Barrel Man passes the torch

Who will be the next Broncos super fan?

While the first half of the Broncos/Browns game might have made for a somber party on Nov. 7, once Metromix kicked off its "Super Fan" competition at Jackson's Sports Rock a flame was lit under Denver's tuckus and the night ended in triumph.

A stiff contest under the watchful eye of Broncos uber-fan Barrel Man, the iconic figure weeded the fair-weather fan from the hardcore. And after a beer chugging round and Broncos trivia segment, the title of booster of the future (along with a pair of Invesco tickets on the 50 yard line and a Metromix iPod shuffle) was bestowed upon Thomas Van De Bogart, 23, who proved he bled orange and blue.

"I know a lot about the Broncos," Van De Bogart conceded. "The fans are crucial. The altitude and the fan noise make Denver a tough place to play." Born and bred on the Broncos, the Denver native credited his mom for his fandom and said she would be the first person invited to join him at the upcoming Raiders game. If not, he'll throw a fan competition of his own.

Along with Van De Bogart, the competition was made up of Jeromy Merideth, Chris Pierson, Shaun DeJong and Matt Weist.