San Antonio Dragons and San Antonio Iguanas 1997 - 2002
The character most people have come to know as "FLAGMAN" (aka "IGUANA GUY", "JASON", "MIL MASCARAS", "MR. EXTREME", or "CAPTAIN CAVEMAN") was born during the 1996-97 San Antonio Dragons hockey season. Always having been one of those fans that always seems to be the center of attention, it was during the Dragons' Inaugural season that John Gámez came into his own.
People often ask me why I do what I do. I tell them that I am a 43 year-old hyperactive child, or that I am terminally teen-aged, or that I have "Attention Deficit Syndrome" (I simply do not get enough attention), or because "They let me".
I became a fan of hockey when the Central Hockey League placed a team in the Alamo City for the 1994-95 season. I attended numerous San Antonio Iguanas games that first season. For the 1996-97 season, when Bruce Saurs moved his IHL Peoria Rivermen and transformed them into the San Antonio Dragons, I attended more of the Dragons than the Iguanas. It was at those games that I met the infamous "Gargoyles", a group of very loyal and vocal fans of the Dragons. The "Gargoyles were led by an assortment of characters which included brothers Scot and Mark Bailey, Bart Bustamante, and Steve Alagona. The "Gargoyles" always occupied the same seats in section 130 of the Freeman Colosseum.
I sat where ever I got tickets, either through purchase or by winning them from KZEP-FM radio. The music at the Freeman is loud and the action on the ice is raucous. I danced, I yelled, I cheered. The "Gargoyles" noticed me and asked me to join them in their section.
The "Gargoyles" cheered, yelled, chanted, and booed the loudest. I was drawn into their fold and added the needed visual presence that they lacked. I danced, and I strutted, I was in the zone!
The question of who used flags first has come up often. As far as I know, the "Gargoyles" and Iguanas' fan Steve "Captain Cool" Canto came up with the idea simultaneously. The "Gargoyles" used flags throughout the season and it was not until later in the season that I noticed that Steve also had a flag when I attended an Iguanas game later in the season.
At any rate, I made my own small Dragons flag in the middle of the season and was soon running along with the other Dragons' flag runners. My flag was stitched together out of two bandanas and adorned with a hand painted logo (as seen at the right).
It was during the summer between seasons that the "Flagman" character was born. I had the time of my life being in the spotlight, but being in it as myself was not enough.
The first step was to buy a Dragons jersey and affix the very distinctive #00. I like the number because it is not used very often. I was inspired in part by Houston Oilers great Ken Burroughs. I thought he looked so cool and distinctive in the Columbia blue #00 jersey. #00 was used rarely by athletes until the turn of the millennium. It seems that at that time the jersey numbers #0 and #00 came into vogue.
I have always been a huge KISS fan and I realized that I needed to create a character that was both larger-than-life and a recognizable part of hockey culture. That's when I got the idea to paint a goalie mask. This may be hard to believe, but finding a goalie mask in San Antonio is not an easy task. I had to settle for a cheap "Jason" type goalie mask from a costume shop. It took some experimenting, but I finally put a satisfactory paint job on the mask.
Then I needed a new, larger flag. I bought the required lengths of cloth. I then measured, cut, and hand sewed a 3'x4.5' Dragons version of the Texas flag. I also made a green battle streamer with "1996-97 IHL MIDWEST DIV CHAMPS" emblazoned upon it.
I rejoined the "Gargoyles" for the Dragons ill-fated second season with my embryonic "Mr. Extreme" character. The costume back then was very simple, a jersey, a mask and a flag.
During the course of that season, the disillusioned "Gargoyles" had some run ins with the Bexar County Sheriff's Department and ended up not being as involved as they once were. It didn't help that the Dragons were the perpetual cellar dwellers for the season. Spirits were so low that the "Gargoyles" often wore bags over their heads in shame. Because of legal problems the "Gargoyles" moved operations to a less noticeable section of the arena. I then took it upon myself to carry on the tradition and contrive a "one-man-show" of sorts.
It was not all fun and games however. in the 1997-98 season, the Iguanas suspended operations. Worse, many loyal Iggy fans boycotted the Dragons. Worse yet, the few Iguanas fans who bothered to show up for a game cheered for the opposition. In addition to that, I endured verbal abuse, objects thrown at me, water and beer spilled intentionally in my path by loyal Iguana fans. Like a trooper, I carried on!
The season ended miserably, but there were high hopes for next season. I then purchased a MYLEC Street Hockey mask and painted that one in anticipation for the coming campaign. I never got to wear that mask in public however.
Because of financial problems, the Dragons folded after the second season. Horn Chen assumed the role of St. George and slew the Dragon. He purchased the team and renamed them the Iguanas and returned San Antonio into the CHL fold.
The return of the Iguanas signaled an early retirement for "Flagman". I tried going by the name of "Mr. Extreme", but it never really caught on. Everyone called me "Jason", "Mil Mascaras",or simply "Flagman".
I sat out the Iguanas' returning season, but made almost every home game. The fans seemed happy to see "Captain Cool" do his spiel again. I kept busy in the flag business making flags for fans of the former WPHL Austin IceBats. When Austin and San Antonio were in the same league, it seemed odd to see my handy work being waved for the enemy!
For the Iguanas' second season back, I decided to make my own flag, the one I currently use. It is an Iguanas version of the flag of the City of San Antonio. I had planned to just wave it from the stands, but as luck would have it, I would end up needing it.
