He Missed the Tackle
With so many beautiful cheerleaders all around the pitch, it can be hard to get your head in the game. In 2011, the Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten was so distracted that he inadvertently tackled one of his own team’s cheerleaders, and the perfectly-captured moment immediately made headlines.
The cheerleader, Melisa Kellerman, became an immediate star and even made a tweet about the hilarious moment. However, she was eventually forced to delete it by the professional football organization. It looks like the executives running the game need to work on their sense of humor!
To Pose is a Luxury
Before stepping onto our next perfectly-timed photo of a cheerleading group, let’s just pause for a moment and take a look at these three beautiful cheerleaders. Remember: this is the way these girls want you to think of them. Because when they’re flying high and doing their routines, all traces of a beautiful pose cease to exist.
So, as we continue to judge the looks on high-performance cheerleaders’ faces, we need to keep in mind that, whenever these girls aren’t performing challenging tricks, they do look like a million dollars!
Behind Every Great Woman, There’s… A Great Woman?
Don’t believe everything you see in the movies. When you’re part of a cheerleading crew, you need to put rivalry aside and be there for your sisters. Such includes showing them some much-needed support, and we mean it literally!
The girls on top always shine the most, while the cheerleaders on the bottom are forced to deal with the weight of their success. That’s just what cheerleading is all about. Even though, sometimes, you can’t avoid but put on an ugly face in the process. We don’t know what these girls are looking at, but it seems to be scary!
Ready For the Splash
Nevermind the groovy speedo, because the real highlight of this photo is the face. This Olympic high-diver doesn’t seem to enjoy heights or even water, considering he looks like he’s air-riding the world’s fastest rollercoaster. Or maybe he’s so uptight that he’s lost control over his facial muscles?
To be fair, delivering super-fast pirouettes while in mid-air isn’t something we’d describe as easy. Either way, this photo makes for a laugh-inducing snap of an Olympic sport that tends to be about elegance, coordination, and magnificence. Not always, though, as this hilarious picture undoubtedly shows.
Mermaid Vibes
Now, this is the type of perfectly-captured visual illusion that’s got to make a photographer proud! In the world of synchronized swimming, matching bathing suits and risky routines can make for some head-turning photos like this one. We know there are two athletes in the frame, but doesn’t it look like there’s just one super long lady?
If it weren’t for the human legs on the other end, we would say this is the first-ever picture of a real-life mermaid. But if getting some mermaid vibes was the point of this swimming routine, congratulations, girls—you did it amazingly!
Enthusiasm is All
If you’re not prepared to give 100%, why even do something? In the ever-competitive world of cheerleading, enthusiasm can be the difference between making it to the big stage or flopping in the process. And guess who’s got enough enthusiasm to sell? That’s right, that evidently crazy-for-cheerleading girl in the middle!
Her friends are definitely into it, but her enthusiasm levels are so high they end up looking like a group of bored amateurs in comparison. It’s one hilarious perfectly-timed picture, but it says a lot about how much that passionate young athlete loves to be part of the game.
LeBored James
Superstar athletes of the like of LeBron James need to always pay attention to what they’re doing. After all, the cameras never stop rolling, not even when they’re sitting on the bench or waiting for a press conference. But even the greatest in the game get bored sometimes.
Clearly wondering if he left the oven on before leaving the house, a distracted and bored LeBron is digging for gold in public, for the whole of America to see! Don’t worry, LeBron, we all do it, even though we often tend not to admit it…
Flying Cowgirls
This perfectly-timed photo was captured during a Dallas Cowboys match. And while we’re not sure if the home team won that day, we have no doubt they felt like sideline winners. These beautiful and incredibly talented cheerleaders are pulling one of the most stringent routines in the game, and one photographer was lucky enough to catch them mid-air.
The youthful energy, gracious beauty, and cowgirl costumes in this picture make for a compelling combo of what’s truly remarkable about the cheerleading sport. These girls are flying high, and they’re loving every moment of it!
Where’s (Not) Waldo?
