Men’s basketball head coach Anthony Grant will rely on the presence of Alabama’s sixth man at Coleman Coliseum to help his team prevail this year. At least one group of students intend to give him that help at every game.
The Crimson Chaos started off as a ragtag group of students when Anthony Grant arrived on campus in 2009. In those three years, the group has engulfed the student section and grown since its inception.
Chaos president Daniel Spaulding said the group was started strictly for men’s basketball games but quickly grew.
“It originally started as a men’s basketball support group on campus,” Spaulding said. “As it’s grown over the years, we’ve tried to start to spread out for all of Alabama athletics. It’s definitely been an upward trend, and since Coach Grant has started here, it’s been a culture change on campus. Students are starting to take pride in Tide basketball.”
Spaulding said since he has been president of the organization, he has aimed to get Crimson Chaos on the same level as Duke’s Cameron’s Crazies.
“We want to turn Coleman Coliseum into a place where you know you are going to be heckled and be given a hard time,” he said. “We want to create a new culture in the SEC.”
The Chaos gained national exposure last year through some rather unconventional photo-bombing by now-sophomore Chaos officer Jackson Blankenship. Blankenship, the infamous “Face Guy,” held up a large cutout of his own face while opposing teams lined up to shoot free throws. Spaulding said after photos of Blankenship went viral, the popularity of Chaos grew with it.
“He struck a gold mine that has been a wave for us to make Crimson Chaos national,” he said “It’s been kind of a lucky strike, as in an easier way to put our name out there in the national picture.”
Chaos vice president and graduate student Phil Grant said Blankenship’s presence has been vital to expanding new ideas through social media, videos and other media.
“Jackson is a very creative person,” Grant said. “He has helped us develop new ideas. We’re going to a new level now as far as marketing. We’re now aiming to bring more out of state students in.”
Membership in the Chaos brings perks that few universities in the SEC can offer, like court side seats and inside information on opposing teams at each game.
“You can’t beat free courtside seats,” Grant said.
Membership in the Crimson Chaos is not exclusive, and any Alabama student can join by going to their myBama page, clicking on the “Campus Life” tab and clicking on the Chaos logo.
“It’s really easy, and it’s only $10 for the whole year,” Spaulding said. “Once you join, you get a Chaos T-shirt that can be picked up at the Ferg on Mondays this semester from noon to 1 p.m.”
Since its inception three years ago, both Grant and Spaulding said they are proud to have seen such growth and support for Alabama Athletics. Right now the total membership for the Chaos is about 500 members, and it is something Spaulding said he hopes to see doubled in the next couple of years.
“You know we hope to surpass 1,000 members,” he said. “I just want to see it to be a priority and hype for Alabama basketball and to create an atmosphere where there are people who take pride and ownership of all our different venues throughout the nation.”
