Interview with Ed McGowan,
Corona Confederates

BIGGEST DADDY: Thanks for sitting down with us, Ed. Ok, we gotta start at the beginning: What kind of pressure do you feel as the owner of the franchise that has the most BDBL World Series rings, most overall wins and consistent year-to-year dominance?

Ed: I would first like to say that the Stamford Zoots were simply an unbelievable franchise. No team should have been able to dominate a league of the quality of the BDBL year after year - and yet they did. I did not know Paul Marazita, but he has left a legacy on this league that should be impossible to duplicate. To say I feel pressure to continue in the Zoot's tradition of relentless winning goes without saying. But make no mistake, I run my own brand of franchise. I am in the process of making the hard changes I feel are necessary to make this team a long-term competitor. If that means that this franchise has to ride out a lull in success to finance the transition to that championship caliber team I know we can become, then it will.

BD: What are the biggest weaknesses of the Corona franchise?

Ed: You mean besides their manager? The Confederates are actually weak in quite a few areas: vs. Left-hand SP's, overall team power, marginal numbers from 6 of 8 SP's, and too many CF's. But, my most glaring weakness has to be defense. I already have 43 errors through 56 games. MY starting outfielders have ratings of FR/PR/AV from left to right with AV arms all around. I usually can't wait to get Cameron and Kearns into games through their pitch-hitting to shore up that horrible fielding outfield. Ortiz at first already has 5 errors and has given up a a slew of doubles down the line with his PR rating. One thing I value is good defense and this team will have a new defensive image come next year. But of course, Manny and Ortiz are not going anywhere next year and their defense is still likely to be horrific.

BD: While currently in a battle for 3rd place, where do you see the Confederates going this year in next? Do you expect to compete for a play-off berth each year? Or will a little re-building need to take place before you can really compete strongly?

Ed: Well I could give the old "I feel we will be competing for the Wild Card Spot this year" speech, but honestly I think this year the Confederates will be fighting to stay out of last place in a very strong Butler division. However, I think that next year, if we can get 3 pitchers to have good years from the stable of young talent we have acquired this year, and then add another solid free-agent starter, we should have the makings of a playoff caliber starting staff. Couple that With an offensive nucleus of Manny, Ortiz, Mauer and Kearns and I know that team could make the playoffs next year and then build on that success for many years to come.

BD: What types of success have you had in previous DMB leagues?

Ed: I played for six years in a prior DMB league and won the World Series once in 2 trips (might have been more, but some guy named Jeff was in the league the last 3 years and won 3 series straight). It was much more of a fun league that had no minor leagues and retained no players on teams from year to year. It was really fun, but frankly it was so different from the BDBL that I was not sure I could make the transition. Of course, now I just bask in the richness of the BDBL experience and continue to thank lots of people all over again that I am here.

BD: Where is Corona in relation to Los Angeles?

Ed: Here is a quick link to a map that shows Corona in relation to Anaheim.
Corona is about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles. It is a booming residential area that allows commuting Orange County workers access to affordable housing that starts in the low 500K range (yes that is no joke).

BD: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Married? Kids? Where did you grow up, what college did you attend (if you did), and where do you see yourself in 10 years from now?

Ed: I will be married 13 years as of April 25. My wife Stephanie and I worked together for over 10 years, then got married, then quickly stopped working with each other to bring down the tension level you might say. We have 4 great boys, Big BRO Travis (age 11) and triplets Aidan, Ian and Rand (All age 8 - the crazy 8's we call them). I was born in Union, South Carolina, lived there till I was twelve and have been a Californian ever since.  I went to about 6 different colleges, went through about 7 different majors from Business Administration to Electrical Engineering and 142 credits later came out with a an Associates of Science degree from Cypress College. I guess that makes me an undocumented educated man. In ten years I see myself graduating 3 High School seniors that will be draining the college fund account that is already insufficient to graduate their college junior older brother. And the wife will still be screaming that we have not been on a family vacation in ten years....oh, scratch that...the new chant will be that we have not been on a family vacation in 20 years.

BD: Which baseball stadiums have you visited and which is your favorite?

Ed: I have only visited two stadiums so far - Angels Stadium and Dodger Stadium. I only went to Dodger Stadium once (when the Angel's played them) and thought the atmosphere was horrible for a family event with the kids (I think we were in an ex-raiders section or something). I have been to a ton of Angel's games and just love Anaheim Stadium and it's fun family atmosphere.

BD: As an Angels fan, what are your thoughts on the Dodgers? Love em? Hate em? Don't give a crap about them?

Ed: I hate the Dodgers. I hate the Dodgers. Did I mention that I hate the Dodgers.

BD: What was the 2002 MLB season like for you?

Ed: It really is amazing how your life seems to become just so much better when your favorite team, who has never even been to a World Series, finally wins one. My kids and I still talk about that Game 6 comeback. We had just sold our last house and were living in a tiny 800 square foot apartment for the six of us. The bedroom was floor to ceiling with boxes and the only clear space was on the bed. The whole family was there watching the game. Down 5-0 in the bottom of the seventh, we were all just sitting on the bed in a daze kind'uve staring at the TV. When Spezio hit that 3-banger to get within two we all started blabbering about a comeback. When Erstad hit his homer to get with us within 1, we all started jumping around and waving our imaginary rally monkeys. And when Glaus hit that 2-run double to put the Angels up 6-5, I started jumping up and down so hard that I bounced a couple of the kids off the bed and into the boxes. In the resulting cleanup, I barely saw Percival save the victory. It is true though, that once you win the big one, you just want to win more of them. Go Angels.

BD: Hot Dogs and Hamburgers or sushi?

Ed: I would have to say Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Dirt and Sushi in that order. My wife loves Sushi and I feel bad for her that I hate it so much. Yep, I feel really bad. I really like the all-beef angel dogs that are sold around here.

BD: The Amazing Race or Law & Order?

Ed: I have never seen an episode of either one. I rarely watch non-cable TV and have never seen an episode of any reality TV show EVER. My life is already too real and if I am not watching Enterprise or Lord of the Rings or reading a fantasy novel or catching a few movies from Netflix, I am working, sleeping, doing family stuff or working on the franchise. My wife and I just finished watching the first 3 seasons of 24 on DVD only because I heard it was good from the BDBL forum.

BD: Maui or Paris?

Ed: I will say Maui only because my wife is persuasive enough that she may someday successfully engineer a plan to trick me into going there. Conversely, I can't think of any technique she might employ that would work in forcing me to Paris.

BD: Tom Hanks or Tom Cruise?

Ed: I would have to pick Tom Cruise because I really liked his performance in "The Last Samurai". Plus, he also usually has some really hot women in his flicks. And Hanks, well let's just say that after I saw him in "Joe and the Volcano", I was jaded on his performances for life.

BD: California Angels, Anaheim Angels or Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim?

Ed: I really wish they would just call them the Angels and 'ANGELS' was used on every sports board out there. But that is not going to happen, so honestly, Arte can call them whatever he wants. If that is what it takes to put a winner on the field, I am not going to have a problem with it.

BD: What are your top five favorite albums?

Ed: The Original Boston Album. Evanescence "Fallen", AC-DC "Live", Dire Straits "Money for Nothing", and my current favorite is Linkin Park's "Meteora". I love that song "Faint".

BD: Thanks, Ed, and good luck in the future!!