PERFECTLY TIMED SPORTS PHOTOS THAT ALSO DESERVE A GOLD MEDAL
Sporting events can be very intense, with athletes giving it their all in order to win a gold medal. But this level of serious competition can often lead to hilarious moments, and we have the cameramen to thank for capturing them on film. From funny to downright dangerous, here are some of the best we’ve found!
SUPERMAN? NO, IT’S SUPERDAD!
Sporting events do come with a certain degree of danger to them, not just for the athletes but also for the crowd seated at the bleachers. In this one heart-racing capture, a player’s strong swing sent his bat flying right into the people watching the game! This could have gone really bad had it not been for this dad’s quick reflexes, reaching over to shield his child from the impact. No one saw this coming, but that’s just how accidents are—which is why insurance is important for everyone. At the end of the day, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
WHEN LIFE THROWS YOU A CURVEBALL
We don’t doubt that this photo is as painful as it looks, but this is the risk that athletes tend to face whenever they show up for work on any given day. In this case, Rickie Weeks Jr. of the Milwaukee Brewers got hit by the pitch of Edison Volquez from the Cincinnati Reds. The ball got him right at the jaw, a moment immortalized in this photo that shows just how dangerous even a fun game of baseball can be. There’s a reason these people are called professionals— let’s hope they all have insurance as a precaution for potential injuries in the future.
SNEAK ATTACK!
For many basketball fans, getting to watch the NBA live is quite the experience, and many want to make sure that they’re able to keep a memento from the occasion. This Lakers fan has figured out a way to snap a picture of her fave player. Coming up from behind Kobe, exerting every bit of effort to get a good angle. Judging by her expression, however, she already knows what everyone else is thinking: AWKWARD. Then again, the price on those front row tickets costs about as much as getting a personal loan so we’d make the most of it as well.
CTHULHU IS THAT… YOU?
Okay, okay—we’re sure this isn’t the brainchild of the legendary writer, H.P. Lovecraft. At first glance, however, you’re bound to question what it was you just saw. All that aside, this is an excellent capture of the surface tension present in the water as swimmers race through it. For the briefest moment, it even seems solid enough to touch! It makes you wonder just what it took to capture this image, the type of camera, and the level of skill needed to make it happen. Perhaps it’s time we learned more about photography, and online classes are readily available, after all!
LOOK, MA, NO HANDS!
Alex Rodriguez, better known by fans as A-Rod, is one of the most well-known athletes when it comes to baseball. This comes as no surprise considering his prowess at the sport. He’s one of the most intense players in the game, but if this photo proves anything—it’s that he’s confident enough to relax, too. Either that or he’s showing off tricks to prove he’s not just a “baseball guy”. What we do know is that he’s a cool guy and this is a cool photo. We’d gas him up further but we’re sure A-Rod is already well aware of this fact.
MIRROR IMAGE
If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that water adds an entirely new element to a photo depending on the creative eye of the photographer capturing it all. In this case, we’re made to see double—creating a subtle optical illusion that’ll keep you looking at the photo just to make sure your eyes aren’t fooling you. It’s a mix of luck and instinct that made this image happen. After all, the photographer only has seconds in order to catch the exact moment. Can we get this good if we take online classes? If so, sign us up today!
AWKWARD ANGLES
We’ll be honest and admit that it’s difficult to tell whether the athlete in this photo is facing frontwards or backwards. Our money’s on them facing the front, but given the awkwardness of the capture and the positioning of their hands—it can get tricky! Nevertheless, it’s a cool shot that shows off how much power and effort goes into the sport. It’s a funny image, sure, but what these athletes go through is no laughing matter. From training to the competition itself; no wonder they all require ample insurance. Injuries seem to be commonplace when it comes to this job!
CREATURE FROM THE DEEP
We’ve seen the effects of water tension when it comes to producing some of the most stunning images. Here’s another great example—though, this one’s a bit more unnerving than the others because of its alien-esque quality. The naked eye is not capable of witnessing this particular phenomenon happen, but a camera’s lens that can capture countless images within seconds manages to. This isn’t your ordinary mobile phone camera, however. A professional camera that is capable of shooting at this speed and quality will likely cost you a fair amount of investment money. So think twice before taking a dive into purchasing one!
