The Dawg Pound BBQ was planned long before anyone knew the schedule for the American Idol tour. Little did we know at the same time that Scott would be able to attend much less that we would have the pleasure of having all of the top 10 contestants join us. This was just a wonderful surprise for all of us. They were all nice enough to take time from their own schedule (one of their few days off) to attend the bbq & meet all of us. For that we thank them.
BBQ at the Savols 2005
From the Savols
Whether you were here or there,
We love you all: big Dawgs and small,
If it were in any way possible,
I'll give hugs and kisses to all!
Alas, I am but a mere human
Which makes it difficult to express,
How each and every Dawg Pound member
Has brought us so much happiness!!!
---
BBQ Event
Ok how surreal is this, it may be the most anticipated backyard bbq event in Shaker Heights, OH or anywhere else in the whole US of A for that matter. On Aug 1st the the Savol family prepared a "Welcome Home" bbq party for Scott, the "celebrity in the family," together with about a hundred or so family members, friends, relatives & Scott's Dawg Pound group. Everyone's anticipation grew bigger as they waited for him. The AI4 tour bus stopped at the Savol's residence & 1st one out was Scott, who was welcomed by Papa & Mamma Savol. But no, it didn't stop there, to everyone's delight, the rest of the 9 idols (Nikko, Jessica, Nadia, Vonzell, Carrie, Anthony, Anwar, Constantine & Bo) followed behind, all eager to have fun with the crowd.
Bo, still in crutches was gracious enough not to excuse himself because of his situation. He broke his foot, twisted his ankle & pulled a muscle in the middle of their concert last night in Manchester NH. The idols didn't perform but as part of the entertainment, Jessica had a duet with Scott's sister Patty for some karaoke fun. Scott sang "Happy Birthday" to his cousin, Papa Savol surprised everyone with a song, as well as our very own Joe Willis (Dawg Pound moderator).
Scott's fans traveled all the way from Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, New York, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, etc. He is loved everywhere. He has touched the lives of so many of us at the Dawg Pound. He is more than just an American Idol to us. The Savols are part of our (extended) family. We have bonded a wonderful friendship with them. They feel comfortable with us & vice versa. Scott cares a lot about the people that embraced his talents, his music, his life. I hope you'll get a chance to meet him & his family because they are truly, an average family, they are the "heart & soul of America!" (oochie)
---
How to Host a Savol BBQ
1. Know the 3 essentials: location, people to invite & food to prepare.
2. Pitch in a make shift tent.
3. Invite your local tv station to feature your event in the evening news.
4. Have a theme, a Hawaiian luau looks fun!
5. Adorn your bbq hosts & special guest with fresh leis.
6. For any VIPs coming, hire a tour bus & invite, let's say the idols?
7. Set up an area where everyone can have their karaoke (idol) moment.
8. Have your family mascot (in this case, Maggie) greet your guests.
9. Keep the food coming, more drinks....anyone?....anyone?
10. Have tons of fun and take pictures....lots of them so you can show to those who couldn't come how much fun everyone had & they missed it! (oochie)
---
Fox 8 News Coverage & Interview
AI tour bus stopped at the Savol's residence in Shaker Heights & the idols were treated to a private party hosted by Scott's mom & dad (w/ the help of quite many Dawg Pound members.) About a hundred lucky fans were invited. Cleveland's own Scott Savol & his family hosted the finalists for some fun. For hundreds of fans invited it was a chance to meet their idols. For Scott Savol, it was just good to be home.
Scott: "Feels good, man. And going to the back of somebody's home cooking that I haven't got on the road."
Bo: (talking to someone on his cell) "God bless you sweetheart, we'll talk to you soon." I broke my foot in the middle of the show last night. Not too good." I did the rest of the show walking around with a broken foot." People traveled all the way from Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada to meet Scott & the other idols.
Lady 1: (Cookie) "Got us a little support for Scott, he rocks!"
Lady 2: (Cree ) "I went on the internet & hooked up with his family & they said, "Come on down, so I said, YEAH! I'll be there." I rode the bus for 2 & a half days to get here!"
Where are Vonzell & Nadia?