Ironically enough, we don’t think this Waldo-inspired cheerleading costume does its job well. After all, Waldo, the character, is known for his epic discreetness and ability to mix with the crowd. But this beautiful cheerleader is achieving the exact opposite…
She was shining so much in her gorgeous Waldo suit the photographer even decided to blur everything that was not Waldo. Finding this particular Waldo is not a problem; the real issue is trying to take your eyes off it! This is what happens when the Minnesota Vikings ask their cheerleaders to dress creatively for Halloween.
Why We Love Basketball
Basketball is a bonafide American classic and one of the most popular sports on the planet. And one of the main reasons why so many people love basketball has to do with this moment: the epic victorious fly towards the basket.
The particularity about this picture, though, is the nature of the scorer. We’re used to seeing 6-foot men dunk like this, not beautiful cheerleaders who look they could be working as top models. But we don’t mind it at all, nor did the sideline photographer that beautifully captured this moment with so much precision.
Unscripted Routine
If you don’t like people touching you, you should probably give up your cheerleading career. With doing elaborate and physically demanding routines inevitably comes a lot of touching and grabbing. But we never thought cheerleaders would dare to get this close to one another!
Judging by the man’s reaction, this was an unscripted moment that ended up giving him a little panic attack. As for the girl, we guess that she slipped at the worst possible moment, and a watchful photographer was lucky enough to take a picture of the very moment.
“The Worm” in Action
Playing in a team that also counts with a top-of-his-form Michael Jordan and still make headlines is not an easy task. Yet, Dennis Rodman’s defending skills were so impressive that the flamboyant former basketball superstar never went unnoticed.
Rodman’s out-of-this-world defending prowess and top-level athletic skills earned him the reputation as one of the best in the game and the honorable nickname of “the worm.” The latter is all thanks to his remarkable ability to recover the ball even in the tightest areas. Rodman just has a way of wriggling out of what seems to be impossibly crowded spaces in the pitch.
That’s Too Much!
When this poor boy decided to join the cheerleading team, he hoped to meet some nice girls and develop his athletic skills in the process. He never thought that the job would involve this much pain and discomfort, though.
His expression is so telling he might’ve even offended the girl on his shoulders by inadvertently calling her heavy. But while she looks fit as a fiddle, a human body is always heavy, regardless of how much in shape it is. Either way, this was probably the moment the poor boy decided to try his luck at a different sport.
Tom Brady Gets Ignored
Do you know that annoying friend we all have that we tend to ignore at parties? Well, we never thought Tom Brady would ever be that annoying friend! Besides being one of football’s top-ever sportsmen, Brady has a superstar reputation and the kind of good looks that melt all the hearts around him.
Still, in this rare photo op, Brady was captured while waiving at his team… Only to be duly ignored. To be fair, the superstar player seems to be enjoying the occasion. When you spend so many years in the spotlight, being ignored must feel like a refreshing novelty.
Welcome To Oregon
Looking at this perfect photo, it’s no wonder the world of cheerleading captures the imagination of so many Americans, especially youngsters. These ladies represent the University of Oregon, and could they feel any more like they’re on top of the world?
As if being a young college student wasn’t reason enough to be smiling, these gorgeous ladies have it all: the looks of a model, the athletic ability of a pro athlete, and the admiration of the surrounding roaring crowd. Cherish these moments, ladies, because these will be some of the happiest days of your lives!
This… Is… Cheerleading!
With the same uncontainable excitement that the Spartans had before going to battle, these energetic young women are ready to give it all in support of their favorite team. They’re cheerleaders, and they’re genuinely proud of it! After all, you can’t fake this level of happiness.
Considering these girls look like high-school level cheerleaders, having early performance nerves coupled with vigorous hormonal activity may have played a part in the making of this highly emotional, perfectly-timed photo. But looking at these young women, we can only envy their commitment to the cheerleading cause.
It’s In The Abs!
Like most people, we have a love-hate relationship with our bellies. We’re thankful enough for having a torso, but we curse the day we decided to put that extra belly weight, only to never, ever lose it again. Yes, getting your abs in shape is one of the hardest things you can do. But to these girls, that’s a piece of cake!
When you have skills and abs to sell, it’s easy to feel confident enough to pull a smug dance routine in front of a full-packed crowd. This is why cheerleaders will never stop being at the center of major American sports events.
