WZON Hot Stove Night

January 26, 2009

This is the sixth year that WZON has hosted its Hot Stove Night event. While this was only my second time to go (last year being the first), I can say that this year’s was just as good as last years. It’s hard for me to pick one over the other as far as one being better.

This year’s event, held last night (Monday), saw the return of the two men who were last years guests: Joe Castiglione (on his sixth visit), and Gordon Edes (on his third). And joining them for his first experience with this great event was Don Orsillo, the NESN Red Sox announcer.

For nearly 120 minutes these three guys gave us insight into the Red Sox’s off-season, trades that have occurred, where they see the Red Sox going in the 2009 season, and also some personal stories which were very funny.

A special guest this year was Bangor-resident and current Philadelphia Phillie Matt Stairs. Matt was crucial in the Phillies run to the World Series, where they won by beating the Tampa Bay Rays. Matt was there to receive an award he got as Sports Story of the year, voted on by WZON listeners and Bangor Daily News readers (his two run homer against the Dodgers in the NLCS). He seemed very humbled by the honor and in receiving the award. The crowd, despite being a Red Sox crowd, gave him a standing ovation and cheered loudly when he took the stage to receive the award from Dale Duff, the PD of WZON. And even better, Matt was sitting RIGHT BEHIND ME! That’s right Philly fans…your player was at a Red Sox meeting, and I think he loved it. (Matt coaches the local John Bapst hockey team during the off-season when he is living back in Bangor.) Did you know that Matt has hit over 10 home runs a year for his past 13 seasons?

Matt Stairs (Philadelphia Phillies) and Dale Duff (WZON)

Don offered a funny story of when he was 21 and broadcasting AHL games, as the “rookie” who was announcing for former NHL players, he told of a time when his luggage somehow disappeared on a trip to the Eastern Canadian coast for a string of games, but the players were showing up on the bus wearing his shirts. They had kidnapped his luggage and were wearing his clothes!

As questions were put forth, they each offered their own take on the question, but I found it most interesting (and awesome) to hear Gordon say that he fully wants to Jason Veritek back with the Red Sox next year. Tek has been getting a lot of negative press, mostly to do with the decrease in his offense this past year, but for a catcher to try to come into the Sox and work with these pitchers…there’s no one better suited than Jason Veritek. Joe and Don both agreed with Gordon that Tek needs to be here at least one more year. Take that, Tek-haters. (Did you know that only one catcher in MLB history has caught 4 no-hitters? Any idea who that is? If you said VERITEK you’d be right.)

(left to right): Gordon Edes, Joe Castiglione and Don Orsillo at WZON Hot Stove Night

Joe again, like last year, offered his take on baseball happenings with the Red Sox is his light, breezy way. He noted that he left 80degree, sunny Florida to come up to this event (it was near 10 degrees last night), asking, “Can you believe it?”

Sponsors of the event had games to play (tossing ball through a hole to get into a drawing for a $100 bill); raffle for Portland SeaDogs tickets; raffles for Red Sox tickets; and one sponsor even had lobstah rolls and clam chowdah for us.

At the close of the event, everyone sticks around not only for the autograph session, but also because WZON raffles off the three recliners/chairs that Joe, Gordon and Don sat in, as well as Red Sox tickets, photo-mints (I won the Red Sox Opening Day 2008 photo-mint – when the Sox got their rings for the 2007 World Series) and other items.

WZON Staff included: Dale Duff, Clem Labree, Jeff Solari, Pat Spekhardt, Bobby Russell, Sales Goddess Carrie, Lost-fan Jen, Big Bill, and Kenny V, to name a few.

All in all, another great Hot Stove Night put on by WZON, their staff and the sponsors. Thanks to Joe, Gordon and Don for making this trip, a trip that both Gordon and Joe say they love to come up for because they know the reaches of Red Sox Nation stretch quite a ways above Boston.

(left to right): Don Orsillo, Gordon Edes, Joe Castiglione at WZON Hot Stove Night

Looking forward to having them all (?) back next year. And, hoping I win tickets again…

WZON Hot Stove Night....The Buildup

It's that time of year when Bangor's sports leader in radio, WZON, begins the hype for their upcoming 6th Annual Hot Stove Night. You may remember my post about it last year. It's a time to talk about the Boston Red Sox with people who know the team and players far better than any of the fans.

