Canadian Olympic team names Komak as its moose-cot

It's a joyous day for moosedom.

In what can only be described as a vindication for all those who sport palmate antlers, the Canadian Olympic Committee has reached out and selected a moose as the official mascot for Canada's team heading into the Sochi games in February. Komak the Moose was unveiled to an appreciative crowd of school children and a handful of Olympians on Friday in Hamilton, Ont., proudly wearing the red and white of Canada's Olympic team. (Yahoo had to rely on a COC press release to describe Komak's feelings as it's generally hard to tell a proud moose from an embarrassed one.)

But it's not hard to imagine that Komak would have felt proud while helping Hamilton mayor Bob Bratina turn on the lights at the city's Tree of Hope. It isn't hard to imagine that the moose was feeling a tad triumphant, too.

Friday's announcement represented a bit of revenge for the moose world after one of its own suffered a humiliating defeat earlier this year A moose was one of five runners-up in the competition to name a mascot for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Losing to a porcupine named Pachi only added to the humiliation.

However, the moose world's joy may be tempered by the prospect of facing possible questions about Komak's credentials. Yes, as the COC pointed out, his antlers are shaped like the map of Canada and it claims he was born in Ontario's Algonquin Park.

But using non-Canadian sources for Olympic promotions isn't unheard of and questions could be raised about Komak's strong resemblance to one Bullwinkle J. Moose, a famous American. It is well-documented that Bullwinkle J. Moose was born in Frostbite Falls, Minn., and attended Wossamatta U on a football scholarship. Had he played in the CFL, he clearly would have been classified as an import, though records aren't clear on whether he ever attended a CFL training camp.

He clearly holds U.S. citizenship as he served as "part-governor" of the island of Moosylvania.

The fact that he and Komak share the same surname will only fuel speculation.

The COC is standing by Komak's Canadian credentials, though, though it should be noted that no birth certificate was produced -- either long or short form.

“The name Komak came from various elements of our rich Canadian heritage,” COC chief marketing officer Derek Kent said in a press release. “He is the Canadian Olympic team's biggest booster and fan. Our goal is that he will inspire Canadian kids across the country to get active and get behind the team.”

Komak will now embark on a Canadian tour and will keep the country informed on his progress through his own Twitter account.