A man ran around on the field, a kid took a kick to the face, and Ace Sanders made everyone look stupid again. It's a big week in THIS WEEK IN GIFs. Vote, and help us crown a champion.
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Week 21 of THIS WEEK IN GIFs, in which we round up the greatest animated sports GIFs of the week and decide on our favorites. It's a big GIF week. Before we get down to business, if you'd like to know how to vote, here's some expert analysis from myself, Matt Ufford, and Dan Rubenstein:
Voting will remain open until Sunday at 11 p.m. Eastern. Have fun, y'all!
CINCINNATI FIELD-STORMER
(Via Travis Hughes)
Granted, we didn't get an up-close look at this gentleman, but from here he looks like the oldest field-stormer I've ever seen. Over the course of my studies, I've never seen a person run on the field who looked to be over, say, 25 or 30.
Whatever his age, he seems pretty nimble. Problem! He ran on the field before the game even started, so the broadcast wasn't even on. Problem! Can't read your sign, friend! I like to think that it said, "REMEMBER TO PLAY BASEBALL," and that he was only trying to be helpful.
ICHIRO SUZUKI
That last body-hop around the glove as Ichiro smacks the plate? That's some Neo shit. Between this, his stolen bases, and his ability to turn on the jets and turn an infield dribbler into a single, I think that if it weren't for his baserunning ability, Ichiro would be selling insurance in whatever the Japanese equivalent of Des Moines is. (Japan City?)
WILLIE THE WILDCAT
(Via The Big Lead, suggested by @ColinZvosec)
I've spent the last two days taking turns laughing at this, and telling myself it isn't funny. Bonus: the girl in the pink shirt, who can't be older than three, just looking on aghast with an "I can't believe this shit" look on her face.
PARTISAN ESPN TICKER
(Via Joel Thorman)
Introducing the longest, thinnest, pithiest, most partisan GIF to date. Tim Tebow incompletions are not mere incompletions, they are dropped passes. They should have just displayed "J. Hill" as "Judas."
KURT COLEMAN
(Via Matt Ufford's Fumblr)
Ooh, let's have a pun-off!
- I hope Kurt Coleman receives a 15-yard shoe for that one!
- Cleat it to a guy like Antonio Brown to lose his shoe on the field.
- I've heard of "losing your shoe," but this is ridiculous!
- Antonio Brown should tie his shoes more tightly!
lol those aren't even puns you suckers
MATT ELAM
Matt Elam isn't a football player so much as he's a force determined to knock over everything and everyone in the world. At this point, he's on the fast track to becoming the second-most terrifying guy named Elam in football history (behind Jason Elam, of course).
This is the perfect time to remind everyone that Jason Elam wrote a book titled Monday Night Jihad about a kicker who fights terrorism. Never forget. Feel free to stumble down this rabbit hole when you think you're ready.
AL ALBURQUERQUE
(Via Matt Sussman)
You know what I kind of miss? Hourlong blooper specials. They used to give videos like Super Duper Baseball Bloopers out with Sports Illustrated subscriptions, and as a kid I would watch them over and over and over. This is basically the exact sort of moment that would have been on it.
New rule: everyone who reads THIS WEEK IN GIFs must keep a slide whistle at the ready.
ACE SANDERS AGAIN
(Via Jason Kirk)
This Ace Sanders run is perhaps not quite as incredible as the one that landed him on Week 19 of THIS WEEK IN GIFs. He makes it into this week out of sheer respect for his skills.
VOTE!