Warriors president, Giants GM speak at Minds Behind the Game panel
On Monday evening in San Francisco, Chat Sports hosted Minds Behind The Game: Championship Minds, a panel featuring Golden State Warriors president Rick Welts and San Francisco Giants general manager Bobby Evans.
Welts joined the Warriors in 2011, not long after Joe Lacob bought the team. Before joining the Warriors, Welts served as president of the Phoenix Suns for nine years. He also spent 17 years in the NBA league office. His first NBA-related job was serving as a ball boy with the Seattle Supersonics when he was 16.
Evans was promoted to general manager when the Giants' Brian Sabean was promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations for the team before the 2015 MLB season. Previously, Evans served as assistant general manager. He is in his 22nd season with the Giants.
Both the Warriors and Giants are the defending champions in their respective sports.
You can watch the full panel below.
Five interesting things Rick Welts said
On the Warriors' season ticket situation: “We have over 16,000 people on a waiting list for season tickets.”
On the Warriors' staff: “We probably turned over 15 percent of the staff when I arrived. We've got people who are all motivated by what the Giants achieved three times and what we achieved last year.”
On the Warriors' title celebration in their first game of the season: “The celebration is going to be traditional. We'll honor the players with wins and raise the banner ... There will be some surprises.”
On winning a title: “It's a night we'll never forget ... Winning on the road was nice, because it gave us a bonding opportunity. The [private] party at the Morton's Steakhouse by our hotel started at midnight, was going strong when I left 4:30 a.m.”
On the Warriors move to San Francisco: “We are very confident that we will be able to bring the Warriors back to San Francisco ... We are going to get it done.”
- Tom Downey
Five interesting things Bobby Evans said
Evans on the team's original plans for AT&T Park: “The ballpark was supposed to face the city. The wind study person advised we turn it.”
Evans on Madison Bumgarner's star role in the playoffs last year:“MadBum's name should be on the ring.”
Evans on who would play him in a Moneyball-style movie about the Giants: “Tom Hanks.”
Evans on Hunter Pence's role in the team's 2014 World Series run: “Doubt definitely crept in (in KC) going to a Game 7...You're not allowed to have any doubt around Hunter Pence in the clubhouse.”
Evans on what his son said when he was told the Giants won the 2010 World Series: “I'm hungry.”
- Justin Lee
