Strange world of sport: the most bizarre stories from 2017

There were many memorable moments on the field of play this year, but also plenty of strange - and completely bizarre - happenings from the world of sport in 2017.

We pick out some of our favourites, starting with this tasty FA Cup tale back in February...

Any bets on who ate all the pies?

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The “formbook goes out of the window” cliches and part-timers scoring last-minute winners in a giant-killing act - it’s the magic of the FA Cup.

When non-league Sutton United hosted Premier League giants Arsenal in February the match won’t be remembered for the Gunners’ 2-0 win or the minnows’ efforts. Oh no. It will go down in history for Wayne Shaw munching on a pie in the dugout live on national TV.

In the “pie-gate” incident it was alleged, the BBC reported, that Sutton reserve keeper Shaw had “intentionally influenced” a football betting market by eating a pie while sat on the home bench.

Following an investigation, Shaw was charged, fined £375 and banned from football for two months for breaching FA betting rules. It kind of leaves a bitter taste doesn’t it Wayne?

Meet Tom Brady the hissing cockroach

Keeping with the betting theme we head Stateside where in February the Atlanta Falcons lost the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots.

Led by star quarterback Tom Brady, the Patriots hit back from 28-3 down to win 34-28 in overtime and break Atlanta hearts.

The Falcons’ crushing defeat also meant that Zoo Atlanta lost a bet to the Roger Williams Park Carousel Village in Rhode Island. The bet placed would see the city zoo of the losing team name a baby animal after the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

Meet baby Madagascar hissing cockroach “Tom Brady”. Zoo Atlanta announced the name on Instagram: “Figuring the losing side would be pretty bitter about it, we came to the agreement that [the] baby animal would be a Madagascar hissing cockroach.”

Keeper sees red after having a pee

Goalkeepers can get sent off for many things, for instance a handball outside the area or kamikaze tackles against onrushing strikers.

But for Salford City keeper Max Crocombe, playing against Bradford Park Avenue in National League North in October, he saw red for - wait for it - urinating by the side of the stand.

Bradford PA club secretary Colin Barker told The Yorkshire Post: “He was told by the steward twice not to do it and he went ahead and had a pee. He went to the side of the stand as I understand it. I didn’t actually see it but the referee definitely sent him off for it because he was alerted to it by his linesman.”

Phelps vs. Shark (sort of)

One is known as the fastest thing in water the other is a great white shark.

When American Olympic legend Michael Phelps was lined up to race a shark on TV in July viewers could not wait for the man versus beast swimming contest.

Following a big build-up for the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week event, fans were left slightly angry and bemused, the Guardian reports, when it emerged that Phelps was in fact going to race a “computer-generated” shark.

Even with 28 Olympic medals to his name Phelps was not fast enough to beat the “beast”. After losing by two seconds to the “shark”, Phelps later called for rematch.

Kitten runs wild in NFL clash

The Baltimore Ravens’ 40-0 victory over Miami Dolphins in October will be remembered for the debut of the NFL’s newest star.

A kitten, nicknamed by the NFL as the Football Cat, made its appearance on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of the Ravens-Dolphins match.

With speed and agility like that, Football Cat may be a purrfect (sorry) contender for this season’s top NFL gong… the 2017 MVM (most valuable moggy) award (sorry again).

Ronaldo ‘horror’ statue

What was the artist thinking? When a statue of Cristiano Ronaldo was revealed in March, Twitter exploded with hundreds of jokes and memes in response to the unveiling at Madeira Airport in Portugal.

Thankfully for the Real Madrid star, the Bleacher Report revealed that a new - and more accurate - statue was unveiled last month at the Real Madrid museum.

We still prefer the first one…

Colclough’s perfect hat-trick

What a night it was for footballer Ryan Colclough on 22 November.

The Wigan Athletic player scored a brace against Doncaster in England’s League One before getting substituted and rushing to hospital to witness the birth of his son.

The BBC reported that early in the match, Colclough received a nod from his father to signal that his wife’s waters had broken. After 60 minutes and with two goals to his name, he rushed down the tunnel and in full kit made it to the hospital with 30 minutes to spare.