So the wife and I headed down from Nashua last Saturday to Pinz in Milford, MA to attend Vince Wilfork's Annual Draft Day Fundraiser to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute.  Diabetes research is a cause which is close to Vince, who lost his father to the disease.  I must say, I usually go to the Draft Day Party at Gillette (the "official" one) - but Big V's event was AWESOME!  He sures knows how to throw a party!!

Your $40 ticket - again to benefit charity - gets you into the event at Pinz which is an awesome restaurant/bar/bowling alley/arcade facility!  A GREAT choice in venues.  Plus you get access to the all-you-can eat buffet, which included these awesome slider-type mini-cheeseburgers, buffalo wings, pizza rolls, chicken tenders, salad and rolls.  Good stuff - especially the sliders.  Of course the full bar was also available (don't I know it!) 

Plus, you got to take part in the silent and live auctions if you wanted to.  The Big 4 of Boston Sports was well represented.  I think every Pat wanted to contribute to Vince's cause - Brady, Moss, Seau and just about everyone else had signed some memorabilia being auctioned.  There was also a sweet custom jersey (Name:  Superbowl/Number:  42) that I belive the whole roster signed.  There was also a football that Vince had brought to Hawaii and got just about every Pro Bowler to sign.  Nice pieces - I was drooling.

Pinz was showing the draft coverage on about 3 billion screens!  It was sweet!  They had huge mega-screens over the bowling lanes and loads of other screens everywhere, most hi-def.

The staff was super-friendly and supercool.  Shout-outs to Dave, Elaine, Walt, Amber and the whole staff at Pinz!

So  the wife and I first made camp at a table in the bar about an hour before the draft started.  A couple of rounds of Corona ensued! 

We met some supercool fans!  Everybody was really friendly and eager to speculate on the draft at the upcoming season .  In fact I exchanged several e-mail adresses and hope to tailgate this season with some of the great people we met!

I liked the Pats first two picks a lot.  Getting younger and faster at LB and CB is huge.  Mayo seems really smart - and student of the game and just the type of savy linebacker Belichick loves to utilize.  Wheatley has blasing speed and I think he will definately contribute to our shaky secondary.  And a later-round QB?  Hey, it's worked for us before.

The place went nuts when our picks were announced.  Kudos to Michael Holley who predicted the first pick would be Mayo on WEEI.  I definately appeared to be smarter than I am when I called that.  Thanks Mike!

On to the main event (at least for me, your resident OCD-driven autograph junkie) - meeting the players.

Met Ty Warren.  Supercool guy - had never met him before.  Very laid-back, mellow, and gratious.  He signed my football and a mini-helmet for me. 

Kevin Faulk was there, too.  A gentlemen as always.  He signed my football and a Superbowl 39 cap for me.  

And of course there was Big V.  He was great.  So generous, so friendly, truly a CLASS ACT.  He'd do interviews for the media, sign autographs for a few score of people, and then help run the event itself.  Over and over - all day.  What a guy - I can't say enough about 75.  We talked briefly and I'm hoping that my little memorabilia business will be working with Vince on a signing in southern NH - he seemed quite enthustic about the idea, so I will keep you guys in the loop.

Lonnie Paxton and Ellis Hobbs were also there, briefly, but I missed hooking up with them before they left.  This was the second time in about three months that I missed hooking up with Hobbs at an event.  Hopefully, the third time will be the charm!

I also ran into Gary Tanguay from the Mohegan Sun Sports Report - who was really affable and pleasant.  He was very appreciative when I told him I really enjoyed his radio and TV work.  Brain Lowe from Patriots Today was also there.  Where were you, Hazel Mae and Kristina Akra???  :(

Vince had a few guys from the U. of Miami there, too and I talked with them.  They we're great.  I had Vince and two of his Hurricanes teammates sign my admission ticket - a unique piece of memorabilia to be sure.

I can't wait for next year.  I definately plan on returning to Pinz next Draft Day and would highly recommend the event.