By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — At 66 years old, Flavor Flav went 67 mph. That was all it took to get him hooked on sliding.
Meet the newest fan of the U.S. bobsled and skeleton program: a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, a founding member of Public Enemy, a reality show star and now, an aspiring slider. USA Bobsled and Skeleton announced Flav as its new official hype man Monday, not long after he spent a couple days around the team at the 2002 Olympic track in Utah.
And he plans to be with the team at the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.
“The partnership is a blessing,” Flav said. “It’s cooler than Cool Runnings. It’s Coolest Runnings.”
The 66-year-old Flav — his legal name is William Jonathan Drayton Jr. — spent time with the bobsled and skeleton teams this past week. He went down the Park City track in a bobsled, then also wanted to try out skeleton, the headfirst sliding sport where elite athletes can reach speeds exceeding 80 mph.
Team officials wanted Flav to start from a low spot on the track, as is the case with all first-timers for safety reasons. Flav didn’t necessarily like that; he wanted to start from higher up, significantly raising the level of difficulty. Eventually, he got his chance and he hit 67 mph on his second run.
For a regular person just trying the sport, that’s exceptional. No word on whether he used his catch phrase, ‘Yeah, boyeeeee.’
“Oh my gosh, he’s one of the coolest, most adventurous men that I’ve ever met,” U.S. skeleton athlete Dan Barefoot told The Associated Press. “He was upset that he couldn’t go from higher up on the track. … I was kind of upset at how good he was. It’s a sport that takes a lot of skill, but he made it look straightforward.”
Flav and sports often go hand-in-hand.
He was a celebrity mayo-pourer — yes, there is such a job — at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl last year, helping to douse Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck with 5 gallons of celebratory condiment after the Golden Gophers won that game. He can be found performing during Super Bowl weeks. He was there to show support when Billie Jean King got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He’s been a big supporter of Olympians in the past, including discus thrower Veronica Fraley.
And at the Paris Olympics, Flav was the official hype man for the U.S. women’s water polo team.
“We have all been so hyped to have him with us,” Barefoot said. “Put aside the fact that Flav is one of the greatest hype men of all time, the energy in the room … you had people who often aren’t talking to each other high-fiving and hugging because of the experience of being around him. There’s a lot of energy and a lot of confidence around us right now.”
Many members of the team got Flav’s personal cell phone number, and some also got to join him at a Maroon 5 concert over the weekend. And when the Olympics are over, Flav plans to return to Park City to take part in a camp for sliders.
“We are thrilled to welcome Flavor Flav as an official sponsor and hype man for USA Bobsled/Skeleton,” USA Bobsled and Skeleton CEO Aron McGuire said. “It’s clear he has a genuine passion for sports and an authentic love for the USA team. Flavor Flav embodies the same grit, dedication, and pride that define our athletes, and we’re excited to have him bring that excitement to our team and fans across the country.”
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics