Talking Buffalo

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews the all-time undisputed king of sports agents and the real-life inspiration for the 90’s Hollywood blockbuster Jerry Maguire.  Leigh Steinberg is today’s featured special guest.

He’s represented and guided the career of more than 300 professional athletes, including  a mind-blowing 63 former NFL first-round draft picks and a record-shattering eight consecutive years of representing the top overall pick of the draft.

Leigh discusses his  business approach towards being an agent and how it helped him attract clients like Troy Aikman, Steve Young Warren Moon, Oscar De La Hoya, Lennox Lewis, Ben Rothlisberger and a pair of Buffalo Bills Hall of Famers, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith among countless others.

Steinberg (@leighsteinberg) also talks about debating Ronald Regan when he was young, why he was interested in becoming a sports agent, why it’s so important for his clients to be entrenched in their communities and to give back, his comeback from alcohol and personal demons, and offers advice to youngsters looking to break into sports management.

Of course, we also talk about the famous Steinberg-inspired 1996 Cameron Crowe movie Jerry Maguire starring Tom Cruise as well as some other Hollywood hits Steinberg’s consulted on, including For The Love of the Game, Any Given Sunday and Arli$$.

Immediately after that, Moran’s joined by Tone Pucks for “Pat with Pucks.”  Today they’re discussing the abysmal showing by the Buffalo Bills in their regular season opening 47-3 loss at Baltimore.

Are the Bills really this bad?  Is the Nate Peterman era over already? Is Kelvin Benjamin the most overrated player on the Bills roster? Why was Vontae Davis inactive?  All these topics and more are covered by two guys seemingly flabbergasted over how bad the Bills looked in Week one.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews multi-time New York Times best-selling author Jeff Pearlman to discuss his new book hitting stores next Tuesday “Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL.”

Pearlman reveals the painstaking process of writing the book and interviewing over 400 people while doing so. Because of that he’s able, as his own description says to “unearth all the salty, untold stories of one of the craziest sports entities to have ever captivated America.”  He also talks about the tireless physical and mentally exhausting promotional side that goes into a book after it’s published and available for purchase.

This isn’t Pearlman’s first rodeo when it comes to writing winning sports books that rank among the best sellers in the world.  We discuss some of his previous efforts, including novels about Bret Favre, Barry Bonds and Walter Payton as well as the 1986 Mets and the Dallas Cowboys dynasty of the 90’s.

Pearlman wraps up the interview with some interesting Buffalo Bills/USFL stories about Jim Kelly, Joe Cribbs and Marv Levy.

Follow Jeff Pearlman on Twitter @jeffpearlman, You can purchase  “Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL” and any other of Jeff’s books, among other ways by going to his website at www.jeffpearlman.com

After that Joe from Buffalo Wins (@buffalowins) joins for a “Run-In With Joe” segment.  Today they’re talking reaction from Tuesday’s podcast that featured Jerry Sullivan and some Buffalo Bills talk.  Joe has strong takes on several sports media topics involving Sully, discusses Nate Peterman, names a make-or-break guy on each side of the ball for the Bills and offers a final record season prediction as well as his Super Bowl pick.

The podcast concludes with the debut of “Spin It Skully”, where Moran’s friend, Skully from Buffalo joins and does what he does best—puts a positive spin on anything and everything Buffalo Bills related.  You can’t help but laugh and enjoy when listening.

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It’s a milestone for the Moran-Alytics Podcast, as this marks the show’s 50th episode.  To celebrate Patrick Moran interviews one of the most polarizing Buffalo sports writers/columnists of all-time, Jerry Sullivan.

A 29-year veteran of the Buffalo News before accepting a buyout in May, Sullivan goes all-in on the News with one of his first public interviews since leaving the company he spent nearly three decades with as a sports columnist.

“Sully” as he’s known to Buffalo sports fans everywhere talks about the straw that broke the camel’s back on his decision to accept the buyout —having his long standing sports column taken away.  Never one to mince words and admittedly still feeling somewhat volatile over his column being yanked, Sully goes into details of the overall unhappiness for many at the News, the BN Blitz that he perceives as a miserable failure and talks about the possibility that the Terry and Kim Pegula may have had influence to his column being taken away.

Feeling emasculated over losing his column, Sully left and spent time debating what his future would be.  Turns out that involves reuniting professionally with an old friend and colleague.  Sully recently announced that he along with fellow former Buffalo News sports writer and columnist Bucky Gleason would be writing for Buffalo Maven, a division of the Sports X-Change covering the Buffalo Bills, and also co-hosting a weekday morning sports talk radio show together from 9:00am to 12:00pm on 1270 The Fan.

Of course, Sully talks about the team he’s covered for so long, telling stories of his time covering the team during the Super Bowl years of the 90’s and gives insight on today’s team, including his thoughts on Josh Allen as well as predictions for how he sees the Bills in 2018.

It’s without question the most fiery interview on this podcast to date. You can follow Jerry Sullivan on Twitter @ByJerrySullivan.

