25 Ways Everybody in Sports Cheats | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
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Nick Dimengo@@itsnickdimengoTwitter LogoFeatured ColumnistMay 17, 2013
25 Ways Everybody in Sports Cheats
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No one ever wants to be labeled as a cheater, but truth be told that it happens in sports more than players, coaches and fans would like to admit.
While we've seen a number of questionable cheats in sports over the years, there are a ton more that get overlooked because they're often just accepted each game.
Though no one will ever admit to actually trying to cheat, we're giving you 25 different ways people do it in sports today, and ranking them from one through five, with one being not that bad and five being just about the worst thing ever.
Shuffling the Feet
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Patience is absolutely key with this one.
As a basketball player holds the ball, it's all about deceiving the official to think that they never actually switched pivot feet, moving along to get the perfect angle to get the cleanest shot off.
We toss this one in with a clear-cut travel, which can be overlooked at times by refs as well.
Cheat Ranking: 1
Not Putting Out
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This is one of the most common cheats among amateur golfers every time they play.
Just because a guy has a chance to par a hole doesn't mean they don't need to finish things off because they burned the edge with their putt.
Considering the ball trickled off the outside lip and rolled an extra six feet down the slope, we'd say they're responsible for finishing things off—hope they like two putts!
Cheat Ranking: 1
Cough in a Backswing
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Though this isn't common to see on the PGA tour—though there have been some complaints about noise recently—it's one that you're more than prone to do while with a foursome of your buddies playing for a case of beer.
Is it ethical?
No.
But does it have an effect on the guy on the tee box?
We'd all like to hope so.
Cheat Ranking: 1.2
Taking a Dive in Soccer
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One of the many reasons soccer tends to get a bad wrap is because of this simple action.
Thanks to guys going down in a heap of pain during a match, fans sometimes begrudge the act, as the player tries to draw a foul—though it often works.
Thankfully FIFA stepped up and made diving a no-no, with the culprit potentially getting a card from the ref should it be deemed to be just an act.
Cheat Ranking: 1.1
Curving the Stick
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Even though the NHL actually has a rule in place against this, players know that it's not enforced as much as it should be, so expect them to continue to push their luck.
Per the video, you can see players who have been busted before, but we bet more would be punished if coaches really wanted to try and challenge the curve more often.
Cheat Ranking: 1.5
Mulligans
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In a round of golf, it's said that at least one mulligan should be awarded to each player—if you play with our friends anyway.
So although a pro golfer would be ridiculed if they ever asked for a mulligan off the tee in a tournament, us weekend warriors continue to do it after hooking our shot into the water on No. 1.
Cheat Ranking: 1.5
Holding
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It's a common thought that holding in football happens on almost every single play, it just depends on if officials actually toss the flag or not.
While some are more obvious than others, it's something that both the big uglies and sliest defensive backs continue to try and get away with as much as they can.
Cheat Ranking: 1.5
Toss out a Hip, Foot or Arm on a Screen
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Over the years we've seen plenty of culprits of the moving screen—with some a little dirtier than others.
It's not like this move is uncommon among both pro basketball players and your teammates in the rec league you play in each weekend, but regardless of it getting caught or not, it's technically illegal.
Cheat Ranking: 1.7
Goaltend
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It might not be the worst thing a guy can do out on a basketball court, but there are times when the rule is argued and disputed in certain key situations.
It's really the judgement of the refs, but if a guy can get away with it, trust that he will.
Cheat Ranking: 1.7
Screening the Goalie
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Just ask former NHL player—and resident A-hole—Sean Avery how to properly pull this one off.
Even with a rule in place by the league to outlaw such a move, it wasn't until after officials saw it happening too often that they finally developed the "Avery Rule."
That doesn't mean skaters aren't going to try and do their best to disguise it though.
Cheat Ranking: 1.8
Take a Flop
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Who would have ever thought that something so innocent looking would become a league-wide punishment?
