Columbia University’s football team hilariously used an image of the recently unveiled Dwyane Wade statue to distract Yale kicker Nick Conforti during their Ivy League showdown.
After Yale scored a touchdown to take a 6-3 lead, Columbia’s stadium jumbotron displayed the viral Dwyane Wade statue just behind the goal post as Conforti lined up for the extra point attempt. The image, which has been widely criticized for its lack of resemblance to Wade, was intended to throw off the kicker and disrupt his concentration.
Columbia used Dwyane Wade’s statue to try and distract Yale’s kicker 😂pic.twitter.com/7VhB3MMt0u
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) November 2, 2024
Despite the distraction, Conforti remained unfazed and calmly converted the extra point, giving Yale a 7-3 advantage at halftime. However, Columbia’s creative ploy did seem to have an impact later in the game, as Conforti missed a 42-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter. Columbia went on to win the game 13-10.
The statue itself, unveiled earlier this month outside the Miami Heat’s Kaseya Center, has become a meme-worthy topic due to its less-than-accurate depiction of Wade.