Scott: "They are all doing their women things before the gig, nails done & stuff like that, so..." (Scott was feeling the love from his hometown crowd.) It just lets me know that what I did on the show & how it touched people, what kind of impact I had."
Scott's mom: "All these superstars are just somebody else's kids. They are lucky, they are talented but they are still somebody else's babies."
Nuke's BBQ Story
Wow...Please pinch me....I must have been dreaming. ;) You folks could not believe the great time we all had today at the BBQ in Cleveland hosted by Mama and Papa Savol. Many people from the Dawg Pound arrived in Cleveland yesterday and we began to set up the party grounds and prepare enough food to feed an army....and an army is exactly what we had.
The men began on Sunday by doing some of the heavy labor of getting and setting up the tables and chairs to accommodate 100 + people, setting up canopies, clearing room in the garage for the massive buffet and Karaoke, and so many other details that are too numerous to mention, but trust me when I tell you, the Savol family spared no expense or effort in making today's event a fantastic and wonderfully fun experience that will be remembered by all those who attended, quite probably, for the rest of their lives.
Several of our lady Dawg Pound members began the food prep and the special touches yesterday (Sunday).....now, there were so many wonderful people helping here that I dare not try to name them, as I fear I will forget someone and never be forgiven. ;) But those ladies and gentleman know who they are, and we could not have done any of this without them. They were invaluable. Each and every one of them. You could just feel how much love they were putting in to it all.
Anyway, as the day ended we were ready to put it all together and add the final touches the next morning. Of course the final touches took us about 7 hours to complete. ;) But I must emphasize this next point. This must have been one of the hottest days that I personally ever experienced. There was just no way to stop the sweating. ;( I must have lost 10 pounds in just the water that dripped off of me like a leaky faucet. LOL Ahh.... My diet is more successful than I thought it could ever be. hehehe Watch out Jenny Craig. ;)
The temperature was in the 90's with a very high humidity. I don't think I have the words or the time to tell you how uncomfortable the weather was for all of us...including seasoned Clevelander's. But the Dawg Pound braved the elements and forged forward, not allowing themselves to be deterred in making Scott's homecoming and BBQ the best ever. After all....isn't that the type of tenacity and persistence that makes the Dawg Pound what it is? The best darn fan base ever. Anyway...I digress. ;)
On with the story. The guests started arriving a little after 4PM Monday. But the house and the yard was brimming with activity and people all day long prior to this. The Channel 8 Fox news crew was here periodically throughout the day doing interviews with many of our Dawgs. I kept my distance as I was a bit camera shy. lol The hard work was done...it was now time for the fun. A Karaoke guy (Kenny) set up his equipment in a place set aside in the Savol's Garage. Every one was enjoying themselves and having a blast.......but no one was singing....so what does Nuke do? Well....I figured someone had to christen the Karaoke machine. So why not me? And what song do I choose to get the ball rolling?
The song "Yellow" by Coldplay of all things. LOL It was a disaster. hehehe But we were having fun. ;) So anyway, that got the ball rolling and the Karaoke guy was kept quite busy after that. I have to tell you...we have some very talented vocalists in the Dawg Pound. I was quite impressed. But this is where the fun part begins. ;) We were all just having a blast and waiting for Scott to arrive when the rumors started spreading that Scott was on his way.
