Maggie Steffens made a request for increased support for the U.S. women’s water polo team, and to her astonishment, the captain received a remarkable response.
Once a rap icon known for his signature clock-wearing style.
Flavor Flav, inspired by Steffens’ Instagram post, has decided to lend his support to the U.S. team as they strive for a remarkable fourth consecutive gold medal at the upcoming Paris Olympics. In an effort to bring more attention to the program, he is currently in the process of finalizing a sponsorship deal with USA Water Polo and will also take on the role of the official hype man.
Flav, who is 65 years old, has enthusiastically embraced his new responsibilities as a founding member and hype man of Public Enemy. He actively showcases the team’s top players on various social media platforms and is even making arrangements to personally witness the women’s team compete in Paris.
“When I step out onto the sidelines and witness this water polo team, I’ll be their biggest supporter. You’ll hear me shouting ‘USA! USA!’ with unmatched enthusiasm,” he shared with the AP on Friday. “I’ll be more than just a cheerleader; I’ll be their ultimate hype man. My goal is to cheer them on relentlessly and help them secure that gold medal victory.”
The U.S. women’s team has consistently achieved victory since the 2012 Olympics. However, despite their impressive performance, the team has not garnered the same level of attention or support as other dominant American programs. This can be attributed to the fact that water polo remains a niche sport in most parts of the world.
Steffens, the sole survivor from the 2012 team, recently took to Instagram to share her thoughts. In her heartfelt post, she expressed gratitude for the chance to play and her enduring love for her sport. Additionally, Steffens urged her followers to support her team and shed light on the ongoing financial challenges faced by many Olympic athletes.
Steffens, speaking from Paris where the team is currently training for the Olympics, revealed that despite receiving praise for their achievements, there have been comments suggesting that if they were soccer or basketball players, their team would receive even more publicity and support.
“I haven’t achieved my goal of propelling the sport forward, as we’re still stuck in the same place we were 12 years ago,” expresses the disappointment of the speaker. They have always aspired to drive the sport towards progress but have yet to see significant advancements.
Flav, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 as part of the group Public Enemy, became aware of the post through his manager. Upon learning about it, Flav expressed his desire to lend a hand.
“I can relate to the desire of seeing a dream turn into reality,” expressed Flav, renowned for his iconic clock necklace. “I understand the drive to accomplish a goal, and I’m the kind of person who will go the extra mile to support you if I witness your efforts.”
Steffens described the experience as “incredibly surreal” when Flav, also known as William Jonathan Drayton Jr., contacted her. When asked about her knowledge of Flav and Public Enemy prior to their connection, Steffens immediately mimicked Flav’s famous “Flavor Flav!” exclamation.
Steffens, a seasoned player on the U.S. team, revealed that 24-year-old Ryann Neushul had included Public Enemy in her top five music choices on Spotify. This news delighted not only Steffens’ family but also some of the team’s coaches.
Steffens expressed her family’s disbelief upon learning about her involvement in the water polo world, saying, “Is this real? Flav is part of the water polo world now?” However, she embraced the new experience and humorously added, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I want to wear a clock right now and that’s how I’m feeling.”
Steffens and the U.S. team can count on the support of none other than Taylor Swift herself. In fact, they had even made plans to attend her Eras Tour concert at La Dรฉfense Arena on Friday night, which happens to be the same venue where the women’s water polo final will take place on August 10th.
Ally Beck, the manager of the women’s national team, made a delightful gesture by reaching out to Swift’s camp and surprising the team with tickets. Flav also tried to contact Swift’s team, but unfortunately, the tickets had already been approved.
During a recent event, Flav showcased a T-shirt featuring his own image, which had the words “KING SWIFTIE” printed on it. This comes as Flav is currently engaged in planning another tour alongside Public Enemy, which is expected to kick off later this year.
“I am delighted to be a supporter of Taylor. … Flavor Flav himself is a dedicated Swiftie, the ultimate fan of Taylor Swift,” he enthusiastically proclaimed.
Flav shares another connection with his newfound favorite team.