It Wasn’t Sanchez’s Lucky Day
Thanksgiving, 2012. The New England Patriots and the New York Jets met for a game that’s still remembered today for an iconic “butt fumble” that resulted in one of football’s funniest plays ever. The game’s unlucky star ended up being Mark Sanchez, who got knocked out by the butt of one of his own teammates.
Sanchez ended up going against the bottom of one of his teammates in a moment of sheer distraction, immediately falling due to the impact. Today, the butt fumble moment is still recalled as one of NFL’s worst-ever plays. Embarrassingly funny!
Mistakes Happen…
Even in the ever-perfect world of pro cheerleading, mistakes tend to happen. And when they do, there’s always a photographer nearby, looking for blood! This photo encapsulates to perfection the moment a group of cheerleaders ended up making a mess out of a risky routine.
You have the two girls on the left, rushing to help their friends. You have the girl in the middle, who seems to have accepted the disastrous nature of the occasion. And then, you have the two girls who are directly involved in the mishap and who will probably never forget this instant of hilarious bad luck.
Now, That’s Impressive!
By now, you probably think that cheerleaders have got to hate perfectly-timed photos. But on-point snaps don’t always make cheerleaders look bad; sometimes, they make for some epic shots that showcase their impressive athletic prowess and skill to perfection.
This beach photo is an excellent example of that. This lady has the sort of flexibility, impulsion power, and overall attitude that puts some bonafide athletes to shame. It goes to show that, whatever people may say, cheerleading is as tough of a sport as any other. And the scenery couldn’t be any more beautiful!
Top of the Pyramid Girl
It’s not always an obvious choice which girls are meant to stay on the bottom of the cheerleading pyramid and which girls are supposed to go to the top. But sometimes, it’s actually effortless. This outgoing cheerleader is showing her friends that she’s little and light enough to fit in the bus’s luggage compartment.
If this petite cheerleader isn’t picked to fly high on top of the pyramid, then we don’t know what they’re thinking. On the other hand, she does look like she’s surprised to be in there! Maybe this was the result of a prank?
Skipping Arm Day
Not all the ladies want to get ripped, not even when they’re active in sports. Big muscles take a lot of hard work to get, and it’s not worth it if you don’t see yourself as the muscular type. But more often than not, big arms can be convenient.
The slim cheerleader on the left seems to envy the “big guns” of her friend on the right, and we’re not surprised. With that kind of strength and confidence, she’s probably doing the job of throwing the other cheerleaders up in the air without even breaking a sweat!
Words Vs. Action
In another well-timed sports photo, the Los Angeles Raiders linebacker Matt Millen was blatantly caught punching the New England Patriots general manager Patrick Sullivan. A man of action, Millen was unable to stand still after repeatedly listening to Sullivan trash-talk the L.A. Raiders defensive end, Howie Long, throughout the entire game.
As you’d expect, the 1985 moment made many headlines at the time. Both Millen and Sullivan have not done their best in honoring the beautiful sport of football. Still, Millen’s hot-blooded reaction to Sullivan’s nasty comments is not something that can be excused.
Spencer Lanning Uses His Head
To succeed in the ever-competitive world of football, one needs to be prepared to make some sacrifices. And to Cleveland Browns’ Spencer Lanning, that meant putting his head to good use. Showing braveness, Lanning resisted a foot in the head delivered by opposite player Antonio Brown.
In the end, the whole mishap became a YouTube sports favorite. It even became a highlight of the Cleveland Browns-Pittsburgh Steelers 2014 game. Brown was penalized for the karate-inspired moment, but his team ended up winning the game by a clear 24-3 in the end.
Magnificent Clay
The former Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has an impressive NFL career. But being a talented and celebrated Super Bowl-winning athlete is just one of the many things he can feel proud about. And if you don’t know what we’re talking about, just take a look at that magnificent hair!
In this well-timed photo, Matthews has decided to close his eyes for a moment, go to his special place, and imagine he’s starring in a steamy music video, not a football game. The moment is altogether funny, but we also have to agree there’s something breathtaking about Matthews’ movie-like hair flip.
It’s in the Genes!
Not a single one of us is born a blank page. Arbitrary conditions like our genes, parents’ personality, or birthplace end up having a massive influence on who we become. And sometimes, our football-fanatic moms don’t even give us a chance to try to support a different team.