The police officers started clearing out the front yard...yes we needed security....but little did we know why at that time. Well, three unmarked buses and a huge 18 wheel tractor trailer pulled up in front of the Savol's house and guess what? The buses contained Scott and 5 other of the Idols.....Bo, Carrie, Constantine, Anthony and Vonzell. Quite a surprise I must say...we were all ecstatic...well word spread like wild fire........and of course at such a surprise, people were just drawn to the front of the yard like moths to a flame. LOL
The police were helpless...but we didn't mob anyone. hehehe All the neighbors started pouring out of their houses in amazement and hung out on their porch for the duration of the party. Well....most of the idols ate the wonderful food prepared by so many....but it is my understanding that Bo was particularly looking forward to tasting Papa Savol's homemade spaghetti sauce (Eddie you're such a sneak lol...you too Cathy and Janet). ;)
The idols that didn't eat just had some beverages. Bo's leg was hurting so he went back to the bus soon after finishing eating....Carrie and Con didn't stay long either. After Anthony made a most adorable introduction to Maggie, the Savol's puppy, (definitely a Hallmark moment, and there are pictures posted in several places all over the web. The cutest thing. I think they both fell in love with each other. lol) Anthony dug right into the food. He was fond of the marinade chicken tenders as I recall...although I was busy, so I didn't watch every move. ;)
We later learned that the other Idols would also arrive soon. And sure enough, Nadia, Nikko, Jessica and Anwar arrived. That's right.....all 10 of the Idols were here at the Savol's house munching and sipping and having a pretty good time it seemed for the most part. I have to tell you, this was the most exciting surprise any of us Dawg Pound members could ever expect...or even imagine was a possibility......but as sure as I breath....it was a fact.......The idols were here: ALL TEN OF THEM. ;) Woohooooo!
We expected just Scott, and we were pretty sure he'd spend a good deal of time here being that this is his family's house.....and he did. He was very gracious, respectful and polite. And he appeared to be having a fantastic time. Scott really does treat his fans well. He signed T-shirts, gave autographs, shook hands ( I might have been a little over-zealous.....because the first time I shook Scott's hand I felt and heard his hand crack. LOL Hope I didn't hurt him he looks so fragile ROFL and gave lots of hugs.
The fans reciprocated by showering Scott with gifts of all sorts from all over the country. He needed help getting the items to the bus. ;)
The Dawg Pound presented Scott a ball cap signed by the message board members that were here...and there were a lot of them. We also gave him a basket filled with stuffed dogs and puppies. That was MamaTenes idea...and Scott really enjoyed it. One of the most interesting gifts was a personalized Louis Ville Slugger with the inscription "Scott Savol, Top 5 American Idol Finalist." Scott really, REALLY liked that. I did too. LOL
But the surprising fact was that both Jessica and Nikko stayed for almost as long as Scott did. I even had the honor of sipping a little Tia Maria with them in the Savol's living room. Well, it was getting late and the concert is tomorrow (oooops...I mean it's today....LOL...I have to get to bed....can't believe it's 4AM) so, the idols needed to get back to their hotels to rest up for the concert.
It was after 12AM but the food needed to be put away and the tables cleaned off and picked up....and guess what? The Dawg Pound pulled through again. One minute the tables were still set up, and when I went to the bathroom and came back, most of the tables and chairs were stacked up for the trip back to where they came from. The only thing left was getting the leftovers put away. That took some time, but we did it.
There's still quite a mess to clean up in the morning (I think I'm calling in sick LOL), but we had a blast and all the hard work paid off. I'd like to thank all of you who made this trip...BBQ and a life time of memories possible. I am particularly grateful and forever indebted to Mama and Papa Savol.....and of course Aunt Janet. I also send big hugs and kisses to my new sisters Stacey and Patty Savol and a high five to my new brothers Scott and Michael. You folks are great and I look forward to the next few days we spend together.
I am certain that lifelong bonds were made here this week. OK...OK...it is so late...this boy has to get to bed....I'll re-read this tomorrow...I know I have forgotten some stuff, or will have to edit......but hey? Give a Dawg a break. :) Good night everyone....tomorrow the Dawgs and Scott continue to rock Cleveland at the concert.
