WHO IS THAT BEARDED ONE?
Ben Berger is a familiar face.
Most people might not know the name, but they know the face.
Ever watched an Arizona basketball game, or been to McKale? You’ve probably seen him.
He’s always sitting in the first row of the ZonaZoo, wearing his No. 10 Mike Bibby retro jersey, often bearded.
“If I ever go to an away game or even in Tucson if I’m just walking around,” said Berger, a UA senior, “I’ll have random people come up to me and say, ‘Oh my god, we love you, we see you on the screen all the time.’ People come up and ask me for pictures; people have given me nicknames.”
So who is Ben Berger?
He’s a religious studies major and a professional actor. More than that, though, he’s a superfan. An Arizona superfan.
Wednesday, he got in line at McKale at 11 a.m. for an 8 p.m. tip. For the Gonzaga and Michigan games earlier this season, Berger and his friends — they call themselves the ‘Front Row Crew’ — arrived at the ZonaZoo entrance a little after 2….in the morning.
Jacob Borcover, the ZonaZoo executive director said: “Ben Berger is one of the best parts about the ZonaZoo…After every win, he keeps his beard growing until we lose and then he shaves it off.
“It’s known as the Bear Down Beard.”
