Top 10 boat parade moments in Tampa Bay sports

TAMPA — It’s that time again, Tampa Bay sports fans.

Today, the Lightning will be on boats and personal watercrafts, making their way down the Hillsborough River to celebrate their second straight Stanley Cup championship. And after the water shenanigans conclude, they will gather on land at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park to continue the celebration. It will be the third championship celebration the bay area has hosted in less than a year, and it’s bound to create plenty of memories.

Here are 10 memorable moments from the previous two boat parades and the celebrations that followed:

Brady needs help after too much ‘avocado tequila’

It was one of those you-have-to-see-this moments. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady needed assistance walking on land after docking following the Bucs’ parade in February. Why? Drinking too much “avocado tequila” during it.

Brady’s moment instantly went viral, prompting T-shirts and jokes on Twitter. And he still hasn’t heard the end of it.

After the Lightning clinched back-to-back Stanley Cup wins on Wednesday, the Stanley Cup Twitter account posted, “FYI, I’m too heavy to throw, @TomBrady,” referring to Brady throwing the Lombardi Trophy from his boat to another during the parade. Brady quote-tweeted that along with, “Idk … everything feels a bit lighter after some tequila (laughing emoji).”

Kucherov pours beer into Vinik’s mouth

Lightning owner Jeff Vinik made an impassioned speech to fans gathered at Raymond James Stadium for more celebrating after their parade in September, but it did not go uninterrupted. An “influenced” forward Nikita Kucherov joined Vinik onstage and shared a beer with him.

Brady chucks Lombardi Trophy, and it doesn’t get wet

Many had a cardiac arrest kind of moment when Brady chucked the Lombardi Trophy to tight end Cameron Brate, who was on a boat behind Brady’s. It was about only a 10-foot toss, but the roughly 7-poundy trophy doesn’t float. Neither does the 34½-pound Stanley Cup.

Killorn hoists Cup while riding his Sea-Doo

You had to know that after time spent on his Sea-Doo during episodes of his video series Dock Talk while the NHL was shut down for the coronavirus last year, forward Alex Killorn was going to find a way to incorporate his watercraft into the Lightning’s parade. He created an iconic moment when he hoisted the Stanley Cup onto his Sea-Doo for a ride, and he even let team captain Steven Stamkos go along for a spin.

Maroon claims ultimate ‘Florida Man’ title

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Lightning forward Pat Maroon took the stage at Raymond James Stadium in a beige fedora, sunglasses and a Stanley Cup scarf, and delivered one of the most memorable speeches of the night as the team’s only two-time Cup winner, following his 2019 win with the Blues.

He encouraged fans to get their phones out and turn on their flashlights to celebrate the moment. He concluded by shouting, “I’m the ‘Big Rig’! I’m back-to-back!” His choice of attire was popular among bay area residents dressing up for Halloween the next month.

Shattenkirk pulls a T.J. Oshie, guzzles beer through T-shirt

It was a memorable moment in 2018 when Capitals forward T.J. Oshie chugged a beer through his jersey onstage as Washington celebrated its Stanley Cup win.

So Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk decided to take a page out of Oshie’s party book and do the same onstage at Raymond James Stadium, chugging a beer through his T-shirt.

Vea dumps cooler over Arians’ head

As Bucs coach Bruce Arians delivered a speech after their parade, defensive tackle Vita Vea decided to cool him off with a bath from a Gatorade cooler.

Hedman, the Cup, and Tampa minarets

What screams Tampa more than the minarets on the University of Tampa campus along the Hillsborough River? That’s why the image of Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, the 2020 playoffs’ Conn Smythe winner, hoisting the Cup at sunset while facing the Tampa landmarks was picture perfect.

Godwin’s phone sleeps with the fishes

Though the most important item in the Bucs’ parade — the Lombardi Trophy — didn’t end up at the bottom of the Hillsborough River, the same couldn’t be said of receiver Chris Godwin’s cellphone.

“Hey, Verizon! I know somebody going to get this to you. My boy (wide receiver) Scotty (Miller) dropped my phone in the water at the Super Bowl parade. I need a new phone!” Godwin exclaimed on receiver Mike Evans’ Instagram live video.

Arians tells players they ‘ain’t going nowhere’

When reporters asked Bucs linebacker and free-agency eligible Lavonte David if he wanted to return for the 2021 season, Arians jumped in, grabbed the microphone and said loudly: “Your ass ain’t going nowhere!”

Arians did the same for Godwin, too. In March, the Bucs used the franchise player tag on Godwin, guaranteeing him at least $16.43 million on a one-year contract, and re-signed David to a two-year, $25 million contract.

Contact Mari Faiello at mfaiello@tampabay.com. Follow @faiello_mari.

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