Nick Goepper forced to choose between Cincinnati Bengals and Beijing 2022
The freestyle skier will be participating in slopestyle qualification at the Olympic Winter Games just after his beloved Cincinnati Bengals contest their first Super Bowl in his lifetime.
Freestyle Skiing
No matter what is happening, supporters will always want to watch their team and American freestyle skier Nick Goepper is no different.
For the first time in 33 years, his beloved Cincinnati Bengals have made it to the Super Bowl where they will face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday 13 February.
At 27, two-time Olympic medallist Goepper has never seen his side reach the NFL championship game.
But there's one slight problem - the showdown is just before slopestyle qualifying at Beijing 2022.
Love for his club
The game is actually taking place at the Rams' home ground in Inglewood, California, 16 hours behind the Olympic venue, so kick-off is at 07:30 on Monday Beijing time.
Slopestyle qualification starts just five hours later.
As quoted by USA Sports Today, Goepper said: “I think if I timed it right, I could watch the first half before doing practice for slopestyle qualification."
However, he did add: “I don’t know if the Bengals are sucking if that’s gonna affect my performance, so it’s sort of a risk.”
Goepper has already shown his dedication to his club this season, wearing a Bengals jersey in the slopestyle finals at January's Winter X Games - on the day his team beat the Tennessee Titans in the playoffs.
Despite the obvious importance of his own competition, Goepper - who was raised in Lawrenceburg, Indiana just west of Cincinnati - has described this as "an extremely terrible internal battle".
Taking the sensible option
As momentous as the Super Bowl is, competing at the Olympic Winter Games is something incredible and the smallest of margins can prove vital.
Goepper will know that more than most, having already won bronze at Sochi 2014 and silver at PyeongChang 2018.
So, when the day arrives, his Bengals jersey will be replaced by a Team USA uniform and his mind will be firmly on the task at hand.
"I think I’m going to opt out of paying attention to the game on qualification day and just praying that they win," he said.
When to watch Nick Goepper in competition at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022
Before he bids for a third slopestyle medal, Goepper goes in Big Air qualification this Monday at 13:30 local time (00:30 EST for Cincinnati).
The final is on Wednesday with the first of three runs at 11:00 (22:00 EST on Tuesday).
Then comes slopestyle qualification on Monday 14 February at 12:30 local time (23:30 EST on Sunday).
Should Goepper make it through, he will take part in the final the following day which starts at 09:30 local time (20:30 EST on Monday).
MORE: How to watch freestyle skiing at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022