WORK SMART, NOT HARDER
We have to give this kid props for ingenuity and guts—but it may not be the brightest thing to do considering how dangerous it could have been. That said, we’re sure they didn’t just spontaneously decide to run right into this herd of bike racers. If that is the case, however, we can’t help but wonder where the child’s parents were and what happened to them after. Did everyone just clamp down on their breaks? That could have led to yet another disaster. And while experienced bikers are well aware of the risks, it’s possible that insurance does not cover incidents such as this.
NOTHING SUPERGLUE WON’T FIX!
Try lifting professional baseball bats and you can easily tell how strong and durable these are. They are meant to withstand some of the fastest and most powerful pitches, but even professional equipment won’t always work as hoped. Case in point, Brennan Boesch’s experience when his splintered and hit him right smack in the face. Now, that’s something you don’t see every day—and hope you never do, ever again. We’re sure the New York Yankee’s player is glad the accident wasn’t any worse and he can walk away mostly unscathed. There’s no doubt that insurance is something that every athlete should have.
WATCH YOUR HEAD!
We’ve seen some pretty unnerving stuff courtesy of the swimmers, but a few can top this photo of gymnast caught midair whilst performing a stunt. We’re sure she’s plenty talented and she obviously has great form, but this perfectly timed photo has managed to produce one of the creepiest we’ve seen thus far. Not something we’d be fond of looking at in the dark, that’s for sure— even the headless horseman would agree. Let’s just say, it doesn’t matter if she hits the roofing with those high jumps. This is one athlete who will always have her head firmly tucked between her shoulders.
SOMEONE CALL THE LOONEY TUNES!
Kidding aside, that is one mean looking jab and if this photo is anything to go by, it must have hurt a lot. But that’s something any boxer should expect once they get in the ring with Wladimir Klitschko. He might be retired now, but during the period when he was active, the boxer had quite a reputation in the ring. Known as one of the greats, his legend was not without reason. Just look at this image and put yourself in the shoes of his opponent—no takers? Good. Because no insurance will help you recover any quicker after a match with this guy.
BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME
Even professional athletes make mistakes, it’s just a matter of timing to make sure it doesn’t cost them an important game. That said, slip-ups will inevitably happen anyway, even after hours of hard training. Take this image as an example. Just when you think you have the game in your pocket, the ball falls short of what you initially gauged and you end up losing a point. We wonder how this athlete felt after watching that ball slip from his hold and fall to the flooring. Sure hope he didn’t take it too hard and continued like a champ.
NO SMALL ROLES
When it comes to working in teams, it’s always one for all and all for one. Each individual is delegated a task that is crucial to the entire group’s success. This is especially true for team sports—where everyone needs to pitch in an equal amount of effort in order to make things work. However, that doesn’t mean everyone will get their moment in the spotlight. In this image, let’s not disregard the effort of the 4 other athletes taking the literal weight of their stunt. It’s not an easy feat, especially in water. No online classes will teach you how to master this one!
YOU’RE NOT YOURSELF WHEN YOU’RE “HANG-RY”
We’ve all heard this phrase before and many would agree—our mood tends to dip whenever hunger strikes. If you think it’s only average folks who get affected by this, think again. Whilst athletes are known for having very strong mentalities, they can get hit with the “hang-ry monster” as well. Just take this image for example.
All kidding aside, this is just an unfortunate incident—a player’s hand finding the wrong spot during a block mid-game. Judging by the player’s face, he isn’t too pleased about it either. Let’s hope no lawyers got involved and everything was settled over a nice dinner.
JUST LET IT OUT
We can imagine these athletes having plenty of pent-up frustrations, considering there’s the stress from training and wanting to win. There are also unfair calls that they have to deal with. It can pile up and sometimes, so they simply have to let it all out—at least, that’s what we feel like this image is trying to convey.
Jokes aside, this is yet another perfectly timed capture with hilarious results. Is he pouting? About to throw a tantrum? Or is he about to deliver a pitch that will win his team the game? Mad about his credit score? It’s all fun and games.
