Fan Hall of Fame

Nav Bhatia

Toronto Raptors

Nav Bhatia is a fan’s fan to the core. Having attended every Raptors home game since their inception in 1995, he is easily recognizable from his turban and courtside seat. A trailblazer, he was the first fan ever awarded an NBA Championship ring when Toronto won the title in 2019, and went on to be a part of the first class of fan inductees to the NBA Hall of Fame in 2021.

For Nav, however, life wasn’t always so easy. Escaping violent anti-Sikh rioting in India, he emigrated to Toronto in 1984, but was unable to find work as an engineer and instead became a car salesman. After selling over a car a day for three months, he was able to buy the dealership in short order. Paying his good fortune forward in his adoptive country, Bhatia created the Superfan Foundation to unite fans from all walks of life, and spends several hundred thousand dollars yearly so that thousands of kids may also cheer in person for the team he loves.

Speedo Guy

Duke Men's Basketball

When you can’t bear losing, sometimes you have to bare it.

Duke vs. North Carolina. 2003. It’s all on the line, literally, as UNC player Jackie Manuel steps to the stripe. He knows what to expect: hundreds of royal-blue clad Cameron Crazies swaying and screaming at the top of their lungs. But what he gets is a lone warrior, Viking Man, mysteriously getting the whole crowd behind the basket to sit with him. Casting aside his tunic, Patrick King becomes Speedo Guy, one of the nuttiest fans ever to grace an arena. As Manuel takes a practice dribble, Speedo Guy rises like a snake to a charmer. Manuel is not so much charmed as amused, as Speedo Guy writhes and thrusts, lacking only a pole to complete the picture (though not much is left to imagination).

Ultimately, the slings and arrows of gyrating Lycra proved too much for Manuel - he missed ‘em both.

Sister Jean

Loyola of Chicago Men's Basketball

Over her 101 years, Sister Jean has embodied Neil Young’s oft-repeated phrase: It’s better to burn out, than it is to rust. Never content to sit still, every day on campus she offers a joyous good morning to all she meets. Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt broke onto the national scene in 2018, when the Ramblers made it to the promised land of the Final Four. Everyone was curious about the remarkable woman sitting courtside, delivering every pregame prayer.

But it wasn’t always so. In 1994, Sister Jean pondered hanging up her habit before she was called to hoops duty, assisting athletes in navigating the rigorous academic path for which Loyola is known. When coach Porter Moser took over in 2011, he found a scouting report waiting for him on each player, courtesy of the 75-year young team chaplain. Of working with young people, Sister Jean says, “I think that’s what kept my heart young.” God willing, Sister Jean will keep ramblin’ on straight into another Final Four.

Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers

Chicago Cubs

When seventh-inning crooner Harry Caray dubs you “Leather Lungs,” everyone around you knows you’re out to the ballpark. Named after the last sound of his funky exhortations, Ronnie Wickers began going to Cubs games in the late 40’s, but didn’t break out the “woo” until the 50’s. Wickers became such a local celebrity and fixture at vine-laden Wrigley, that when he missed a couple games in 1987, fans thought he’d gone to the friendly confines in the sky. His absence caused such a stir that he called the news to say that reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated. Woo!

Due to the longevity and sheer volume of his cheers, 80-year fan and South Side native Wickers inspired a documentary: WooLife. To cap off his iconic image, in 2001 he even performed Harry’s favorite tune, “Take me Out to the Ballgame.” Though he came from the baddest part of town, Wickers got to sing it at his favorite place.

Barrel Man

Denver Broncos

Sometimes, your 15 minutes of fame trigger a lifetime of recognition, as in the case of Tim McKernan, who bet his brother $10 that donning a barrel would get him on TV. In 1977, he debuted his namesake, held up only by suspenders on his bare chest (what was under the barrel remains a mystery). For 30 years, he rallied Broncos fans through all kinds of Rocky Mountain weather, megaphone in hand. “Outside the barrel, my father was an introverted, calm person,” Tim’s son observed. “But when he put it on, he… swaggered and was transformed. It allowed him to express himself.”

Painted like a soda can, a nod to the “Orange Crush” defense that captured the 1977 AFC title, the barrel evoked Denver’s past: a down-on-his luck miner who’d lost his stake to whiskey and women, left with only a barrel to his name. In 1998, 49 Broncos autographed the Super Bowl XXXII-winning barrel. Upon selling it, Barrel Man donated a portion of the proceeds to Jubilee House, a battered womens’ shelter.

Cheeseheads

Green Bay Packers

Coined by Bears fans after their 1985 Super Bowl victory, “Cheesehead” was supposed to get under Packers fans’ skins, not sit on their heads. Though it derived from an insult, this term (from the Dutch “kaaskop” or “head cheese,” meaning mentally dense) has come to symbolize the fanatical devotion of one of the NFL’s most storied franchises. Green Bay fans have embraced this heady moniker and made it their own, wearing the wedge with pride since at least 1987.

