Every four years, Americans rediscover that curling is the greatest sport in the world. Even if most of us don’t fully understand all the intricacies and strategies of the game, it’s still simple enough to completely captivate us. But this year’s Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, has given us another reason to latch on to most elegant rock-throwing event mankind has ever devised: U.S. curler Matt Hamilton, whose red hat, team uniform, and sweet mustache has made it feel like we’re rooting for a real-live version of Super Mario.
And it’s not just the sports-viewing world that has noticed; no one came up with a better Mario meme for Hamilton than the man himself. While his own team was highlighting the comparison like so…
Spot the difference. @MattJamilton pic.twitter.com/s1XxSYqnsw
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) February 8, 2018
…Matt was going next level. Or rather, he went out and found a Super Leaf and transformed himself into curling sensation Raccoon Mario.
I powered up and am ready for China today!! @heccabamilton and I had a great time at the opening ceremonies and we’re jacked to get back on the ice! #HamFam ready to rumble!? We’re not a 1-3 team and we prove it NOW! #TeamUSA #teamhamiltons #PyeongChang2018 #Curling pic.twitter.com/dDnliOHq8N
— Matt Hamilton (@MattJamilton) February 9, 2018
Is Matt Hamilton the greatest Olympic athlete in American history? If you want to go by something as arbitrary as “medals”—no, probably not. However, has any other competitor, from any nation, in either the summer or winter games, ever before posted a Photoshopped meme of himself throwing a green turtle shell as a curling stone while fully embracing the fact he looks like the one and only savior of Mushroom Kingdom?
Exactly.
Super Matt Hamilton is just one more reason curling is the best, even if we only remember that every four years.
Which version of Mario do you think would be the most appropriate form for a curler to take on? Tell us your best idea in the comments below.
Featured Image: Nintendo
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