After that Tone Pucks (@TonePucks) joins Moran for “Pat with Pucks.”  The two discuss their feelings on Nate Peterman being named the Bills starting quarterback, A.J. McCarron getting traded and a positional review of the team’s current 53-man roster.  They also reveal a series of Bills individual and team season predictions, and each take a stab at picking this year’s Super Bowl.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, it’s a Buffalo style SB Nation daily double. Moran interviews the managing editor of both Buffalo-based blogs under the SB Nation umbrella; Matt Warren from Buffalo Rumblings (Buffalo Bills) and Chad DeDominicis of Die by the Blade (Buffalo Sabres).

Moran talks with Warren to wrap up the Bills preseason immediately after a very dramatic comeback victory in Chicago, 28-27 in which the team was awful for three quarters before coming back with 25 unanswered points for an improbable victory  Warren offers his takes on Sean McDermott never officially naming a starting quarterback for the game, where he thinks A.J. McCarron stands with the team after Chicago and who he expects to be the Bills starting quarterback when the games start counting next weekend.  He also reveals who he thought helped and hurt himself most in the preseason finale, names a few guys he think may end up on the chopping block and offers up a prediction for the season.

You can follow Matt on Twitter at @mattrichwarren and be sure to check out www.buffalorumblings.com for daily Buffalo Bills news and original content.

After that and with training camp just two weeks away, Moran talks to DeDominicis to help catch fans up to speed with what’s been an incredibly busy Sabres hockey summer.  DeDominicis gives his takes on the Conor Sheary, Jeff Skinner and Ryan O’Reilly trades as well as the free agent signing of goaltender Carter Hutton.

Of course, we also talk about ultra-touted rookie Rasmus Dahlin and what his arrival means to the team, the roster position battles Chad’s looking most forward to at training camp, and he’s tasked with attempting to sell fans on getting excited about Buffalo Sabres hockey again.

You can follow DeDominicis on Twitter at @CMDeDominicis and be sure to check out www.diebytheblade.com for daily Buffalo Sabres news and original content

(and yes, we said the exact same about Rumblings.  Get over it, they’re both great blogs!)

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran teams up with his Pat With Pucks segment co-host Tone Pucks for a lengthy conversation of all things Buffalo Bills on the heels of an abysmal performance by starters on both sides of the ball in a 26-13 preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Heralded rookie quarterback Josh Allen got his first start of the preseason but never had a chance to behind an offensive line that couldn’t come close to containing a ferocious Bengals pass rush that sacked Allen five times in the first half.  Nate Peterman came in to start the second half and carved up the Bengals second team defense to continue a strong training camp and preseason. Is this quarterback competition over?

While the headlines focused on the Bills failing offensive line, the team’s starting defense fared no better.  The defensive line put zero pressure on Andy Dalton, the linebackers were caught out of position and the secondary couldn’t cover AJ Green or John Ross.  Moran and Pucks discuss what potential changes we may see on defense between now and the season opener.

The two also discuss a few players that saw their stock rise and a few who may find themselves in trouble come roster cut down later this week.

Moran also asks Pucks if he thinks the city of Buffalo could support a MLB team in 2018 and forces him to pick between having  an expansion MLB or NBA franchise.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran welcomes former center, captain and one of the most popular players of this or any era of Buffalo Bills football, Eric Wood in one of the longest interviews the former Pro Bowl center has ever done.

Wood reveals in more detail than ever before exactly how the process played out from the end of the 2017 season to the point where he was forced to retire because of a culmination of neck injuries. Wood describes feeling blindsided by the MRI results as he physically felt great and was already beginning the mental readiness for his next season, not to mention a baby with his wife on the way exactly at the time everything happened. He also talked about the aftermath and a press conference he admits should’ve been canceled in an emotional account of events Wood is still in the process of dealing with.

On a much lighter note, the two retrace Wood’s (@ewood70) football roots, going all the way back to a nine-year old youth, winning two state titles while in high school and choosing to go to Louisville in large part because it was the lone D-I school to offer him a scholarship.

Wood also discusses the NFL draft process in 2009, going to Buffalo, his Bills career and what it meant to not only become a captain and leader of the team but also the importance of being on the team that finally ended a 17-year playoff drought.

They wrap the interview with Wood providing insight on the 2018 Bills including thoughts on Josh Allen, Nate Peterman and the offensive line.

Oh, they also talk about chicken wings because of course they do.

Immediately after that Joe from BuffaloWins (@buffalowins) pops on for a “Run-in With Joe” segment, where they discuss Joe’s selfie with Ronda Rousey, WWE Summerslam action and some Bills takes on a handful of players at the midway point of the preseason.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews Boston Sports Journal owner, editor and columnist Greg Bedard for well over a full hour in a wide-ranging interview.

It’s a true deep dive into Bedard’s life and career, from his growing up a huge sports fan and talented baseball prospect to his entire sports writing journey, Bedard spends time discussing each step and how it’s shaped who he is today.

Everyone sports journalist  akes a different path to becoming successful and Bedard’s certainly no exception.  He tells the story of how of all things, covering a little league baseball team in Florida in the 90’s helped jump start a career that he previously felt was going nowhere.

