Paul Buchannan is just a regular guy. He’s an assistant principal at an all-Pre-k school in Charlotte, has a loving family that he cannot get enough of and works at Little Caesars for “a little bit of extra spending money.” But when Buchannan makes his way down to Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium for a Charlotte 49er baseball game, he’s a completely different man.
“Give ‘em a ride, uh-huh! What it is, uh-huh!”
Buchannan has been dubbed as the “uh-huh guy” by the Charlotte faithful and has been making his mark on Charlotte athletic events for nearly five years. Buchannan started using the phrase in the spring of 2005 when he began cheering for the Kannapolis Intimidators, a single-A White Sox affiliated minor league baseball team.
Buchannan didn’t feel like simply yelling for the team was enough and felt like he needed to add an exclamation point onto the end of his phrases. According to Buchannan, uh-huh is defined as, yes, Paul Buchannan’s spirited expression of life and to express agreement or positive affirmation.
“People say, ‘What does uh-huh mean?’ and what do I mean by it,” Buchannan said of his catchphrase. “All it means is yes, and you won’t find it in the dictionary because it’s hyphenated.”
“I even have a theme song,” Buchannan said. “That’s the way, uh-huh uh-huh I like it, uh-huh uh-huh.” (KC & The Sunshine Band)
During the construction of the newly-built Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium, the 49ers spent some time playing at the Intimidators’ Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium and were taking on Virginia Tech when Buchannan stumbled upon them. Right away, Buchannan was hooked and became a member of Niner Nation.
“This is an awesome place, and every one of these students should take advantage of every minute of every day, 24/7,” Buchannan said.
Now, Charlotte’s stadium has a unique aspect that can’t be found in any other college stadium and uh-huh’s catchphrase can be heard at just about any home game.
“Uh-Huh is the epitome of a die-hard fan. He doesn't swear or use degrading remarks. He just does his duty as a fan by getting into the heads of the other team's players,” 49er baseball fan Ed Niser said of Buchannan. “He does it all with a smile...heck if he likes you he will give you an official Uh-Huh T-Shirt.”
Buchannan’s catchphrase isn’t the only thing that makes him stand out. He also makes a plethora of signs with different phrases on them.
“I usually like to carry a sign or two. Like last night, I carried six signs because I couldn’t decide what I wanted to carry,” Buchannan said of his routine. “It takes me about 15 or 20 minutes to make one and I’ve probably given 50 away. I probably have around a dozen now.”
Buchannan’s signs and phrases aren’t his only trademark act. He also streaks out of the ballpark on every foul ball so as to retrieve it for the team. His signature moment when retrieving balls came last season in Chapel Hill when Charlotte played UNC, a 2-1 Charlotte victory. All three runs scored in the game were via home run, and of course, Buchannan retrieved every one of them.
“All three runs were solo home-runs—two by our DH (Designated Hitter), Ryan (Rio) Rivers, and one by Carolina's DH, Tarron Robinson,” Buchannan said in an e-mail. “I went out during the game and retrieved all three homerun balls, giving the three balls to the players that hit them at the end of the game. That will never happen again—three homerun balls in one college game retrieved by one guy, the uh-huh guy.”
One thing about Buchannan’s antics that stands out to most is his ability to be passionate about the team and at the same time, bring a fun, family atmosphere to the ballpark. Buchannan doesn’t use profanity and doesn’t degrade the other team’s players. He’s just passionate.
“I like him because well you know, kids love him so he brings a good kind of family environment,” Niner Nation Gold president Ben Bowers said. “But then the students appreciate him because he’s really fun to watch, and he’s into it.”
Buchannan’s main sport is baseball, but he makes it to as many basketball games as his two jobs allow. At basketball games, Buchannan is as enthusiastic if not more than when he’s cheering on the Niner baseball team.
“I think he’s awesome. He’s passionate. You know, we don’t have a lot of people alumni age that are that outspoken,” Bowers said. “Baseball games are one thing, but then to see him showing up dressed up in a green man suit at basketball games are pretty cool.”
Paul Buchannan loves baseball, basketball and the Charlotte 49ers. And for him, being the uh-huh guy just gives him the channel to be as loud and as passionate about his team as he wants. For Buchannan being the uh-huh guy, there isn’t an end in sight.
“I love baseball, and I love basketball. I reckon I’ll be the uh-huh guy as long as I live.”
-- Josh Carpenter
No comments:
Post a Comment