Number One In The World & Living In Obscurity

   The world's most physically powerful human being is a Petroleum Engineer. 

   He was born and raised in Conifer, Colorado, and played football at the Colorado School of Mines - a small public university (less than 7,000 students) that is rated the top school on the planet earth for mineral and mining engineering.

   If you are not into (and incredibly good at) mathematics, engineering or science, chances are you have never heard of the Colorado School of Mines, and even if you have heard of the Colorado School of Mines you may be asking yourself, "Waitaminute, the School of Mines has a football team?", and also maybe, "The man that holds 28 world powerlifting records in the superheavyweight class (all drug-free) went to Mines and is now a petroleum engineer?"

   Yes, and yes. 

   His name is Blaine Sumner and he also holds the record for the NFL Pro Day bench press with 52 consecutive repetitions of 225 lbs. 

   Why oh why am I writing about him today? 

   Because I asked eleven people today if they had heard of either Brian Shaw (another Colorado born and raised super-strongman - won the World's Strongest Man competition in 2011, 2013, 2015 & 2016) or Blaine Sumner, and while five of the eleven had heard of Brian Shaw, not one had heard of Blaine Sumner.

   Which may not be shocking news to you, but I was in a gym. In Colorado. Less than 10 miles from the Colorado School of Mines.

   So, I was floored by the fact that not one of the eleven people in the gym knew who Blaine Sumner is.

   If he was the fastest man on land or in the pool, most people probably would know who he is. Go ahead, ask anyone if they know what Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps does for a living.

   The United States has never been much for strength athletes, that much I've always known. But to live in not only the home state of one of the strongest men not just in the world now, but in the history of the world period, and not have anyone know who he is...well...that's just weak.

P.S. Phil Heath, Mr Olympia for seven consecutive years (2011 - 2017), attended the University of Denver and played Division I basketball as a point guard for the Pioneers. He lived off 58th in Arvada and worked out at the Armbrust gym (not Armburst, Armbrust - it's owned by Dylan Armbrust) in Wheat Ridge, and while a few people in the gym knew of him, not one of them knew he lived less than 10 miles down the street.