Sports and Pop Culture in 2011

SI Staff | Dec 27, 2011

Sports and Pop Culture in 2011

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries

Maxppp /Landov

The reality TV star and Nets' forward got hitched, and to the surprise of nobody, the marriage quickly fizzed. According to reports, Kardashian made $17 million for her 72-day marriage by selling the broadcast and photo rights to her big day.

Bill Buckner on <i>Curb Your Enthusiasm</i>

Courtesy of HBO

After spending the last 25 years as a scapegoat, Buckner finally got his redemption when he caught a baby who was thrown from a burning building on the hit TV show Curb Your Enthusiasm .

Bianca La Russa and Alexa Flutie

Tony Medina/SMI; Courtesy of New England Patriots

The daughters of Tony La Russa and Doug Flutie made NFL cheerleading squads this year. Alexa Flutie began her first season with the Patriots while Bianca La Russa earned a spot with the Raiderettes but had to stop dancing because of a back injury.

Sarah Palin and Glen Rice

AP

A portion of Joe McGinniss book The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin alleged that in 1987 Palin and Rice had a fling when Rice was a college basketball star with Michigan and Palin was a sports reporter in Alaska.

Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari

REUTERS

The Bears' quarterback and the reality TV star got engaged, broke it off days before the wedding only to get engaged again -- all within a year. Unfortunately for Cutler, his season on the football field was cut short after injuring his right thumb.

Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez

AP

At Super Bowl XLV, we learned that the Yankees' third baseman not only enjoys popcorn, but also enjoys being fed popcorn by Cameron Diaz. Unsurprisingly, the couple have since split.

<i>Moneyball</i> movie

Simon Bruty/SI

Billy Beane's unique approach to team-building was turned into a major Hollywood motion picture and the star, Brad Pitt, graced the cover of Sports Illustrated.

David Nelson and Kelsi Reich

Ray Carlin/Icon SMI

Bills wide receiver David Nelson dates Cowboys cheerleader Kelsi Reich, so all eyes were on him during the nationally televised Dallas-Buffalo game on Thanksgiving. After scoring a touchdown, he ran the length of the field to give Reich a hug and the ball.

<i>Dancing With the Stars</i>

REUTERS

The celebrity dancing competition's two seasons in 2011 featured several athletes: Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, former boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard and ex-WWE star Chris Jericho in Season 12, and Lakers forward Metta World Peace and U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo in Season 13. Ward became the sixth athlete to win the show, joining Emmitt Smith, Apolo Anton Ohno, Helio Castroneves, Kristi Yamaguchi and Shawn Johnson.

Derek Jeter and Minka Kelly

After the Yankees' shortstop and the former Friday Night Lights star broke up, Jeter went back to his bachelor ways: According to the New York Post , he made a major E-6 when he gave the same gift to the same girl on two occasions. Apparantly, Jeter doesn't let his dates leave empty-handed as he gives them a signed baseball and other memorabilia as a parting gift.

<i>Friday Night Lights</i> wraps up

Courtesy of NBC

The Emmy-award-winning show about high school football in Texas finally punted after five seasons. The show built a cult audience but was ratings-starved on NBC (and later Direct TV). Luckily for FNL fans, a movie sequel based on the TV show is in the works and could hit theaters in 2012.

Tebowing

AP

Tim Tebow crossed over to a pop culture figure after becoming the Broncos' starting quarterback, and his public prayer position has become popular as well -- even as a sack dance (we're looking at you, Stephen Tulloch).

Planking

@DwightHoward

The precursor to Tebowing took the NBA by storm in 2011. Players like Dwight Howard (pictured) and Gilbert Arenas found creative places to lie face down.

Sports on Broadway

Athletes occupied Broadway instead of Wall Street in 2011. Lombardi , a play that chronicles a week in the life of the Packers' coach during the 1965 season, received rave reviews. In November, it was announced that Magic/Bird, a play about the NBA legends, was in production and would be on Broadway in March 2012.

Mike Tyson performs at Charlie Sheen's Roast

AP

The Comedy Central roast of "winning" actor Charlie Sheen included former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, whose highlight was breaking the nose of Jackass' Steve-O during a post-show stunt.

Paulina Gretzky

REUTERS

The 23-year-old daughter of Wayne Gretzky became quite popular after tweeting provocative pictures of herself. She temporarily shut down her Twitter account, but as of Christmas, she was back tweeting again.

Robert Griffin's Superman socks

AP

Griffin won the Heisman trophy and his socks were a big hit at the ceremony. Coincidentally, SI.com has learned that Superman is considering exchanging his Chuck Norris pajamas for an RG3 sleep shirt.

The Vancouver Kiss

Rich Lam/Getty Images

Scott Jones consoles his girlfriend, Alex Thomas, with a kiss during the riot in Vancouver that followed the Canucks' loss in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. This image was chosen by Sports Illustrated as its photo of the year.

Rob Gronkowski and BiBi Jones

Damian Strohmeyer/SI

The Patriots tight end's record-breaking season but may be best remembered for something that happened on his bye week, when adult film star Bibi Jones tweeted pictures of the two together. Gronkowski later said he apologized to New England owner Robert Kraft, even as the second-year star called it ''just a simple picture, that's all.''

Jan Vesley Kiss at NBA Draft

EPA /Landov

Czech basketball player Jan Vesley was taken sixth overall by the Washington Wizards, but right now he's most known to most fans for the awkward, extended kiss he gave his girlfriend on camera immediately after he was selected.