Canada's Mark McMorris celebrated Olympics medal win with a Jose Bautista bat flip homage
Joe Carter jumping in hysterics after a World Series-winning walk-off home run. Time standing still as Kawhi Leonard's buzzer-beater three bounced on the rim. Jose Bautista's no-doubter homer and iconic bat flip. These are moments burned into the memories of every Canadian sports fan, and their unforgettable imagery is still inspiring athletes in 2022.
It was a case of déjà vu on Monday when Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris won a bronze in the men's snowboard slopestyle event at the Beijing Olympics, the Regina-born athlete also taking home bronze medals at the last two Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and Sochi for a tally of three.
Fellow Canadian Max Parrot shared the podium with McMorris, taking home the gold in the event in an inspiring achievement after overcoming Hodgkin's lymphoma. But even with two medalists ahead of him, McMorris' win is getting a whole lot of love on social media.
McMorris' bronze medal, while still a prestigious distinction on the world stage, is not usually the type of accolade that gets people talking, but it's the way he celebrated his third-place award that has social media abuzz, evoking a great Canadian sports memory.
LOVE YOU ALL! THANK YOU ❤️ pic.twitter.com/tsOmfAXtXd
— Mark McMorris (@markmcmorris) February 8, 2022
In what sure looked like an homage to the 2015 ALDS three-run monster homer and bat flip by former Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista, McMorris flipped his panda-emblazoned snowboard in that classic Joey Bats style.
YOU WITH THAT BOARD 👑 pic.twitter.com/NOZMJndSGw
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) February 8, 2022
And the Jays' social media team clearly noticed.
That looked flippin' familiar 😉
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) February 7, 2022
Respect, @markmcmorris 🇨🇦 #TeamCanada pic.twitter.com/RgPaG60YYl
Fans of snowboarding and baseball came together to show love for McMorris' Bautista-level energy.
MCMORRIS WITH A DRIVE, DEEP LEFT FIELD, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!!
— GamerGeek The #PLAKATA Predictor (@GGeek0910) February 7, 2022
One fan was not too impressed, claiming he could do a better job of flipping a sporting accessory, but the Blue Jays' Twitter account fired right back.
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) February 7, 2022
Remember, this is the same account that, when questioned about the source of a lineup change, replied "literally us, the Blue Jays."
Jays twtr is killing it ..🇨🇦💪🤣
— Rob (@BleedblueRob) February 8, 2022
The board flip is getting plenty of attention, but many comments are focusing on the panda imagery on McMorris' snowboard, a cute reference to the host country's most globally-adored animal.
Love your panda board (and that flip!) Congrats, champ 👏 So fun watching you compete.
— Sabrina Carnevale (@SabrinaCsays) February 8, 2022
Canada dominated the podium in the men's snowboard slopestyle event, but there are still plenty of opportunities for more iconic imagery out of these games before the closing ceremonies wrap things up on Feb. 20.
@markmcmorris
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