Revenge of the Birds
Yeah, you’ve seen him. In fact, you probably have a photo of yourself with him on your phone if you have been to an Arizona Cardinals home game.
He is called “The Ultimate Birdgang Warrior,” and he represents the true fandom of the Cardinals.
LINK: ULTIMATE BIRDGANG WARRIOR FACEBOOK PAGE
The Arizona Superfan is on full display for the love of his team. On game day, he is the Superfan they call the “Ultimate Birdgang Warrior.” Every other day of the week, he is Eric Tarin, age 37, a father of one daughter, Isabella, and a married man to Christina. The couple lives in Tucson, Arizona, and Tarin works as a plumber.
The trek from Tucson on game days for the couple takes about two hours one way. The Tarins get up around 3:00 am to begin their game day, regardless of kickoff time. They own season tickets in Section 103, but it hasn’t always been good seats in the lower bowl. Tarin’s first season ticket journey began in Section 403, where the game is mostly watched on the Jumbotron rather than seen live on the field.
His character is decked out in Cardinals’ gear and memorabilia. There is one for Pat Tillman, who was passionate about the Cardinals and about the American way of life. Come to find out, Tarin shares a birthday with Tillman.
Tarin’s favorite Cardinals growing up were LB Karlos Dansby and S Adrian Wilson.
He grew up without a father, and his mother was in and out of his life. Tarin’s grandparents raised him until his grandfather became too ill to take care of him. So, he ended up a child of the State of Arizona at the age of 13 in Safford, Arizona. From there, he was sent to Sierra Vista to a boy’s home called Mary’s Mission for Boys.
Not all of his family history has a gloomy story. His great, great, great, grandfather did trade with Geronimo, the Apache warrior, and also homesteaded land from Arizona to New Mexico.
Now, Tarin is a Cardinals Superfan. He takes the attention of his character, and with his childhood memories, he offers children that he meets the message that life can indeed be good, and go out and make your own way. Nobody can choose their parents, but life as an adult can be successful with your own effort and hard work.
Not a lot of fans have the desire to apply body paint every game, dress up, attach trinkets and mementos to their body, and cheer the daylights for a team that hasn’t exactly been a playoff mainstay. It takes a ton of dedication to their character and to the Cardinals organization. Add to that the cost of season tickets and travel expenses.
Revenge of the Birds’ Barry Shuck sat down with the “Ultimate Birdgang Warrior” to find out some Pat Tillman tidbits, how he got his character moniker, and who his favorite players are on this year’s roster.
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