The Coolest Viral Videos in Sports Vol. 1

There was a time when "going viral" meant an entire city would be quarantined.

Seriously, I'm not kidding—the yellow fever was no joke.

Now, going viral just means that somebody has danced and lip-synched to a strange song or an adorable kid got his finger bitten by his little brother.

Or an Icelandic soccer team concocted some crazy and hilarious soccer-goal celebrations.

Yes, sometimes even sports go viral. So let's celebrate the best sports videos that have done so in 2011.

It's quarantine-free fun!

25. I've Heard of Follow-Through, but This Is Ridiculous

(Go to the 1:40 mark)

Maybe it's just me, but I think dunking yourself is at least as impressive as jumping over a car.

Okay, maybe not quite as impressive as jumping over a car. But only because Griffin's presentation was better.

24. Dad Drops Daughter at Dodgers Game

Things it is acceptable to drop if a fly ball is headed your way: Your hot dog, your peanuts, your scorecard, a sign you brought to the game that you were super-proud of because it cleverly combines the letters of the network broadcasting the game with a message supporting your team.

Things you really don't want to drop if a fly ball is headed your way, but, hey, it happens sometimes: Your beer and your cell phone.

Things you should never drop under any circumstance, let alone because some stupid foul ball is headed your way: Your child.

She was fine, he didn't seem like some terrible monster and we all got a laugh in the end. But please join me in your best Cris Carter voice:

C'mon, man!

23. This Is How You Do It

That dude could probably play ping-pong while changing a diaper.

22. Dmitry Starodubtsev's Pole Breaks at the 2011 World Champions

Talk about an equipment failure—it must have been so discouraging that his pole didn't hold up.

Wait for it...

Go!

21. Mario Balotelli Can't Dress Himself

Can you imagine him trying to put on a tie?

He's totally a clip-on guy.

20. Amirrrrrr!

I feel like Bob Saget should be making some sort of lame joke while a studio audience laughs during this video.

Amir would totally win for the above performance.

(Sidenote: It is so weird to see Saget's old persona. One of the most epic instances of public repression ever. And when we finally got to see the closer-to-reality Bob, the contrast with Fake Bob just made it so much funnier. Well played, Saget.)

19. Taj Gibson

There was more from Mr. Gibson.

Sadly, there wasn't much more for the Chicago Bulls in this series.

18. Kate Upton Dougie

Because of this, "The Dougie" will always hold a special place in my heart.

Kate Upton is my vote for favorite person I hadn't heard of before 2011.

17. Evolution of the Touchdown Dance

In case you need some guidance, a commentor on YouTube ran down the dances referenced here. Thank you, TalkingCactus:

"

0:06 Billy Johnson / 0:14 Walter Stanley 0:18 / Henry Ellard / 0:23 Earl Ferrell / 0:28 Ickey Woods / 0:37 Earnest Givins / 0:49 Merton Hanks / 0:56 Jamal Anderson / 1:03 Terrell Davis / 1:08 St. Louis Rams / 1:16 Ray Lewis / 1:26 Daunte Culpepper / 1:30-1:38 Terrell Owens / 1:46 Joe Horn / 1:56 Warren Sapp / 2:02 Kelley Washington / 2:11 Chad Ochocinco / 2:19 Maurice Jones-Drew / 2:27 LaDainian Tomlinson / 2:32 The Bernie / 2:45 The Dougie / 2:53 Aaron Rodgers

"

"

TalkingCactus

"

16. Awesome Shot for Charity! Or Was It...?

You know what I really hate?

Inconvenient technicalities. From Off the Bench:

"

"Richard Marsh hit the 3-inch-diameter puck an estimated 175 feet into a target slightly larger than 3 inches wide, winning the $50,000 prize in the team’s “Hockey for Heart” promotion for St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana. Making this an even better ending, Marsh had announced before the shot that he would donate all of the money to St. Vincent Heart Center if he won.

"The promotion was sponsored by All-State Insurance, but a third-party insurance company hired by the Ice was responsible for the payout. That company — which remains unnamed — voided the payout, ruling that Marsh had released the shot over the designated starting line, which was against the rules."

