When Gov. Bob Riley declared Wednesday as “Mark Ingram Day” in the state of Alabama, one PowerSouth employee knew the jokes wouldn’t be far behind.

“Oh yeah, I’ve been hearing the jokes all season really,” said PowerSouth communications manager Mark Ingram, no relation to the Alabama Crimson Tide running back and Heisman Trophy winner. “I went into the office (Tuesday) and was hearing, ‘I guess tomorrow’s your special day!’”

Ingram, who is an Auburn fan along with most of his family, takes the ribbing in stride.

“My son (Marcus) was on his Facebook page and someone posted, asking him, ‘Where does your dad keep the Heisman Trophy,’” he said. “Marcus replied, ‘Oh, here at home, with all the other awards he’s won.’

“Then I’ve had other people tell me, ‘You don’t have that football figure that you do on the TV.’ I just have to laugh and have fun with it.”

In fact, Ingram recalled one time when his family was having dinner in Montgomery and their waiter had a little fun at Ingram’s expense.

“We had finished eating and I handed the waiter my credit card,” he said. “He took forever getting back, and I was getting a little antsy. At one point, I looked over toward the kitchen area and I saw him laughing and talking to a couple of people around him.

“At first I thought something was wrong with the credit card, but eventually he came back. He told us, ‘I’m sorry it took so long. I was just telling the staff that I was serving dinner to Mark Ingram.’”

Ingram said that even though he is an Auburn fan, he is pulling for the Crimson Tide in tonight’s game.

“I usually have a very hard time pulling for Alabama in anything,” he said. “But with them having a shot at a national championship, and the recognition it could bring to our state, I hope they win.”

And with the football star Ingram returning to play at least one more season, Andalusia’s Ingram knows the jokes won’t go away any time soon.

“I’m sure I’ll hear even more next year,” he said.