(PHOTO/ Troy Athletics)
Men’s head basketball coach Scott Cross poses with his team after attending the football game against South Alabama dressed as a Trojan football player.
Hanna Cooper
Staff Writer
First-year Troy men’s basketball coach Scott Cross is doing everything that it takes to get Trojan fans fired up.
Before Troy football’s season opener against Campbell, athletic director Brent Jones took to Twitter to show off the throwback helmet on his way to an interview with WDHN.
“If that amazing (Troy football) helmet needs a new home, I know an office that would display it proudly,” Cross replied on Twitter. “Just saying.”
After some bantering and selfies in the helmet, Jones came up with a wager: if Cross would suit up in full pads, the helmet was his.
“I picked the South Alabama game because it was an evening game, so it would be a little cooler,” Cross said. “Those five o’clock kickoffs can get a little hot.”
Coach Cross was dedicated to the cause and suited up for the 7 p.m. kickoff against rival South Alabama.
During the first media timeout, all attention was on Cross as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s ring entrance music blared in Veterans Memorial Stadium, and Cross ran around the student section to get all students excited about challenging South Alabama.
Head women’s basketball coach Chanda Rigby joined the fun in the student section sporting the Battle of the Belt.
After Cross stayed in pads and a helmet for all four quarters of the game, Jones made a trip to the men’s basketball practice on the following Friday to present Cross with his prize, the throwback helmet.
“I am a man of my word!” Jones tweeted. “(Coach Cross) earned this helmet for his amazing display of school pride at the football game! Enjoy it, coach!”
The bet came to a close when Cross shared the pictures on his Twitter saying that there are “(three) things you can count on: death, taxes, and when (Brent Jones) gives you his word!”