Early in the 1998-99 campaign, "Captain Cool" was injured. It had occurred to me to run, but I did not want to seem opportunistic and opted against it. A younger fan was quickly picked to replace him, but he injured himself on his second night. He remembered me from the Dragons days and asked me to run in his stead. I went for it!
I quickly found myself back in my old act. I found a new hockey mask and quickly painted it. I also ordered a new street hockey goalie mask from Mylec hockey supply. That one would be the permanent mask for the rest of the season. Once recovered, the replacement runner resumed his duties, but asked me to keep my act up. We then became co-runners.
I brought out my assortment of jerseys, many with #00 on them and went all out with my new gig. Iguanas' management liked my act so much, they arranged for me to get an authentic numbered jersey with the stipulation that I wear only Iguanas' gear. I complied and made management happy. "Captain Cool" later returned to his duties, but I stayed on in an "unofficial rabid fan" capacity.
Just when the Iguanas seemed to be making great strides in attendance, the rug was pulled out from under them. In a very curious deal, the Bexar county commissioner's Court gave the keys of the new SBC Center to San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt. Unable to buy the Iguanas from owner Dave Elmore, he simply barred them from playing in the Freeman Colosseum.
Iguanas ownership scrambled in vain to find a resonable venue for the 2002-03 season. It was decided that the best thing was to suspend operations and return in the 2003-04 season. Where does that leave "FLAGMAN"?
"Flagman" once again evolved and began wearing the colors of once hated rivals. He carried on the tradition, doing his thing briefly at Austin's Batcave, at Corpus Christi's Igloo. I later landed myself a place at the new Laredo Entertainment Center doing my thing for the CHL Laredo Bucks and the AF2 Laredo Law. Look for him there. For now, "Flagman's" future is where ever the winds may take him. Have make up, will travel.
The one thing that I try not to do, is make "Flagman" a static character. Every year I make a new mask. I then sometimes rotate the old ones from night to night. I also have an assortment of jerseys (many with #00). This includes eight (8) different Iguanas jerseys, A Dallas Stars Road, a 1999 NHL North American All-Star, a 2002 CHL All-Star, a Charlestown Chiefs road, a San Antonio Dragons road, a 2002 Team USA road, and two old Soviet replica jerseys, Laredo Bucks home, Corus Christi Ice Rays home, Austin Ice Bats road, and many others. Over the years, I have added black make up under the eyes, fake blood, and fake blacked out tooth and then finally adding colorful face make up. The costume evolves also. I have added black shorts and colored stockings to further the "hockey player" look. Protective pads and gloves have also been added as a safety precaution. Who knows what twist or addition I will come up with next time.
Being "Flagman" has it's advantages. I am sometimes bought beers and sodas. I sign autographs and get hugged by women. I am sometimes recognized in the mall or even just driving down the street. I would even get the occasional free ticket to an away game!
Laredo Bucks 2002 - Present
I shoulda kept a log of the mileage. All I know is that I have spent alot of time on the road! And what a road trip it has been!
It all started at the CHL's season opener in Corpus. It was good to be at a hockey game and it was REALLY good to be treated so well in a place where just a few months ago people were throwing beer cups at me. Well, I was wearing the "wrong" jersey at the time!
It was just a little odd at first. I was for the first time wearing their jersey, waving a new flag, and cheering for the team who a few months prior I was booing! I felt like I had been traded! But it was fun! OK, so I am a spotlight hog! I admit it! As chance would have it, it is here that I would run into the staff of the Laredo Bucks. It was their first game ever and they needed a gimmick to help draw the fans and keep them coming to the new arena in Laredo. So now you can call me "Mr. Gimmick". I would now be traveling to Laredo!
A couple of nights later I was in Austin, wearing another new jersey and waving yet another new flag. Doing the same stuff that I had been doing all along, just in another venue where previously I had been booed! Yet again, I run into the Bucks' staff, and this time the deal is sealed. I will be on the way to Laredo for their home opener.
I shuttled back and forth to Corpus and Austin for a while. The response from the Bats and the Rays fans was great! The one problem was the growing expense of staying in Corpus and the lack of cooperation from the Bats staff and ushers. Hard to do Flagman when the ushers keep telling you to sit down.
It soon came time to make the trip to Laredo. This should be an interesting experience to say the least. I arrived at the brand new Laredo Entertainment Center. At first I was a little disappointed with my contact man, Mario Mecaroni. I was there at 10 a.m. as expected, and he was nowhere to be found. As it turns out, he had been working till at least 3 a.m. that morning helping to get this new arena on line and ready for the game. In fact, last minute details were still being done at the time the first fans walked into their new arena!
Right from the beginning I got first class treatment. As soon as Mario showed up we got to work. I was briefed on what they hoped that I could do and they got me outfitted with a new jersey! They then booked a hotel for me. On opening weekend the Bucks roared into Laredo and the rest in legend.
I have since made several return trips to Laredo, where I not only raise hell in the stands, but I get to act up on the ice between periods, and even do the intros for each period up on the Jumbotron! Thanks Mario! You made me a star!
At the tail end of the season I made a return to Austin, where Flagman was warmly welcomed. It was a great way to end the season!
From 2004 on, I was an exclusive to the Laredo Bucks. The problem was that my job with the US Postal Service demanded more and more of my time.
It got to the point where appearances became a rare thing.
I missed out the 2008-09 season entirely.