Bridgeport’s Wes Hanson is an accomplished individual who has, at 35 years of age, had a pretty impressive background. Need some proof?

 

Hanson is a former state champion wrestler, winning a crown back in 2005 for Herbert Hoover. The three-sport high school standout in wrestling, baseball, and football then took his talents to Glenville State where he walked on to the Pioneers squad.

 

By the time his career was over, he was the team leader in touchdowns and the team captain. Along the way, he managed to earn all-conference honors as a kick returner.

 

Eventually, as most do in football, you have to turn off the physical spigot. Wes Hanson is not most people.

 

Instead, he ventured into the world of boxing and MMA. Again, he found success with wins in a pair of Rough and Rowdy events, a Toughman Contest win, and ended up as a national runner-up in amateur MMA with an overall record in combat sports of 87-7. There is even more on the sports front, but I think you get the point.

 

It should be noted there is another successful side to Hanson. He’s a happily married man and a proud father as well as a business owner. In fact, he is the owner and co-founder of North Central Building Solutions in Bridgeport, while also a regular at Jewel City Church.

 

The point of that impressive bio? Despite everything listed on that impressive list, Wes Hanson right now is known more for one thing not listed than anything else. And he is known for it by friends, family, and probably hundreds of thousands of people he has never met.

 

Thanks to ABC showing it live and then ESPN College Game Day’s TikTok video showing Hanson sporting an absolutely glorious mullet shaped in the pre-game against Pitt, he is known for his hairdo at the moment more than anything else. Here’s the thing, he’s perfectly fine with it and you should also know the mullet did not make its first appearance prior to the game with the Panthers.

 

Rather, there is a great back story involving Hanson’s hair.

 

“I actually already had a mullet that I got earlier this year. I haven’t had a haircut since 2005 when me and a friend shaved our heads at Herbert Hoover for football,” said Hanson. “So, I recently asked to get a high-class mullet, but needed it trimmed up for the Pitt game.”

 

Instead of heading to a local barber, Hanson decided the best place to get a cut was in the Blue Lot parking lot at WVU. Even better, he did not have a barber do the job.

 

“My buddy Calvin (Bench) did it. He’s one of my project managers who cuts his own hair and some other’s (hair) as well. I told him to bring his clippers and we just did it,” said Hanson. “He’s pretty decent.”

 

For anyone who has been in the Blue Lot prior to or after a WVU game for tailgating, seeing something unusual is not unusual. While I imagine someone may have shaved their heads completely or even did a mohawk amongst the throng of fans over the years – although I can’t prove it – I am betting a trim down of a world-class mullet is a first.

 

“When we started cutting it, there was no one around. When we were finishing up, there were people taking pictures and putting them on Snapchat,” said Hanson. “We had anywhere from 30 to 40 people watching the mullet get trimmed up.”

 

The trimmed-up mullet was about to go from 30 or 40 people to hundreds of thousands. As Wes and his wife Marteney took in the game from their front row seats, an ABC nationally televised audience camera caught Hanson’s mullet in celebration mode with about a minute remaining in the first quarter and WVU trailing 3-0.

 

“I had an inkling we’d be on TV because the (ABC) guy was pointing the camera at us for a few minutes, I imagine trying to get the shot he wanted,” said Hanson. “I told Marteney we might have just been on TV, but I wasn’t sure.”

 

He would be a few minutes later. In short order his phone began blowing up with messages.

 

“They let me know they saw us on TV,” said Hanson. “I didn’t know until I saw the messages.”

 

He also did not know what was about to unfold. Thanks to the clip, and thanks to an ESPN College Gameday TikTok video asking just how good the mullet stood in the rankings of college football, Hanson had safely secured for at least the rest of the 2023 the tag of “mullet man” or “man with the mullet.”

 

“It’s funny that it gained so much attention because mullets aren’t around as much, but they’re still prevalent. I guess it was just the fact that it was a high-class mullet,” Hanson said laughing.

 

Although he knew it was viral and was a hit, things did not calm down in the aftermath. When he arrived for the Sept. 23 game with Texas Tech, he knew things were at a an even higher level.

 

“It was nuts. As soon as we were in the Blue Lot I heard ‘hey, it’s the mullet guy.’ I was taking pictures, including some with the Mountaineer,” said Hanson. “He was actually looking for me and we had a good time together because he’s got a pretty good mullet too. We’re the mullet and the mascot.”

 

Oh, as for the pictures, Hanson was handing out some Twisted Tea to photo seekers and telling them to tag their pix on social media with Twisted Tea. The reason for that takes it to an another height of sweetness as a result of the magnificent mullet resting on Hanson’s head.

 

“I had Twisted Tea with me when the video on (ABC) was shown and they took advantage of it. They actually sponsored me, and I just got a varsity jacket and a pair of Pit Vieper sunglasses. They initially sent me 10 coupons that were each good for a 12-pack, but they ended up sending me more,” he said. “They said they will keep us filled up at our tailgate the rest of the year.”

 

Perhaps WVU may want to consider making Hanson part of the pre-game ritual. Although he missed the Duquesne contest, he and the Mountaineers are now 2-0 with the mullet making its fresh game-day appearance.

 

“The next home game, I’m telling Calvin to bring the clippers,” said Hanson. “We may have something here to turn into a tradition. I’m actually kind of proud the fans can use my mullet as something to rally around.”

 

As a fan of top-notch mullets, I hope Hanson makes it a regular event. Besides, adding arguably the best mullet in the Mountain State to an already impressive resume is not a bad thing at all.