Summary
When a television series has been around for as long asThe Simpsonshas, it seems somewhat inevitable that the show’s writers will eventually run out of topics to cover.South Parkfirst joked about this in the Season 6 episode Simpsons Already Did It, and that was more than two decades ago now.
Since then,The Simpsonshas cracked wise about pretty much every topic under the sun, from American politics to Western religion. There have also been plenty of greatSimpsonsjokes and quotes about sport, although some of them are a lot more memorable than others.
1I Guess You Could Say I’m Iraqi
Tennis The Menace (S12E12)
In the season 12 episode Tennis The Menace, Homer and Marge become the talk of the town after building their own backyard tennis court. This soon leads to them rubbing shoulders withsome of Springfield’s elite, including Channel 6 news anchor Kent Brockman and the station’s weather girl, Stephanie.
When Homer asks Brockman how he comes up with such witty remarks, it’s revealed that there’s a writer in a nearby van feeding him lines through a concealed earpiece. The writer in question tells the presenter to say “It’s my racket,” but Brockman mishears him and instead says “I’m Iraqi,” at which point, Homer angrily demands that he leave.
2Now That I’m Off Duty, I’m the World’s Worst Soccer Coach
Moe Baby Blues (S14E22)
In the Season 14 finale,Moe accidentally saves Maggie’s life while trying to end his own, and a deep bond forms between the two characters. When Maggie goes missing a little later on in the episode, the Simpsons therefore assume that Moe is the one responsible and head over to his apartment with the police in tow.
However, it’s soon revealed that Moe isn’t to blame for Maggie’s disappearance and he offers to help find her, at which point, Chief Wiggum tries to wash his hands of the situation. Marge is understandably annoyed with his unprofessionalism and suggests that he and his fellow officers are the world’s worst cops, but he quickly corrects her.
3I Almost Saw a Goal
Marge Gamer (S18E17)
The Simpsonswriters have made plenty of jokes about soccer over the years, but the most brutal one arguably appears in the Season 18 episode Marge Gamer. It comes after Lisa criticizes Homer’s refereeing skills, which gives him the motivation needed to watch “hours and hours” of soccer in order to learn the rules.
After mentioning this, he goes on to claim that he “almost saw a goal;” a reference to how low-scoring soccer games can sometimes be when compared toother sports. There’s a similar joke in the Season 25 episode You Don’t Have to Live Like a Referee, during which, a soccer commentator remarks that one of the teams has “an insurmountable one-goal lead” despite there still being 28 minutes left to play.
4Open-Faced Club Sand Wedge
Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield (S07E14)
After finding a cheap Chanel suit at a discount store, Marge and her family find themselves at a fancy social club. While she’s off socializing, the kids are left to their own devices and Homer spends his time playing golf with Mr. Burns. He’s actually pretty good at it, although he has no idea what he’s doing.
When Homer’s ball gets stuck in a bunker, Burns suggests using an open-faced club like a sand wedge to get it out. However, all Homer hears is “open-faced club sandwich,” and he begins to drool as he imagines chomping down on such a tasty snack. He then goes on to win the golf game, despiteBurns attempting to cheat.
5The… Atlanta Falcons
Sunday, Cruddy Sunday (S10E12)
These days, entire episodes can be animated in next to no time, but that hasn’t always been the case. Back in the day, episodes ofThe Simpsonstook many months to prepare, making it very difficult for them to be topical. However, the team had a few tricks up their sleeves to get around this, many of which were likelymissed by a lot of youngerSimpsonsfans.
Animators would often obscure a character’s mouth so that voice lines could be added or redubbed at a later date. It’s through this method that Moe is able to accurately state that the Atlanta Falcons would be playing in Super Bowl XXXIII, which took place on the same day that the episode first aired. On this occasion, though, the writers opted to turn these last-minute additions into a joke by making them blatantly obvious, which helped to make the scene both funny and memorable.
6Boxing Causes Brain Damage
The Homer They Fall (S08E03)
When Bart’s high-tech utility belt is stolen by bullies, Homer decides to confront their parents to try and get it back. Unfortunately, they don’t appreciate being told how to raise their children and begin to mercilessly beat Homer until Moe eventually steps in. Impressed by how well Homer handled the beating, Moe suggests that he may well besuited to a career in boxing.
There are plenty of great jokes and quotes throughout the episode, but the funniest arguably comes from Barney. On the eve of Homer’s first fight, the lovable drunk remarks that he would never get into a boxing ring because “boxing causes brain damage.” This wouldn’t be all that funny, were it not for the fact that he begins drinking varnish immediately after he says it.
7I Still Like Him Better than Steinbrenner
Homer at the Bat (S03E17)
Homer at the Bat is probably the best sports-themed episode ofThe Simpsonsever made. It has a little bit of everything, including a bunch of celebrity cameos and one ofthe bestSimpsonssongsto date. In the episode, Mr. Burns brings in a team of ringers for a company softball game, one of whom is famous first baseman Don Mattingly.
Throughout the episode,Burns repeatedly tells Mattingly to trim his sideburnsdespite the fact that the former Yankee doesn’t have any. Eventually, Mattingly ends up cutting large chunks of his hair off, which results in Burns kicking him off the team. As he angrily departs, Mattingly remarks that he still prefers Burns to George Steinbrenner, who was the principal owner of the Yankees when the episode first aired.
