By: Alicia Otto<\/p>\n
James \u201cBo\u201d White fits the description of the ultimate fan perfectly. A spectator now, White was once a part of the teams he now supports from the stands. Originally from Carrollton, Missouri, White came to Western in the fall of 1979 as a basketball player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI came up here as a slim man to play basketball<\/a>,\u201d White said. \u201cBack then, they had a freshman team, and I played on that.\u201d<\/p>\n When told by coaches he was not quite tall enough for basketball, White switched to football. Even though White played for coach Rob Hicklin for four years, graduation was not in his plans.<\/p>\n The lure of money was too much to resist and White started working at Johnson Controls<\/a>, where he stayed for 18 years.<\/p>\n But Griffon pride runs deep. White returned to campus in 2007 and can be found working in the Western dining hall<\/a> where he is recognized by students all the time.<\/p>\n Athletes are always excited to hear that White is going to their games. He even travels to most away games with another football alumni.<\/p>\n \u201cWe even went to their first playoff game,\u201d White said about last year\u2019s football team. \u201cWe drove down to Texas and stayed in the hotel with the team.\u201d<\/p>\n As a Gold Coat member, White can be seen \u2014 if not heard \u2014 at nearly all home games.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I miss a game, it\u2019s only because of a family emergency,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n Several years ago, Ryan Menley<\/a>, communications director for Griffon athletics, asked White to make appearances on Griffon Sports Insider (GSI). \u201cBo Knows\u201d is now a regular feature on GSI. White also enjoys recording segments or just gestures that are then featured on the video board at Spratt Stadium during games.<\/p>\n \u201cBo\u2019s transition into a recurring character was organic,\u201d Menley said. An impromptu interview during a tailgate where White offered his insight into a Griffon football game led to his GSI<\/a> career. And he was so naturally funny. Just because of his personality and his stature, White evolved into more of a caricature. \u201cJimmy Fallon has Guillermo \u2014 we have Big Bo,\u201d Menley said.<\/p>\n Bo knows sports, and sports fans know Bo. He is the ultimate fan.<\/p>\n\n\t\t