The International Olympic Committee may have to hire Flavor Flav as an ambassador after the glowing remarks he made about the global extravaganza. Although Snoop Dogg was the most prominently featured hip-hop figure at the Summer Games, the “Public Enemy” founding member definitely had a memorable two weeks in Paris.
He emerged in the City of Light in an improbable role, serving as the official hype man for the United States women’s water polo squad. His enthusiasm and support shined brightly throughout the competition, as the unheralded sport garnered celebrity attention it is not often accustomed to receiving. Needless to say, Flav fully enjoyed his Olympics run.
In fact, he ranks it above the biggest sporting event in the U.S. “I ain’t gonna lie, but to me, {the Olympics} was a little more exciting than going to the Super Bowl,” he said in an interview on SportsCenter, per ESPN’s Instagram.
The NFL’s popularity is unparalleled in this country, but the Olympics is an athletics competition unlike any other. The convergence of hundreds of different cultures, coupled with the grandiosity of the set-up and presentation, makes for a transcendent, and at times, cinematic viewing experience. But you cannot rely on patriotism and stunning scenery alone. The heart of these Games obviously lie in the compelling journeys of the athletes.
Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky further solidified their Olympics icon status, Leon Marchand began to craft his own legacy in front of his home country, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone continued to be head and shoulders above her competition and Harvard graduate Gabby Thomas became an undeniable star. There were many others who seized an epic moment and inspired fans with their remarkable resolve.
But the Olympians who resonated most with Flavor Flav are the ones he earnestly sought to endorse.
Flavor Flav shines light on water polo at the Olympics
The energetic rapper signed a five-year sponsorship deal with U.S. women’s and men’s water polo after team captain and three-time gold medalist Maggie Steffens made an Instagram post in which she expressed the sport’s need for more exposure.
While the women’s squad failed to capture a medal for the first time since the Olympics implemented the competition in 2000, Flavor Flav made it his mission to promote water polo and its athletes. It is unclear how far his ambassador duties can take them, but the working relationship is clearly already having a positive effect on the athletes.
Flav’s impact extends beyond the pool, though, as he and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian provided discus thrower Veronica Fraley with financial support after she lamented her current situation. No one expected Flav to become immersed in the world of Olympic sports, but he is definitely doing his part and then some to make sure that that the Summer Games are also a life-changing opportunity for athletes who will not have their faces on a Wheaties box.
The Super Bowl exudes its own unique aura and electricity, as evidenced by the classic fans witnessed in Super Bowl 58. But one can see why Flavor Flav is most fulfilled when being a spectator at the world’s largest spectacle.
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