Mark Emmert’s about to testify in court. What could possibly go wrong?

NCAA president Mark Emmert has been expected to testify in the Ed O’Bannon lawsuit. And USA Today reports that Thursday is the day. Now that it’s just about officially official, college football fans are probably going to have a lot to talk about Thursday afternoon.

Emmert seems to have a problem. Whenever he speaks in public, he ends up saying things people make fun of. It’s hard not to slip up when trying to defend the financial and moral necessity of the NCAA model, but that hasn’t stopped Emmert from going on media tours pleading his case.

Earlier this year, the NCAA ran a #AskEmmert hashtag campaign that went about as well as you’d expect:

But it wasn’t just #AskEmmert. Emmert also went on “Mike & Mike in the Morning” and, among other things, accidentally made a comment admitting athletes are worth more than what they’re given.

Emmert also struggled in last year’s NCAA Tournament press conference, including getting in some spats with reporters.

Emmert is probably a nice guy whose job description happens to include being a punching bag so university presidents don’t have to absorb those blows.

On Thursday, he’ll have to attempt to defend the indefensible again. Judging by his previous appearances, it probably isn’t going to go very well.