What was thought to be just an exclusive on-field, sideline viewing of the Jabbawockeez halftime performance for the Rams' Week 8 home game against the 49ers turned into quite the surprise for Gus Obregon.
As the field was being set for the Jabbawockeez to arrive, DJ Mal-Ski – the Rams' gameday DJ – told the group to hold on a minute since there was a super fan on the field. That fan was Obregon – known as the "Guardian of SoFi Stadium, the Galactic superhero of the Los Angeles Rams, the predator on the hunt to seek out the resistance, to isolate the intruders that show up on gameday with a mission to disrupt" – whom Rams gameday host Camryn Irwin announced to the entire stadium as the team's 2022 Captain Morgan Fan of the Year.
As Irwin made the announcement, a Jabbawockee handed Obregon his giant Super Bowl LVII ticket, and another Jabbawockee handed his son Matthew the custom Rams jersey with "Fan of the Year" on the back.
The surprise was pulled off by Gus' season ticket rep personally reaching out to state that he and a plus-one were selected for that viewing experience of the Jabbawockeez halftime performance on Oct. 30. The team was in communication with Matthew to let him know beforehand what it had planned and if it should know anything ahead of time. Matthew was ecstatic and so happy for his dad, who naturally had his elaborate costume on for the moment. Gus and his took some memorable photos on the field with the Jabbawockeez, then walked off the field to the crowd applauding Gus for his recognition.
Since the 1970s, Gus's passion for professional football and love for the Rams was born while watching high-stakes games at family reunions. Witnessing Jack Youngblood, Lawrence McCutcheon, and James "Shack" Harris on the 1975 Rams formed an inseparable bond between Gus and his favorite team.
Gus's superhero character came to life in 2021, when he noticed that the Rams fan base needed a new spark of energy and something to be excited about if the team was not playing so well on-field. Gus understood that Rams fans needed a fearless leader and spirited representation in and outside of SoFi Stadium, where "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."
"The Guardian of SoFi Stadium" is more than just a heroic symbol for the fan base, though, because of his involvement in the Autism Society of Los Angeles and commitment to the Elite Super Fans club after being appointed to the club's board.
The Autism Society of Los Angeles' mission is to empower individuals with autism and other disabilities, their families and professionals through education, advocacy and support in the community to ensure an equitable quality of life for all.
Elite Super Fans' mission is to promote unity of all fans, encourage sportsmanship, and to stop all forms of bullying with chapters across all 32 NFL teams. Membership and leadership within the organization helps to provide support for the poor, children, elderly, and veterans' causes.
Gus's own achievements within Elite Super Fans consist of raising funds and support for various forms of bullying, from burned victims to physical violence. Within SoFi Stadium, he successfully signed up nearly a dozen fans that are currently involved in the Stop Bullying Movement. Additionally, Gus was nominated to the Elite Super Fans Hall of Fame.
Gus sticks up for the little guy and is welcoming to all fans at his Elite Super Fans tailgate, Rams fans and opponents alike, all while making a true impact in his community.
He will be further profiled in a December Sports Illustrated feature, along with the other 31 NFL teams' Fans of the Year, and be attending Rams events in the coming seasons and years.
