Player's Own Voice podcast: Snowboarder Mark McMorris is relaxed and ready

Considering Mark McMorris' medical history, it's no surprise he jokes about enjoying rare time off between surgeries.

It takes another beat to process his comparisons with teammate Max Parrot's recovery from cancer. But that is the unlikely reality: Two guys, buddies on the same team, both at death's door not so long ago… both on the podium in Beijing.

You either laugh or cry at life's twists and turns. And McMorris isn't crying. Not everybody can claim a podium every time their sport has been contested in the Olympics. McMorris can: Three Bronze medals in a row. And not everybody at the age of 28 can speak as an elder statesman in their profession. McMorris can do that too.

Midway through McMorris' Beijing Games (big air qualifying begins Monday) CBC Sports' Player's Own Voice podcast host Anastasia Bucsis gives her fellow prairie pal a break from the high octane technical questions. You want to know what's really on McMorris mind at this moment?  A whole bunch of music, plenty of love for his home team, respect for the creativity in other people's TikToks, even when he's on the butt end of a meme…and the puzzling appearance of skateboarder Paul Rodriguez Nikes on the feet of American curler Matthew Hamilton.  

McMorris loves that. His summary of the situation? It's all sports. It's all good.

Like the CBC Sports' Player's Own Voice essay series, POV podcast lets athletes speak to Canadians about issues from a personal perspective.  

Here is a transcript  for our hard of hearing audience. To listen to McMorris or any of the guests from earlier episodes, and more Canadian athletes throughout the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, head to CBC Listen — or wherever else you get your podcasts.