#AWFanfest14 Highlights, Pics, Video & Comments

[Chuck]

Here are some highlights (pictures coming) of the weekend's festivities.

 

• We had 50+ show up at our unofficial informal Friday night dinner at Alice Cooperstown. What a great time, including a live band that played some great tunes as a bonus for us.

 

• Saturday night we had 230 in attendance. The most we've had at an event to date. The most impressive part, we had so many new people show up. Tons from Twitter. Most of our regulars who generally show up were MIA this spring, but it allowed for new friendships to be formed. That to me was huge! What this is all about.

 

• Our guest speakers and those in attendance were: Hector Santiago, Kole Calhoun, Jerry Dipoto, Sarah Colonna and from the round table segment Mike DiGiovanna, Jeff Fletcher, Jose Mota and Terry Smith. Prospects: Taylor Lindsey, Michael Morin and Mark Sappington. Author Rob Goldman was in attendance.

 

• Steel Morris from the OC Miracle League and Dave Smith & Jeff McKee from the Angels RBI each came up to speak about their charities for 5-10 minutes each. They had tables and brochures for those to learn more throughout the night. We raffled off some incredible items from Lululemon, Nike Golf and others and raised several thousand dollars for both --- including $500 to each charity from Lululemon. The amount of what was earned in total will be announced soon and a check cut to each charity.

 

 

• On stage interview sessions were incredible. Kole Calhoun & Hector Santiago were fantastic! You MUST watch the videos! Sarah Colonna and I kicked things off and her humor was a nice ice breaker to kick the night's festivities off. What can I say about the media round table session. Always my favorite segment. Another must watch! But the best one of the night was from the Angels GM Jerry Dipoto. Our main event! What an incredible speaker and one that bestowed a TON of knowledge on the state of the team, the prospects and items you have not yet read in the papers. Another must watch!

 

• The dinner was great. Well at least my BLACKEND Fish Tacos were. I heard good things about the food though. The service was great. The overall venue was amazing. Two bars, inside and outside the foyer.

 

• The early Sunday morning Dugout Talk with Tim Mead was and always will be my favorite time to conclude the weekend. It isn't the fame and glamor that Saturday night's event is with all of our special guests over the years, but it is an intimate time with Tim Mead as he stands on top of the dugout and provides us all a state of the Angels speech, followed by a Q&A session as we look upon Tempe Diablo field as the players filter in and take fielding practice and BP. If you missed it, you have to listen and watch the video Dave Saltzer took of Tim's talk.

 

All in all, it was yet another fun and successful event. I'm sad that it is over. I was so blessed that Bruce flew out to be with us and he with his brothers a day after he attended his wife's memorial service. May she rest in peace. I was equally blessed by the support the people who attended gave to both of our adopted charities.

 

For those of you who were in town and didn't show or couldn't make it out due to financial or other reasons, you missed out on an incredible time and an opportunity to give to two incredible charities. Our $40 ticket to our event was the best in town and biggest bang for your buck.

 

While the fans in attendance had a blast and were complimentary throughout the night, the Angels organization was super impressed yet again and they're looking forward to getting on board in a bigger capacity. That is exciting!

 

Watch the main forum & this thread for more pics, video interviews throughout the week.

[Capital_Dave]

The HaloFromVegas clan really enjoyed the events.  Just got home after today's game and a five hour drive.  

 

Jerry Dipoto's speech last night was typical for him: candid, highly articulate.  The tone he set -- pulling back the curtain, giving as straight an answer as he could -- was matched by Tim Mead and his candor this morning.

 

Reading between the lines, I took a few conclusions from Dipoto's and Mead's presentations: Buttercup's days are numbered at the Big A -- as are Joe Blanton's.  Both welcome developments!

 

Thank you to the entire Angelswin Board of Directors for a job well done.

[Chuck]

The HaloFromVegas clan really enjoyed the events. Just got home after today's game and a five hour drive.

Jerry Dipoto's speech last night was typical for him: candid, highly articulate. The tone he set -- pulling back the curtain, giving as straight an answer as he could -- was matched by Tim Mead and his candor this morning.

Reading between the lines, I took a few conclusions from Dipoto's and Mead's presentations: Buttercup's days are numbered at the Big A -- as are Joe Blanton's. Both welcome developments!

Thank you to the entire Angelswin Board of Directors for a job well done.

Good to see you and your family again David. So glad you had a great time. I loved your question to Dipoto.

[Chuck]

To all of you who posted comments in other threads, can you please copy and paste your posts into this one.

I'd like to get them all consolidated into this one, along with all the pics/videos I will post over the next few days.

[Brent Maguire]

I had a blast this weekend. It was my first time attending and I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

I was able to sit with the Cooley family at dinner which made it super fun and enjoyable. Dinner was good and the venue was perfect.

Being able to meet some new AW members and people I frequently talk to on social media was enjoyable.

All the players and Dipoto were super approachable and nice. I was able to talk to Calhoun several times and I appreciate him even more. Mark Sappington was one of the most outgoing players I've ever met. It's going to be easy to root for him now.

The Q & A Sunday was phenomenal. Mead is an incredibly good speaker and really knows what he's talking about. I hung on every word he was saying. You can tell that he really cares about the people around him.

