Funny Names, US Winter Olympics Edition

I’m not a big Olympics fan. The sports are just too silly & obscure, the politics & nationalism a little too toxic, and the human interest stories a tad overdone. 

That said, I’m always up for some funny names. Since there are so many athletes overall, though, and because the foreign names are like shooting fish in a barrel (that's a Summer Olympics sport, right?), I’m just going to concentrate on the good ol’ US of A here.

13.  Daniel Barefoot – skeleton

• Age:  35
• Hometown:  Johnstown, PA
• College:  Penn State
• FT job:  landscape architect
• Fun fact:  Decided on skeleton when he “did a Google search to find out which Olympic-style sport a novice could train for later in life with little or no previous experience” [www.teamusa.com]

12.  Britta Curl-Salemme – hockey 

• Age:  25
• Hometown:  Bismark, ND
• College:  Wisconsin
• FT job:  Forward, Minnesota Frost, Professional Women’s Hockey League
• Fun fact:  Kicker for high school’s football team

Hint: It was for a lot of conservative trolling on social media

11. Maddie Mastro – snowboarder

• Age:  25
• Hometown:  Wrightwood, CA
• Previous Olympics:  2022
• Fun fact:  “First woman to ever land a double crippler in the halfpipe” (whatever that is)

10.  Hailey Swirbul – cross-country skiing

• Age:  27
• Hometown:  El Jebel, CO
• College:  Alaska-Anchorage
• FT job:  civil engineer
• Previous Olympics:  2022
• Fun fact:  “She can wiggle her eyes!”  [usskiandsnowboard.org]

9.  Korey Dropkin – mixed doubles curling 

• Age:  30
• Hometown:  Southborough, MA
• College:  Minnesota-Duluth
• FT job:  realtor
• Medals:  2026, silver
• Fun fact:  Started curling at age 5

With partner Cory Thiesse (Korey’s the one with the beard)

8.  Mac Forehand – freestyle skiing

• Age:  24
• Hometown:  Norwalk, CT
• Previous Olympics:  2022
• Medals:  2026, silver, Big Air
• Fun fact:  “If Mac had a movie made about his life, he would want Will Ferrell to play him.” [usskiandsnowboard.org]

Oops, wrong guy

7.  Brianna Schnorrbusch – snowboard cross

• Age:  20
• Hometown:  Monroe, NJ
• Fun fact:  Last name means “thicket” (i.e., “snare bush”) in German

6.  Mystique Ro – skeleton 

• Age:  31
• Hometown:  Oceanside, CA
• College:  Queens Univ (Charlotte)
• FT job:  tour guide, Lake Placid Olympic Center
• Fun fact:  track & field athlete in college

5.  Carsten Vissering – bobsled 

• Age:  28
• Hometown:  Bethesda, MD
• College:  UCLA
• Fun fact:  Only started bobsled at age 25

4-time All American in swimming in college

4.  Winter Vinecki – aerial skiing

• Age:  27
• Hometown:  Gaylord, MI
• Fun fact:  Youngest person to run a marathon on all 7 continents

3.  Hunter Wonders – cross-country skiing

• Age:  27
• Hometown:  Anchorage, AK
• College:  Alaska Pacific
• Fun fact:  Nickname is “Wonderboy”

2.  Boone Niederhoffer – bobsled 

• Age:  32
• Hometown:  San Antonio, TX
• College:  Texas A&M
• FT job:  petroleum engineer
• Fun fact:  Played wide receiver in college

1.  River Radamus – downhill skiing

• Age:  28
• Hometown:  Edwards, CO
• Fun fact:  Dad Aldo was a coach with the US Ski Team

The Olympics – Just Squeaking In

71 countries have been to the Olympics and never won a thing. 15 have won a single medal, with 10 of those winning only a bronze.

So, who are those 10, and who were their sole Olympians?

Barbados

Number: 14 / 1st: 1968

• Previously competed as part of the West Indies Federation
• One Barbadian was on the 1960 team, winning a bronze for the 4 x 400 m relay 

Obadele Thompson / men’s 100m / 2000

• 3-time Olympian
• Holds world indoor record for 55 m
• Went to UTEP, where he was an 11-time All American
• Got a law degree from Univ of Texas

And wrote a book to boot

Burkina Fasso

11 / 1972

• Previously named (and competed as) Upper Volta
• Only 1 athlete competed in 1972

Hugues Fabrice Zango / men’s triple jump / 2020

• World indoor record holder
• Has a PhD in electrical engineering

Cape Verde

8 / 1996

• Officially competes as Cabo Verde
• Specialty is men’s marathon

Daniel Varela de Pina / men’s flyweight boxing / 2024

• Competitors must be 112 lbs or less
• Was flag bearer

Djibouti

10 / 1984

• Had a 4th-place finish in 2016 in the men’s 1500 m
• Have competed in judo, swimming, sailing & table tennis events

