Whether it is the most romantic ball park marriage proposal or the kiss cam at a basketball court, love runs rampant in the sports world. Love is the only word to describe the intense relationship between fans and their sports teams, but there is one type of love that is sacred in the beautiful world of sports: the bromance.
Bromances are the tight bonds formed between players and their teammates and coaches. These bonds can transform men from loveless losers to bromantic heroes. Here’s a look into some of sports biggest bromances over the decades.
The Ernie and Bernie Show: Nowadays whenever someone hears about basketball duos they think of Dwayne Wade and LeBron in South Beach, or Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in Lob City. But even before Michael Jordan met Scottie Pippen, there was a pair who formed a bond so special that opposing teams wept when their names were called together for the starting five. The year was 1974 and the place was Knoxville at the University of Tennessee. Ernie Grunfeld walked onto the basketball court to start his sophomore season with the Volunteers and then he saw him. Before his eyes laid tall, dark and handsome Bernard King.
Both were New York City natives brought into the team by head coach Ray Mears and they took the Southeastern Conference by storm. They averaged over 40 points a game together, and King’s blistering speed matched perfectly with Grunfeld’s bruising drives.
But they had their backs off the court as well, especially with their dealings with opposing coaches who accused the pair of cheating and opposing fans who harassed the African-American Bernie and Jewish Ernie. They both entered the 1977 NBA draft together, and by 1982 they were together again with the New York Knicks. Even though they never won a national title on any level as a pair, their numbers are forever together over the University of Tennessee court.
The Brady Love Triangle: Bill Belichick was in his first year as head coach of the New England Patriots, and in his first draft with the team, he looked over his options in the sixth round and saw the name Thomas Brady Jr. It was like love at first sight for Belichick, who quickly snagged the quarterback with his 199th pick in the 2000 draft. This would prove as the greatest bargain in NFL Draft history as Belichick groomed Brady into a three-time Super Bowl champion. It was an absolute lovefest in New England, with the two becoming the most successful quarterback-coach tandem in NFL history with 148 wins and five Super Bowl appearances. But everything changed when Wes Welker joined the team in 2007.
With dashing good looks and great hands to match, Brady fell in love with Welker and helped the wideout set the Patriots franchise record in receptions with 112. But like a home- wrecker, Welker left the team last year for Peyton Manning and the Broncos, leaving a heartbroken Brady behind. After Brady suffered defeat at the hands of Manning and Welker this past AFC Championship game, coach Belichick was left to pick up the pieces, and he accused Welker of an illegal hit during the game in a later press conference. With his heartbroken bromantic partner by his side for another season, Belichick looks to avenge Brady and defeat the Broncos and Welker in the playoffs next year.
A Womance to Top Any Bromance: As you could probably imagine, a womance is a bromance between ladies who better themselves in a platonic bond that surpasses mere friendship. The biggest womance of sports history was between the feet of Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly.
The two became teammates for the U.S. Women’s National soccer team and were prodigies in the sport with Hamm joining at the age of 15 and Lilly at 16, both still in high school at the time.
The two developed a close bond and both went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill together to further their womantic relationship. The pair led their squad to two World Cup victories in 1991 and 1999 as well as Olympic gold in 1996 and 2004, leading to what many believe to be the golden age of U.S. Women’s soccer. Together they scored 288 goals and 249 assists. With thanks to Lilly’s superb assist producing capabilities, Hamm held the record for international goals, more than any other player (male or female) in soccer history.
Hamm’s record was recently beaten by fellow American woman Abby Wambach, who is currently building a womance of her own with current teammate Alex Morgan, who coincidentally wears number 13, Lilly’s old number.
Instead of mulling about being alone this Valentine’s Day, consider going on a bromantic date with your platonic other. Play a pickup basketball game with some bros, then get some wings at a sports bar and head out to the men’s lacrosse game at 7:30 p.m. Afterward, enjoy a beautiful view under the stars. No? Oh well, just don’t be surprised when all your bros are down for some hardcore bromance this V-Day.
Marcus Mitchell can be reached at marcus.mitchell@spartans.ut.edu.