This 8th Grader's Bat Flip Followed By The Running Man Challenge Is The Cockiest Thing I've Ever Seen
I think this video just killed Goose Gossage and is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen. Lets unpack this 15 second gem.
1. The Bat Flip- To be honest, this video could probably go viral simply because of the bat flip alone. Throwing your bat into orbit after a home run (was it definitely a home run?) is going to move the needle in 2016. The kid does get style points for throwing his bat to Mars and not worrying about it landing on his head once it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere. It takes balls to launch a bat like that as well as not being scared of it falling on your head.
2. The Point- Probably the most underrated part of the celebration. Pre-meditated as fuck. That pitcher had to have done something fucked up to the batter to have this all set up like that. Maybe some drama with the kid’s girlfriend, maybe he pwned him in XBox, or maybe he told him that he played ball like a girl. I am nowhere near the age of an 8th grader, so I have no idea what type of slander is hot in the streets these days (Is “hot in the streets” still hot in the streets?)
3. The Dancing Man- I admit that I like the Dancing Man Challenge. Patently ridiculous while also bringing back the wonderful music of Ghost Town DJs to a new generation. If it was one of the shittier memes, I would have an easier time hating it. But “My Boo” has been a heater since the first time it was played on the radio over two decades ago.
And while I love a good celly, you are basically begging the pitcher to put one in your ribs or ear hole after doing that. If a guy tosses his bat to Neptune, points to the camera, and THEN puts an internet dancing meme on your head, you have to retaliate. No ifs, ands, or maybes. I feel like we may be going down a road where kids are going to keep one upping each other with massive home run celebrations and I feel like I am going to start hating them. Not yet, but soon.
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Damn, I sound like some old baseball writer curmudgeon talking about the unwritten rules while also debating about the Hall of Fame. I apologize. As a penance, here is a gigantic Running Man compilation.