Joe Cavaleri waves to the fans after leading cheers at McKale Center for the final time. Photo by Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Cavaleri blew kisses to the crowd as he walked off the McKale Center court as the Ooh Aah Man for the final time.

Cavaleri, a Tucson tradition for 34 years, retired from his superfan duties Saturday after performing in the second half of the Arizona Wildcats’ 73-58 victory over Arizona State.

The university honored him at halftime — it was such a big deal that UA president Ann Weaver Hart was there — and presented him with gifts. A tribute was played on the video board (you can watch the video below).

I asked Arizona coach Sean Miller about the Ooh Aah Man last week.

“There are so many great traditions in McKale, and he’s one of them,” Miller said.

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The Ooh Aah Man leads cheers during Arizona’s game against Long Beach State in November. Photo by Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Cavaleri is uniquely UA.

Just the mere mention of the Ooh Aah Man is enough to bring a smile to your face.

Out of all the traditions in all of college sports, there has been only one of him, only one Ooh Aah Man, a guy who stands at midcourt of a basketball game during a second-half timeout, starts stripping off items of clothing and leading the fans in cheers.

It makes no sense.

And yet we’ve loved it.

Tucson has loved it for 34 years, since Cavaleri, fresh from a wedding reception and wearing a tuxedo, started leading a cheer from the stands of an Arizona baseball game in 1979. The Wildcats rallied to win that game. He came back for another game and led the cheer again: “Ooh aah, sock it to ‘em, Wildcats.”

It stuck. It all serendipitously stuck.

He started to be recognized at events, becoming the Ooh Aah Man and bringing his decibel-raising moves to McKale Center, starting with the days of coach Fred Snowden, through the Lute Olson glory years and all the way to Saturday afternoon. That will be his swan song.

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