THE WRITING ON (AND OFF) THE WALL NO `MURDER' MYSTERY: ZUPAN IS HELL ON WHEELS.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH

In shaking Mark Zupan's hand, the grip is stiff, understandably, but also very firm, not surprisingly.

As the dog-pound poster boy of Team America in the demolition derby sport of quadriplegic rugby - otherwise known by those who play it as ``murderball'' - Zupan has a rep to protect despite whatever shortcomings an able-bodied person might project onto him.

His short hair, orange billygoat chin patch, bold tattoos and all the four-letter words that come spitting out of his mouth will quickly make anyone forget that while here's an athlete at the top of his game, he also happens to be permanently wedged in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

``Don't be scared of us,'' the 30-year-old from Austin, Texas, says. ``We're not fragile.''

After watching the documentary called ``Murderball'' that becomes incredibly obvious. Since January, when the film on the sport by Dana Shapiro and Henry Rubin created a buzz at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Audience Award, Zupan's celebrity has magnified. He can't wheel into a gym to workout without someone recognizing him, and more attention will come this week when the film hits theatres in both L.A. and New York, and probably even more next year when it's up for Oscar consideration.

The film, which intensely follows the U.S. quad rugby team for two years leading up to the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, has given Zupan the opportunity to alter the perceptions of wheelchair athletics, almost to a point of glamorizing them.

The term quadriplegic, for example, means someone has different degrees of limited use in their arms and legs. Paraplegics are affected in just their legs. It's such a common mistake that after a review of ``Murderball'' appeared in the New York Times, the newspaper had to run a correction because an editor changed all references from quadriplegic to paraplegic since some of the players use their hands.

``It's not like we're Christopher Reeve,'' Zupan says, referring to the late actor who was paralyzed in a horse riding accident. ``I was having an argument with a nurse at a hospital about this. She called me a paraplegic. `But you can move your arms?' I said, `no (bleep).''' Another major misconception is that just because these were once your obnoxious, daredevil pals from high school who used to jump off roofs or get thrown off balconies during wrestling matches, their mental makeup doesn't necessarily change because they've had spinal fusion and had to learn how to eat, dress themselves and, yes, have sexual relations, all over again.

``These guys didn't break their necks in libraries,'' says Shapiro, the co-director and co-producer of ``Murderball.'' ``They didn't worry about their bodies when they used to be major risk-takers, and they don't really now.''

Zupan's athletic career would have probably ended in college, where he played soccer at Florida Atlantic University. It was after a victory when he joined some friends to get plastered at the local bar. Zupan passed out in the bed of his best friend's truck. The drunken friend, who drove off without knowing Zupan was there, spun out on the freeway, throwing Zupan over trees and into a canal where he held onto a tree branch for 14 hours waiting to be rescued.

After rehabilitation and refocusing, Zupan pursued an engineering degree from Georgia Tech, got hooked on quad rugby, joined a club team, moved to Texas and made the U.S. national squad. He's pointed toward the 2008 Paralympics in China.

``It's very strange how things happen,'' Zupan said. ``Without this chair, I wouldn't have gone to Australia, or New Zealand or the Olympics. I wouldn't have won a gold medal without this chair.''

Or, attracted the attention of Reebok, which added him to its ``I Am What I Am'' campaign. While in L.A. to promote ``Murderball'' last week, Zupan even taped a future episode of MTV's ``Jackass,'' competing in something called ``wheelchair long jump,'' where Johnny Knoxville pushes him off a ramp and into a swimming pool to see how far he can fly.

``I've done more in this chair than when I was an able body,'' Zupan remarks in the movie.

Still, his future appears to be in pretty good hands.

MURDERBALLAT A GLANCE

The game: Two teams of four quadriplegic wheelchair athletes to a side, played with a regulation volleyball on a standard basketball court, in four eight-minute periods. The object,as in standard rugby, is to move the ball across the goal line, this time between two cones with both wheels crossing, to score one point. Like hockey, there is a penalty box for those who commit rule violations such as holding, spinning another person's chair, charging and pushing.

The chairs: Two big wheels protected with aluminum on the sides, two smaller wheels in front and an anti-tip device on the back. A bumper rings around the chair as well.

The players: Since those who play have varying degree of spinal injuries and paralysis, each is assigned a number between 0.5 and 3.5. Those with the most mobility are given the highest numbers and are the ones who carry the ball. Those with the lower numbers are often in bigger chairs and serve as blockers. A four-person team cannot exceed eight points on the court at one time. Mark Zupan has a 3.0 rating.

The rules: Teams have 10 seconds to bring a ball in bounds, 15 seconds to bring it past halfcourt and players must either dribble or pass every 10 seconds.

Safety guidelines: According to the official rules: ``Although Wheelchair Rugby is a contact sport, it is clear that all types of contact cannot be permitted under all situations. ... recklessness can not be excused in the name of legal, aggressive play (but) no one playing the game should be faced with the situation where most contact is discouraged in the name of safety.''

The history: Started in Canada in the 1970s, it has grown to 36 countries fielding national teams and more than 500 players worldwide.

Quote: On what attracted Zupan to the sport: ``Definitely the contact. Where else can you hit someone as hard as we do?''

More information: The U.S. Quad Rugby Association Website: www.quadrugby.com/toc.htm.

CAPTION(S):

6 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) Paralympic rugby captain Mark Zupan is featured in the documentary ``Murderball,'' which opens in theatres on Friday.

Jack Rowand/THINKFilm

(2) Russian President Vladimir Putin

Alexander Zamlianichenko/Associated Press

(3) ANDY RODDICK

(4) MITCH KUPCHAK

(5) KENNY ROGERS

(6) - Shaquille O'Neal, who received an MBA from the University of Phoenix last weekend during a ceremony at the Forum. Next, the Miami Heat center says he'll pursue a degree in criminal justice.

Box:

(1) SUNDAY PUNCH

- Tom Hoffarth

- Rich Hammond

(2) MURDERBALL AT A GLANCE (see text)