This year will see the return of Red Sox radio announcer Joe Castiglione and former Boston Globe writer Gordon Eades, now with Yahoo Sports, as the special guests. Joining them this year will also be Don Orsillo, Red Sox announcer on NESN. That is a wicked awesome line-up.

There will be the return of tons of free food at the event, free drinks (non alcohol), and a whole lot of giveaways....from leather recliners to Red Sox tickets to ice fishing gear and MORE!!

The only way to get a pair of tickets to this event, of which there are only 500 tickets available, is to be the correct caller when you hear WZON play the special sounder/jingle. Last year was the first year I had the opportunity to attend, and I won tickets pretty early in their giveaway. This year they just started to give the tickets away for this January 26, 2009 event yesterday. And I'm happy to report that yours truly, TFKoP, scored his pair of tickets last night! YEAH BABY! Can't wait.....


The only bummer is that there will be one thing that won't be accompanying them this year that did last year....the World Series Trophy. Unless Bangor, ME resident and Philadelphia Philly Matt Stairs comes to the event and brings it with him.

Patriots Game and World Series Trophy Updates

Whew...it's gonna be bahmy at Gillette Stadium on Sunday for the Patriots/Chargers clash. Game time temperature is supposed to be around 20 degees Farenheit (-7 Celcius), and dropping to below 10 Farenheit by the time the game hits the second half. Oh...did I mention the winds gusting to 20mph (32kph). Yeah...it's gonna be cold.

Here's our section....up at the top.

We'll be coming back from Foxboro on Monday morning, and then going to the hot stove night event that evening. It has been confirmed that the 2007 World Series Trophy, won by the Boston Red Sox I'd like to remind all of you, will indeed be at the gather, and I am so ecstatic about this news! The trophy is also going to be displayed earlier in the day right here in my town of Orono at the University of Maine, inside of the ice hockey arena...Alfond Arena...from 1:30pm until 4pm.

It's going to be one helluva fun weekend, I'm telling you: Patriots/Chargers AFC Divisional Championship game Sunday afternoon, and Red Sox baseball chat with Joe Castiglione and Gordon Edes...and the World Series Trophy...Monday night. Awesome.

That, my friends, is the Finest Kind of Pork.

GO PATRIOTS!

Talkin' Red Sox Baseball

For the past five years, WZON Sports Talk Radio (620AM) in Bangor, Maine has had the privilege of hosting a hot stove night with Red Sox radio announcer Joe Castiglione. He brings with him Gordon Edes from the Boston Globe this year. It wasn't until I moved back here to Maine that I heard about this event, and of course have not ever attended since I was living 600 miles down I95 in Philadelphia.

This is a hot stove league event and the sports fans in my area apparently look forward to this event each year now that it has become an annual affair. This year it's taking place on Monday, January 21 at the Bangor Civic Center, which holds approximately 500 people.

Here's the catch: the only way to get tickets is to win them on WZON. There are no tickets for sale, you can only win them on the radio. Each hour during the day (from 6am - 9pm) they play a fancy jingle, and you have to be the 5th caller to win a pair of tickets. WZON started giving the tickets away on December 31st.

Well, TFKoP scored his pair of tickets on Wednesday morning of this past week. I was dialing in on my home phone, my work phone, and my cell. I just HAD to have a pair of these tickets. I was like Uncle Frank in One Crazy Summer! I love the Sox and can't wait to sit in and listen to Mr Castiglione's observations about the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. If nothing else, I'll at least get a free hot dog and soda! (I'm sure it will be a red hot dog!)

Nice "hot stove" effect in the picture, eh? I'm good...real good.

Now here's the cool part: WZON is saying that they still have a "special announcement" in reference to this year's hot stove night. As of this writing, they have not said what the announcement is.

You wanna know my guess as to the special announcement? I bet they have the World Series Trophy with them during the gathering. On stage with them, I bet. That would be awesome. And if that's the case and they let us line up for pictures with it you can expect to see that picture as soon as I get home that night after the event.

Regardless, here's what I do know for sure: I'VE GOT MY TICKETS ALREADY! Nice. Did you get yours?

Close up of the coveted WZON Hot Stove Night tickets. Ticket #49 and ticket #50. Suh-weeeeet!