Bedard also speaks  candidly of his time at Sports Illustrated after being hand-picked by Peter King, as well as the hurt and frustration he felt after being part of their layoffs in 2017.  It ultimately led to Bedard launching BostonSportsJournal.com and he reveals the reasons why he came to that decision after evaluating the landscape of the business.

Also never one to shy away from a voicing an opinion, Bedard talks about covering Brett Favre and Tom Brady, questions why reporters basically give their work away from free on Twitter, and has an ultra-strong take on why the Pittsburgh Steelers can’t beat the New England Patriots.

You can follow Bedard on Twitter @gregabedard and check out his work at www.bostonsportsjournal.com

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On this first of its kind episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran is not steps away from the comfort of his home studio in Florida but actually tapes this podcast at a bar to coincide with the preseason opener for the Buffalo Bills.

It took 45 episodes but the Moran-Alytics Podcast finally took the show on the road, recording Thursday night from the Amherst Ale House in Amherst. Joining Moran on the podcast in Amherst is “Pat with Pucks” segment co-host Tone Pucks (@tonepucks).

Together the two hit on a variety of topics early in the show, including Moran’s chicken wing adventures while spending the past few weeks in Buffalo, New York on a working vacation.  Moran’s been eating wings nearly every night he’s back in Buffalo since moving to Florida roughly two years ago and power ranks them almost immediately after each, and the Amherst Ale House is no exception.  Will the combination of Crown Royal BBQ and Cajun/Medium wings land them in Moran’s Top 10?

Of course, the main topic of the podcast focuses on the Bills preseason home opener against the Carolina Panthers. Football is back and moments after the Bills lost, 28-24 the two give their thoughts on several players, including the fantastic job both Nate Peterman and A.J. McCarron did at quarterback, Kelvin Benjamin’s big preseason debut, an unlikely running back emerges in the mix while a rookie defensive back really struggled.

Apologies in advance on the varying background noise during this taping,  far more noticeable on Moran’s mic than Pucks’.  Taping shows outside with crowds is  a process and sooner than later we’ll get that sound tight. For a sound snob like Moran this  audio is occasionally painful.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews Cover 1 founder and contributor football writer for The Athletic Buffalo, Erik Turner.

Quickly earning a reputation as one of the best at breaking down and analyzing  game film,  Turner talks about his career path that began as a youngster in Lockport, New York through high school and college in upstate New York before starting to dab in the scouting and blogging industry.

Turner discusses some of the places he honed his craft at before eventually starting Cover 1, a move that expanded his readership as well as his profile.  Eventually it would to an opportunity with The Athletic when they formed a Buffalo division and Turner reveals why he jumped on board.

Moran also gets Turner (Cover_1_) takes on several Buffalo Bills topics, including the recent trade for Corey Coleman, how Josh Allen is progressing, breaking down film with former Bills center Eric Wood, and some guys Turner’s looking forward to seeing when the preseason starts.

The interview wraps with Turner answering several random questions during the mini-lighting round, including the one person he’d follow on Twitter if he were only allowed on follow, and the three dinner guests from any era he’d love to have.

After that Joe (@buffalowins) pops in for a “Run-In With Joe” segment.  They discuss Joe’s disdain for training camp, his thoughts on the national media shitting on Allen already and concludes the segment by inciting Moran with a chicken wing take.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran is joined by one of the most recognizable  NFL Superfans, certainly among the “Bills Mafia.”  Ezra Castro, more affectionately known as Pancho Billa is Moran’s special guest on the show.

Pancho speaks comprehensively on a wide range of topics in an interview that goes on for nearly a full hour.  During that time he talks growing up in El Paso, Texas and the unlikely fashion in which he initially became a Buffalo Bills fan at around seven years old back in 1986.  Being a Bills fan just yards from Mexico is pretty rare, especially growing up in a home with his father a diehard Dallas Cowboy fan.

We talk about his love of football that started as a young kid and has never waned. Fortunately for Pancho he was smart enough to realize early on his dreams of being the next Kent Hull and playing in the NFL would never become a reality, so after high school he eventually focused his sights on a career becoming a mortician.  That’s right—he went to Mortuary school and got into that line of work.  Pancho talks about what led to him choosing that career and why he felt able to handle everything that comes with it.

Pancho also reveals, in candid detail the moment he realized something was significantly wrong with his health, which unsurprisingly happened on the road for a Bills game.  He discusses the process of being diagnosed with cancer, what his initial reactions were and how both he and his family have handled it since.

Of course, we talk about the moment the entire world got to know Pancho Billa at the 2018 NFL Draft in Dallas when former Bills legends Fred Jackson and Andre Reed called him up to the stage to announce the team’s third-round draft pick.  You didn’t need to be a Bills fan or even a football fan to feel the emotion of the moment.

Naturally that’s led to Pancho Billa becoming a celebrity of sorts, never more evident than his appearance at Bills training camp last week that attracted Bills GM Brandon Beane, co-owner Kim Pegula and countless players and fans to approach him for well wishes, selfies and even autographs.

This is a great interview featuring one of the most genuine person you’ll ever hear.

You can follow Castro on Twitter at @Panchobilla1.  There’s also a Go Fund Me page set up to help support his ongoing fight with cancer at Pancho Power.

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