His backround in auto body repair led him to the ice pavilion to care for the zamboni. But his modeling job for a tuxedo rental shop gave him his current identity as the infamous "zamboni man."

Brian Hassinger, the jolly man in the tuxedo who rides high atop the zamboni, has turned a normally bland job into a performance. He adds to the overall flashiness and hoopla of the hockey games by getting the crowd psyched even when the Icers are off the ice.

Hassinger said it was a tradition at every home opener for the zamboni operator to wear a tux. And when he started night shift at the ice rink two and a half years ago, the staff asked him if he would also wear one.

Hassinger gladly agreed and eventually was being sponsored by Towne Gentlemen, 110 E. College Ave., because the shop "liked what he was doing."

The fans like what he's doing too. When Hassinger drives by on the zamboni, many fans jump up to greet him and reach over the glass to shake his hand and cheer him on.

Marc Montgomery (freshman-division of undergraduate studies), who has shaken hands with Hassinger, said he's never seen a zamboni man in a tux but feels that it goes with the character of the game.

"He's a really friendly guy -- he always sticks his hand out first," Montgomery said.

Hassinger is impressed with students who take time out from schoolwork and spend money to go to the hockey games. He believes it is his job to make students "feel at home" and enjoy themselves at the game.

"If you can just make them smile," Hassinger said of the students. "You want them to come back, you want them to smile and have a good time -- maybe forget their cares for awhile."

And the students and fans really appreciate his freindly character.

"He's a really nice guy -- he's not like some of the other grumps," Jon Georgopulos (sophomore-graphic arts) said. "I say hi to him when I see him off the ice."

Hassinger, who appropriately sports the license plate "zam man," has had many off-the-ice encounters because of his unusual position.

Once, while in Daytona, Hassinger had pulled over on a busy strip. A group of guys came over and virtually attacked him, catching the attention of the police. As it ended up, they were Penn Staters on spring break.

"They were messing my hair up and yelling 'hey, you're the zamboni man, all right,' " Hassinger laughed.

Hassinger makes the most of his position because he says that if you can't enjoy a job, then you shouldn't be doing it.

"It's a family atmosphere in here -- the team, the management and the students are like one big happy family," Hassinger said.