After a brief absence of summer vacations & traveling the past 6 weeks it's time to refocus our attention to our long time members and contributors as we celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary. Glen McKee known on the board for years as tin00can is a fan favorite of many. Glen delivers when it comes to adding both humor and color to thread topics and has become an amazing contributor on our blog in tandem with Nate Trop with their Point/Counterpoint satire features for our readers.
I could go on an on about Glen, but let's hear a bit from the man himself so you can get to know him a little better, and read some of his finest moments from AngelsWin.com over the years.
AngelsWin.com: When and how did you first come to AngelsWin.com?
Tin00can: I think it was about eight years ago or so. I used to post on another Angels fan site, I forget the name of it but some of the old posters (GlausGirl in particular comes to mind) posted there. I think she was the one who told me about AngelsWin.com and at first I split time between the two sites because I felt guilty about not supporting the old one. Eventually, I made the full-time switch.
AngelsWin.com: What keeps you coming back to the site?
Tin00can: The posters, the information, the camaraderie. Yes, it’s clique-ish but we have a good group here and it’s a lot of fun. There are so many good and funny posters. I’d like to call out a few of my favorites, some of whom I don’t think have been mentioned yet: Eleven, True Grich, Nate, Tank, Wicked, Mancini, DowningRules, Cory, Tank, Calscuf, Jay, Taylor, SteveStevens, AngelsLongBall…the list goes on and on and I know I’m forgetting at least half a dozen.
AngelsWin.com: What have been some of your favorite articles and threads?
Tin00can: This is like picking my favorite child. Obvious I have them but I don’t want the other ones to feel upset when they learn they aren’t at least tied for first. I think that others have mentioned them but the Boston fan cruise thread, Cory’s break-up thread, the furniture-sex thread – there have been so many great ones. The introduction of the vomiting monkey picture was also excellent.
AngelsWin.com: What in-person events have you attended from AngelsWin.com (Spring/Summer Fanfests, Charity Golf, Charity Softball)?
Tin00can: I’ve been to spring training twice, and summer fanfest twice (along with the softball games). Great times, always. I love them and hope I can get to more in the future. If you’re thinking about going and you haven’t gone, make sure you go.
One event that sticks out was game three of the division series against Boston in 09, at the bar by the stadium. At the time I was attending work-related school in Phoenix, but I drove out to make that event. It was completely worth it. The feeling in the bar when Vlad hit that bloop for the game-winning run, when everybody in the room went from silent to elated – that’s what makes the events special. I still have my Angelswin checklist from that year, with only one box checked. Another story, related to that one – during the first game of that series I was watching the game at Cooperstown restaurant in Phoenix. It was about the sixth inning and one of the waitresses came up to me and told me she had a ticket for a concert that night and asked if I wanted to go with her. I said something to the effect of “Oh man, I’d love to go with you but it’s the first game of the playoffs, it’s the Angels and I’ve been rooting for them since I was a kid…I’ve gotta watch this, ya know?” She looked at me like I was nuts and said “that’s cool, I understand.” In retrospect, even though the Angels won I was nuts. I think my realization of my insanity that night was what drove me to make the trip to Anaheim to watch game three, and that was worth passing up a sure thing.
AngelsWin.com: Why is AngelsWin.com your internet home for the Angels?
Tin00can: The people who post here are great, even when I bitch and moan about them. We also get some inside information here and we have people helping each other out. It’s truly a community. Back in aught-eight when I was retiring from the Navy, I wanted to do my ceremony on the field. The aw.com peeps got me in touch with Tim Mead and he set it up. That’s also when I learned that people in the organization read the posts, but that’s a story for another time.
AngelsWin.com: In your opinion, what is AngelsWin.com’s best feature: the articles, charitable events, game-day chat, message boards, Fanfests, podcasts, etc?
Tin00can: Again, as with the kids, it’s difficult to pick a #1. I’d have to go with the message boards; that’s what first got me here and it’s still the main attraction for me. I’d put the articles and Fanfests tied for second, and everything else after that competing for fourth.
Lighter Side
AngelsWin.com: Where do you live and what do you do?
Tin00can: I live in Pinon Hills, CA and I work at Edwards AFB as an F-22 electronics technician. Prior to this I did the same thing on different aircraft in the Navy for 20 years. Yeah, I’m gettin’ old.
AngelsWin.com: Why are you an Angels fan?
Tin00can: I grew up in Lancaster, CA and we got the Los Angeles news there. Every day for sports it was five minutes about the Dodgers and a quick blurb about the Angels. That made them feel like the underdogs to me, and I loves me some underdogs. As I’ve grown older I’ve discovered that my hatred for the Dodgers is completely rational and justified. Go Angels!
AngelsWin.com: What was your first Angels game that you remember? Who’d you go with?
Tin00can: I don’t remember the year but my first game was an Angels/Royals game at the Big A. True story…I went with a friend of mine and we were hanging out in the parking lot before the game. We saw Reggie Jackson pull up. He got out of his car and started walking to the stadium. When he saw us approaching and obviously wanting an autograph, he went back to his car and grabbed some stuff out of the trunk. He then said “sorry kids, no autographs, hands are full” and walked away. Total dick move. That might be why I never got excited about autographs.
AngelsWin.com: Who have been your favorite players? Why? Any great stories or interactions with them?
Tin00can: I started rooting for the Angels in 1979 and back then my favorites were Rod Carew and Brian Downing. Rod Carew because I hit like he did (slappy), and Brian Downing because he was Brian Effing Downing. Throughout the years there have been many favorites, but one that sticks out is Vladdy. Wow, the feeling when I heard the Angels signed him was just…nuts. I didn’t believe it. You’d have had to use a jackhammer to get the grin off my face that day. And watching him play was always entertaining.
Even though there wasn’t much to root for in the 90s, watching the outfield of Anderson/Edmonds/Salmon was always fun. For some reason, rooting for homegrown players feels a little more special. I haven’t had any interactions with the players but when I did my retirement I did get to meet Hud and Terry Smith, and they were both gracious. I also really enjoyed it when Jose Mota talked at the fanfest a few years ago.
AngelsWin.com: How do you survive the offseason?
Tin00can: By going on AngelsWin.com, and when I can’t take it anymore, I kill a hobo or two. That always takes the edge off. I’m a Chargers fan but football is quite a few notches down from baseball for me. I enjoy going to hockey games but I wouldn't consider myself a major fan. While I love the weather between November and April, I hate the wait for baseball to start again. Some days I just sit in my man cave and stare at my picture of Victor Rojas, and wait for the day to end. Then I go to Del Taco and try to order an Oppo Taco or to Jack in the Box and order a Jimmy Jack, and just get more depressed. Those months are hard. (Note: Seriously, I dig Victor Rojas and hope he’s broadcasting for the Angels for a long time to come. The last announcers I remember liking as much as him were Bob Starr and Dick Enberg.)
AngelsWin.com: What’s one thing you’d like everyone in AngelsWin.com to know about you?
Tin00can: I guess it’s that I've never actually seen Adam’s junk, and we’re both probably thankful for that. Probably.