Taking its distinctive shape from a wheel of Gouda, its yellow from classic Wisconsin cheddar, and its holes from Swiss, the eclectic make-up of this triangular sombrero reflects the diversity of those who wear it. From infants to octogenarians, the cheesehead is a ubiquitous reminder of Midwesterners’ penchant for not taking themselves too seriously. And, given Green Bay’s status as winners of the first two NFL championships, it’s only right that on Super Bowl Sundays, more cheese is consumed than on any other day. Everything is better with cheese on top.

James Goldstein

L.A. Basketball

With a business card reading Fashion Architecture Basketball, James Goldstein is a vibrantly-dressed fixture at virtually all L.A. Lakers (since 1962) and Clippers (since 1984) home games. Indeed, seated court-side with an exotic chapeau and extravagant clothes, he’s hard to miss. Never one to claim a single team, he is a global fan of all professional basketball and has been recognized by former commissioner David Stern as the “... largest investor in NBA tickets in the world.

While the game has certainly influenced him, he, in turn, has influenced the “world’s greatest athletes” (as he calls them) to ramp up their fashion games. Goldstein arrives early to most matchups, giving him a chance to kibitz with visiting teams’ players about Yves St. Laurent’s latest, and to show off his dazzling array of outfits from his rotating closet collection. But his clothes are not all that glitters - in his ninth decade, this bon vivant still hosts A-list parties from his California home, replete with its own nightclub, where you might catch Leo DiCaprio debating zone defenses with Jack Nicholson.

The Dawg Pound

Cleveland Browns

Impounded in the end zone of the Cleveland Browns’ stadium, these fans’ bark is worse than their bite (but tetanus shots are nonetheless advised). The Dawg Pound is a spinoff of Cleveland’s 1985 defense, whom cornerbacks Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield called “dawgs” to describe their tenaciously aggressive play and esprit de corps (players would bark after a sack). This rabid style seeped into the stands, where fans began to bark along in unison. One memorable game even involved sneaking a keg of beer into their thirsty den. Taking up all sorts of canine accoutrements, from dog bones to dog noses, this rowdy section of the stadium became doggone crazy, reaching new heights of pack-inspired debauchery by raining Milk-Bone dog treats down on visiting teams.

The halcyon days of chaos have since ratcheted down and the Dawg Pound has been stadium-broken by a nervous NFL, but one thing that will forever remain is the intense loyalty of Cleveland’s best friends.

The Black Hole

Oakland Raiders

If you were sitting in sections 104-107 at Oakland Alameda County Stadium, you wouldn’t be violating the laws of physics, despite these sections’ dire name: The Black Hole. Chaos theory aside, this black hole has an origin in time and space. In 1995, some buddies from Hayward, CA bought some seats in the end zone and spawned a nation of black-clad, die-hard Raiders’ fans, vandals who would strike fear into the opposing team (and inspire some wicked Halloween costumes).

Yet, behind the Darth Raiders, Metal Cindy’s and skull-topped shoulder pads, today’s Raider Nation is really one big family, held together by a mantra of religious zeal: If you bleed SILVER and BLACK... you are spiritually part of us. Words with gravity, indeed.

Snoop Dogg

USC Trojans Football

Snoop has brought his Doggystyle aura to the Coliseum ever since the Pete Carroll glory years, getting behind his Trojans as only an L.A. native could. As a youngster, the future D-O-double G dreamed of playing receiver for his hometown team. While he ultimately set aside his cleats to focus on spittin’ rhymes, he never lost touch with the program. The former Long Beach Poly defensive back even had a gig as “guest coach,” during which he ran through drills and hauled in bombs from the likes of USC legend Matt Leinart.

Snoop has taken his love of football and his community a step further, starting the Snoop Youth Football League in 2005. Since its inception, the SYFL has helped thousands of kids by using football as a means to “learn character, integrity, discipline, and teamwork.” For keeping kids off the mean streets of which he has so eloquently rapped: the NFU sends a “Bow-wow-wow, yippie-yo, yippie-yay” shout out to the Doggfather.

Spike Lee

New York Knicks

It’s not always easy to do the right thing, especially when a fired up Reggie Miller is raining 3’s in your house. For a man whose bread and butter is creating impactful words, a Madison Square Garden court-side seat is an invitation to test the psyches of the world’s greatest players. Indeed, the 1994 NBA playoffs, with Miller notching 25 points in the deciding quarter to lift his Pacers to an improbable victory, brought out the competitor in both men. Near game’s end, Miller turned to Lee, hands gripping his neck in the international choke sign.

For two men at the pinnacle of their professions, things had devolved quickly, with All-World trash-talker Lee spiking Miller with “Cheryl was better” (a reference to Miller’s All-Universe sister). However, Spike is an equal opportunity nemesis, having traded verbal barbs with Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and a certain number 23 from Chicago. Despite their differences, greatness recognizes greatness, with Miller admitting, “He’s the number one Knicks fan.” When it comes to his Knicks, Spike’s gotta have it.

Mark Cuban

Dallas Mavericks

For 21 years, Mark Cuban has been a member of a very exclusive club of 30 NBA owners. But that doesn’t mean the billionaire has lost touch with his working-class roots. When talking of his Dallas Mavericks, Cuban speaks as any fan would: “I am just a huge Mavericks fan... I love basketball.”