After the NBA determined that too many guys were just falling down at the slightest of bumps, they implemented a flop rule to help clean things up.
The key to a flop is to try and sell it perfectly, which some guys haven't quite mastered as well as others.
Cheat Ranking: 1.9
Lean into a Pitch
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MLB players these days seem to wear a ton of plastic armor when stepping to the plate, protecting themselves should a pitcher decide to try and come inside on them.
If a hurler does decide to command the inside part of the plate, don't be surprised to see a guy who's well protected lean into one and happily take a walk to first.
Just ask Craig Biggio how this works, as he made a career out of it.
Cheat Ranking: 2. 1
Fake Getting Hit by a Pitch
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Worse than leaning into a pitch to try and get on base is actually whiffing on trying to get hit in the first place.
Take the Cubs Julio Borbon for instance who, just last week, miserably acted as if he was hit by a pitch on the foot by Padres pitcher Luke Gregerson that hit the dirt right in front of Borbon's lead foot.
Who knows if he'll make it as a major leaguer, but if not, it doesn't look like a career in Hollywood is waiting for him.
Cheat Ranking: 2.2
Go Down with an "Injury"
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Yes, believe it or not, there are some team's "strategies" that include taking a fall in order to help slow up the high-octane offenses that are dominating college and pro football recently.
It's a punk move for sure, but since there's no real way to prove whether a guy is actually injured or not, it probably won't be going away anytime soon.
At least there have been some good stories of guys doing it though—but why does it always include Oregon in some way?
Cheat Ranking: 2. 5
Lie About Your Age
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We all remember the curious case of Danny Almonte during the 2001 Little League World Series, who lied about his age and subsequently became a sensation pitching against kids who were a couple years younger than him.
Or how about former A.L. MVP shortstop Miguel Tejada, who admitted he was actually two years older than he first portrayed?
For numerous reasons—most notably fame and richer contracts—athletes lie about how hold they are in order to get a little boost on the competition.
Cheat Ranking: 2.6
Lead with the Helmet
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Since this rule is so open-ended, guys do it as much as possible to try and jar the ball loose from a guy's hands or to make a point of coming across the middle of the field.
We've seen plenty of guys get nailed with injuries, fines and suspensions—and it's rightfully getting cracked down on—though it's a part of football players' intimidation, so it's foolish to think it'll just disappear altogether.
Cheat Ranking: 2.8
Steal the Other Team's Signs
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It doesn't matter if it's football, basketball or more commonly done in baseball, stealing signs from an opposing team is something that's done almost any chance a player can get.
Some argue that it's just part of the game, but with different rules in various sports, it's something that should probably be disguised pretty damn well to try and avoid major penalties.
Cheat Ranking: 3.2
Have a Questionable Substance on Your Uniform
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It's unfortunate, but as soon as an pitcher shows some signs of having a breakout year, questions begin to loom as to whether or not that guy is doctoring the ball in some way.
There's been reports lately about Red Sox ace Clay Buchholz doing it, and in the past we've seen pitchers like Joe Niekro and Gaylord Perry famously be questioned for having the ball do some funky stuff.
Cheat Ranking: 3. 3
Lie About Your Gender
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We've seen it done in movies like Ladybugs and Juwanna Mann before, but did you know it's happened on the Olympic stage before too?
That's right, way back in the 1936 games, German high-jumper Dora Ratjen was actually a man who was competing against women.
It didn't work, as not only did the scheme get busted, but Ratjen failed to medal anyway, finishing fourth.
Cheat Ranking: 3.5
Bite Another Player
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After seeing Mike Tyson gnaw off pieces of Evander Holyfield's ear during their 1997 fight, one would think no other athlete would actually try to disguise their nibbling habit.
Alas, we saw Liverpool star Luis Suarez try to get away with it in a match last month when he wrapped his teeth around Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.
For his actions, Suarez received a 10-game ban.
