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Patrick Blennerhassett

Once again, the year in sports produced some pretty memorable moments. The Toronto Raptors took their first NBA title ever, Liverpool won the Uefa Champions League and South Africa rumbled to a Rugby World Cup trophy.
Aside from the best of the best, how about the most viral of the viral?
Some of the top sporting moments this year did not happen on the pitch, field or court, and did not even feature humans, and one took a shot at a sitting US president.
For your viewing pleasure, enjoy the top clips we could not get enough of in 2019.




“I’m not going to the f******* White House.”
Megan Rapinoe became an international sensation as she took the soccer world by storm this summer, winning the World Cupand the Golden Boot in France, and then the Ballon d’Or. She also took on her own president, Republican Donald Trump, in what turned out to be a months long exchange. Here’s the best gem from the whole thing, which took place before the World Cup even started.

“I’m not going to the fucking White House.” - @mPinoe pic.twitter.com/sz1ADG2WdT
— Eight by Eight (@8by8mag) June 25, 2019

Black cat runs into end zone during NFL game
Animals make their way on to fields all the time, but this one is particularly impressive given commentator Kevin Harlan does not miss a beat and narrates the whole thing. The fact that Harlan had the wherewithal to name the sponsor of the “CDW” Red Zone as the cat entered it is incredibly impressive. Give that man a raise. Oh yeah, also the Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants 35-17.


Masvidal goes full knee on Askren
In one of the most astounding KOs in UFC history, Jorge Masvidal delivered a stunning blow to Ben Askren during UFC 239. For those of us old to remember, the move was strikingly similar to Sagat’s flying knee in Street Fighter 2. The move sent each fighter in a different direction as Masvidal went on to win the “BMF” belt over Nate Diaz in November, and Askren retired after one more loss, against Demian Maia in October of this year. Ouch.


The shot to end all shots
Basketball has produced a lot of memorable shots over the years. But Kawhi Leonard delivered one for the ages as he sent the Toronto Raptors to the Eastern Conference finals, and eventually, a first ever NBA championship. The way the ball bounced on the rim five times before dropping, allowing Leonard to look like he was taking a seat to wait and watch, makes this one even more dramatic. A lot has happened since – Leonard is a Clipper, and the Raptors are surprisingly, still a good team. Oh, Canada.


Eddie Jones and England’s response to the haka
While South Africa ended up winning the World Cup, England’s upset of the New Zealand All Blacks shocked the sporting world. Possibly the most interesting part of the whole thing was the “V” shape the English team made as the All Blacks did their traditional haka, crossing the centre line in the process (and also getting fined for it) and sending a message that they would not be intimidated against the world’s most intimidating rugby team.


Liverpool commentators lose their minds
Liverpool won the Uefa Champions League, although it was two local announcers – Steve Hunter and Liverpool legend John Aldridge – who looked like they were even happier than the players with the team’s upset win over Barcelona to make it to the final in the first place. Watching these two lose their minds over four goals is a thing of beauty, as their responses build into complete ecstasy as the final whistle blows. This is delirium.


Tiger wins the Masters, and, yes, you can call it a comeback
Think what you want about Tiger Woods, one of the most polarising figures professional golf has ever seen, watching him win the 2019 Masters, his first in 11 years, it’s tough not to feel happy for the guy. Everyone loves a good comeback story, and Woods’ win was one for the ages, a down-and-out golfer trying for years to get back to past glory as his body continued to fail him. He may never pass Jack Nicklaus for most majors of all time, but watching him celebrate with friends and family after this win feels like vindication in its purest form.


The NBA’s China controversy and LeBron James: “I believe he was misinformed.”
Oh, the destructive power of Twitter. This one was a mess from start to finish. Daryl Morey, Houston Rockets general manager, tweeted his apparent support for Hong Kong protesters as the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets were set to head to China for a pair of preseason games. What happened next was one of the strangest sporting controversies ever, which finally died down as the season got under way, although, strangely enough, you still cannot watch Rockets games on Tencent in China. In a year of protests, here in Hong Kong and all over the world, LeBron James went from basketball hero to villain in a matter of minutes during a pregame interview as he delivered some of the most tone deaf responses during the entire saga.




SCMP Plus year in review 2025: China

Prabowo, Trump to sign Indonesia-US trade deal in January as issues resolved

Trump unveils ‘Trump-class battleship’ in US shipbuilding push

Carney taps financier Wiseman as Canada’s new ambassador to US

Donald Trump

Watch the best viral sports videos of 2019: Megan Rapinoe, Jorge Masvidal and the NFL cat

Kahwi Leonard watches after sinking “the shot”. Photo: USA Today Sports

Hong Kong Sevens: men’s rugby team qualify for South American Challenger Series

Max Denmark and company will get a chance to sharpen their teeth before the Hong Kong Sevens in South America. Photo: HKRU

Hong Kong vs Chinese Taipei during the pool game of Asia Rugby Men's 7s Qualification Tournament For Tokyo 2020 at Namdong Asiad Stadium, Namdong, Incheon, on 23 November 2019, South Korea. Photo by : Ike Li / Ike Images

Hong Kong vs Afghanistan during the cup quarter final of Asia Rugby Men's 7s Qualification Tournament For Tokyo 2020 at Namdong Asiad Stadium, Namdong, Incheon, on 24 November 2019, South Korea. Photo by : Ike Li / Ike Images

Chinese Super League’s Eran Zahavi and Cedric Bakambu go viral as social media users thirst for football content

Eran Zahavi’s wonder goal lit up social media. Photo: Xinhua

World is laughing at Donald Trump, Joe Biden says in presidential election campaign video

US President Donald Trump at a lunch with UN Security Council permanent representatives in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Thursday. Photo: AFP

(FILES) In this file photo taken on April 21, 2015, US Secretary of State John Kerry makes remarks to members of the media prior to a meeting with Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu at the State Department in Washington, DC. - Former US secretary of state John Kerry, who lost to George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election, endorsed Joe Biden on December 5, 2019 as the Democratic candidate for next year's White House race. Kerry, 75, said the former vice president to Barack Obama and longtime senator from Delaware "is the president our country desperately needs right now." (Photo by ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

Sport


Megan Rapinoe is a boss, Liverpool commentators are crazy happy, and LeBron James somehow fits his giant foot in his mouth
The year we got some howitzers from all directions, so here’s a few to remember the past 365 days by



Megan Rapinoe is a boss, Liverpool commentators are crazy happy, and LeBron James somehow fits his giant foot in his mouth
