AngelsWin.com’s 10th Anniversary Member Appreciation Interview with TANK

Tank is one of the most well liked members at AngelsWin.com and has been a tremendous contributor to forum discussion. Probably the nicest guy I’ve ever met from the board. I’m happy to call him my friend, one of many met through none other than, the internet home for Angels fans – AngelsWin.com.

So without further adieu, let’s find out more about Craig, who goes by the name TANK at AngelsWin.com…

AngelsWin.com: When and how did you first come to AngelsWin.com?

Tank: I was invited over by Brian (Angel25fan) from the old AOL boards, which had basically devolved into me and three other guys. We used to give a lot of grief to mariners and rangers fans in those days, which pissed them off but helped our own friendships to grow as Angels fans. Inside Pitch was part of that group, too. 

AngelsWin.com:  What keeps you coming back to the site?

Tank: Good content all the way around. I spend most of my time on the hangout forum because the humor is excellent, and I need that after spending a day with jr. high kids.

AngelsWin.com:  What have been some of your favorite articles and threads?

Tank: Favorite threads? Several come to mind:

– The tripod thread

– The Boston red sox fan cruise thread

– Ralston Schmidt (pure brilliance in that one)

– Operation Egg Drop (thanks YK!)

– Victor’s mom

– and of course, Cory’s breakup thread

I’m also a big fan of the “things more interesting/successful/less sucky than . . . ” threads.

AngelsWin.com:  What in-person events have you attended from AngelsWin.com (Spring/Summer Fanfests, Charity Golf, Charity Softball)?

Tank: Been to a couple of softball games, an over-the-line game with just a few of us one Sunday, and been to a couple of tailgaters under the Big A. At the last tailgater I attended, I brought along some of my vegetarian hot dogs to grill. I gave them to grillmaster Brian, and when he plopped them on the grill, my pathetic little veggie dogs looked like a bunch of #2 pencils next to all the other humongous dogs he was grilling. I got a good laugh at myself over that one, and so did a couple of other guys. The first tailgater I went to was special as I hung out under the Big A with Patti. We didn’t know each other very well at the time, but we spent a few hours there holding down our spot, and we had a fun time shooting the breeze. I found out that basically any contest she enters, she wins something, always.

AngelsWin.com:  Why is AngelsWin.com your internet home for the Angels?

Tank: Best content around. Tried scout.com but they didn’t have enough of a sense of humor, and some other divine place acted like they were the only ones in the building. I like the people here, and again, the humor.

A really nice side effect to the relationships established here was how a small group of us got together about 18 months ago just to watch a game and have some chow, and my awesome friends here surprised me with a set of golf clubs to replace the ones that Adam stole out of my garage. They also gave me a nice gift card for golf supplies. That was a pretty epic day made possible by a lot of generous people from here.

AngelsWin.com: In your opinion, what is AngelsWin.com’s best feature: the articles, charitable events, game-day chat, message boards, Fanfests, podcasts, etc?

Tank: I think all of those things added together make this place the top notch site it has become. 

AngelsWin.com:  Where do you live and what do you do?

Tank: I’m a shepherd in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I’m a junior high History and Bible teacher in Glendale.

AngelsWin.com: Why are you an Angels fan?

Tank: Two reasons: hearing the theme song (i LOVE that song!) when the tv broadcasts would start when i was a kid, and listening to the golden voice of Dick Enberg. Enberg was always second fiddle because of Vin Scully, but he was every bit as good as Vinny, and I LOVED listening to him and Drysdale call a game.

AngelsWin.com:  What was your first Angels game that you remember? Who’d you go with?

Tank: Ah, fun memory. It was July 11, 1971, a twi-night doubleheader against the Tigers but it should have been July 10. On July 10, my mom decided to take me and my brother to our first Halos game.. We got a flat tire on the way to the game, and by the time the AAA guy fixed it, the game had started and my mom didn’t want to go late so we headed back home. So we went back the next night. It was most memorable because between games there was a charity softball game between the local sports writers and the playboy playmates. I don’t remember a single thing about either game, but I remember the playmates. I was 11 at the time and just starting to be aware of such things.

AngelsWin.com:  Who have been your favorite players? Why? Any great stories or interactions with them?

Tank: Nolan Ryan – once he found his niche, every game had a chance to be a no-hitter. Don Baylor – our first MVP. He could hit the cover off the ball.

Brian Downing after he bulked up – completely changed his game, though I’ve often wondered if he had some, um, help.

Tim Salmon – the complete player. Should have had more national attention, and Joe Torre should have picked him to be an all star (go pound sand, Torre, for picking Paul O’Neill).

Vlad Guerrero – when he first got here, I would drop everything to watch him hit. I don’t have single great story about them or anyone else on the team, although Torii Hunter once signed a ball for my daughter by the dugout, and she instantly became a huge fan of his.

I don’t know if this applies, but around ’80 or ’81, my brother and I were down at the local little league field just playing catch. I was wearing an Angels cheap plastic batting helmet, and after a while of it being just the two of us there, some little kid and his father showed up. The dad was getting their gear when the little kid saw me and walked over. He asked me if I was one of the Angels and I told him I was Brian Downing. He thought that was the greatest thing ever. Started asking me some questions and I gave some made-up answers. Suddenly he yells out “hey dad! It’s Brian Downing!!” The dad took one look at me and was instantly p.o.’d and came running. My brother and I grabbed our stuff and made a mad dash out of there just in time. We always had a good laugh over that, but I’m sure the dad and his kid didn’t. Also, I’m pretty sure that’s the first time Stickboy and I met.

AngelsWin.com:  How do you survive the offseason?

Tank: I’ve got hockey. I love my team and am probably more passionate about the Kings than the Angels. I also have the uncanny ability to sit for hours and watch tv. I think it must be some kind of gift that few other Americans have.

AngelsWin.com: What’s one thing you’d like everyone in AngelsWin.com to know about you?

Tank: I think anyone here who knows me knows that I’m a spiritual man and that I try to live what I believe. I also sing in a Christian men’s chorus and we’ve recorded 14 albums. I’ve been on a few other albums as well. I love being a father and a husband. I’m also a big huge Apollo fan and have met 6 of the 12 men who’ve walked on the moon. I guess that’s more than one thing, but I’m relying on people’s faulty math skills in overlooking that. I also put it all in one paragraph to make it look like just one thing.