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7/27/2007 12:47:00 PM

The Simpsons' best sports star guest appearances

The Simpsons
Springfield has been a regular stop for sports' biggest stars.
Photo by Fox
By Lang Whitaker, SI.com

We live in an era when sports and celebrity are inextricably intertwined, where it doesn't matter how skilled you are as an athlete so long as you remain in the "now." Well, nobody's more "now" than The Simpsons, even 20 years after their debut. This weekend sees the long-awaited debut of The Simpsons Movie. In honor of the release, here are my top five sports star guest appearances on The Simpsons ...

1. Darryl Strawberry: Appeared in the epic "Homer At The Bat" episode as a ringer for Mr. Burns' softball team. What made it funnier was that of all the guys slated to play for Mr. Burns (from Wade Boggs to Steve Sax), Strawberry alone actually showed up for the game turned out to be a team-first guy.

2. Ronaldo: When Homer found time to ref Lisa's soccer game, Brazilian striker Ronaldo showed up to teach Homer how to tell when players are flopping.

3. Sal Bando: The former A's and Brewers third baseman might not have been a household name (he hit .252 for his career), but he can always tell people he somehow once appeared on The Simpsons. (Same goes for Gene Tenace.)

4. Tom Brady: The Patriots heartthrob appeared in the special Simpsons episode that aired following Super Bowl XXXIX. Brady hired Homer to teach him how to celebrate following touchdowns, and was soon seen initiating a routine that included a sign reading "Everyone Sucks But Me!"

5. Magic Johnson: The first athlete to ever appear on The Simpsons. Magic appeared on the terrific episode "Homer Defined," which gave us the memorable phrase "to pull a Homer."

Who was your favorite athlete to guest on The Simpsons? Let us know below...

Lang Whitaker is the executive editor of SLAM magazine and writes daily at SLAMonline.com
posted by SI.com | View comments |

Comments:

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Posted: July 27, 2007 2:34 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
My favorite was the Scorpio episode where Homer always dreamed of owning the Dallas Cowboys only to be terribly disappointed to find out he was now the owner of the Denver Broncos. Hilarious.
Posted: July 27, 2007 2:54 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Mark McGuire -- "Who wants to see me hit some dingers???"
Posted: July 27, 2007 3:17 PM   by Anonymous Johnny Mac
Other than the stellar job done by all 9 major leaguers (Scoscia, Mattingly, Sax, O Smith, Boggs, Canseco, Griffey, Strawberry and Clemens) in Homer at the Bat, you gotta love:

Yao Ming pretending to not speak English to avoid doing household chores

LeBron thinking that having breakfast for dinner was better than his $90 million Nike deal

Joe Namath talking about the seriousness of vapor lock

Troy Aikman drawing a caricature of Bart at the Super Bowl (you like Dune buggies?)

and of course Joe Frazier awarding the first annual C. Montgomery Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence
Posted: July 27, 2007 3:30 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
I loved Gordie Howe's non-speaking cameo in "Bart the Lover," in which Bart wrote love letters to his teacher Mrs. Krabappel, including a photo of Howe pulled out of an old "NHL Stars of 1966" book he found in the classroom. I was especially pleased that they included Howe's WHA years in his career stats, flashed at the episode's conclusion.
Posted: July 27, 2007 3:34 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Joe Namath!
Posted: July 27, 2007 3:40 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
I always enjoyed Mike Tyson or Drederick Tatum, when he would show up and threaten to make Homer's children into orphans.
Posted: July 27, 2007 4:14 PM   by Blogger Enn
1.Broadway Joe teaches part that Vapor lock is a leading cause of car malfunctions.

2.Big Mac hitting dingers

3.Tony Hawk teaches Homer how to skateboard.
Posted: July 27, 2007 5:10 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Without a doubt, Joe Namath.

"Don't forget what I told ya."
Posted: July 27, 2007 8:12 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
"Hi Homer, I'm former President Gerald Ford. Do you like ... Football? Do you like ... Nachos? Why don't you come over and we'll watch the football game. Then we'll have some Nachos. And beer!" He was a great man, terribly maligned man, President Gerald Ford - and I think most Americans tend to forget he was an outstanding Wolverine at UM: good enough to be MVP of the club his Senior year.
Posted: July 27, 2007 9:17 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Joe Namath-Vapor Lock...classic
Posted: July 28, 2007 4:11 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Jose Canseco. In Homer at the bat he misses the game due to saving people from a burning building. That, sports fans, is the definition of ironic.
Posted: July 28, 2007 12:00 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Whitey Ford had a brilliant non-speaking role. Who can forget Marge serving pretzels that turned into Whitey Whackers? "This is a black day for baseball."
Posted: July 29, 2007 12:38 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
How bout the quick view of Johnny Unitas and Abe Simpson's classic line, 'Now there's a haircut you can set your watch to!'
Posted: July 29, 2007 2:04 PM   by Blogger michael
deffinately McGwire and the whole baseball stealing information and Bart being on Ridalin then it finished w/ big Mac stealing the information read out from the satelite haha! "Who wants to see me hit some dingers?" then probably tyson second.
Posted: July 29, 2007 3:36 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Lisa Leslie when she told Flanders to hurry up and miss a half court shot during a WNBA Game.
Posted: July 29, 2007 7:13 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Michelle Kwan topped all the people on your list. Never underestimate the Wrath of Kwan!
Posted: July 29, 2007 7:39 PM   by Anonymous Stans46
I loved Mattingly with the apron, but I am going to have to go with Michelle Kwan!
Posted: July 29, 2007 7:42 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Michelle Kwan was obviously the best..plus she's the most beautiful.
Posted: July 29, 2007 8:44 PM   by Anonymous Zack
Joe Namath and vapor lock has been mentioned before and with good reason, very funny. I also enjoyed the Simpsons tennis match where they eventually gave way to Sampras, Agassi and the Williams sisters playing. When asked if she wants to play, Serena says, "Ugh, I just ate a personal pizza!"
Posted: July 29, 2007 9:42 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Michelle Kwan because her "Simpsons" persona is the polar opposite of her personality. Besides, she's my favorite athlete.
Posted: July 30, 2007 8:43 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
The best part of the Stawberry episode was Bart and Lisa taunting him "Daaaaryyyll, Daaaaryyyll."
Posted: July 30, 2007 9:58 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Michelle Kwan
Posted: July 30, 2007 10:05 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Got to be Tony Hawk
Posted: July 30, 2007 12:00 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
"My car broke down" - Joe Namath

"Still like him better than Steinbrenner." - Donnie Baseball

"Ew, this place has got old man stink." - Bret Hart
Posted: August 10, 2007 10:26 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Although he wasn't technically a guest star, I must have laughed for 10 minutes at Milhouse wanting to purchase the "Mutton Chop Yaz" baseball card.
Posted: August 14, 2007 11:15 PM   by Anonymous Nick
Mattingly getting kicked off for his sideburns and Griffey Jr. gigantism from Krusty syrup addiction; lol for minutes.

Also liked Marge's day dream about Jack Nicklaus bending over to get his ball and shaking his ass!!

And Homer in the witness protection program: You'll have a new identity. Homer: I want to be John Elway!! and scores a TD, trailing 56 to 7 to the Niners.
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