Give it all you got Scott....you haven't let us down yet bro. Cheers! Watch out Cleveland...someone let the Dawgs out. Woof Woof! lol
BBQ Sidelights
"I bought an Aloha shirt for Scott during our recent Hawaii trip early this month. I emailed Mamma Savol to let her know if Scott can wear it during his concert, she said it might be hard but she'll make sure he wears it during the bbq party. I mailed the package on 7/19 Tues & kept emailing her for 10 days & finally it arrived on 7/29 Fri, 2 days before the big event. On Monday night, I checked my messages & I saw the link to the dawgpoundgathering photos & the main picture was Scott wearing my Aloha shirt with Mamma Savol. It made my day! Even if I wasnt there at the bbq event & Cleveland concert, I felt that my "Aloha Spirit" was with the Savols & the rest of the Dawg Pound group. For Mamma Savol to do all that preparation for the party & to make sure my Aloha shirt gets worn by Scott, it just makes me feel so much part of their family. I thank you Savol Clan for all your love. You truly are the "Heart & Soul of America!" elizabeth (oochie)
"Me & Cathy were talking about him sending her to a spa for a month & I went up to him & told him & he was like, "Ya sure I'll send her as soon as I find someone to pay for it...too funny!" des
"OMG OMG OMG guess what, this man's hugs are like sweet kisses. They are awesome. Nikko was also a great hugger. Jessica is too. We were like the Tampons are in the house! This was the best time I have had in a long time. Sorry for those who couldn't come, but I got hugs for ya." stephi
"All of the Savol Family is wonderful. Spankings were dealt out by the master. Met so many cool Dawgs. I got my "Sangin On." If there was an American Italian Idol, Eddie would be the winner in a shoo in. Scott is more awesome in person than you can imagine. Jessica hugged me 3 times! (OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG...) I'm getting as bad as Des (lol). I like big butts & I cannot lie. joe
"Damn, I never get to sing that one myself....but you did an awesome job for me Joe. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." mamma savol
"I was kinda sad about not being able to go but when I saw the pix, I was just happy that everyone who could go had a good time." nancy jones
"I'd like to share my experience when I talked to Scott....could I say anyhing more stupid? "Hi Michelle. my reply was, "Who is this? He said, "This is Scott." and i was like, "HIIIIIII!!!!" All night it took me forever to sleep & I woke up late for work for 45 mins!" michele
"I didn't say anything really smart either. Dummy me I told him to "Break a Leg Tomorrow Night!" knowing well that Bo broke a foot. DUH!!!" joy
"I flew home courtesy of Aunt Janet & Ed, trust me they insisted, cuz I kept saying NO, NO, NO, bawling over it even!" cree
"Hey Oochie, I saw the picture of Scott in the Aloha shirt that you got for him, He looked really HOT in it." paula
"If ya'll didn't get to hang with Stacy that much, you sure missed out. She's a crazy girl, just like me...gotta luv her!" cree
"I spoke to Scott & I told him I will try out for AI5 in Memphis, he said, good luck Nicole!" nicole
"I also had a 10 min convo with Nikko too about the whole thing & asked him why it's so hard for some of the contestants to even be gracious. We exchanged views & whispered something to me........" cree
"You know Papa Savol told Cathy at dinner the other night, DO IT DO IT DO IT, not sure what it was for just remembering he said it." stephi
"I felt honored that during the concert, Nikko special mentioned my name about creating the Yahoo groups for Scott, he said, "I'd like to give a shout out to a guy that was behind Scott from the beginning...and helped him make it to the top....Joe Willis!" But the bus lady, that's another story." joe
"Brandon was so cute, we said, "Hey Brandon," & he said, "I'm not Brandon, I'm a cop.' He had a water gun that's why he said that." des
"OMG Eddie's homemade meatballs were just yum, yum, yummy!" stephi
"Cathy said that we gotta have a Dawg Pound reunion every year. Someone said, Vegas, I said, "heck yeah!" Gotta give the bus bitch a break ya know." cree
"The Dawg Pound BBQ should be like Las Vegas...What happened there, stays there." mamma savol "Yes, Bo did get on the phone with Kaitlyn (my daughter) she said, "I love you & I wanna kiss you." We caught her a few times playing with her fake phone & saying, "Oh Bo, yes, I will marry you." des
"My sister told Jessica while they were standing & eating that she'll take a shot of her eating the pizza & then sell the crust on ebay. Jess said, "Yeah do it, see how much you can get for it." trae "WHO HAS THE TOWEL. IT WAS IN MY GARAGE AND I WANT IT BACK." papa savol
"Eddie thought the towel on ebay came from our house. I told him it came from another venue. It's all good." mamma savol
"There was no food fight but I saw the 3 women. Cop musta been friskin someone at that moment, cuz I begged him to frisk me & he wouldn't." cree