Lastly, the BP session was awesome. Everyone from AW was in awe when the first group of batters hit. Trout was hitting line drives all over the yard and out of the yard. Hamilton was hitting balls over the scoreboard with ease. That was a fantastic moment.

I just have to thank everyone at AW who made this weekend happen. I'm already planning on going next year and to the fanfest this summer.

[wopphil]

I'd love to hear notable things Dipoto and Mead had to say, if any of you are so inclined to share.

[Dave Saltzer]

Wopphil we will be posting video of all the interviews and things throughout this week for the fans who couldn't attend. But, starting planning on being there next year. 

[wopphil]

Wopphil we will be posting video of all the interviews and things throughout this week for the fans who couldn't attend. But, starting planning on being there next year. 

Thanks Dave. 

 

I have never made it out to spring training, but hope to do so within the next few years (as my son gets old enough to enjoy the experience).  I am truly amazed at what you guys have been able to create with this event.  It honestly wouldn't surprise me if the fanfest that Angelswin.com puts on is one of the most "intimate" types of fanfest events in all of baseball.  You guys should be very proud of what you are doing.  

[Diaz15]

My wife and I had a great time at the dinner. It was awesome to meet you Chuck! Also very cool to meet some of the players, get some stuff signed, and take some photos. We were both very impressed with how candid Jerry was and he really pumped me up for the season.

The Tim Mead talk on Sunday was equally awesome! I loved how he answered the fans honestly and even poked fun at Buttercup. BP was fantastic. It was great to see the guys out there having fun and goofing around with each other.

We are driving home right now, and I'm already looking forward to next year.

[Diaz15]

Also, I'm new to this forum and your community, do Angelswin do any events during the season?

[gotbeer]

Also, I'm new to this forum and your community, do Angelswin do any events during the season?

 

Summer Fanfest.  Not as good as Spring Training.  But it involves softball, tailgating, and Chuck getting drunk.  

[Thomas]

Summer Fanfest.  Not as good as Spring Training.  But it involves softball, tailgating, and Chuck getting drunk.  

 

So like every weekend ever.

[Splint7438]

Hey now! Chuck only drinks when the sun goes down. Unless of course it is already up. Then he will make an exception. But his team won the Super Bowl and his other team is headed to the World Series. Why would he get drunk every day?

[BaseballMom]

I happened to walk out into the hall when Jerry Dipoto was walking in with Sappington and Morin.  I said "Hey Jedi" and he just smiled and said "I hope you're right"...lol

 

Got a coupla pics with the boys, they were so nice!

[Chuck]

I happened to walk out into the hall when Jerry Dipoto was walking in with Sappington and Morin.  I said "Hey Jedi" and he just smiled and said "I hope you're right"...lol

 

Got a coupla pics with the boys, they were so nice!

 

When you have them available, post them Jody!

 

Good times.

[Chuck]

 

My favorite all-time Mike Trout picture, taken by me. :-) 

 

I had great seats, thanks to lhalo (Larry) and his wife who moved us down several rows to sit with them in row A for two games.

[Chuck]

Some high quality pics coming on Wednesday or sooner, but here's some more.

 

Saltzer interviewing Jeff Fletcher, Terry Smith, Jose Mota and Mike DiGiovanna.

 

 

Saltzer interviewing Kole Calhoun...

 

 

Saltzer interviewing Hector Santiago....

 

 

Geoff Stoddart interviewing Jerry Dipoto...

 

 

A picture I took with Sarah Colonna's boyfriend, Jon Ryan, the Superbowl Champion Seattle Seahawks punter!

 

 

 

Every child 14 and under received a Mike Trout hat from us!

 

 

More Mike Trout....

 

 

My seats....

 

 

Tim Mead's office. Hung out for quite a bit talking about the event and coordinating everyone's arrival.

 

 

Taylor Lindsey on deck, Kole Calhoun at the plate. Both were in attendance at our Fanfest.

 

 

We crammed in 230 people into the Doubletree's Ballroom.

 

 

More high quality pics from James Doss coming soon, including my interview with Sarah Colonna which I didn't post here.

[Splint7438]

That is a great picture of Trout. Can't wait for a picture of him holding the World Series trophy

[gotbeer]

Chuck, I think Tdawg just exploded over that one picture because of where his hand is placed.  Might have to move it to the AD forum.

[Chuck]

Chuck, I think Tdawg just exploded over that one picture because of where his hand is placed.  Might have to move it to the AD forum.

 

I'm sure he's already downloaded it to his PC, And. Is. Busy. ATM.

[disarcina]

good stuff........congrats to Chuck and the Angelswin.com folks for another successful Spring Training Fanfest.

 

Perhaps I can make it next year.

 

Would like to see links to the videos of the DiPoto talk, the media guys panel and if you have the Tim Mead Q&A at the ballpark, that would be great.

 

My take is that we're sort of in trouble in the starting pitching department.........assumed one of our Angelswin.com posters here asked a tough question or two about that.........

 

again, Kudos to Chuck and everyone.........

[m0nkey]

Nice. Sounds like and looks like a great time

[Tom P.]

Maybe next year for me. Keep it going guys!!

[Splint7438]

Alice Cooperstown. Aunt Chiladas. Bill Johnson's Big Apple. Three of our repeat destinations. Oh yeah there was baseball stuff too.

[tdawg87]

One of these days I'll meet all you idiots at fanfest. Then you can see how much game I have.

 

Ladies...