Hussein Ahmad Salah / men’s marathon / 1988

• Won the Paris Marathon in 1986
• Placed 2nd in the NYC Marathon in 1985

Eritrea

7 / 2000

• Actually appeared in a Winter Olympics – 2018, in alpine skiing
• That participant, Shannon-Ogbnai Abeda, was an Eritrean refugee who was born & grew up in Canada

Zersenay Tadese / men’s 10K m / 2004

• 4-time Olympian (2004 – 2016)
• Held men's half marathon world record from 2010 to 2018
• Started his athletic career in cycling

Guyana

19 / 1948

• Has sent only 1 athlete twice
• Won 2 medals participating as a British colony

Michael Anthony / men’s bantamweight boxing / 1980

• AKA Michael Parris
• Loved cricket as a youth
• Has 8 children

Iraq

16 / 1948

• Boycotted 3 Olympics (apartheid, Suez Canal Crisis)
• Came in 4th in soccer in 2004

Abdul Wahid Aziz / weightlifting / 1960

• Competed in lightweight division (149 lbs or less)
• Imprisoned twice for his politics (1963 & 1980)
• Became a referee after retiring from competition

Mauritius

11 / 1984

• Sent 26 athletes to Atlanta in 1996
• Has competed in archery, badminton, beach volleyball, cycling, sailing, table tennis & wrestling

Bruno Julie / bantamweight boxing / 2008

• Bantamweight has a 135-lb weight restriction
• Known as the “Mauritian Magician” and the “Creole Crusher”

Refugees

3 / 2016

• Represent athletes who have had to flee their home countries
• Use the Olympic flag & anthem
• Had 37 athletes in 2024 & 29 in 2020
• South Sudan, Syria & Iran include the most athletes

Cindy Ngamba / women’s 75 kg boxing / 2024

• Originally from Cameroon
• Moved to the UK at age 11
• Was granted refugee status for her sexuality (she is a lesbian)

Togo

12 / 1972

• Sent 2 skiers to the Winter Olympics in 2014
• One grew up in France, and one was born in Italy

Benjmain Boukpeti / K1 kayak slalom / 2008

• Born & raised in France (and is a dual national)
• Visited Togo once, as a child
• Spell check wants me to change his name to Booklet

Odious NFL Owners – Analysis

In my last post, I looked at all 31 NFL owners to see, in detail, who might be possibly categorized as the worst. Now, let me tell ya, that was a lot of data. So, here is some of that information in a more digestible, summarized, graphical form.

Source of Income

Hard to believe, but did you know that over 75% of NFL owners inherited their wealth? Yup, not a lot of self-made men (or women) out there.

Of those who inherited, though, what percentage of them actually tried to make it on their own?

Once again, we’ve got a minority – 2/3 this time, - who did not. Note, though, that this covers quite a wide range of experience, from a year on Wall St. to starting multiple companies in unrelated industries.

Yup, that’s Jerry Jones (DAL)

Now, whether it was self-made or inherited, what was the particular industry where that income came from?

So, a lot of oil tycoons and developer types. Those that derive from sports, by the way, tend to represent the ancient families that actually started the NFL. In fact, a lot of those founders had been athletes themselves. 

George Halas (CHI)

Athletes

Which got me thinking, how many of the current owners actually played sports themselves?

Once again, it’s only a third. What’s surprising here, though, is that the number who played in college actually outnumber those who merely played in high school. Perhaps even more interesting, 4 of those owners – Jones (DAL), McNair (HOU), Kraft (NE) & Brown (CIN) – actually played D1 football. Now, that’s actually pretty impressive.

Yup, Robert Kraft!

Carpetbaggers

In addition to having played the game themselves, wouldn’t it be nice if the owners were locals too? I wonder how many were actually born and bred in the city where they would eventually own the local team?

Looks like we’ve got about 2/3 who came in from somewhere else. Most interestingly, would you believe that we have 2 – Wilf (MIN, Germany) & Khan (JAX, Pakistan) – who aren’t even native Americans?

Actually, that’s another Shahid Khan, a Pakistani actor

Other Teams

But back to sports … How many of these owners are real dabblers, rich enough to own more than one sports team?

It looks like we’ve got a little less than half who have so indulged. Our worst offenders – Kroenke (LAR) & Harris (WAS) – own 3 others. 

What’s really interesting here, though, is how popular soccer is, with 11 owners also purchasing teams playing that other brand of football. In fact, 4 of those teams are across the pond, in the English Premier League.

Manchester United, owned by the Glazers (TB)

Odious NFL Owners

I cheer for a couple of teams. My favorite, though, are the Carolina Panthers.

