College football linebacker goes viral for having ‘ESPN’ as his middle name
By Andrew Olson
Published:
ESPN has arrived at Bowling Green. That’s BGSU linebacker Gideon ESPN Lampron.
Lampron is getting some viral attention for having ESPN as his middle name. David Briggs of The Toledo Blade spoke to Lampron and his parents about the unique middle name and the attention that comes with it.
Marty Lampron, Gideon’s father, is described by his wife, Jennifer Lampron, as a “sports lunatic.” The South Boston native unsuccessfully suggested “Larry Bird” for the name of their first son, Gabriel Alexander.
With Gideon, they were undecided on a middle name. There was mutual interest in Xavier. Gideon Xavier Alexander, though, does not make headlines on name alone.
But … he talked about ‘ESPN’ nonstop,” Jennifer said, “and I remember saying, if we have to, at least put a ‘y’ in there.
Marty, though, wasn’t feeling the “y.” Per The Blade, Jennifer was a little out of it when Marty filled out the birth certificate Gideon ESPN Lampron.
I didn’t fully realize until I got Gideon’s social security card and there it was, in all caps,” Jennifer recalled to The Blade. “I couldn’t believe it. This couldn’t be real.
Thankfully for Marty, his risky move worked out. Gideon is not only a sports fan, but a college football player.
It was a big gamble,” Gideon said to The Blade, “because I could have ended up liking instruments and being in the band, or something.
A former FCS All-American at Dayton, Gideon ESPN Lampron is ready to play FBS football.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
