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Confetti coated the floor at the Coors Events Center one night last week as screaming fans covered in body paint cheered on their Buffs from the front row of the student section.
It was a typical night at the University of Colorado's basketball arena, with spirited students watching the men's team fight for victory. But as the buzzer marked another win for the Buffaloes, the game somehow seemed unfinished.
Something was missing. Make that someone.
Gold Man -- an unidentified fan who dresses head-to-toe in a gold-colored, skintight body stocking and dances flamboyantly in the stands during Buffs' basketball games -- has vanished, according to CU officials and students.
"He's mysterious, like Spider-Man," said Tom McGann, CU's director game management and operations. "He's your friendly neighborhood Gold Man."
While several students reported sightings of Gold Man at a few games early in the season, they said he hasn't been seen since -- and rumors were spreading about his disappearance at last week's game against Nebraska.
"I heard he got banned from the games after he rubbed a ref on the head," CU junior Erich Pomrening said. "Supposedly he isn't allowed in the building anymore and they have pictures of him in the suit at the doors to make sure he can't get in."
CU's McGann confirmed that Gold Man was asked to leave a game last season -- but for coming on to the court and taunting, not touching, a referee.
"He is welcome to come to any games -- in full costume," McGann said. "He has to stay in the stands, but is not banned from any future games."
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Coors Events Center, CU campus, Boulder
Tickets: SOLD OUT
TV: ESPN2
Yet other than the gold body stocking, not much is known about Gold Man -- including his identity.
McGann, who personally dealt with Gold Man during the so-called "ref incident," said Gold Man was a CU student last year, but added he's not sure of his name, year or major.
Students interviewed at last week's Nebraska game said Gold Man made his debut at Coors mid-season last year -- but they said they could not remember which game. Based on previous sightings, students said he's tall -- maybe 6 feet -- and weighs somewhere under 200 pounds. One student claimed to have caught a glimpse of Gold Man's brown hair after seeing the mysterious fan briefly take off his mask.
McGann confirmed that Gold Man is not affiliated with CU's athletic department in any way. He has danced with official CU mascot Chip at least once; footage of Gold Man can be seen in the video CU submitted to the 2010 Universal Cheerleading Associations Mascot Competition, which Chip won last month for the second straight year.
Adding to the mystery, security guards at last week's game -- who said they couldn't speak on the record -- said Gold Man has attended several games this season without his form-fitting costume. They said he sits about midway up the stands, near the aisle, in the student section and watches quietly, blending in with the crowd -- except for an occasional "goofy hat or less flashy costume."
Masked or not, Gold Man wasn't seen at the Jan. 27 game against Nebraska. But with CU taking on No. 1-ranked Kansas at a sold-out game on Wednesday night, fans are left wondering: Will the Gold Man make an appearance? And just who is that masked man?