THE FLOOR IS LAVA!
It’s hard to stop staring at this photo, not when there are so many funny things happening all at once. Are those two players doing the cha-cha or did someone just shout “the floor is lava”? What about the other guy behind them? He looks surprised about the events, while the two onlookers in the sidelines seem keen on joining the fun. This is one of those photos that can be interpreted in so many hilarious ways— basketball history may not ever publish this photo, but to the photographer’s credit, it’s certainly made us and a lot of other people smile.
CHEEEEEESE!
Remember all those times you were asked to smile for photos as a child? When you were made to show off your pearly whites in the cheesiest grin possible? Well, this guy’s got that down to an art—no, really. Given that this happened during the Olympics, we’re sure he just wanted to make his mama proud and give her a photo to remember.
Kidding aside, this is an image that encapsulates the effort it takes athletes to perform their best. They do so without giving much thought to how good or how cool they look. To this athlete’s credit, it is a powerful photo.
A REAL CLASS ACT
Michelle Obama, for many, is the epitome of elegance, grace, and class. This is a fact she has proven countless times, from her time as First Lady of the United States and beyond. That said, despite her former title and all the accolades she’s received when it comes to how she carries herself in the public eye, Mrs. Obama is still human—much like everyone. Prone to slip-ups and unflattering photos, such as this one. Given her humor, we’re sure she probably had a good laugh over it with her husband. To her credit, she still looks beautiful despite the awkward capture!
WRONG TECHNIQUE
We all know that football is a contact sport where players will inevitably hurt or injure each other in some way during the game. There are certain techniques they employ in order to gain an advantage over the competition, but we’re not sure if this one counts. In fact, what he’s doing is better suited for a different sport such as martial arts. There’s no denying that he’s got great form, and he’d probably score big if it were an entirely different “ball game”. It’s hilarious, but we can’t even imagine how painful it must have been for the receiving end. Hopefully, he’s got great insurance!
THAT’S GONNA LEAVE A MARK
I’m sure you’ve got one question on your mind: HOW? Much like you, we’re left with our heads shaking after seeing this photo. It is likely that the athlete slipped at the most unfortunate moment and ended up with their faces hitting the hurdle. As if one injury wasn’t enough, he now had to deal with two, and we’re sure that both are bound to leave a mark. This photo’s only funny at a first glance, a second look is bound to leave you wincing in shared pain; the impact must have been great. We hope he’s got insurance to help him through recovery!
HEAD OVER HEELS?
Or in this case, heels over head? After the headless gymnast from earlier, this one’s got us rolling over in laughter—then scratching our heads trying to figure out exactly what happened here. One thing’s for sure, this athlete must be incredibly flexible in order to achieve this pose. We’re glad the photographer was able to capture it at the right moment; show this to the judges and she’s bound to get high scores across the board. Kidding aside, we give props to her! This is one sport that takes years of training and no online classes will ever help you master it.
WHAT A BULLY!
Let’s get serious for a moment. Bullfighting is a particularly bloody and violent sport—both for the animals and humans involved. In participating, people are already aware of the dangers and even the possibility of dying during it. Whilst it has produced some hilarious images, much like this one, the reality behind it can be devastating. Sure, he won’t be able to sit straight for the next few weeks—but trust us, this could have been much worse. We wonder, do they offer insurance for the animals as well or is it just for the daredevils who think this is fun?
POINTING FINGERS
During game broadcasts, cameras tend to be all over the place, capturing every second and every little detail. Whilst this is great for those watching from home, but not so much for the players who need to be mindful of what they do on and off-court. Just take this photo for example- we’re not sure if this was something the player did on purpose, considering how he was looking at the camera the whole time, or if it was simply a perfectly-timed image. One thing’s for sure, we cannot stop looking and laughing at it. To his credit, he does look cool regardless.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL
Just don’t try and catch it with your face. This unlucky dude didn’t quite get the memo and received the surprise of his life when the ball went straight for his face. By the looks of it, he was simply hoping to take home a small memento from the game—but after this? He’s taking that and something else. As painful as this looks, it seems he was able to impress the lady beside him—she seems to be enjoying every second of it, after all. He certainly got more than he bargained for and we’re sure every bit of gas money was worth it.
