Talking Buffalo

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews award-winning New York Post lead sports columnist, Mike Vaccaro.

A two-time New York Sportswriter of the Year as named by the National Sports Media Association, Vaccaro talks with Moran about a variety of topics, including his career journey that began at St. Bonaventure College in Olean, New York and led to jobs in Fayetteville, Kansas City, Middletown and Newark before landing a job at the New York Post, a position he’s now held since 2002.

Vaccaro discloses what it’s like to work in the ultra-competitive New York City media market, offers his insight into the “Tabloid Wars” between the Post and the NY Daily News and discusses the balance between having friends in the media while still competing against them for scoops and stories.

The three books Vaccaro has written are also discussed and he reveals which if the three means the most to him.

There’s even a little bit of actual sports talk in the interview, including his take on a Yankees/Nationals World Series collision course, the New York Knicks and Sam Darnold falling to the New York Jets.

Before that, Moran is joined by Tone Pucks for their weekly “Pat With Pucks” segment.  The two talk about the favorable position the Buffalo Bills roster appears to be in moving forward thanks to a bright salary cap outlook, and spend some time discussing if NHL pending free agent John Tavares really is a realistic option for the Buffalo Sabres this summer.

Links to review/purchase Vaccaro’s books on Amazon:

The First Fall Classic: The Red Sox, the Giants, and the Cast of Players, Pugs, and Politicos Who Reinvented the World Series in 1912 : https://goo.gl/RezAhr

1941–The Greatest Year In Sports: Two Baseball Legends, Two Boxing Champs, and the Unstoppable Thoroughbred Who Made History in the Shadow of War: https://goo.gl/VgAqK4

Emperors and Idiots: The Hundred Year Rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox, From the Very Beginning to the End of the Curse: https://goo.gl/P1Vc7d

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran is joined by Adam Caplan, former ESPN NFL Insider and current SiriusXM Radio host.

One of the best reporters in the business, Caplan (@caplanNFL) spends a little time discussing the Buffalo Bills and several other teams around the league; including Cleveland, Tampa Bay and the LA Rams.

However, as usual with guests on the podcast, Moran spends even more time pulling back the curtain to give fans an opportunity to get know Caplan well beyond his NFL expertise.

We discuss Caplan’s growing up near Philadelphia, his early obsession with fantasy baseball, working for Scout.com on a path that would eventually lead him to ESPN in 2013 and a key role on their NFL Insiders show.   Caplan also reveals his feelings of being a victim of the ESPN layoffs last year, a group that included among others Andrew Brandt, Jason Stark, Andy Katz, Mark Stein and Ed Werder.

We also learn a few anecdotes Caplan rarely talks about, including the story of where he met his future wife and his time working wrestling events and one night in particular that led to Vader getting heated at him.

All that and much more!

Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran and his weekly Monday “Pat With Pucks” partner Tone Pucks examine the current Buffalo Bills roster as it stands to debate if this team, on paper is better or worse than last year’s 9-7 playoff team.

They break the team down by position and agree on some units while disagreeing on others, especially quarterback and the offensive line.

They also give their thoughts on Russ Brandon recently “resigning” as President of both the Bills and Buffalo Sabres, with Tone Pucks (@tonepucks) refusing to completely vilify Brandon and says Ralph Wilson is more to blame for the Bills 17-year playoff drought.

The Las Vegas Golden Knights, Lebron James & Tiger Woods are also discussed, and the two wrap up by answering a couple of fun TV and movie topics floating around Twitter.

Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast Patrick Moran is joined by Sweeny Murti, New York Yankees beat reporter for WFAN in New York City, a job he’s held dating back to 2001.

Also a contributor for the MLB Network and SNY, Sweeny discusses why pitching has keyed the Yankees sizzling hot streak they’ve been riding recently.  He also puts their recent record in historical context, talks Yanks/Red Sox rivalry, Luis Severino and the role Miguel Andujar may have going forward once Brandon Drury gets back.

Sweeny (@YankeesWFAN) also lends insight as to what it’s like working in the crazed New York media, specifically covering the Yankees. He talks about the relationship he has with some of his colleagues while still maintaining a sense of competition. He reveals that he had to overcome being a little intimidated at covering the most famous team in all of sports when first starting his tenure as WFAN Yankees beat reporter more than 17 years ago, and how it was Bernie Williams who helped break the ice.

Lastly, Sweeny offers advice for youngsters hoping to break in the business and answers a series of random questions.

After that Patrick is joined by Jon Alba (@jonalba) of ABC7/Fox 22 in Bangor, Maine to discuss recent WWE events and happenings.

Jon, co-host of  “Living The Gimmick” podcast that drops every Wednesday, gives his thoughts on Seth Rollins being arguably the best thing going lately, what the WWE should do with Roman Reigns and his assessment of the jobs Kurt Angle and Paige are doing as respective show general managers.

Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast Patrick Moran is joined by Del Reid, a founding father of one of the most famous fan bases in all of sports.

This is your opportunity to learn the true story of #BillsMafia

Thanks to the Barstool Sports and Deadspins of the internet, when many hear the term #BillsMafia they think of couples publicly fornicating in parking lots, guys drinking shots out from a chick’s bare naked ass and of course, table crashing.  Lots and lots of table crashing.  Often tables lit on fire.

