Every sport needs its “bad boy”. Tennis has John McEnroe, golf has John Daly, bowling has Pete Weber, and swimming has Ryan Lochte. Few sports, though, have a “bad boy” quite like the legendary Hotdog Hans.
I remember hearing stories growing up. How the freestyle skier was banned from the Olympics, how his legendary runs have been wiped from the history books, how he was arrested, and why the world of skiing has tried so gosh darn hard to make him go away. But he hasn’t gone away. In fact, for the past few years, Hans has been regaining attention and reputation. Something the Olympic Committee is sure to hate.
This time, Hans’ antics were taken to Norway, where the poor Europeans were probably in no way prepared for this loud mouthed, brash American skier. For some reason, Olympic Gold Medalist Birk Ruud decided to go along with him. A bit sad to see the 23-year-old stooping this low, but Hans’ has that affect on people.
“Norway you say? Well, 70 years ago, Hans made Olympic history as the first athlete to ever get banned. So, the dog is back, and he’s here to show Norway who the real king is. This time, he’s not alone, with Olympic gold medalist Birk Ruud along for the ride.“
In case you’re super confused, Hotdog Hans is not actually an 85-year-old disgraced Olympian. Instead, he’s X-Games champion and Olympic Silver Medalist Alex Ferreira, known for his skills in the halfpipe. Unlike Hans, he’s not an incredibly rude ex-con who can rip on skis, he’s a 29-year-old professional from Aspen, Colorado.
We do love when a new Hotdog Hans edit drops, though. My biggest question is always whether or not everyone in the background realizes this is all a bit, or if they actually think there’s some 85-year-old ripping backflips with a beer in his hand.
Related: 85-Year-Old “Hotdog Hans” Takes On His Toughest Challenge Yet
Image Credit: Hotdog Hans via YouTube