Friday, March 13, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section B - Page 3
Superfan: Champion of hoops, justice and the American way
Continued from page 1A
his contribution is not in bouncing a ball, it's in the ceremonial outfit he puts on and in the great loyalty that he has," Cheffers said.
Ryan Hodapp, KU Superfan, cheers the introduction of the players amid a cloud of fluttering confetti. Hodapp spends and hour before each game making confetti.
Hodapp says he is not sure how he'd feel if he lost his costume.
"Should it happen, in a way, I'd almost say I'd be letting the team down," Hodapp says. "If it all got stolen, I'd probably find a way to replace it all really fast. The thought of not coming to the game would enter my mind."
Oneters added that it was quite common for these identities to become strong enough for people to believe the team actually does count on them.
Yet, Hodap says he's not deluded about his importance to Kansas basketball.
"Imake a very small contribution," says Hodapp. But he also thinks there is something to his outlandish crimson and blue presence.
"They haven't lost with me wearing the stuff," Hodapp says. "I've been told that it's definitely noticeable when I am not here."
But Hodapp is almost always there, and he's focused 100 percent on one thing, being Superfan.
It's Crunch Time
R-14 remaining - First Half
“Come on, 'Hawks!' Superfan screams. “Let's pick up the tempo. Don't let them play their game!”
The 'Hawks are trailing in a slow, low-scoring game against Iowa State. Superfan watches the game intensely and carefully analyzes the situation. Iowa State is taking away Kansas' fast break with a slow, clock-burning, half-court offense. The game occupies all of his attention.
single-mindedness is a strong personal trait of his. Hodapp savs.
"I throw myself 100 percent into whatever I am doing." Hodgson says.
In high school, debate held his undivided attention. When the scholarship offers for college didn't come, a void needed to be filled.
Basketball quickly became his new love and it gets 100 percent of his commitment. Bill Hodapp, Ryan's father and a computer consultant in Overland Park, said total involvement had always been his son's way.
"When he got involved with things, he took on everything with a passion," Bill Hodapd said.
Ryan Hodapp was born on July 12, 1976, in New Brunswick, N.J. About once every three years, the family would pack up and move to a different city. This was perhaps the only negative experience during his formative years.
"That may have been one of the things I took away from moving a lot as a kid," Hodapp says. "It's a little bit harder for me to meet new people. I'm actually a pretty shy guy. I'm the guy that is in the corner at a party watching what's going on."
'At the games, he's anything but shy. From high-fiving fellow fans and leading cheers to glad-handing with the ushers and ticket scalpers. Even signing autographs, he's about as shy as... well... a Superfan in front of a television camera.
The people who have been going to games with him for years were surprised to hear him described as shy. Kristi Truman, Kansas City, Mo., junior, has known Superfan from the beginning and said she hasn't ever found the man behind the paint to be shy.
"I don't think he's shy at all, once you get to know him." Truman said.
'Bill Hodapp said he thought the make-up helped his son overcome his natural shyness.
Cheffers said that the anonymity of being in a crowd and of having face paint was important in understanding what allows people to overcome their inhibitions and act crazy.
'Hodapp certainly agrees that the costume allows him to be more outgoing, even boisterous.
"With the make up on, you almost feel a little bit more to free get a little bit crazier. Hodapp said.
Hodapp thinks the spirit of the Phog also helps.
"I didn't become a rabid, saving sort of fan until I got to KU," Hodapp says. "Hodapp says. The Allen Field House atmosphere sort of got to me."
Its Rock n' Roll Time
1302 SECOND Superfan double pumps his fists and rolls his head around and around, reveling in a big Raef LaFrentz stick-back during a patented Kansas run. The spirit is rising.
The spirit is rising, and Superfan does seeming
his part to amplify it by yelling and scream...5.
Even the rabid fans who sit in the student section testify that Hodapp really does have an effect on the atmosphere and his fellow fans.
he pumps up the spirit," said Sara Christiansen, Shawnee junior and a member of Superfan's camping group, the Three Musketeers. "He never loses the intensity."
Even Klissa Rueschhoff, the Candy Lady, is impressed with Superfan. Rueschhoff works at Haskell Indian Nations University as the Bureau of Indian Affair's natural resource cooperative program coordinator. She also is known to work the student section at Kansas basketball games into a sugary frenzy by throwing candy into the stands. She feels fans like Superfan adds a lot of positive things to the games.
"I think it's great to have superfans," Rueschhoff said. "I think they're great as long as they aren't rude or anything."
Kansas has pulled away and has the game all but wrapped up, but Superfan is still as vocal as ever.
"Hey, come on refl!! Watch the push-off!" Hodapp yells as he chides the referee for not calling an offensive foul. But this is about as negative as he ever gets.
"He's never been disrespectful or anything," Christiansen savs.
That hasn't been the case with all Jayhawk superfans, though. Take Joe Zielinski, a.k.a. Captain Jayhawk, for example.
Zielinski, a 1992 KU graduate, was temporarily thrown out of the field house for changing the scoreboard of a game Kansas was losing.
"I went a little too far with that one." Zielinski said.
"There were times when I'd get confused about who I was. I didn't know if I was me or if I was Captain Jay hawk."
Hodapp said he would never do anything disruptive, because it doesn't help support the team and that is what he feels a fan's job is.
Cheffers said that anti-social acts such as Captain Jayhawk's and verbal abuse were signs of potential violence, which is the main thing to worry about and watch for in fans.
Hodapp says that if he ever gets to the point where all he can talk about is basketball, then he'll know he has a problem. But that hasn't happened yet... not this season.
It's Rock Chalk Time
1:25 remaining.
"NOOOOOOOOOONEEERRRR!!! Hodapp screams.
His favorite player, Terry Nooner, the former walk-on, comes into the game, which means the game is in hand. Hodapp joins the thousands of voices in the Rock-Chalk chant. It's time to move to the next game, the next step on the road to the Final Four.
When the road will end is the question for Hodapp and all KU fans. Hodapp plans to make a road trip down to San Antonio and he'll be packing his paint and all.
But should the season and Hodapp's career as Superfan end short of San Antonio, Hodapp is prepared.
"As a fan I'll kind of feel disappointed if they lose," Hodapp says. "But it's not as if the team let me down, because the players always go out and play hard, play to win. And that's all a fan can really ask for."
"I don't want to jinx the team," Hodap says.
KU fans of all strips will be taking the same emotional journey.
KU RECREATION SERVICES
Upcoming Managers' Meetings...
Ultimate and Sand Volleyball Sunday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Three on Three Basketball Monday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m
***Late entries are still being taken for Softball!!!
Attention: Officials are still needed for Sand Volleyball and Softball!
For more information, please call 864-3546 or stop by the Office of Recreation Services in 208 Robinson.
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