IT’S A FULL 25 years since The Simpsons first aired on US television. That means many of you reading this are younger than Maggie and even the monobrowed baby.

Many more of us probably had to wait another decade before the yellow-tinged tubs of comic genius were easily available on Irish television, but where most people can find common ground is that – at its peak – The Simpsons was one of the most perfectly crafted TV shows ever made.

Here are some of the finest sporting moments in Matt Groening’s creation.

1. Perhaps the greatest sporting episode of them all, Homer at the Bat

It featured a stellar cast of baseball stars getting picked off one by one (there’s a good longread around the making of it too).

2. ‘Awww, the Denver Broncos’

3. Homer takes on the undisputed heavyweight Champion of the World

Kudos to the guys who edited the episode ‘The Homer They Fall’ to fit this trailer for Rocky.

4. The inter-742 Evergreen Terrace hockey rivalry

Don’t make me switch the lights on and off.

5. Homer hops aboard the Isotopes bandwagon

From ‘turn it off, they’re losers’ to ‘we did it, baby!’ in 10 seconds flat.

6. They never pretended to like soccer

And this segment made the ears of every Irish commentator prick right up.

7. Football in the groin!

What was your favourites sports-themed episode or moment in the 25 years of Simpsons history?