Image via Complex Original
As Saturday Night Live enters its 40th year, the sketch comedy show’s place in television history is secured. Since the program began with the “Not Ready For Prime Time Players,” SNL has produced a seemingly endless list of stars who have made their bones by skewering anyone and everyone who made news. Among those are Hall of Fame-caliber athletes—including Super Bowl champs, world-record holders, and Olympic gold medalists. And if that wasn’t enough, they’d often have fun at the expense of broadcasters, fans, or other athletic supporters.
Below is a compilation of our favorite sports-related SNL performances of all time, and with Double Check the Archives, State Farm and SNL are compiling some of the most popular sketches overall from each decade. So get out your foam finger, liberally apply the face paint, and let us know if we missed any of your favorites.
Hulk Hogan and Mr. T Flex on Fernando’s Hideaway
Aired: March 30, 1985
Key cast: Billy Crystal, Hulk Hogan, Mr. T
On the eve of the first WrestleMania, the Hulk and Mr. T made an improbable and memorable visit to Fernando’s Hideaway. Sure, they looked marvelous, but the highlight of the sketch comes when Billy Crystal, as the famed Argentine actor, asks the two grapplers, “What is your definition of love?” and “What are your Passover plans?” The behemoths remain mostly stone-faced until the end, when they just lose it. But if you watch it, you’ll be a winner.
Fun fact: Billy Crystal was nominated for a Grammy for Best Comedy Album for “You Look Marvelous.”
Bill Swerski’s Super Fans Meet Michael Jordan
Aired: September 28, 1991
Key cast: Chris Farley, Michael Jordan, Mike Myers, Robert Smigel, George Wendt
The Super Fans is one of SNL’s timeless sketches, and also, one of its funniest. It’s still nearly impossible to watch a sportscast that doesn’t reference Chicago’s professional basketball team as “Da Bulls” or its football team as “Da Bears.” The Super Fans also elevated Mike Ditka to national pop-culture icon status. As for this particular episode, it had everything from Todd O’Connor (Farley) having one of his many heart attacks to discussions of polish sausage to Michael Jordan dancing in a grass skirt.
Fun fact: It’s believed that the name Bill Swerski was a combination of two Chicago sports news legends, Bill Jauss and Chuck Swirsky.
Charles Barkley Needs Some Daily Affirmation
Aired: September 25, 1993
Key cast: Charles Barkley, MuggsyBogues, Al Franken
Charles Barkley was just months removed from his Phoenix Suns falling to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals. So it’s understandable that the “Round Mound of Rebound” might need a little bit of emotional counseling from SNL’s resident provider of daily affirmation, Stuart Smalley (Franken). Smalley does his best to let Sir Chuck know that, despite his inability to win the title, he’s still a good person. To double up on the positive thinking, Smalley brings out special guest, and fellow NBAer, Muggsy Bogues. Barkley would never win an NBA crown, so hopefully he carries these positive thoughts with him.
Fun fact: Despite just being 5’ 3”, Muggsy Bogues had 39 blocked shots in his 14-year NBA career, including one of New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing.
Hans and Franz Pump Up with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Aired: October 26, 1991
Key cast: Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon, Arnold Schwarzenegger
SNL has a long history of generating catch phrases that permeate popular culture. Hans and Franz were so beloved and so successful that it resulted in three: “Girlie man,” “Hear me now and believe me later,” and, of course, “We just want to pump…(clap)…you up.” In this sketch, the Austrian body builders meet their idol and the man who inspired the routine in the first place, Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s a near-perfect moment in SNL lore.
Fun fact: At one point, a movie called Hans and Franz go to Hollywood (a musical!) was in the works.
Shannon Sharpe Mumbles Football
Aired: October 5, 2013
Key cast: Seth Meyers, Jay Pharoah
Football talking heads have long been a point of ridicule on SNL. Just ask Brent Musburger or Frank Gifford. But the one that might top them all is Jay Pharoah’s take on the marble-mouthed Shannon Sharpe. Anyone who ever watched CBS’ The NFL Today can certainly attest to the fact that Sharpe, while an amazing football player, is perhaps not the best choice for a broadcaster’s chair. Pharoah has all of Sharpe’s enunciations (or lack thereof) and mannerism down to a garbled science.
Fun fact: Shannon Sharpe gave his first Super Bowl ring to his brother Sterling, a former Green Bay Packer wide receiver, whose career was cut short by a neck injury.
The Spartan Cheerleaders Try Again
Aired: October 4, 1997
Key cast: Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri
They may never make the squad, but it doesn’t stop these wannabe cheerleaders from trying their darndest. Craig (Ferrell) and Arianna (Oteri) get to cheerleading tryouts seven hours ahead of time to practice routines featuring the less-than-inspiring chants “Respect people’s personal space” and “I wanna wanna wanna Juan Valdez.” It's probably not their year…again.
Fun fact: Ferrell was given the title “Worst Celebrity Autographer” by Autograph magazine in 2007.
