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Random Tue Jan 10 2012

The 7 Greatest Chicago Animated Sports GIFs of 2011

SBNation's Jon Bois pulled together his selections of the 50 greatest animated sports GIFs of 2011 last week. By statistical probability alone, Chicago teams were sure to be included, and they were -- though not always in the way you'd expect. So rather than force you to flip through the 11 pages of Bois' post, here are the Chicago highlights. I've preserved the original titles, but arranged them according to their Chicago-related awesomeness (Bois' original ranking is in parentheses, with a link to the original post page.) Some of these gifs are massive, so forgive the slow load times.

7. "blub" - Larry Bird (20.)

Larry Bird croak

Even famous people do weird things in the stands at Bulls games, apparently. Bois guessed that the sound Bird was making was sort of a croak. I think it looks like a ...actually, I don't know what it looks like. A stifled yawn? Considering the Pacers were in the lead, could Bird have been that bored?

Also, what's that guy in the pink shirt describing that came out of his mouth and grew as big as his head?

6. Ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop (3.)

Ramiro Pena Eduardo Nunez errors

The Cubs are down by six to the Yankees in this gif, but they come out on top as far as the action goes, as a line drive takes out Ramiro Pena and Eduardo Nunez picks up the deflected ball and then throws it on the ground about 10 feet in front of him instead of over to first. That said, it was the bottom of the ninth with two outs, and this screwed up play did nothing to improve the Cubs' chances of winning.

5. The most "leading 8-1" GIF of all time (39.)

Alex Gonzalez

In this one, the Cubs are down by seven in the top of the sixth, and Atlanta's Alex Gonzalez doesn't even bother trying for a grounder just left of second base. He barely breaks into a trot as it reaches the left-center. Man, the Cubs sucked last year.

4. Bulls fan is shamed out of wearing his snappy hat (49.)

Embarrassed Bulls Fan

Hey guy, it doesn't matter if you take that huge, floppy hat off. Not only have we already seen it, but you're also sitting next to a dude wearing a big, foam pointing hand. That nonchalant "I'm cool, nothing to see here" look you flash after the hat's off isn't fooling anybody.

3. "High five, nobody!" - everybody (34.)

No high five for Boozer

The NBA cares, but nobody else does that Carlos Boozer wants to high five someone.

2. Derrick Rose on the court with Michael Jordan (41.)

Derrick Rose & Michael Jordan

It never actually happened -- it's from a promo TNT put together ahead of the Christmas Day game. But it's an image that's probably run through the head of every rabid Bulls fan: what would it have been like if Rose and Jordan were contemporaries on the Bulls? How unstoppable would they have been?

1. Matt Forte has to go now, his planet needs him (33.)

Matt Forte juke

Matt Forte's incredible juke to dodge a hit -- causing two Buccaneers to collide and crumple, Keystone Kops style -- is an example of the talent and agility the Bears lost when he went on the DL with an MCL sprain in early December. I'm looking forward to more highlights like this next season.

 
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