As the Olympics come to a close and we are forced to turn to our TiVos to catch one last glimpse of Michael Phelps making Olympic history or McKayla Maroney's eternal frown, one thing is certain: 2012 surely turned out a lot of Internet memes, videos, and gifs inspired by the London Games. To mark the ending of a successful Olympic season, we look at some of the best Olympic Internet manipulations.
AP Photo (2) ; AFP / Getty Images ; Getty Images
When Team USA vaulter McKayla Maroney took home silver on a night she was favored to steal gold, the 16-year-old gymnast was not pleased. Her expression—a sour, sideways scowl captured on camera during the medal ceremony—immediately went viral, and prompted this hilarious Tumblr account, simply entitled: McKayla is Not Impressed.
Thomas Coex, AFP / Getty Images
Ryan Lochte: Great Swimmer, Terrible Interview
This mashup of Ryan Lochte interviews leads with Lochte’s response to why he loves swimming: “I love swimming because racing.” It pretty much goes downhill from there—in the best possible way. The mashup is mixed with shots of Lochte lifting weights and climbing out of a pool dripping wet. We aren’t sure whether to swoon, or ask to see his high school diploma.
All eyes were on Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II when she came to cheer on her country’s fine athletes. But cheer she did not. After a surprisingly sullen queen watched the Olympics and looked bored to tears, a meme (or perhaps 10) was created in her honor.
David Goldman / AP Photo
I will not choose sides—merely relay the evidence and let you decide what really went down that fateful day. As the U.S. Men’s Olympic team members were being adorned in bronze bling during a medal ceremony, the world couldn’t help but notice that one rower, Henrik Rummel, looked particularly excited. So did he have an erection, or was it just an upward placement? Was the excitement of winning bronze too much to contain, or were his spandex shorts just a tad too tight? According to the rower, it was the latter. Rummel took to his Reddit account to end the rumors: "This is me and I swear it's not erect!" Rummel posted under the username Rummelator. "I don't know why it ended up in that position but there you go."
Harry How / Getty Images
The pint-sized diver with killer abs and an ever-growing Twitter account inspired this collection of gifs. From taking his pants off in mid-air to doing a handstand on the edge of a pool, the most inclusive compilation of Tom Daley gifs.
Clive Rose / Getty Images
This gif isn’t quite laughable, but definitely cringe-worthy. The leap made by German diver Stephan Feck should have been picture-perfect, with a solid execution throughout. Until, that is—splat—he does a reverse belly flop and lands smack on his back.
Martin Bureau, AFP / Getty Images
The title really says it all. This interactive list asks you to “press play and scroll,” to listen to a YouTube video of “Ms. New Booty” while simultaneously looking at photos of Olympic booty shots. We will gladly oblige.
Adam Pretty / Getty Images
This hilarious compilation of photos is accompanied by direct quotes from the 2004 flick, Mean Girls, starring Lindsay Lohan. In one still, team members are seen sitting around a lunch table with trays of food in front of them. Those who have seen the film will get the hilarity of the caption: “On Wednesdays, we wear pink.”
Cameron Spencer / Getty Images
“Michael moved closer to him. "Hey, remember what I said I’d do if you won a gold medal here?" Yeah, Ryan remembers. A guy doesn’t forget that kind of thing,” states one image from this romance-novel inspired bromance tribute. The (unfortunately) fictional tale of two swimmers is captured in brooding photographs and suggestive text. I think we feel another Fifty Shades of Grey ripoff coming on….
Adam Pretty / Getty Images
