Black and Blue Review
Mark Middlesworth, a Panthers season ticket holder since 1995, estimates he’s worn well over 100 different outfits to Bank of America Stadium. None have attracted the type of attention like the one he unveiled Sunday.
When FOX cameras panned through the crowd midway through the fourth quarter of Carolina’s win over Tampa Bay, it was hard not to notice Middlesworth. Red makeup dotted his face, and a steering wheel wrapped around the neck brace he was wearing. It was an idea obviously conceived less than a week after Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was injured in a car accident.
Screenshots and GIFs of Middlesworth in his shocking outfit quickly went viral across an upset Internet. But in a phone conversation Monday, he tried to explain his side of the story.
“We felt that Derek Anderson needed some promotion. The one thing that they didn’t get into the pictures that are going around is the sign that was attached to it. The sign read, ‘When Mayhem strikes, better get Anderson.’ It was written in the Allstate font, and it read, ‘You’re in good hands with Anderson,’” Middlesworth said. “It was all a spoof on Allstate commercials, and people took it the wrong way.”
Middlesworth, who works for an events and props company in Charlotte, debuts a new outfit during every Panthers’ home game. Most are creative. Some aren’t all that tasteful. His latest falls into the latter category.
“Had [Newton] been seriously injured, obviously this would have never happened,” Middlesworth said. “Timing is everything. If it was two weeks from now, [the negative reaction] wouldn’t be as prevalent. And in hindsight, it could have been a little less tasteless.”
Despite the small furor he created, Middlesworth has no intentions of dressing like a normal fan for this week’s game. Instead, he hopes to win back the crowd.
“I’ll probably be back to the SuperCam outfit for next week so I can regain the fans’ favor,” Middlesworth said.
“Hopefully Cam will be back. If he’s not going to be back, then it’ll probably be something against [Browns quarterback] Johnny Manziel.”