CHEESIN’ IT!
Here’s one for keeps. LeBron James has a reputation for being one of the most intense players in the game—in court, he tends to be unstoppable. Outside of the game, however, we’re given a peek into how much of a goofball this legend really is. Just check this image out for example. Here you have the usually serious athlete hamming it up for the cam and for the fans, who probably went wild for it. We all love a guy who knows how to have fun and to his credit, he still looks good despite the awkward expression!
WHAT COMES UP, WILL ALWAYS COME DOWN—HARD
It’s simple physics, but people who do stunts for a living do have a tendency to defy gravity when performing. Just take this biker, for example. We’re sure he knows what could happen if he goes up too high and not quite land the way he ought to. Pain—plain and simple. Looks like his protective gear isn’t even enough to keep him from hitting the ground face first, while one of his buddies look in either amusement or disbelief. We’re currently experiencing both, to be honest. Let’s hope he does better next time and gets insurance for other potential injuries in the future.
IT’LL BE FUN, THEY SAID
By the look on this woman’s face, fun is the furthest thing on her mind when this hilarious image was snapped. She’s holding on for dear life, legs flailing mid-air, as she tries to stay seated, while the sled goes careening down this snowy hill. Did she volunteer for this or was this a total accident, and wasn’t she supposed to ride it all the way down? In any case, everyone else is enjoying the show. Must be glad that they’re not the ones on it! We do hope she managed to walk away unscathed; it’s no fun dealing with health insurance while on a holiday!
TRUE ART
This one’s a real masterpiece. It’s got every element that some of the world’s finest paintings have: emotion, movement—thrills! If you look closely enough, you can almost hear the sound of the crowd screaming and that of our laughter as we study the photo further. The key is to scroll slowly down until you get to the highlight: a perfect rendition of Edvard Munch’s The Scream. Whoever captured this photo deserves a gold medal and a spot at the Louvre. We’re willing to bet investment money on this being recognized as a true work of art in the future. Just wait and see.
GAME FACE: ON
Not many people are aware of this, but cheerleading is a competitive sport. In that same vein, they can get just as intense during performances—after all, the key is to intimidate the competition. Just take this photo as an example, she’s just as intense as a footballer or an angry coach. The cute outfit and ponytail don’t make it any less scary, it only adds to it. This is one cheerleader we’d be glad to have on our team—we just have to remember to stay on her good side. We wouldn’t want to end up on the flooring should she get really mad.
GIRL, BYEEEE
Whenever we think of sheep, we picture the docile and calm creatures that they are often portrayed to be. Whilst there is truth in that image, these guys do have a mean streak—especially if you’re trying to make them do something they don’t want. Just watch this fluffy, little rebel leave that girl in the dust for trying to ride him! The sheep saw its chance and took it without hesitation. See that smug expression on its face? That’s the look of victory. As for that unfortunate girl, perhaps some online classes on how to befriend these creatures better?
DIVE AND DASH
This is one of those instances where we’re not sure whether to laugh or feel bad for the person in the photo. What we do know for sure is this one’s an absolute classic. On the left, you have the triumphant competitor who effortlessly surpassed the difficult hurdle placed before them. On the right, you have someone who seems to have forgotten the right technique to use. It’s jump—not dive. But, who are we to judge? Whatever works for them, works great for us. We’re just glad that they didn’t do that on solid rock flooring—now, that would have been terrible.
WAVES OF PAIN
Yes, that’s really someone’s body taking on the full force of a very powerful kick. We can only wish this was photoshopped, maybe then we wouldn’t be wincing in shared pain just looking at it. It is a great image showing how the body reacts to impact and the kind of injuries that UFC fighters can sustain whenever they step into the ring. These guys are pure muscle, so you can just imagine how strong every kick or punch can be—definitely not the type we’d mess with. To this fighter’s credit, he seems to be taking it like a champ.