Cheat Ranking: 3.8
Literally "Punch One In"
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As one of the most famous missed calls in the history of sports, Diego Maradona's goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals is appropriately named the "Hand of God" after the Argentine great knocked in a ball with his hand rather than his head.
It taught us that sometimes celebrating a goal as if it really was one is just as important as trying to argue your case.
Cheat Ranking: 4.1
Pay off the Referees
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Most common in events that actually have judges, say, like Olympic sports, this is a practice that some athletes revert to in order to earn victory without actually outperforming their opponents.
A perfect case could be the 2002 Winter Olympic figure skating judging, where a ton of questions are still left unanswered—whether money was behind the officials' decision or not?
Cheat Ranking: 4.2
Gamble
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Whether it was Pete Rose doing it while managing for the Reds way back when, or former NBA official Tim Donaghy doing it on games he was calling, gambling can be a serious problem in sports.
Thankfully, we haven't seen it in a major sport in awhile, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen on a smaller level like when guys bet on card games—which can cause quite the feud sometimes.
Cheat Ranking: 4.5
Take Steroids
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This one's easy, right?
All an athlete has to do is poke him or herself with a needle a couple times, continue to work out and reap the benefits of being stronger and faster.
The hard part comes when you need to be tested, but getting around that can be easy if you know what you're doing, right Lance?
No matter how much we want to believe athletes are clean, we'll unfortunately continue to see players get busted for trying to get an unfair advantage no matter how hard the whip gets cracked down on testing.
Cheat Ranking: 4.7
Lie About Cheating—And Then Get Caught Anyway
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It's one thing to try any of these things listed, but it's another thing to do them, lie about it and then after being proven guilty have to apologize for your actions.
Some guys are dumb enough to have it happen on a grand stage, while others just don't get the message the first time and honestly think they can try to get away with something twice.
Remember, no one wants to be labeled a cheater, so play honestly and there won't be any doubt.
Cheat Ranking: 5
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How to Cheat in Sports and Get Away with It | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
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Nick Dimengo@@itsnickdimengoTwitter LogoFeatured ColumnistApril 14, 2014
How to Cheat in Sports and Get Away with It
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Kathy Willens
No one wants to be labeled a cheater, but when there's temptation to get a leg up on opponents, some athletes will take the chance.
Now I'm not condoning taking the shortcut, but here are just a few ways that people can cheat in sports—and actually get away with it.
So if you're feeling ballsy, go ahead and get sneaky.
Hold an Opponent
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Rick Scuteri
Technically, holding could be called on just about every single football play, but when it gets a little bit too extreme, the yellow flags fly.
That's not saying it's a bad idea to do it—especially if you can get away with it like some teams have perfected.
Whether it's an offensive lineman protecting his quarterback's blind side or a defensive back grabbing hold of a jersey to prevent a big play, holding in football is a sneaky way from preventing both big-time plays and injuries.
Fake an Injury
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Thankfully, the NCAA didn't adopt the "slow-down" rule to prevent offenses from rushing to the line in hopes to catch defenses off-guard.
Still, when a 300-pound lineman is gassed, one thing he can do is grab his calf and fall to the ground to slow the pace a bit.
Since there's no real way to monitor it, players will continue to drop down if it helps their teammates catch their breath.
Traveling in Basketball
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Let's face it: When it comes to the NBA, guys are traveling all over the place without it getting called.
In fact, during the OKC Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers game on Sunday, commentator Jeff Van Gundy blatantly said he's happy the league doesn't call all of the traveling.
Although shuffling your feet in a pickup game will nearly always get called, when it comes to NBA and some college contests, it's as easy as pie to pull off.
Not Putt Out
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David Cannon/Getty Images
A golfer could probably never get away with failing to finish a hole properly on the PGA or LPGA tour, but in a simple round with friends, it's common not to put out.
