University of Alabama freshman Jack Blankenship thought of a great way to distract players from opposing schools: With a huge photo of his own contorted face.
From snarling Saddam Hussein to sultry Marilyn Monroe, giant craniums are nothing new in the stands of sporting events. But this was definitely a unique twist.
Blankenship, a native of the Tide’s hometown of Tuscaloosa, began showing up behind the basket at games this month with a giant picture of his own dome:
“I never really saw the relevance of photos of celebrities, so I figured why not just a picture of me,” Jack said. “I thought that it would be a little different.”
The unusual sight of a student waving a giant picture of his own face during free throw attempts drew far more attention than Blankenship ever expected.
ESPN2 cameras caught him with the sign during Alabama’s 69-67 overtime victory over Ole Miss on February 4, prompting announcer Pam Ward to remark:
“This guy … who does that? I mean, who makes a picture of themselves?”
It’s a fair question, but so is this: Why don’t more skinny freshman fans at colleges across the country do this! Random, goofy-faced challenge extended!