BACKLASH
There’s this saying that goes, “never turn your back during a fight,” but it seems this female fighter forgot all about that during this bout. Had she just taken a second to check behind her, she could have avoided a motherload of pain. That aside, it does make for a great photo and it perfectly encapsulates the athleticism that these women all possess! If you ask us, that’s every bit of a Wonder Woman movie right there. This is one bout we would have put investment money in—betting on the girl in red as the overall victor after the dust settles.
PICTURE PERFECT
Sporting events are intense—we’ve established that fact. However, there will always be those who can glide through any situation looking like an angel among mere mortals. Either that or the photographer simply got one of the better angles on this lovely cheerleader. We’re not complaining, it’s a breath of fresh air after going through all the hilarity on this list. Not that we didn’t try to find something off or awkward about this image, but there’s simply none. Needless to say, we’re just sad that looking this gorgeous and effortless can’t be learned through online classes. We want her secret!
GONNA LEAVE YOU LACROSSED-EYED
Get it? No? Well, this player sure did—it hit her right on the nose. We sure hope she managed to walk away from this with only minor injuries because that looks like it’d be very painful. If there’s anything we’ve learned about female athletes, however, it’s that they’re tough as nails and can handle just as much as their male counterparts. While it made for a comedic shot, we’re sure that she dusted herself off and went back into the game—even with a slightly crooked nose. You gotta do, what you gotta do. We just hope her insurance covers for broken noses!
MAKE THOR PROUD
It’s not the mythic hammer he’s throwing, but this guy looks like he’s channeling every bit of power that the Son of Odin can deliver! The only difference is that he doesn’t have Thor’s good looks while doing so. We feel his pain and a lot of second-hand embarrassment, though we’re sure he had a good laugh after seeing this perfectly-timed photo. How else does one react to something so hilarious anyway? It’s better to learn how to laugh at oneself instead of getting mad over things you have no control over. To this guy’s credit, Thor would be proud of those muscles!
DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH
We’ve seen the hilarity that can ensue when it comes to water sports, but this one really takes the cake when it comes to perfectly-timed photos. These ladies were not only in-sync when it comes to doing their performance, but we’re also right on cue for doing the same ridiculous expressions! Take your time and go through each one, just make sure you don’t try to hold your laughter in. We ended up bursting after the third one. Our favorite might be the woman furthest to the right— that’s the face we made upon realizing just how expensive student loans can be.
CAMEL GET IT
It may not be a real sports photo, but trust us when we say that this adorable creature deserves all the gold medals for this smile alone. Just your average camel, hanging out with his best dudes and taking cheesy selfies for that social media clout. Is this what you call a “camel flex”? If there is such a thing, then these guys are definitely winning. Just goes to show that you don’t need to perform crazy stunts in order to impress someone; all you need is a billboard-ready smile and a great credit score to top it off. Trust this camel, he knows what’s up.
HORSEBACK… FLYING?
Talking about tricks, we’re not sure what’s happening in this photo, but we are somewhere between scared and impressed. Scared because she looks like she’s flying straight towards us, all crazed looking and ready to kill. On the other hand, it would have taken plenty of guts to perform this stunt— all while maintaining a smile on her face. We have to give props to her horse as well, only rigorous training can make this dangerous feat possible. We hope both of them finished the performance safely; no one would ever want to risk using their insurance just to garner applause.
HUNGER PAINS
Some players tend to “eat dirt” during a very competitive game of baseball, but this guy has another idea in mind. We’re not quite sure if that’s fear or hunger we see in his eyes, but either way, this is one ridiculously funny photo. Is the ball chasing him? Or is he trying to swallow that pitch in a single go? We’ll stop ourselves right there, but I’m sure you can think of a handful of captions to give this image. This player probably wants to forget this event exists—too bad insurance doesn’t cover for damages from “perfectly-timed photos that went viral”.
SOMEONE CALL PROFESSOR XAVIER
The X-Men definitely needs this athlete’s not-so-hidden skill. Do you also wonder if he could do the same thing with his legs? Truth be told, the more we look at it, the creepier it gets. If we didn’t know any better, we’d think this one’s photoshopped, but it’s 100% legit. The reality behind this capture is less scary, however. What you see here is the split second before this player throws a powerful pitch, one that required his full strength and flexibility. You can almost feel the electricity radiating off of him—just don’t let the gummy arms distract you from it.