Players actually seem to be rewarded more for reading a green properly and coming close to sinking a long putt than actually making the shot sometimes, which leaves them with a few extra strokes off their scorecard.
Play Illegal Players
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Patrick Semansky
This one pains me because it happened with my Ohio State Buckeyes a few years ago after a Sugar Bowl win, but the fact of the matter is that plenty of schools play illegal players at times.
Most of the time it's just a minor penalty like having the kid sit out a few games, but on a larger scale—as was the case with the Buckeyes—wins get vacated, scholarships get revoked, and coaches and administrators lose their jobs.
The NCAA is seemingly cracking down on this harder now, but don't be fooled: A few kids are still finding ways to suit up come game time.
Wear a Disguise
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Link to Media
This doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it's funny—and quite clever—to see.
One of the most famous instances came in 1999 when New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine used a fake mustache and sunglasses to act as a clubhouse assistant rather than the head guy.
It did work for the game—his Mets won 4-3—but Bobby V got hit with a two-game suspension and $5,000 fine.
Sure, he got busted in the end—even though he alleged it wasn't him—but his presence in the dugout may have helped the Mets in that game.
Lie About Your Name
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David Maxwell/Getty Images
Just when you think you know an athlete, something like this happens.
In the case of current Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roberto Hernandez—formerly known as Fausto Carmona—after receiving a fake visa in 2010 and being suspended for three weeks by MLB, his false documents still didn't hurt him in the long run.
Other than those three weeks off, Hernandez has maintained a career in the majors ever since.
Sure, he didn't cheat like others on this list, but he did lie to benefit himself—which is a form of cheating, right?
Lie About Your Age
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Craig Ruttle
Just like the aforementioned Roberto Hernandez did, there are other instances of athletes who lie about their age in order to appear younger or older.
One of the more famous ones came during the 2001 Little League World Series when Danny Almonte took the tournament by storm, earning VIP treatment thanks to his performances.
There was just one problem—he was a bit older than the other kids.
His lie ended up hurting his dad more than anything, but there have been other cases where a white lie on a player's birth certificate didn't affect him as much. Take Shabazz Muhammad, who ended up being a lottery pick even after it was discovered he was be a year older than his father claimed.
Give a Teammate a Shove
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As one of the most hyped college football games in the past decade, the annual matchup between the USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 2005 had it all—including an illegal final play that won it for Southern Cal.
With just a few seconds left, running back Reggie Bush extended his hands and helped force quarterback Matt Leinart across the goal line for the winning score.
The problem is that the "Bush Push" wasn't exactly legal—yet the Trojans still went on to win the game and ultimately play in the national title game that year.
Screen the Goalie
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This one is tough because it's such an objective call for a referee.
With so many bodies flying in front of a hockey goaltender, how can one determine who is and isn't blatantly trying to block the goalie's vision?
Still, even with the "Avery Rule" that was implemented by the NHL back in 2008, players still know that tossing around their weight in front of the net will alter a netminder's ability to stop a shot—and it usually works.
Deceive the Refs
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It's one of the most famous and recognizable plays in the history of sports, and it was due to the fact that the referees were deceived by former Argentine star Diego Maradona.
Of course, no one knows for sure if he blatantly swatted the bouncing ball with his hand or not, but it happened, and Argentina beat England in the 1986 World Cup because of it.
Knowing nothing could be done 20 years later, Maradona did apologize for the incident—only proving his trickery in getting away with the hand ball.
Fake Getting Hit by a Pitch
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Link to Media
This one was just silly—but it was effective.
Rather than leaning into a pitch like other ballplayers do to get on base, Chicago Cubs Julio Borbon acted miserably—and quite delayed—following a pitch last year by San Diego Padres pitcher Luke Gregerson.
Borbon doesn't appear to have a future in Hollywood, but he was awarded first base, so his acting skills were good enough to convince the umpire of a bruise that never happened.
Doping and Denying
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Maryse Alberti
In some cases—like with New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez—all the denials of doping ultimately catch up with athletes.