"

Boo! Thankfully, this sort of absurdity was the only time a $50,000 payout was taken away because of a strange circumstance.

Wait, no it wasn't. From ABC:

"

"The 11-year-old boy who wowed hockey fans  by hitting a puck through a hole in a board 89 feet away has lost the $50,000 jackpot attached to the miracle shot.

"The company that insured the charity event, Odds on Promotions, said that 11-year-old Nate Smith isn’t eligible to take home the $50,000 because the raffle ticket that allowed him to take the hockey shot was in his twin brother’s name. 

"The honesty of the twin boys’ father is what led the event organizers to realize that Nate had posed as his twin brother Nick when he made the shot.'

"

These both happened this year. Clearly, 2011 is not the year to win prize money after making a ridiculous hockey shot.

15. Alberto Contador Punches a Fan

I will now re-enact the thought process of one Alberto Contador:

Listen, brosef—if I want your stinking water, I'll take your stinking water. Get it out of my face! That's it—JUDO CHOP!

Yeah, how you like me now? Never mess with a biker, jerkface.

Man, that was a solid judo chop. I bet Lance Armstrong punches like a girl. Man, I really hate these spandex shorts. Okay, time to focus: Peddle, peddle, peddle, peddle, peddle, peddle, peddle, peddle...

14. Ouch

I would make an "Eli Manning asked Michael Boley for some throwing pointers afterwards" joke here, but Eli has been pretty damn good this year.

So, uh, sucks to be that kid, am I right?

13. Insult to Injury

This one got a lot of play on SportsCenter, so you've probably seen it.

I'm actually laughing as I type this—it's just... so... awesome.

12. You've Gotta Feel for Kickers

I think he was gunning for the kicker here. I mean, he seemed pretty hyped to see the kicker get floored.

And the kicker's all like, "Hey man, what's up with that? Why are you getting all up on me, the beloved kicker, like that?"

Silly kickers.

11. Ohio Players Really Like Their New Uniforms

It would be funnier if the title of this video was "Ohio Football: Reaction to Trailer for Lion King in 3D."

10. Erin Andrews on Jimmy Kimmel

You know, I just can't figure out why this has gotten close to 200,000 views.

It must be the hilarious gifts she brings Jimmy. Yeah, that's definitely it.

Here's part two.

9. A Young DeSean Jackson Fan

My man received a flag to go along with that swag.

But honestly, it was totally worth it just to see this video, right?

8. Troy Polamalu at the Wax Museum

Albert Haynesworth often pulls this stunt during an actual football game.

7. Hank Williams, Jr. Is an Idiot

We include this because this interview ultimately led to Hank Williams, Jr.'s "Are You Ready For Some Football?" introduction to Monday Night Football being cut by the program.

And honestly, I haven't been ready since. I'm not the only one.

6. Steve Young Birthday Flash Mob

Rob Gronkowski got a flash mob for his birthday as well, but that was, um, a little bit different from this.

5. Red Sox Get the Taiwanese Animation Treatment

So did the NBA.

I'm almost afraid to watch the inevitable "Joe Paterno dismissal" video. I might actually skip over that one.

Nope, no I won't. And it is out. I can't tell if it is in poor taste or so unbelievably strange that it is comical.

Somewhere in-between, I guess. You've been warned.

4. Michigan Grannies in Shotgun Formation

You know Ohio State grannies watched this and started talking trash about how slow the Michigan grannies shotgunned their beers.

Seriously, I bet that happened.

3. Mike Tyson Quotes: The Song

This is currently my favorite song.

Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

2. Eren Derdiyok's Crazy-Awesome Goal

If you are that defender, are you distraught that you were owned that badly, or are you so impressed with Derdiyok's effort that you don't even care?

Honestly, I think it has to be the latter—that was a sick-nasty play.

Yes, sick and nasty.

1. David Bennett Needs Dogs

Honestly, I would want a football team that was more like "The Honey Badger."

I mean, dogs are okay, but honey badger don't give a bleep.

One good viral turn deserves another.

My name is Timothy Rapp, and I put the "grrrr" in Swagger.