Who is Michigan Batman?

Submitted by Topher on

Does anyone know the story/identity of a fellow I refer to as "Michigan Batman"? MB has a Batman mask, Michael Keaton-style with the ears and stuff, painted maize and blue, and wears a cape and maize and blue sunglasses.

I remember first seeing him on the broadcast of the 1997 Penn State game, and I also caught a whiff of him on Wolverine Historian's cutups of the 1998 Rose Bowl and other game tapes.

I believe a picture of him is also in Bo's coffee table book "Michigan Memories."

I'd just like to know who he is.

Bleedin9Blue

August 24th, 2009 at 11:53 PM ^

I think I know who you're talking about. My parent's have season tickets on in section 17 (the corner opposite of the student section still on the home side (aka the press box side)). We see him at every single game. My Uncle calls him Captain Chaos.

I can see the resemblance.

I know nothing about him but assume that he's quite the super fan since he's at every game, is in a blue hair section yet yells, stands a lot, has a cow bell, and successfully get everyone around him to chant "Let's Go Blue", and he, of course, gets everyone to chant "Go Blue" at the appropriate moments with his cow bell.

Come to think of it, he's probably the reason that I have a slightly harder time relating to everyone that always talks about how terrible the blue hairs on the 50 are, he makes the section seem less old and more like the student section.

I'm fairly sure that I've seen him on TV at away games and bowl games so he must have enough money to consistently travel with the team.

HartAttack20

August 25th, 2009 at 12:37 AM ^

I remember seeing his picture as somebody's avatar thing, but I don't remember for sure. I used to sit by this guy when I was younger(maybe year 2000 or something) and I think it was section 17. They were my dad's first spot for season tickets. They were pretty good seats, but I like where we are at now in section 12 straight behind the endzone. I first learned the "Smoke green, Snort white, Can't read, Can't write" chant from him. Ah, the memories. This guy gets the people around him involved in chants and gets people making noise. Too bad we don't have a guy like him in every section of the stadium, because the Big House would be rocking.

KinesiologyNerd

August 25th, 2009 at 12:46 AM ^

I believe you mean my avatar. It's not me though, I'm on the left. It's from after the Wisconsin game, we asked for a picture and he was like "alright, let's make it quick... I'm sweaty and I need to get this cigar going". Our Wisconsin-fan friend took the picture... glorious

Bleedin9Blue

August 25th, 2009 at 1:09 AM ^

Just out of curiosity, how is it that your dad's season tickets changed locations? Was it when they did the renovations a few years ago and tickets were allowed to change?

On a side note, anybody have any insider information on if they're going to do that [allow the name on the seats to be changed from one owner to another] when the renovations are done next year? I'm hoping to change the name on my Uncle's tickets to mine since he's moving to South Carolina and I'm looking for jobs in Chicago.

Augger

August 25th, 2009 at 12:57 PM ^

Bleedin, I think you may be out of luck for some time. U-M wanted to cut down on people using other people's tickets and people who werent the original ticket holder getting season tickets using someone else's name. So a few years ago they basically audited everyone who had season tickets to make sure the person using the tickets was the person receiving the tickets, while at the same time having an amnesty so if you wanted to change the names on ticket you could, for a fairly large fee. I think I paid $500 to get my two changed officially into my name.

Because they just did this a few years ago, I would imagine it will probably be some time before they allow this again. Though you never know...

Aug '95

jmblue

August 25th, 2009 at 2:30 PM ^

If you want to upgrade your seats, just request it from the ticket department. Put a note in when you're paying for your tickets. I did that for several years and now have the best possible seats in my (non-)donation range.

Blazefire

August 25th, 2009 at 9:15 AM ^

You, sir, can go away. If you're so freakin' 'cool' that you can't appreciate somebody acting like a fool for the love of the team, then we don't want you.

I do the same damn thing at Toledo games (my alma). I wear a flag as a cape, helmet, the works. Michigan is my first love, but I've never had the guts to do it somewhere where I can't sit in the student section with 10,000 other crazies.

Wolverine96

August 25th, 2009 at 9:43 AM ^

The appropriate thing would be to let this die a quiet death, but I am bored at work so I will continue this against better judgement.

Coolness aside, I am all for people acting the fool to support their team, but contrived and worn out acts are tiresome and annoying. It is the same reason I would love to see the painted spartan guy (can't remember his name) get hit by a train.

Take it from many personal experiences and interactions with him, as I was in school the same time as Stupidfan, he is a tool.

Blazefire

August 25th, 2009 at 9:51 AM ^

I don't care enough to have a hairball fight. But getting down on someone for being inspired about what they like, even a football team, is what's really tiresome.

Right now, I have visions of you in black at a game, rolling your eyes while everyone else has fun doing the wave.

Augger

August 25th, 2009 at 12:27 PM ^

That's Johnny Spirit...Drew and Mike on Detroit Radio used to talk to him once in a while. It was sort of sad, his mom painted him and he was living in her basement, he rode his bike to many of the State events, was my memory. Overall the guy just came off as creepy as hell. I think there is a large yawning gulf between someone like Johnny who even state folks will admit is creepy, and the Superfan who is someone who just wants to get his section fired up at games...

Aug

saveferris

August 25th, 2009 at 12:57 PM ^

I think there are degrees of fan foolishness

Average M fan wearing maize Mgoshirt and cheering madly. Excellent.

20 year old student dressing up as Michigan Batman. Silly but fun.

Johnny Spirit. Ehhh, a little creepy.

40 something man dressed up as Buckeye Road Warrior (a la Laurinaitis). Noooooo.

Bleedin9Blue

August 25th, 2009 at 11:01 AM ^

You obviously haven't been keeping up with recent events in Batman's life over the past year, Batman is now Dick Grayson.

But I believe that there are plans to give Bruce Wayne a black power ring and make him one of the undead Black Lanterns. Batman with a power ring... only Barwis can save us now.

Blazefire

August 25th, 2009 at 11:05 AM ^

I don't read comics much, but I do love Batman. In ways I can't even BEGIN to guess, I'm going to put that Joker will, in some way, be involved in the Resurrection of Bruce Wayne. It's just not the same for him battling with Batman if Batman isn't Batman.

FabFiver5

August 25th, 2009 at 11:23 AM ^

His name is Jay Trzcinski and is from Midland, MI. He graduated in 2008 from U-M and is now an 8th-grade science teacher in Atlanta.

My fondest memory of Hot Dog Man was at the Northwestern game in Evanston in 2007. Myself and a couple friends were sitting in the corner of the end zone, the opposite side of the M student section. HDM bought some dogs and came our way towards another small section of Michigan fans. No one knew what was about to happen, but as he neared, I yelled, "Hot Dog Man, LAUNCH THAT SHIT!" as loud as I could and everyone turned their heads in puzzlement at me.

He then proceeded to do what he did best. Not sure if he got kicked out of Dyke Stadium/Ryan Field on that glorious day.

BiSB

August 25th, 2009 at 11:45 AM ^

...For the Midland, MI shout-out. Chemic Pride, a very special tradition.

Fun fact: Phil Brabbs was the kicker who beat Washington on a 40-something yarder on the last play of the game in the season opener in 2002. Phil was a Midland product.

jimmyh

August 25th, 2009 at 5:28 PM ^

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The Joker

August 25th, 2009 at 7:21 PM ^

See, this is how crazy Michigan Batman's made Mgoboard! If you want order on Mgoboard, Michigan Batman must stop hiding behind his avatar and turn himself in. Oh, and every day he doesn't, threads will die, starting tonight. I'm a man of my word.