But in former seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong's case, it took him to finally wilt and admit his own faults.
For more than a decade, he denied any wrongdoing, openly saying he would volunteer for testing because he was clean.
That is, until he admitted to Oprah Winfrey in early 2013 that it was all a lie, which cost him acknowledgment of his yellow jerseys and some sponsors.
Still, Armstrong has his money and fame, so I'd say he came out on top—even if he isn't looked at as a champion any longer.
Diving in Soccer
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It's one of the oldest tricks in the book—diving in soccer to draw a foul.
While it's pretty obvious when a player goes down in a heap of pain following a light tap on the leg, some refs just can't help themselves. They actually call a foul on the player who kicked the guy on the ground.
Sure, FIFA stepped in to try and help monitor it, but still, players go down to draw fouls on their opponents.
Use Pine Tar
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Kathy Willens
Was it pine tar, dirt or just sweat on New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda's hand last week?
Who knows? But one thing is for sure—it looked suspicious.
Over the years, a number of hurlers have found ways to get a little extra dip or slide on their pitches, and it seems like Pineda can be added to the list.
Of course, MLB didn't find proof of any wrongdoing, so even if he was putting a little extra substance on the ball, he got off scot-free.
Flopping
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It's the lamest way to draw a foul in any basketball game, but because it happens so fast, refs have a tough time getting the call right.
In some cases—like the kid in the video above—it should be obvious.
But other times, players toss themselves to the ground in hopes of getting the ref to think they had defensive position and that the offensive player ran into them hard enough to knock them down.
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How to dribble an opponent in basketball
Sovsport.ru tells how to develop technique in basketball in order to dribble past opponents.
Without the ability to do tricks in basketball, it is virtually impossible to beat an opponent. Breakthroughs from ring to ring without changing the trajectory of movement is an unprecedented rarity. You can reach the distance for a throw due to a well-executed combination or individual skill.
Players with deceptive feints are the key to the success of any team. And there should be more than a dozen deceptive movements in the asset.
So how do you dribble around an opponent in basketball? The main thing is to be well oriented on the site. Especially when the player is with the ball and chooses a further direction of attack. This is both the ability to give a convenient pass to a partner, and to perform a productive throw.
All feints are achieved through long practice. They are often practiced in a one-on-one game. You can also train at home in front of the mirror, performing deceptive body movements.
You can start with a simple game under the hoop to find out the most comfortable deception moves for you in basketball. Your partner stands under the ring and imitates defensive movements, and you try out various tricks, choosing the most suitable ones. It is advisable to record workouts on video so that later you can see your mistakes.
If it is not possible to train with a partner, chairs can be used and basketball feints are passed around them.
Beginners should start by running the ball. Every basketball player started with the simplest exercises. It was they who became the basis for more complex ones.
Basic stance when dribbling: legs bent at the knees, pelvis lowered, body tilted slightly forward, shoulders turned, head raised.
During the dribble, the player must be ready at any time to change direction, stop, pass or throw a ring.
The ball is covered from the opponent with the body, shoulder, free arm. The hand that dribbles the ball regulates the force of impact, the height of the rebound and the direction of the ball. In this case, only the fingertips touch the ball, the player should not look at the ball, but only control it with peripheral vision. Partners, defenders, and referees should be in the player’s field of vision at the same time.
Deceptive moves in basketball are divided into four stages:
1. Being in front of an opponent, you need to find a bypass to the basket.
2. It is necessary to make a false move or step to the side in order for the defender to try to block this path.
3. When the opponent starts moving, make a dash in the opposite direction to catch the opponent by surprise.
4. It is necessary to leave the opponent behind with one or two steps and in no case push him away with your hand. This may result in a foul.
