The Uncontrollable Joy of Winning
Celebrations in sports take on many different forms. Some are wildly entertaining while others can be head-scratching cringe moments for everyone but the participants. But some of the chillest cats on the planet don’t celebrate at all, they act like they’ve been there before. Look at Barry Sanders, just handing the ball to the nearest official every time he broke the plane of the end zone.
The man was as cool as the other side of the pillow, and in this day and age of listen to me, look at me, and for the luvva gawd, validate me, watching old clips of Sanders is a refreshing change. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the celebrations, strange as they may be, so let’s take a look at my top 5.
The Ride the Bike Celebration
There was a horror flick back about a decade ago called the Human Centipede and it’s something you can never unsee so let it go. Just–let–it-go. I bring this up because our first celebration is the human bicycle, not nearly as unsettling as the centipede, but mildly disturbing in its own right, and perhaps one of those moments you’d love to unsee.
Icelandic FC Stjarnan made the viral rounds several years ago with a variety of goal-scoring celebrations but this one is among the strangest. Lights, camera, action… and of course, choreography.
The Going for a Spin Celebration
Props are not necessary to create a legendary goal-scoring celebration but having an unlocked car on the perimeter of the pitch is an opportunity just waiting to be taken advantage of.
Enter Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann, who never passes up an opportunity to explore his vivid imagination and use whatever he sees as his creative muse.
Here he is jumping in a black sedan taking over the steering wheel while his boys jump in for the ride.
Soccer players are a weird bunch. Don’t you agree?
The Hips Don’t Lie Celebration
Former New Orleans Saints wide receiver, Lance Moore, must have been a big fan of Key and Peele because he imitated Key’s fictional football character, Hingle McCringleberry, to a hilarious T.
At the beginning of the clip, you will see the comedy duo’s version immediately followed by Moore’s adaptation after hauling in a touchdown pass.
Looks like a little boom, boom, boom, let’s go back to my room from Mr. Moore.
The Super Slam Celebration
How many times did you want to give your coach a piece of your mind after he chewed your ass for no good reason? Maybe take it one step further by picking him up and slamming the shit out of him on the ground. It’s the stuff of daydreams that could never possibly happen but we still relish the thought.
Well, allow me to introduce two high school wrestlers from the great state of Louisiana who won state titles in their respective weight divisions and got to live the dream… with the coach’s permission, of course.
Southside coach Mike Stelly told his team that if any of his wrestlers won their class in the state championship then he would allow them to slam him to the mat, in front of everyone in attendance.
Landon Reaux and Wiley Boudreaux, the 120 and 138-pound champions, respectively, delighted in taking the coach up on his offer and the rest is history.
Seen a lot of wild celebrations in 30+ years covering sports- but none quite like this.
Southside wrestlers get to body slam their coach Mike Stelly if they win state.
Tonight Landon Reaux and Wiley Boudreaux did just that 👀 pic.twitter.com/530uU5syC3— Eric Richey (@EricRicheyVSN) February 12, 2023
The Fishing for Goals Celebration
Here’s another oldie but a goodie and we have to go back to the Icelandic club Stjarnan who outdid themselves in this one and remains the very best goal-scoring celebration in the history of celebrations.
Halldor Orri Bjornsson nails a game-winning penalty kick and immediately grabs his rod and reel to hook a human fish by the name of Johann Laxdal who wiggles and wriggles his way to Bjornsson where he is summarily scooped up by several other teammates for the obligatory trophy picture to put on an imaginary mantle somewhere on Jupiter.
Take a moment and celebrate yourselves, too! Life’s too short, you deserve it.
I’m outta here. Let’s ride!