Except for their owner. I absolutely can’t stand the guy.

Fat schlub. Carpet bagger. Hedge fund manager. Arrogant. Clueless. Meddling.

Which got me wondering … How about those other owners? They’re certainly all rich. Could any of them possibly be as bad as him?

NOTE:  Green Bay is a publicly-owned company. So, no owner! Unless, of course, you count these guys:

LA Rams – Stan Kroenke  

• Source – real estate, marriage (Walton family)
• Net worth – $13B
• Carpet bagger – no
• Played sports? – baseball, basketball & track in high school
• Also owns – Arsenal, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche
• Scandals? – none

Chicago – George McCaskey

• Source – inheritance (sports)
• Tried to make it on his own? – assistant state attorney, journalist
• Net worth – $1.3B (family)
• Carpet bagger – no
• Played sports? – no
• Scandals? – none

LA Chargers – Dean Spanos

• Source – inheritance (construction)
• Tried to make it on his own? – no
• Net worth – $2.7B
• Carpet bagger – Stockton
• Played sports? – football & golf in high school
• Scandals? – none 

Denver – Rob Walton

• Source – Inheritance (retail)
• Tried to make it on his own? – maybe (joined law firm that represented family)
• Net worth – $115B
• Carpet bagger – yes (Oklahoma, Arkansas)
• Played sports? – no
• Scandals? – none

Tampa Bay – Joel Glazer

• Source – inheritance (multiple)
• Tried to make it on his own? – no
• Net worth – $10B (family)
• Carpet bagger – yes (NY)
• Played sports? – no
• Also owns – Manchester United
• Scandals? – none

Houston – Cal McNair

• Source – inheritance (energy)
• Tried to make it on his own? – no
• Net worth – $3-4B
• Carpet bagger – no
• Played sports? – Div I football
• Scandals? – big game hunting

Atlanta – Arthur Blank

• Source – retail
• Net worth – $11B
• Carpet bagger – yes (NY)
• Played sports? – no
• Also owns – Atlanta United (MLS)
• Scandals? – married & divorced 3 times

Buffalo – Terry Pegula

• Source – energy
• Net worth – $7B
• Carpet bagger – yes (PA)
• Played sports? – no
• Also owns – Sabres (NHL)
• Scandals? – fracking

Baltimore – Steve Bisciotti

• Source – HR
• Net worth – $8B
• Carpet bagger – yes (Philadelphia)
• Played sports? – high school football
• Scandals? – class action lawsuit

Philadelphia – Jeffrey Lurie

• Source – inheritance (entertainment)
• Tried to make it on his own? – professor
• Net worth – $7.6B
• Carpet bagger – yes (Boston)
• Played sports? – no
• Scandals? – bankruptcy (family)

Jacksonville – Shahid Khan

• Source – auto parts
• Net worth – $13.3B
• Carpet bagger – yes (Pakistan, Illinois)
• Played sports? – no
• Also owns – Fulham FC
• Scandals? – OSHA violations

New England – Robert Kraft

• Source – marriage (paper)
• Tried to make it on his own? – no
• Net worth – $11.1B
• Carpet bagger – no
• Played sports? – Div 1 tennis, football
• Also owns – NE Revolution (MLS)
• Scandals? – soliciting prostitution

Tennessee – Amy Adams Strunk

• Source – inheritance (oil)
• Tried to make it on her own? – no
• Net worth – $1.3B (family)
• Carpet bagger – yes (Texas)
• Played sports? – no
• Scandals? – fox hunting, family (suicide, fine for obscene gestures)

Cleveland – Jimmy Haslam

• Source – inheritance (energy), marriage (media)
• Tried to make it on his own? – no
• Net worth – $8.5B
• Carpet bagger – yes (Knoxville)
• Played sports? – no
• Also owns – Columbus Crew (MLS)
• Scandals? – price-gouging during Katrina (family)

Pittsburgh – Art Rooney II

• Source – inheritance (sports)
• Tried to make it on his own? – no
• Net worth – $250M
• Carpet bagger – no
• Played sports? – high school football
• Scandals? – tax dodging, tolerance of negative off-field conduct (family)

Miami – Stephen Ross

• Source – real estate
• Net worth – $10.1B
• Carpet bagger – yes (Detroit)
• Played sports? – no
• Scandals? – lawsuit brought by former coach, fines for tampering 

Dallas – Jerry Jones

• Source – inheritance (insurance)
• Tried to make it on his own? – failed Shakey’s Pizza franchisee, started own oil & hospitality companies
• Net worth – $19.5B
• Carpet bagger – yes (LA, Arkansas, Missouri)
• Played sports? – Div I football
• Scandals? – price gouging (oil) during Great Texas Freeze, multiple fines from NFL

