Michael Jackson, you may have heard of him, is a pop icon who is responsible for some of the most memorable recordings in music history.  It was no surprise that ESPN Magazine wanted to pay tribute to this legend by recreating the album covers of Thriller and Off the Wall.

With Off the Wall, only a real brick wall would do, and without hesitation our set master made it happen in the studio.  The poster was another key component, which wasn’t a problem for our graphic artists.  Add the tuxedo and you’re looking at 1979 all over again.

As for the recreation of Thriller, a real baby tiger wasn’t possible.  Or so they thought.  Cue the polyester, our new furry friend, and professional athlete Josh Freeman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and you have yourself yet another near perfect replica of an iconic cover.

We aren’t going to say it was easy, but working with a baby tiger, a real thriller.

What happens when you get the reigning State Championship baseball team and the State runner up fresh off the loss to participate in the same photoshoot?
Well, do you:

A. get a lot of testosterone?

B. get a front row seat to watch some of the most competitive high school athletes and possible future pros?

C. have a team drop out and find yourself calling in the big guns in the eleventh hour?

D. get all of the above?

You guessed it, D.

And all the shenanigans that go with a true, bitter rivalry.  Let’s just say it gave our extras something to really cheer about.