Harry Caray Discussing Astrophysics
Aired: May 17, 1997
Key cast: Will Ferrell, Jeff Goldblum
For as many different characters as he’s played during his tenure on SNL, Will Ferrell might be best known for playing boozy Chicago Cubs announcer Harry Caray. But in this sketch, rather than talk about baseball, he discussed the solar system with Goldblum’s character, a Cal Tech astrophysicist. It all goes terribly wrong when Carey ponders eating the moon if it was made of ribs.
Fun fact: While briefly working for the Oakland A’s, team owner Charles O. Finley wanted Caray to change his catch phrase of “Holy Cow” to “Holy Mule” in honor of the team’s mascot.
The Michael Phelps Diet
Aired: September 13, 2008
Key cast: Michael Phelps
The 18-time Olympic gold medal winner is famous for consuming 12,000-plus calories per day while in training. Of course he burns it all off and then some through countless hours in the pool. While on SNL, Phelps does an infomercial on his diet, but people don’t quite get the exercise component down. And you know what they say, “A moment on the lips. A lifetime on the hips.”
Fun fact: Michael Phelps was a celebrity judge at the Miss USA 2005 pageant.
Keri and Kippi Strug Limp Through Weekend Update
Aired: September 28, 1996
Key cast: Chris Kattan, Keri Strug
During the 1996 Olympics, Keri Strug became a national hero. The diminutive gymnast helped the U.S. team secure a gold medal while competing on a severely injured ankle. SNL rewarded Strug for her mettle by giving her a long lost brother Kippi (Kattan). Kippi not only looked like her, but he also sounded a lot like the squeaky-voiced Strug.
Fun fact: Strug is only 4' 9".
The Rock Obama Brings Pain to the White House
Aired: March 7, 2009
Key cast: Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Darrell Hammond, The Rock, Andy Samberg, Kristen Wiig
They say that politics is a contact sport. However, when someone who is 6-5 and 260 pounds is leveling that contact, you might want to think twice about engaging. But that’s just the scenario a few U.S. senators (Forte, Hammond, Wiig) found themselves in when they encountered a way more muscular and impulsive version of President Barack Obama (The Rock). You won’t like him when he’s angry.
Fun fact: The Rock donated a completely new locker room to the University of Miami football team, where he played in the early 1990s.
David Oritz Explains his White House Selfie
Aired: April 13, 2014
Key cast:Kenan Thompson
Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is known for his clutch hitting. But he became known for something more dubious when he took a selfie with President Barack Obama in April 2014 during a promotional stunt for Samsung. This drew the ire of the White House. But it was also an opportunity for SNL to mock the moment with Thompson starring as Big Papi.
Fun fact: Thompson, born in 1978, was the first SNL cast member younger than the show.
The NBA on TNT with Ernie, Kenny "The Jet", Barkley, and Barkley
Aired: January 7, 2012
Key cast: Charles Barkley, Bill Hader, Jay Pharoah, Kenan Thompson
The NBA on TNT is well known for being a broadcast that does everything but focus on the sport it’s supposed to cover. So of course SNL had to do something about it. Rather than have Barkley play himself in the sketch, Sir Charles dressed as the marginally intelligible Shaq alongside the usual suspects of Ernie (Hader), Kenny (Pharoah) and Barkley (Thompson). They talked a lot about food and gambling—not much different than usual.
Fun fact: During the 1991-92 season, Barkley wore No. 32 instead of his usual No. 34 to honor Magic Johnson, who had just announced he was HIV-positive.
Tom Brady vs. the Football
Aired: April 16, 2005
Key cast: Tom Brady, Rachel Dratch, Will Forte, Rob Riggle, Maya Rudolph
On the football field, Super Bowl champ Tom Brady has no trouble completing passes into double coverage while gargantuan men look to pummel him. But tossing the pigskin isn’t quite as easy when Brady (as Alan) goes to a carnival and tries to impress his wife (Rudolph). In fact, Alan can barely hit the broadside of a barn. He ultimately walks away with a little bit of his pride still intact, but not much.
Fun fact: Tom Brady’s brother-in-law is former Boston Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis.
Eli Manning Is the Most Boring Video Game Character Ever
Aired: May 5, 2012
Key cast: Bill Hader, Eli Manning, Jason Sudeikis
Eli Manning will never earn the moniker of “Mr. Excitement.” He seemingly just goes about his business with little-to-no expression, winning two Super Bowl titles along the way. This blandness makes it darn difficult for the folks from EA Sports (Hader, Sudeikis) to get good motion-capture video of Manning celebrating a touchdown. Maybe they should just substitute whatever Victor Cruz does.
Fun fact: Manning has started every game at quarterback since November 21, 2004.
Getting Physical with Channing Tatum
Aired: February 4, 2012
Key cast: Channing Tatum, Kristen Wiig
There is no shortage of infomercials about exercise equipment. So it only seems logical for SNL to mock those products that you’ll order on impulse, use once, and then stick in the garage until you inevitably throw them out. And who could be a better pitchman in his yellow short-shorts than Tatum and his trusty, but confused, sidekick Wiig? If you can figure out how this product helps in any way, they’ll send you one for free.
Fun fact: Tatum was named People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2012.