There was a time when Cuban could barely afford a nosebleed seat to a Mavs game, and his long-standing passion makes him simpatico with the average person on the street. Living out the fantasy of many a diehard Mavs fan, he has been known to play pick-up with his employees, who just happen to be among the best players in the world. Beloved by his players and the entire Dallas metro area, Cuban sets the tone during games with his animated sideline antics, including subjecting referees to a verbal shark tank of criticism. For this, the owner/everyman has been fined millions of dollars by the league for acting just like you and me.

Ashley Judd

University of Kentucky

While she’s often labeled as “being the so-called No. 1 Kentucky fan,” Ashley Judd calls herself a normal fan. While that may be true, she puts the “fanatical” into her gameday performances. If you’re in her section, you best not mess with the star of A Time to Kill as she punches air like a boxer on the speed bag, leaps up-and-down, and indicates possession with a vehement “first-down” motion like she’s possessed.

Ms. Judd is willing to go the extra mile for her beloved Wildcats, posing for the Kentucky hockey teams’ ‘98-’99 calendar in her blue and white ‘Cats jersey. She’s not afraid to put it on the line in other ways, too. In 2008, she honored a promise to UNC students that she’d sit—stand, actually—in their student section if North Carolina went blue in the presidential elections. And while she stood the whole game, blaring her royal blue “KENTUCKY” shirt, it’s safe to say that nobody messed with her.

Towel Man

St. Louis Blues

Some superheroes wear capes and tights, but Towel Man only needs his namesake to shake the St. Louis arena when his hometown Blues scores. Springing into action, Ron Baechle frantically waves his cloth, standing on a railing for all to behold. Driving his fist into the air, 18,000 blueblood fans shout, “ONE!” for the first goal (two fists for a second goal, etc.).

A St. Louis celebrity, Towel Man’s been counting since 1990, tossing his linen into the crowd after every goal. While the fabric bears his likeness, local businesses have tried to capitalize on his fame by offering him tickets to put their name on his projectiles. He even has his own trading card (“waves right”), which he graciously signs for his adoring public.

But Towel Man is not about the bling accruing to his exalted status. While most people use towels on their skin, he has another goal. Proudly pointing out that his ritual is exceptionally annoying (second only to post-score cannon fire), he says, “... that’s doing your job if you can get under their skin.”

The Green Men

Vancouver Canucks

A series of fortunate events had to come together for the Green Men to happen. First, they had to be inspired by watching It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, in which a character sports a comparable green bodysuit. Next, the suit had to come too late for the duo to wear to a Seahawks game, prompting them to attend a Vancouver Canucks game instead. And then fate kicked in evoking real estate’s “location, location, location”: their boss secured seats directly behind the enemy team’s penalty box.

This is where randomness gives way to calculation, and the real fun begins. Limber as gymnasts, they’ve broken out handstands pressing up against the glass, and they tailor their friendly provocations to specific cities, holding up a Vince Vaughn cutout when the Blackhawks swoop into town. Adam Forsyth and Ryan Sullivan have even bestowed their alter egos with names - Force and Sully - that inspire fear (of laughter) in their foes.

Matthew McConaughey

UT Austin

When COVID suspends in-person sporting events, you have to watch from home, even if you are superstar-superfan Matthew McConaughey. If you are a cardboard cutout of McConaughey, on the other hand, the stadium is all yours. Throughout the COVID shutdown, University of Texas’ Memorial Stadium was populated with cardboard fans, including McConaughey’s characters from Magic Mike, Dallas Buyers Club, and other films. But the real McConaughey comes to life as a pregrame force in the locker room, summoning his thespian skills to inspire his Longhorn brethren. Especially memorable was his simple “Let it rip” before the Longhorns, major Longshots, pulled off a double OT victory against Notre Dame.

McConaghy, in fact, is omnipresent in Austin. Indeed, he’s been named Minister of Culture for Texas’ new basketball arena, charged with creating an intense fan experience that’ll leave visiting teams dazed and confused. We’re not sure what this will entail, but we are sure that Matthew McConaughey is doing his part to keep Austin orange (and weird).

Banjo Man

San Francisco 49ers

In this quirky town that twirls to the beat of its own drummer, Banjo Man (Stacey Samuels) has been picking his fiddle at every Niners home game since the early 80’s Joe Montana glory days, even bringing his jam to four San Fran Super Bowls. “Super Niner” strums beneath a beanie propeller cap, an item that this Bay Area entrepreneur has modeled and hawked for decades, putting four kids through college with the proceeds.

With his hippie vibe, Jerry Garcia-esque beard, and ear-to-ear smile, Banjo Man attracts fans from all walks of life. Some even have tattoos of his image, a symbol of their allegiance and something that a grateful Samuels says will allow him to live on after he’s dead. The good-natured merry prankster, though, doesn’t fiddle around when asked about San Francisco’s reputation as a sedate “wine and cheese” crowd. Calling it “a stereotype,” he’s all about making sure everyone knows that Niners fans, with their hairy shaman setting the tempo, can make beautiful (and loud) music together.