RISE OF THE BLUE UNDEAD
Doesn’t it look like a scene from an upcoming zombie feature? A sea of painted faces, arms reaching out towards an unwitting victim—it’s got all the elements of an awesome thriller, but this isn’t a movie poster you’re looking at. Taken at a collegiate basketball game, this image captures the Cameron Crazies doing one of their infamous tactics against the opposing team. Despite garnering a fair amount of hatred from other fans, we cannot deny the creativity behind what they do, especially their chants. Who wouldn’t be intimidated by that? Give them some credit, the solidarity between these fans is certainly impressive.
HARRY POTTER GOT NOTHING ON THIS
By the looks on this player’s face, he’s just as surprised as us. After all, it isn’t every day that one encounters a levitating ball. We’d probably be just as wide-eyed and shocked—though not everyone seems to be a fan of this particular trick. Take note of the guy holding his nose. Did the ball hit him in the face before bouncing off or was he simply caught mid-sneeze by the genius photographer behind this image? There are plenty of mysterious things happening here and the degree of our curiosity increases the longer we look at it. Someone call Sherlock Holmes!
STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM… STILL HERE
When it comes to sports photography, the game of basketball tends to be one of the more exciting things to capture. It’s so dynamic and it seems like every second, there’s always something happening. We’re not sure of the story behind this image, but we certainly have theories. A sneak attack from down below? Did he spot something on the other player’s chin and decided to move in for a closer look? Or is this a new dance move he’s trying to get everyone in on? To this guy’s credit, he’s got an excellent game face and we’re certainly impressed.
KUNG-FU FIGHTING
Okay—is this how this game really goes? It’s difficult to tell if this is volleyball or soccer, which makes one wonder if these guys are even aware of what it is they’re playing. Maybe it’s an entirely new game where you can do whatever it takes to get that tiny ball into the opposing team’s side? Even if it means potentially getting kicked in the face—with a ball that size, it’s easy to miscalculate. Regardless of what sport this is, however, these guys sure have great form. Their feet are barely touching the flooring– definitely, a Kung-Fu moment!
BOOP!
If you’ve ever experienced accidentally hitting the tip of your nose on any hard surface, then you know how painful that can be. We imagine that the experience is 100x more mortifying if it happened in an entire stadium of people and then got caught on camera. What if it got posted online and went viral? We hope this guy’s got a great sense of humor and managed to laugh everything off— that’s after he recovers from what seems like a broken nose and the public embarrassment that may have come after. To his credit, he does make pain look cool.
THIS SALAD TASTES FUNNY…
This guy definitely got a serious serving of pain after this image was captured. What you’re not seeing is the impact of that particular blow; we wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up getting a couple of teeth knocked out by the other player’s powerful kick. Add the fact that soccer shoes aren’t the softest and you’ve got a double whammy. We sure hope he was able to walk away from it with only minor injuries—just goes to show how dangerous soccer can be. Aside from needing one for their health and physical therapy, dental insurance is also a necessity.
WHEN YOU’RE HAVING A VERY BAT DAY
We’ve seen how dangerous the game of baseball can be—even if you’re just watching from the bleachers. You just never know when a rogue bat might come hurtling your way, so it’s always best to be extra alert. The last thing you want is to go home with a black eye or worse. That’s not the kind of memento anybody wants to keep and we’re sure these folks have the same thing in mind, judging by the mortified expressions on their faces. We wonder who kept that bat, though. If you got hit, you might as well have some credit to show for it.
CHILD’S PLAY
Just take one look at this photo and you can easily tell this is a foul move—one that is absolutely hilarious at that! These players look like siblings fighting over a ball, one trying to overpower the other and resorting to the meanest and most childish tactic of all: hair-pulling. We wonder what “mom” would think of them; one looks ready to tattle, but can’t seem to free themselves from the other’s hold. Kidding aside, we’re sure this hurt quite a lot and probably cost the Raven’s player their perfect dreadlocks. Is there a special lawyer for handling hair-related cases? Looks like this guy is going to need one.