This babe has got his destiny traced out for him, and there’s no doubt about which team he’s going to support. “Watching” from the stands, this future-human is already rooting for the Las Vegas Raiders, even though he’s still inside of his mommy’s tummy.
Not His First Rodeo
When you decide to become a football player, you need to accept that your body will pay the price. Baltimore Ravens’ Matt Elam already has teeth made out of gold, which presumably resulted from a different on-pitch clash. Nevertheless, he’s still getting kicked in the face like a champ…
On the cropped-out side of the photo is the San Diego Chargers wide receiver Eddie Royal, whose odd pirouette ended up hitting his adversary straight in the mouth. The moment left Elam tasting metal, and not just because he happens to have golden teeth!
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
They’re super tall, super-strong, super-fast, and super energetic. Basketball athletes are impressive even when they’re not showcasing their talent to defend, shoot, and dunk. Their sheer physique is enough to make us want to watch the game, and that’s why this clash between Tristan Thompson and David West reminds us of a battle of titans.
Like two modern-day gladiators, the two giants clash heads, to the desperation of the helpless refs. But don’t worry: this was nothing but a consequence of the heat of the moment, and this particular gladiator clash was by no means a fight to the death.
Soccer Layers
Back when the talented Brazilian soccer player Willian was representing the colors of the obscure Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, he got himself involved in a moment that seems to owe more to the art of illusionism than to the world of sports.
No, it’s not a glitch in the Matrix, nor is it the birth of the four-armed man. It’s just a perfectly-timed sports photo that makes for a cool visual trick. Americans don’t watch as much soccer as the rest of the world does, but we believe crazy moments like this make-up for the usual lack of goals!
A Self-Defeating Moment
Competitive sports are difficult, and tennis has got to be one of the hardest. A game of millions with a lot of history, tennis is extremely demanding in terms of physique, technique, and strategy. But the job only gets harder when even your own tresses seem to be conspiring for you to lose…
This poor tennis player has probably lost track of the ball for a moment, and a diligent photographer was fast enough to capture it. We’re not sure if this instant of panic resulted in a lost point, but we suggest a different hairdo for this athlete’s next competitive appearance.
Reaching For the Ball
South Africa has one of the top soccer leagues in the continent, but not even the country’s talented players seem to have absolute control over their actions. Because, in a game of men, sticking your foot there without caring about results is a big no-no!
The poor number 9 is in so much pain he looks like he’s about to scream “Mama!” and lay down in his coffin already. We’re obviously joking, as the situation is far from being about life and death. It’s rather about momentary pain… excruciating momentary pain.
He Wants a Friend Too
In this perfectly-timed photo coming from Italian soccer, the former Lazio defender Abdoulay Konko is hugging his goalkeeper to celebrate a missed opportunity by the opposite team. The other team’s forward, though, is making sure that he’s getting solace from his new BFF, the goalpost.
Professional sports are emotionally tricky, as when you succeed, you have an endless list of friends. But when you fail, you’re left all alone and in desperate need of one. If a friend is not nearby, you’ll just have to take comfort in hugging whatever’s closest to you, even if it happens to be the goalpost.
Four Shades of Manning
The former NFL superstar Eli Manning is one of the best athletes to have graced the game in recent years. But besides being a great sportsman, Manning seems to have a future as a meme. After all, he was so expressive while on the pitch that he probably has a face for every single emotion you’d like to represent.
You have the sleepyheaded and open-mouthed Manning, the “I’ve seen a ghost” Manning with the helmet, and the straight from the movie The Exorcist Manning. Of course, we have our personal favorite: the “I think someone just farted” Manning.
Best Seat in the House
To an outsider, cheerleading is all about grace and beauty. But to the men and women pulling the stunts on the pitch, cheerleading is more about sheer power and athleticism than cool rhymes and elaborated dance moves. And to that end, this photo does an excellent job of showing the sport’s true colors!
We, the crowd, tend to miss it. But in every cheerleading routine, there’s got to be a moment like this. The poor guy in the picture looks like he’s about to pull a muscle, but we’re not sure if he’s happy or sad about his predicament.