Ramator Named Rams Fan of the Year
It is no coincidence that the night that the Ramator was officially recognized as the fearless protector SoFi stadium and leader of all Rams fans across the galaxy was the same night that the broken and beleaguered Rams team mustered the courage to overcome a six-point deficit with just one minute and 45 seconds left on the clock and 98 yards between them and victory.
The Ramator had his work cut out for him. Rams fans had not seen a victory since October 16th and his jurisdiction had been invaded by a familiar and formidable force of Raiders fans.
But the Ramator was not deterred and did not waiver from his duty though out this game. The team did their job and so did the Ramator. He kept the Rams fans cheering and in their seats.
“It’s like a marriage. For better or for worse, I am a Rams fan.” Ramators mild-mannered alter ego, Gus Obregon said of the Rams tough stretch. He went on to thank the players for their perseverance through injuries that have derailed their attempt to repeat as Super Bowl Champions.
This is one of the reasons Captain Morgan and the NFL named Gus Obregon Rams Fan of the Year. For the last two seasons, Captain Morgan has collaborated with the NFL to honor fans across the league because they believe that fans truly are the heartbeat of the sport. To do this, the county’s leading spiced rum brand has sponsored the NFL Fan of the Year contest.
This year they are going above and beyond to recognize the winners in the form of a life-size statue of their likeness. Gus has been immortalized like the very best athletes and top coaches have and the kicker is he gets to display it in a place of his choosing. When I asked him where the statue would reside, he gave the most football fan answer, “Oh this is going in my man cave.” Gus will also be featured in a full-page spread in the February issue of Sports Illustrated.
In his Fan of the Year highlight on NFL.com Gus said that the inspiration for the Ramator came from a desire to inspire fans to keep cheering for the Royal and Sol in the face of adversity. As he puts it, “..the silent needed a voice to cheer, the doubters needed faith to stand, the weak needed strength to fight, and we needed new fans to rise from the ashes.”
During my short interview with Gus, it is evident that Obregon wants to stand up for and be a voice for the little guy. And his biggest inspiration may be a very particular ‘little guy’ in Gus’ life. His grandson lives with Autism and is also losing some of his eyesight. Autism is unusually common among blind people.
When Gus was developing the character of Ramator he wanted the suit to be bright so his grandson could see him and he wanted to use blue. Not just because it’s a prominent color in the Rams color scheme, but blue is the official color used to show solidarity with people who are on the spectrum and their families. April is Autism awareness month and people are encouraged to wear blue during the month. Gus also works with the Autism Society of Los Angeles.
Another way Obregon looks out for the little guy is with his work in the Stop Bullying Movement. Which is the focus of the Elite Super Fans club. Obregon has recruited over a dozen Rams fans to get involved to end bullying. Fellow ESF member, Power Raider, AKA Steve Trevilla, was in attendance at Ramator’s statue reveal. The two are rivals in fandom but friends in real life, bonded by football and the cause of ending bullying.
On the field, Baker Mayfield did what seemed impossible. He landed in LA 40 hours before leading the team on a last-minute touchdown drive resulting in a 17-16 victory. Games like Thursday nights are what makes being a sports fan special. As fans, we get to observe the overcoming of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Sure, its a just a silly game, but in a small way it proves to us that we too can overcome the insurmountable.
It also proves that superheroes can exist, whether that’s Baker in the pocket or the Ramator in the stands, or Gus working to create a better life for those with Autism.
If you want to meet Ramator, he can be found at Rams home games tailgates with his crew, the Rams World Order, and be sure to vote for Gus to be named the NFL Fan of the Year.