NY Jets – Woody Johnson

• Source – inheritance (pharma)
• Tried to make it on his own? – no
• Net worth – $4.2B
• Carpet bagger – no 
• Played sports? – no
• Scandals? – IRS settlement, racism

Minnesota – Zygi Wilf

• Source – inheritance (R/E)
• Tried to make it on his own? – lawyer
• Net worth – $1.3B
• Carpet bagger – yes (Germany)
• Played sports? – no
• Also owns – Orlando City (MLS)
• Scandals? – racketeering conviction

Carolina – David Tepper

• Source – hedge fund manager
• Net worth – $16.7B
• Carpet bagger – yes (Pittsburgh, NJ, Florida)
• Played sports? – no
• Also owns – Charlotte FC (MLS)
• Scandals? – fined for throwing a drink at a fan, welched out of a deal to build a practice facility, bankruptcy to get out of contract

New Orleans – Gayle Benson

• Source – marriage (auto dealerships)
• Net worth – $7.9B
• Carpet bagger – no
• Played sports? – no
• Also owns – Pelicans (NBA)
• Scandals? – lawsuits about husband’s will, racial discrimination

Washington – Josh Harris

• Source – finance
• Net worth – $10B
• Carpet bagger – no
• Played sports? – Div I wrestling
• Also owns – Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, Crystal Palace FC
• Scandals? – $30M settlement, racketeering lawsuit, involved in tanking for higher draft picks

Cincinnati – Mike Brown

• Source – inheritance (sports)
• Tried to make it on his own? – no
• Net worth – $2.1B
• Carpet bagger – sort of (Massillon OH)
• Played sports? – Div I football
• Scandals? – nepotism (family represents $50M of team payroll), forced players to sign loyalty clause (i.e., no disparaging comments in the press), tolerance of negative off-field conduct, strong-arm tactics to fund new stadium
  
  

KC – Clark Hunt

• Source – Inheritance (oil)
• Tried to make it on his own? – 2 years as investment banker, Goldman Sachs
• Net worth – $25B (family)
• Carpet bagger – yes (Texas)
• Played sports? – Div I soccer
• Also owns – FC Dallas (MLS)
• Scandals? – racketeering & fraud, illegal wiretapping (family)

With wife & daughter (both a Miss Kansas)

Las Vegas – Mark Davis

• Source – inheritance (sports)
• Tried to make it on his own? – no
• Net worth – $2.5B
• Carpet bagger – yes (NYC, Oakland)
• Played sports? - no
• Also owns – Las Vegas Aces (WNBA)
• Scandals? – SEC investigation, political corruption (family) 

Seattle – Jody Allen

• Source – inheritance (tech)
• Tried to make it on own? – no
• Net worth – $20B+
• Carpet bagger – no 
• Played sports? – no
• Also owns – Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle Sounders
• Scandals? – accused of sexual assault, bribery; settled out of court

Detroit – Sheila Ford Hamp

• Source – inheritance (auto)
• Tried to make it on her own? – no
• Net worth – $2B (family)
• Carpet bagger – no
• Played sports? – Div I tennis
• Scandals? – anti-semitism, collaborated with Nazis, union breaking (family)

NY Giants – John Mara

• Source – inheritance (illegal bookmaking)
• Tried to make it on his own? – lawyer
• Net worth – $500M
• Carpet bagger – no 
• Played sports? – no
• Scandals? – illegal bookmaking (family)

Phoenix – Michael Bidwill

• Source – inheritance (legal)
• Tried to make it on his own? – 6 years as Federal prosecutor
• Net worth – $2.7B
• Carpet bagger – yes (St Louis)
• Played sports? – no
• Scandals? – accused of harassment, cheating, discrimination & defamation; ordered to pay $3M

SF – Jed York

• Source – inheritance (construction)
• Tried to make it on his own? – 1 year as analyst, Guggenheim Partners
• Net worth – $8B+ (family)
• Carpet bagger – yes (Ohio)
• Played sports? – high school baseball
• Also owns – Leeds United, Rangers FC
• Scandals? – $1M fine for bribery, sexual assault, SEC investigation (family)

Indianapolis – Carlie Irsay-Gordon

• Source – inheritance (HVAC)
• Tried to make it on her own? – no
• Net worth – $5.9B (family)
• Carpet bagger – yes (Dallas)
• Played sports? – no
• Scandals? – father Jim (drug addiction – multiple arrests, DUIs, overdose leading to death), grandfather Bob (denied being Jewish, fought own father over ownership of family company, family estrangement, racial discrimination, verbal abuse of coaches & players, absconding with team in the middle of the night)

Too much data for you?  Check out the summary right here.