Sadly, the Internet and the concept of a meme wasn’t invented until very recently, so the possible meme goldmines that are Muhammad Ali and Deion Sanders will go down as technology’s missed opportunities. There’s no sense in wondering about the could’ves and what-ifs; there’s been plenty to behold when it comes to the Internet’s cheapest form of humor.
That’s not cheap as in wack, but rather in terms of accessibility. With Impact font and online Meme Generators for the Photoshop-impaired, transforming athletic faux pas and various struggles into pieces of comedy is easy for millions of sports fans. Sure, a lot of them are corny while others come from folks who’re just trying to validate their lives with the failures of others. There are many that stick, however, and a lot of them are because how truly hilarious the source material is.
For example, how you gon’ (allegedly) tell an opposing player his wife tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios? Was he being extra imaginative in pregame warm-ups and thought, “Aha! I got some shit for him!” The accessibility of memes expands those possibilities of hilarity.
And here are the best of them. From Smokin' Jay Cutler and DeAndre Jordan catching bodies to McKayla Maroney, here are The 25 Best Athlete Memes of All Time.