Feeling embarrassed in front of a group of people is a horrifying thing. We have all had our moments in front of our friends and family, but embarrassing yourself in front of a crowd or, better yet, a whole stadium of fans is a different kind of shame.
Listed below are what I consider, from my history of watching sports, the 10 most embarrassing moments. The next time you think your life is over because of something you did to look stupid, think about being in this position. Things could be worse and your life might not be so terrible after all. Or maybe it is, especially if you're a Florida Gators fan (see number two).
10. DeSean Jackson's Early Touchdown Celebration
At the 2005 Army Bowl, DeSean Jackson, a notoriously cocky and flashy wide receiver, unintentionally fumbled the football during a premature touchdown celebration in which he tried to somersault into the end zone (see video here). Somehow, he managed to make the same exact mistake once he got to the NFL. On this play, which in a rivalry game that was televised in front of the whole nation on Monday Night Football, Jackson accidentally drops the ball during his open run to the end zone, giving up what would have been a touchdown for the Eagles.
9. Mark Sanchez "Butt Fumble"
How much worse can it get than running into your own teammate and fumbling? Running into your own teammate, fumbling, and giving up a touchdown. Mark Sanchez knows this pain. To make matters worse, he ran into the butt of one of his 300+ pound teammates, which gave this glorious play its notorious nickname. Did I mention that this game was televised on NBC?
8. 50 Cent First Pitch
50 Cent was invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before a New York Mets game in 2014. He disappointed himself, G-Unit, and the rap industry. It's really bad.
7. Stephen Curry Crossover, Victim: Chris Paul
March 31, 2015. During last year's regular season in the NBA, which marked the start of the Golden State Warriors and Steph Curry's ascent to the top of the basketball world, the soon-to-be MVP crossed over a perennial All-Star in Chris Paul. There's not much else to say about it; it's just embarrassing. I think CP3's ankles are still broken.
6. Luis Castillo Drops a Pop Fly to Lose the Game
New York Mets second baseman Luis Castillo just needed to catch one lazy pop fly to secure an intense game between his Mets and the notoriously hated New York Yankees. With his team leading the Yankees 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, Alex Rodriguez got under a pitch and popped it up high into the air. Castillo seemingly choked and dropped the ball, allowing two runners to score, leading to an improbable loss for the Mets.
5. Serena Williams Outburst at the 2009 U.S. Open
Notoriously abrasive tennis star Serena Williams really lost her temper after getting called for a foot fault late in an intense semifinal matchup with rival Kim Clijsters. Getting penalized for a foot fault in a crucial moment of the match is a bit arbitrary; in other words, it is sort of an unwritten rule that referees and line judges refrain from calling petty, uncommon violations during a big point. Two points away from losing the match, Williams was called for a questionable foot fault. Heartily disagreeing with the call, she went on to threaten the back judge by telling her, with some choice words, that she was going to shove the ball down her throat.
4. Bill Buckner World Series Error
Bill Buckner embarrassed himself and lost the game for his team on the biggest of stages. With his Boston Red Sox pitted against the New York Mets in an intense Game 6 matchup of the 1986 World Series, Bucker let a slow-moving ground ball slide between his legs to let the winning run score in the bottom of the ninth inning. His team went on to lose Game 7 to the Mets by one run.
3. DeAndre Jordan ruins Brandon Knight's Life
Not much more to say after the title. Just watch.
2. Scottie Pippen Dunks on Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing at Madison Square
This beats DeAndre Jordan's dunk for two reasons. First, it was at Madison Square Garden against Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing's New York Knicks. Second, the dunk was phenomenal, and Pippen barked back at an infuriated Spike Lee, who was yelling at him on the sidelines.
1. Two Florida Gators Block Each Other in a Loss to Georgia Southern...
LOL.
Side note, this game was called "the worst loss in school history." The Gators lost to a non-FBS school by allowing for 429 rushing yards. The opposing team did not gain a single yard passing; they simply ran each play and still won. Classic.