Having mastered the basics of dribbling, you need to complicate it by alternately changing hands, that is, dribble the ball alternately with the right, then with the left.
source: "Soviet sport"
An original way to beat a defender in basketball
Hello, dear visitors of the site basketball-training.org.ua (how long have I not written this phrase ...). A few days ago, while playing basketball on one of the courts in Kharkov, I ran into a player who, when beating, used one very interesting trick that I myself like to use (but which had not yet been used against me until now).
It was then that I realized how effective this method can be, especially if it is performed by a player who is not as slow as me. Yes, I'm really far from the fastest player, so most of my "feints", if you can call them that, are based on using the opponent's speed against him (and a little physics, which you can still come in handy even on the basketball court).
So, today we're going to talk about the defender's supporting leg, the leg on which the weight is transferred, and which we will use for our own purposes. Let's get started.
3 elements to beat successfully
First, you must get the ball in position from which you can attack the ring. Well, or your defender must think that you can do it. Everything is trite, but nevertheless, over and over again I come across the fact that the majority are either just too lazy to spend their energy on getting rid of guardianship and they ask for the ball a couple of meters from the three-point line, from where it is very problematic to threaten the ring. Or they just don't know how to open up.
Related article: 3 easy ways to get the ball in basketball
So, your goal is to get the ball at least on the three-point line, and at the most already inside the arc. This move will not work if you get the ball under the basket or on the edge of the three-second zone.
The second stage is to stagger the defender 2-3 times, simulating a pass. You just do a few lunges to the side, and at this point you need to concentrate on the legs of the defender: which of them is his weight on. Which leg becomes his support during the execution of your false display for the passage. Did you see?
The third point is the passage itself. If you know which foot the defender is on, where his weight is concentrated at the time of your deceptive movements, then you should know the following: he will not be able to step with this foot. In any case, for this the defender will have to shift the weight to the other foot - and even if he is very fast, these fractions of a second will be enough for you to beat him.
Yes, this trick will not work every time. Yes, you will not beat the defender with 100% probability. But by using this trick, you can buy time and create space. Another "trick" - step as close as possible to his supporting leg: even if he reacts very quickly, he will most likely break the rules.
How to defend yourself against such a technique?
No matter how interesting and promising the above trick looks, there is a defense against it and it is quite simple.
First method: block the attacker's strong side from the passage, positioning yourself at almost a 90 degree angle to it. Either close your weak side (let the player go to your strong side, or to the side where there is a safety net). This is a budget way. You save energy, but still give the attacking player more freedom of action.
The second way is to do hellish footwork. I won't tell you too much, it's better to look at the video, as Andre Iguodala shows in the video for Nike:
See the topic: Nike Signature Moves Part 1
where is your body weight now. Of the minuses - an unprepared player after 2-3 such defenses will “sit down” very much and become slow in defense.
The third option - get as close as possible to the player, even in the process of receiving the ball. Thus, the attacker will not have much time to think: on which leg is your weight concentrated, where to stagger you, etc.
Small conclusions
The method described above is suitable for a measured pace of the game, even more so for a streetball match in which there are no quick breaks and the probability of an effective 1v1 beat is much greater.
The method described above is not a panacea, but simply one of the ways to use the laws of physics and the lack of experience of the defending player.
This method is difficult to apply neat if you are far from the basket (1-2 meters from the three-point line) or if the defender is very active.
Defending against such a technique is quite simple, the main thing is to understand that the opponent is going to use it (most often, he looks at your feet).
And this concludes the article, I wish you successful training, success in both attacking and defensive actions and I look forward to seeing you on the pages of this site.
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The hand that dribbles the ball regulates the force of impact, the height of the rebound and the direction of the ball. In this case, only the fingertips touch the ball, the player should not look at the ball, but only control it with peripheral vision. Partners, defenders, and referees should be in the player’s field of vision at the same time. 
Let's get started. 
Which leg becomes his support during the execution of your false display for the passage. Did you see? 
Thus, the attacker will not have much time to think: on which leg is your weight concentrated, where to stagger you, etc. 
