10 not-so-famous moments in sports that will make you laugh

There are quite a few moments in sports that are historical and change how the world perceives a certain individual, a group or a whole nation. And, then there are those light-hearted moments that make sports what it is today for most of us – the #1 source of entertainment and emotions.After all, sport is all about fun. And so are these 10 moments that we have included in the list – ranging from football, cricket, tennis, basketball and baseball.

#1 Stuck in the rain with Novak Djokovic

Always the guy fooling around and playing pranks, Novak Djokovic won numerous hearts during his match against Joao Sousa at the French Open. As play was interrupted due to rain, one of the young ball boys stood over Djokovic with an umbrella. On seeing the boy standing right behind him, the Serbian quickly reacted and made room for the boy, asking him to take a seat.

Speaking to reporters later, Djokovic said, “We had a nice chat. He’s a tennis player so I asked him how long he has been playing and how he is enjoying his time as a ball kid.”

“It was a nice fun time, something unusual for the Grand Slams but we waited for 10 minutes in the pouring rain on the court so I thought there is something I should do to make a new friend and he accepted the offer to sit down which I didn’t think he would do, but he did so.”

You can watch the full clip here

#2 When bored, play Rock-Paper-Scissors

Starting with a sport which in itself is mildly interesting, this GIF is from a Major League Baseball game between the Tigers and the Blue Jays last year. It was a lengthy match – one that lasted for more than six hours with a total of 19 innings played.

Players who were not involved in the game were reasonably bored and tired. And to kill the time, Tigers’ Nick Castellanos and the Blue Jays’ Ryan Goins decided to play rock-paper-scissors by the dugout during the 17th innings of the match.

Here is the full video

#3 The little things in life

Imagine yourself in Ghanian goalkeeper Fatau Dauda’s boots when he pulled off a precisely placed header from Cristiano Ronaldo and ask yourself if you wouldn’t have done the same. Tell me you wouldn’t thump your fists in joy after saving a shot from the current Ballon d’Or holder in the grandest stage of football.

He pulled off a save at point-blank range, denying the Portugal star a goal, and what followed was a celebration of a man with the hunger to win. Even though the Ghana players knew that qualification to the next round was mathematically not probable before heading into the match, moments such as these make football the game which it is today.

#4 The Chalk Powder ritual

Whether it is the pre-match ritual of tossing chalk powder all over the place or becoming the most competitive athlete in the planet, Michael Jordan did it all before the Lebrons and Ronaldos. This GIF is more of a collection of a few clips of the legendary Basketball player clapping his hands and tossing chalk powder right in front of commentators.

Credit to the commentators for finding innovative ways of avoiding breathing in chalk powder – from using umbrellas and even gas masks!

#5 The story of White and Wang

This is more of a recent event and is from the Asian Cup match between China and Saudi Arabia. With the score tied at 0-0, a penalty was awarded against China after Saudi Arabia striker Naif Hazazi was brought down inside the box by Ren Hang.

Standing in front of the goal, keeper Wang Dalei was facing Hazazi who stepped up to take the penalty, only to be denied by Dalei who would amazingly dive to the left side, stopping Hazazi’s shot in the process.

It was later revealed in a footage that it was actually a 12-year-old ball boy called Stephan White who had advised Wang to dive to the left. Eventually, China would go on to win the match while the story of White and Wang would be heard all around the world.

They would later invite the ball boy to meet the squad at one of their training sessions.

Here is the full video

#6 Andrew Strauss isn\'t into shades anymore

The thing about this GIF is that it captures an event that we are very unlikely to ever see again. Pretty neat and precise in a manner that you cannot re-do it again even if you tried hard.

Andrew Strauss is the main protagonist in this short gif which almost looks like a scene from one of those Matrix movies as he smashes his shades during a match against South Africa in 2012. After his shades slipped off his head, in an attempt to aim at the stumps, Strauss smashed his own glasses into several minute pieces instead.

#7 Oh my bad!

Ronaldinho could be well past his prime but even to this day, his football continues to keep us entertained. The guy was the definition of fun, and a list like this can definitely not be made without this Brazilian legend.

This was during a match in 2009 between rivals AC Milan and Inter during one of the World Football Challenge friendlies when the referee would book Ronaldinho but with the wrong card – a red card instead of a yellow.

However, it was the reaction from Ronaldinho and the referee after the incident that makes the moment priceless.

#8 Rock-paper-scissors version 2.0

Unlike the baseball players you saw in the first slide, footballers take rock-paper-scissors pretty seriously. And the game is not just meant for fun as it has been used in several Bundesliga matches.

During their 6-0 win against Hertha Berlin back in the 2011/12 season, Bayern Munich were awarded a free kick with two takers standing up for it. It was either Toni Kroos or Franck Ribery – as both of them wanted to take it – and both of them were known for their free-kick taking ability.

So, how did they decide? The game of rock-paper-scissors! Kroos and Ribery played while Arjen Robben watched. Marco Reus was also seen doing the same during his Borussia Monchengladbach days with his teammate Mike Hanke.

#9 Are trolls real?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a man of character who makes football interesting even when he isn’t playing. Mildly interesting, if it is hard to humour you. This was during Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-0 win over Marseille when the Swedish striker started the game from the bench after making a comeback from an injury.

Seeing his teammate Ezequiel Lavezzi down on the pitch after a clash with one of the players, Ibrahimovic beckoned the club physio, gesturing that Lavezzi was down injured and asking the physio to run on to the pitch to assist Lavezzi.

It was, however, a prank, after all, that cracked up Ibrahimovic and his team-mates sitting on the bench.

#10 Keep your eyes on the road!

Joe Previtera was scooting across in his Segway at the MCG during the 2011 Boxing Day Test match. Everything was fine for Joe the Cameraman who was delighted with the way the light and the angle for his camera was setup as the match was about to resume.

But what is the first rule of driving a vehicle? Keep your eyes on the road! The cameraman, so focused on the broadcast, failed to see Haddin’s helmet on the ground and ran straight into it, tumbling over the Segway, hurting his pride and scaring the hell out of the Australian fielders.

You can watch the full clip here