This Kiss, This Kiss

The lasting image of Saturday's debacle in Gainesville is not Arian Foster scrambling to recover the fumble that turned the tide of the game or the Brandon James punt return. No, the lasting image is something totally different and totally strange.

Tim Tebow & Tony Joiner.

It was the "Kiss Heard Round the College Football World." It was so strange that entire newspaper stories revolved around it rather than the actual game. It made Verne Lundquist so uncomfortable he seemed to be teetering toward Don Imus territory before finally deciding to just shut up. To be honest, it was about the only redeeming thing about the afternoon for Vols fans. We got our butts kicked, but at least we weren't making out on the sidelines. That moment is going to follow Tebow whereever he goes. It could cost him the Heisman.

The football Gators aren't the first athletes to add kissing to their respective sport. Of course, we have seen trophies kissed after winning championships and we have seen wives kissed by victorious golfers after sinking the final putt. Kissing is part of the sports vernacular - Bill Rafferty's "The Kiss" after a bank shot being my favorite example among others (kiss that one goodbye, a "kiss shot" in billiards are others). Even the band KISS played at the Salt Lake City Olympics closing ceremony.

Some other interesting/notable/disturbing/memorable moments in sports kissing:

Magic Johnson & Isiah Thomas engaged in several pre-game kisses during the 1988 NBA finals. Isiah was the best player on the Pistons' "Bad Boys" teams, but you can bet Bill Laimbeer or Rick Mahorn never kissed anybody before a game. Isiah later tried to get a kiss from a female Knicks executive and is currently being sued for sexual harassment.

The "Baddest Man on the Planet" wasn't above some man-love. Here Mike Tyson seems to be planting a kiss on Al Franken after another knockout victory. Tyson used to get wet ones from trainer Kevin Rooney after wins. Many boxer experts point to the dismissal of Rooney and his expertise as the beginning of the decline in Tyson's career, but could it have been the lack of Rooney sugar?

Staying in the ring, this pre-fight smooch got one of the these mixed martial arts fighters knocked out and the other disqualified. I like MMA as much as the next 18-35 white male, but the homoerotic undertones are hard to miss, and it was just a matter of time before someone acted upon them. I think he could have waited for a prettier opponent, but maybe the guy has a nice personality.

Another poorly received kiss, this time from soccer as the referee gave a yellow card to the player whose protest included a peck on the cheek. It looks as if the kisser is genuinely saddened that his advances earned him a yellow. To me, the ref is just playing hard to get - he could have given him a red card if he really meant it.

To the world of tennis as the Russians celebrate their victory over Andy Roddick and the Americans with a little Davis Cup kissing. This is why they lost the Cold War.

Here is a kiss that doesn't end in violence or awkwardness: Dwight Howard's "Kiss the Rim" dunk might have won him last year's Slam Dunk Contest, though he got hosed when his sticker dunk wasn't appreciated by the judges. If Magic & Isiah were judging, I am sure D-12 would have pulled this one out.

And finally...Joe Namath trying to get a kiss from Suzy Kolber during the Jets game. This is the gold standard for sports and kissing in my book, made all the better by Kolber's smooth handling of the awkwardness. I'm guessing Tony Joiner might try the "I was drunk" defense at some point for kissing Tebow. Tony's just a "happy guy."

And with that, you can kiss this article goodbye.