The man behind the mask

That's OK as far as Holzhausen is concerned, for he has earned his notoriety under a more user-friendly title.

Superfan.

You've seen him at Michigan football and basketball games donned in his now-patented blue cape and mask. You might have also seen him incognito, so to speak (dressed in normal clothes, that is, if a Hawaiian shirt in the middle of February is normal by your standards), at Yost Ice Arena for Michigan hockey games.

Alan Goldenbach The Bronx Bomber

When Holzhausen arrived in Ann Arbor in the fall of 1992, from nearby Chelsea, there was no character like himself. So he began the legend of Superfan behind the inspiration of another Michigan legend: former Michigan football play-by-play man Bob Ufer. Ufer was notorious for being anything but an objective journalist, which earned him criticism from some people. But Holzhausen admired Ufer's refusal to conform to the norm.

"He said things that people said he shouldn't," Holzhausen said. "People said that he couldn't show his spirit on his job. But he did, and if he can do that, then I know that I can. All I want to do is show my spirit. I grew up loving Michigan and I can't help the way I feel."

With no predecessor to which he can compare himself, he built his image gradually over the years.

"My freshman year, I just wore an 'M' flag around my back," Holzhausen said. "Then the next year, someone made it into a cape for me. I started wearing the mask my junior year."

And of course there are his props: an 'M' flag that he waves proudly during play stoppages, a Michigan cheerleading cone (is that the word for that thing?) which gives his taunts an added boom, and the cow bell, which he bangs to generate a strong "Go Blue!" chant when the crowd appears dead.

But there is plenty of, well, behind-the-scenes work that Superfan does, of which many of us are unaware.

In fact, the Athletic Department has called on Holzhausen's counsel.

"A couple of times Steve Fisher's office called me about how to get the crowd more active," he said. Brian "Ellerbe's staff has done it also."

He also acts as an unofficial employee of the Admissions Department.

"Before football games, I'll go over to where the recruits are sitting and give them a speech," he said. "I tell them that there's no school that combines academics and athletics like Michigan. There shouldn't even be a choice in the matter."

We also can't neglect to mention his knack for promoting good public relations. Little kids - and parents as well - frequently come up to him asking for autographs and take pictures with the man in blue. This is one of the many reasons why Holzhausen does not drink at events or while in costume. He does not consider himself obnoxious, and he keeps his language within the PG, well, maybe the PG-13 vernacular.

Last, but not least, like any good superhero, he is a protector of his people. Holzhausen recalls a rescue effort he made during Michigan's 28-0 victory over Ohio State in 1993, when his Buckeye counterpart, Brutus the Buckeye, made an unwelcome appearance in the student section of Michigan Stadium.

"He was coming down hard on our cheerleaders and our student section," Holzhausen said. "So I started giving him hell right back at him. Then someone hit him with a marshmallow and he thought I did it, so he took a swing at me."

While it seems as if there's nothing wrong with what Holzhausen does other than expressing an unusually high level of enthusiasm, there are some members of the student body who think that he goes too far, that he overdoes his shtick.

"I couldn't care one way or another what people think of me," said Holzhausen. "It's who I am. I have a lot of spirit."

But students cannot carve out a career in college sports, and Superfan is no different. Holzhausen is graduating in May and needs to find a successor.

"I want to pass it on," he said. "In the past year, I've had 200-300 kids come up to me at games or e-mail me saying they want to do it."

Now, crunch time is approaching and Holzhausen needs to examine his candidates. Besides, he'd like to help his successor get fitted for the next Superfan attire.

"I'm keeping my outfit," Holzhausen said, "but I'd like to help the new one pick out the costume."

- Jeff (Superfan) Holzhausen is looking for his replacement. You can reach him via e-mail at holzie@umich.edu Alan Goldenbach, although not a candidate to be the next Superfan, can be reached at agold@umich.edu.

02-16-98