The Hardest Hits From the World of Professional Sports

Sports are exciting enough as it is, but when you mix in a hard hit or a brawl among the players, fans only get more excited. Much like a crash in NASCAR, we are somewhat horrified by a big hit, but also can't look away. Here are some of the hardest (and often illegal) hits from the world of professional sports.

Dunta Robinson Takes Out Desean Jackson and Himself

Let's start with a hit from the 2010 NFL season, when new rules for player safety had just been implemented. After Jackson gets hung out to dry by his quarterback, Robinson delivers a viscious hit that takes them both out. This was one of the first nasty collisions that really illustrated why the new rules were put into place, and resulted in concussions for both players.

Kevin McHale Clotheslines Kurt Rambis

This one has it all. High stakes (the 1984 NBA Finals), classic franchises (Celtics, Lakers) and super nerdy glasses (Kurt Rambis). Just an FYI: there were no suspensions, no fines and no ejections after this play. If this happened today, the league would cancel the rest of the Finals.

James Wisniewski Destroys Brent Seabrook

Wait until the 1:14 mark of this video for the slow-motion replay, but this hit was deceptively powerful. Clearly the Blackhawks' Brent Seabrook wasn't ready for it because his legs went wobbly and he went down to the ice after getting smashed against the boards by the Anaheim Ducks' James Wisniewski.

Ryan Clark Delivers a Massive Cheap Shot on Wes Welker

Ryan Clark is not a big guy, but Wes Welker is even less of one. So when Welker went across the middle and was unable to get to this pass, Clark decided to use that size advantage and the fact that Welker wasn't looking to deliver a crushing cheap shot. Being a defenseless receiver sucks, but being a defenseless reciever who doesn't know a hit is coming is even worse.

Bill Laimbeer Tackles Larry Bird

Everyone remembers Larry Bird as one of the most clutch players in NBA history. They also remember Bill Laimbeer as one of the most sound tacklers in NBA history. These two crossed paths often in the late '80s, as the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons both spent the second half of that decade fighting (usually literally) for Eastern Conference supremacy.

Brian Campbell Knocks Out R.J. Umberger

If there's one thing we've learned in hockey, it's that you shouldn't have your head down if you're anywhere near the blue line. We've also learned that the Buffalo Sabres' Brian Campbell can hit. Hard. For all the violence of this hit, it was technically legal as Campbell never left his feet.

Eric Smith Fractures Anquan Boldin's Face

Yes, you read that right. Near the end of this Cardinals-Jets game, Boldin suffered a helmet-to-helmet hit from defensive back Eric Smith that resulted in mutliple facial fractures. The play was so violent that Cardinals QB Kurt Warner admitted that he was shaken up to the point that he contemplated retiring after the game.

Larry Bird vs. Julius Irving

After getting tied up while running down the court next to each other, Charles Barkley puts Larry Bird in a headlock so Dr. J can get some clean shots in. Not the finest moments for any of the three Hall of Famers, but certainly one of the most entertaining.

P.K. Subban Crushes Brad Marchand

The most dangerous aspect of hockey is that you have very big and strong men who are flying at high speeds on ice. Brad Marchand was flying up the left side during a game against the Habs when Subban completely destroys him in what was actually a safe hit where no penalty was called.

Charles Martin Body Slams Jim McMahon

Bears fans and Packers fans hate each other, and this play exemplifies that. Long before the days of 15-yard penalties for every late hit or hits that are a little too hard, Charles Martin still managed to draw a penalty and get kicked out of the game for bodyslamming Bears QB Jim McMahon about four full seconds after he had thrown the ball. Still, we kind of miss this stuff, right?

Pete Rose Barrels Into Ray Fosse at the 1970 MLB All-Star Game

This was the homeplate collision heard 'round the world. With the 1970 Major League Baseball All-Star game tied in the bottom of the 12th inning, the Cincinnati Reds' Pete Rose was trying to score from second base on a single. As he approached home, the ball was on it's way and Cleveland Indians catcher Ray Fosse was blocking the plate. Even though this was a meaningless exhibition, Rose still launched himself shoulder-first into Fosse to dislodge the ball and score the winning run. For Rose it was another story in the legend of Charlie Hustle. For Fosse, it was a disclocated shoulder. For baseball, it was the last time anyone ever tried in the All-Star game.

Charles Barkley vs. Shaquille O'Neal

Look, there aren't any major blows landed in this little fracas, but when you have a fight between Shaquille "Most Dominant Ever" O'Neal and Charles "Round Mound of Rebound" Barkley, it makes the list (any list).