scammers posing as legitimate reporters on Twitter. These accounts leaked information on the signal-caller's health that turned out to be inaccurate.

This is not a rare occurrence. Getting fooled by a fake social media account is almost a badge of honor these days. The Bridgewater injury offered a reminder that being desperate to have the latest information about an athlete or a celebrity is not always a good thing.

Look for the check mark next to a Twitter user's handle before assuming that person is reputable. Click on the account to make sure that person is who they say they are. Those quick and easy steps could save you some embarrassment.

Alex Rodriguez's Return

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Alex Rodriguez, all things considered, was the most fascinating player in baseball over the past two years. 

Rodriguez missed all of the 2014 regular season through suspension. The veteran, who turned 40 years old in July 2015, returned the following year and had a phenomenal campaign. Rodriguez, per Baseball-Reference.com, blasted 33 home runs and drove home 86 RBI. He was a legitimate Comeback Player of the Year candidate. 

He then found himself without a job in August 2016. Rodriguez struggled at the plate and dealt with injury setbacks throughout the year, and he played his final game for the New York Yankees on August 12. As far as we knew at the time, Rodriguez retired on that memorable night. 

Not so fast. As Mike Axisa of CBS Sports explained, speculation arose days after Rodriguez's supposed retirement that he could sign for the Miami Marlins. Nothing came of those stories, however, as Rodriguez remains a free agent. 

It's understandable rumors of a Rodriguez return would drive users to social media platforms. A-Rod is one of the greatest players of his generation who also happens to be a polarizing figure because of his links with performance-enhancing drugs. 

Don't be surprised if similar stories arise at any point between November and April.

Hope Solo Banished

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United States women's national team goalkeeper Hope Solo spoke with reporters after Sweden eliminated the U.S. in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympic Games. Solo's comments went viral, and they played a role in her losing her spot on the national team. 

Solo, per the Los Angeles Times, referred to Sweden as "cowards" because of the team's defensive style. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, and Sweden won on penalty kicks.

The goalkeeper's moment of frustration, on its own, likely would not have been enough to warrant a suspension and the termination of her contract with the national team. That punishment was handed down in August. This was not a one-off, though, as Solo has a history of making headlines off of the pitch. 

Most notably, the Seattle Reign stopper was arrested for assaulting her sister and nephew in June 2014. This incident, as Nate Scott of USA Today explained, led to a senator to send a letter to U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati before Solo represented her country at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. 

Solo is one of the most famous female footballers in the United States. Thus, her comments making waves and her suspension driving discussions on national talk shows shouldn't surprise anyone.

Solo turned 35 years old in July. The national team won't play in what casual fans would consider to be a major tournament until 2019. It's likely Solo's days as the U.S. No. 1 were up before she spoke to any reporter following the Sweden match.

Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz Throw Bottles

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The feud between UFC personalities Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz is the best thing to happen to combat sports since Ronda Rousey. 

Diaz defeated the boastful and outspoken McGregor in March. The Irishman avenged that loss in August in what may go down at the fight of the year. Both men are willing and seemingly happy to cut promos and lash out at each other. It's everything a promotion could want. 

Perhaps the best moment of the feud occurred before the two fought at UFC 202. As Steven Ruiz of USA Today wrote, the two fighters "exchanged expletives and middle fingers" during a pre-fight press conference. The highlight of the event occurred when the fighters' camps tossed water bottles at each other. 

Upon seeing numerous posts on social media about this incident, your immediate thought might have been that it was a work—a gimmick meant to drive interest in the fight and generate additional pay-per-view buys. We'll likely never know whether that was the case or if it was a spontaneous moment between individuals who don't like each other.

We do know, however, that McGregor and Diaz are much richer after UFC 202. 

Dave Meltzer of MMA Fighting reported on Sept. 7 that estimates indicate there were 1.65 million buys for UFC 202, making it the biggest show in UFC history. It would be interesting to see how many people bought the show after McGregor and Diaz threw bottles at each other. Did their antics at that press conference help make UFC a historic show? 

They certainly didn't hurt.

Gabby Douglas Stands During the Anthem

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American gymnast Gabby Douglas stood on a podium as the national anthem played during the 2016 Summer Olympics. 

Not everybody puts a hand over their heart whenever their national anthem plays. Some hockey players shuffle back and forth, sometimes while listening to two different anthems air before a game. Other athletes bow their heads and silently reflect on the impending contest. You may not even put a hand over your heart while hearing the anthem at a baseball park.

For whatever reasons, though, people felt offended watching Douglas stand with her arms at her sides as "The Star-Spangled Banner" played during a medal ceremony in Rio de Janeiro. Douglas saw such criticism, and she took to her Twitter account to explain: "I always stand at attention out of respect for our country whenever the national anthem is played." 

Real sports controversies exist. They spark debates among observers, journalists and public personalities. They create interesting stories.

This, however, is nothing. It was always nothing. An American respectfully stood tall as their country's national anthem played.

Not everything is a thing. All would do well to remember that saying now and again.

