Jim Boeheim Tattoo Puzzles Basketball Fans

Ask anyone who has ever lived within 500 miles of Syracuse, N.Y., about Jim Boeheim and they will all tell you the same thing—in Central New York, Boeheim is a myth among men.

948 career wins without leaving campus, a 2003 National Title, an assistant coaching gig for Team USA and dozens of current and former professional basketball players worldwide who once called him “coach” have cemented the Lyons, NY native’s hero status among the many great names who have called Syracuse home.

While his likeness is now depicted in the National Basketball Hall of Fame, his face is also now immortalized somewhere a little more interesting—on the leg of 28-year-old Richard Miner.

Miner told ESPN his 40th tattoo took three and a half hours to finish to the tune of $200. Inked by Kyle Proia of Timeless Tattoo in Baldwinsville, NY, Miner said he wasn’t sure if the venerated coach would appreciate this tattooed tribute.

“He’ll either be flattered or ask why I picked that horrible image of him,” Miner said.

The image made the rounds on social media, with ESPN reporter Darren Rovell tweeting out a picture of the tattoo yesterday.

Syracuse fan gets tattoo of Jim Boeheim on his leg http://t.co/InoHtXLc6G pic.twitter.com/ZYhwgQ9TJW

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 18, 2014

Boeheim seemed pretty amused by the whole scenario, responding in the manner we have come to expect from him after nearly 40 years at the helm of the Syracuse basketball team.

“I would wear long pants for the rest of my life,” Boeheim told ESPN.

There’s no update on whether or not he got the tattoo for late game inspiration during pickup basketball games. Still, that’s fandom at its very best. Its very weird and puzzling best.