Tom Brady's Hair

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Some stories are serious. This is not one of those. 

New England Patriots starting quarterback Tom Brady probably understood he'd be in the news throughout the preseason. Brady is set to serve a four-game suspension because of his alleged role in the Deflategate scandal.

How does Brady believe backup Jimmy Garoppolo will play under center? Can the Patriots win multiple games without him? These are reasonable questions to ask Brady considering the circumstances.

Brady's latest haircut, however, stole the headlines at the end of August.

As NESN pointed out, social media users were happily lashing out at Brady's latest hairstyle. Arguably the funniest jokes of the bunch involved Brady being compared to television characters from the 1990s, such as Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell. ESPN The Magazine's Mina Kimes, meanwhile, described Brady's style as the "Megyn Kelly" in reference to the well-known Fox News personality. 

Brady is one of the greatest offensive players in NFL history and a four-time champion. He has earned millions of dollars throughout his career. He is married to a supermodel. 

He likely doesn't care what you think about his hair.

Tiger Woods Is Back?

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Sightings of Bigfoot and Tiger Woods successfully returning to the PGA Tour are similar in that you'll only believe such stories when you see evidence for yourself.

As Steve DiMeglio of USA Today pointed out, Woods last played in a PGA Tour event in August 2015. Woods, the most dominant pro golfer of the past 20 years, is recovering from a pair of back surgeries. He last won a major in 2008.

Woods made news on Sept. 7, however, when it was announced on his website that he is planning on returning to competitive golf in October: 

"

Tiger Woods said Wednesday that he hopes to play in the Safeway Open, Oct. 13-16, at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, California. Woods also intends to compete in the Turkish Airlines Open, Nov. 3-6, in Antalya, Turkey, and the Tiger Woods Foundation-run Hero World Challenge, Dec. 1-4, at Albany in the Bahamas. He will participate in the Tiger Woods Invitational presented by USLI, Oct. 10-11, on the Monterey Peninsula.

"

Woods remains the biggest star in golf, even if his body is a shell of what it was during his physical prime. This past April, John Strege of Golf Digest wrote about how Woods' absence affected television ratings during the opening round of the Masters. 

Casual sports fans who do not passionately follow golf still recognize Woods. They can envision Woods wearing a red shirt while closing out an epic victory on a Sunday evening. They'd like to believe the 40-year-old has one more run left in the tank.

Woods may never again win a major, but it's a safe bet that millions would tune in to watch if he were in contention to do so at some point down the road.

Tim Tebow Plays Baseball

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One day, somebody will write about our national obsession with Tim Tebow. 

We don't care Tebow was last truly a NFL player in September 2015, when he served as a backup QB for the Philadelphia Eagles. Tebow did not make the team's final roster ahead of its first regular-season game of the campaign. He last played in a meaningful contest all the way back in 2012. 

We nevertheless continue to follow Tebow's life on and off the football field. 

Fans and members of the media aren't alone. ESPN.com's Jim Bowden wrote that Tebow's representatives claimed scouts from 28 Major League Baseball clubs attended a workout featuring the former signal-caller on August 30 even though Tebow had never before played an inning of professional baseball. 

One team was sufficiently impressed. The New York Mets offered Tebow a minor league contract on Sept. 8.

As Matt Snyder ad Dayn Perry of CBSSports.com explained, this is not all that big a deal. The Mets are merely taking a flier on an athlete who showed he can hit the ball with some power. The 29-year-old has a long journey ahead of him if he is to even flirt with playing in the majors.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the story, as noted by journalist Andrew Vazzano, is that Tebow's agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, also represents Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes and team aces Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom.  

Tebow may mean more to the Mets off of the field than because of anything he contributes to the club on it.

Colin Kaepernick and the National Anthem

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The story involving San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has many layers. 

It's important to note Kaepernick lost his starting job to Blaine Gabbert during the 2015 NFL season. Kaepernick has yet to reclaim that gig since Chip Kelly took over as San Francisco head coach in January. Would he have chosen to sit or kneel during the national anthem "in protest of what he deems are wrongdoings against African Americans and minorities in the United States," as explained by Steve Wyche of NFL Media, had he been named the team's starting QB in July? 

We'll never know.

Kaepernick has support from fellow athletes. United States women's national team and Seattle Reign midfielder Megan Rapinoe knelt during the national anthem before a club match in early September. This, as Euan McKirdy of CNN wrote, resulted in the Washington Spirit playing the anthem before players took the pitch ahead of a match on Sept. 7 in an effort to thwart Rapinoe's protest. 

Multiple Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins players may took part in a silent protest during the anthem ahead of the teams' Week 1 contest, per the Associated Press (h/t Fox News). 

This story clearly is more than hype, and it's one that isn't going away anytime soon. Matters such as patriotism, respect for one's country and alleged injustices are all hot-button topics. These protests, thus, have generated much debate on local and national talk radio, cable television shows and social media websites.

All things considered, Kaepernick's movement, intentionally or not, may be the biggest off-the-field sports story of 2016.