All that is true.  However, that’s not what #BillsMafia is all about.

Del (@DelReid) gives fans an education and tells those who don’t know the TRUE story and history of the #BillsMafia.  He tells how the whole thing actually started as a bit of an inside joke and how a famous NFL insider, Adam Schefter inadvertently got the ball rolling.

He also talks about the roles former Bills Stevie Johnson and Nick Barnett had in the thing taking off and many of the wonderful, charitable things that have resulted from the #BillsMafia becoming a thing.

Of course, with the good always comes the bad and Del doesn’t shy away from discussing the downside of  #BillsMafia,  a side often sensationalized on internet blogs.

We also spend time talking about 26 Shirts, a venture Del co-founded that uses the sales of t-shirt selling campaigns to assist worthy causes. To date 26 Shirts has raised nearly $500,000 for people in need and the venture continues to grow.

Del’s one of the true good guys of Western New York and when fans around the globe think #BillsMafia they should be thinking of guys like him as opposed to tailgating ass juice drinkers.

Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast Patrick Moran is joined by Buffalo Bills beat reporter and co-host of The Bills Beat Podcast, Matthew Fairburn.

This interview focuses on Fairburn and  his journey to landing a job at Syracuse.com covering the Buffalo Bills, from growing up in Massachusetts to going away for college at the University of Missouri.  Fairburn speaks of internships and writing gigs he had along the way to prepare him for post graduate life covering the NFL.

Fairburn (@matthewfairburn) discusses how he got his job, other opportunities he was perusing at the time, relocating to Western New York and how he’s built a life around the area, including meeting his fiancé.

He pulls back the curtain a little to disclose what life’s like covering a NFL team on the road and talks on the balance between friendship and competition among media colleagues covering the team’s beat.

We also discuss The Bills Beat Podcast, a show he cohosts with Joe Buscaglia that’s hands down the best Bills podcast and one of the top sports and recreational podcasts overall anywhere. If you don’t believe me, check the Apple Podcast charts.

Of course, I do spend some time talking Bills football with Fairburn and get his take on why he doesn’t think Josh Allen is as much of a “project” as other things.  He also offers insight on Tremaine Edmunds, an improving defense and an outloook where Matthew thinks the Bills may be better in 2018 than most skeptics believe.

Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page.

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On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast Patrick Moran is joined by one of the rising young sports talk radio show hosts in Western New York, Nate Geary of WGR550 in Buffalo.

The two fully recap the NFL draft from both a Buffalo Bills and league-wide perspective.  They discuss the much anticipated yet highly scrutinized decision of Bills general manager Brandon Beane to trade up five spots and select quarterback Josh Allen, a decision that instantly sparked a lightning rod of reaction among fans.

Geary talks about how much he loved the Bills “other” big first-round move that came with zero controversy, trading up for linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. This is a guy that could become one of the better linebackers in the league.

They break down all the Bills draft selections and discuss how they may fit into the team’s immediate and long term plans.

The two wrap up by talking about some of the other teams in the league and how they fared with the draft, with both agreeing Green Bay and Denver had great drafts while the opposite for New Orleans.  The two disagree on Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

After that Tone Pucks drops in for their weekly Pat With Pucks segment and the two put an emphasis on the fans reaction of drafting Josh Allen, the Pegula’s involvement in the process if any, the state of the Bills roster now that the draft is complete and wind down by talking about the Buffalo Sabres winning the draft lottery Saturday.

Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page.

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Happy NFL Draft Day, folks!

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast Patrick Moran interviews long-time WGR 550 Buffalo sports talk radio host, Howard Simon.

They discuss Howard’s long and successful career in the sports radio business, a journey that began in the mid-1990’s and included stints at WBEN and WNSA radio as well as a television gig at the Empire Sports Network before settling into his WGR morning show gig with Jeremy White in 2004.

Howard recalls in great detail the divide among both fans and the media a few years ago that was unprecedented in Buffalo sports —the Buffalo Sabres tank.  Howard explains why he took the side he did and the overall stress that Sabres season caused him.

He also reflects on life as a morning talk show guy, answers several random questions and of course gives his take on what the Buffalo Bills should do in the NFL draft that starts tonight.

Speaking of the draft, Patrick pulls a WGR-550 doubleheader and grabs Nate Geary (@NateGearyWGR) for a conversation about the NFL draft starting at the 44:00 mark.  Patrick unveils his one and only mock draft, with plenty of trades and Nate offers his insights and opinions on several picks, players and positions.

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The Moran-Alytics Podcast enjoys its biggest score to date as Patrick Moran interviews long-time Sports Illustrated veteran and current media critic and columnist for The Athletic, Richard Deitsch.

Starting at around the 3:30 mark Richard discusses in detail several topics, including why he decided to leave Sports Illustrated after 20 years for The Athletic, why he will soon be relocating permanently to Toronto, how he really feels about Skip Bayless, recollections of his favorite Olympic memories (he’s covered seven Olympic games) and Richard reveals why he chose to Buffalo for his college education and how going to school there played a role in launching his widely successful sports media career.

We also discuss his Sports Media podcast, which has long been one of the top ranked sports and recreational podcasts in the world and Richard shares memories of a few past guests and offers his take on what makes for a good show.

Lastly, Patrick asks Richard a series of rapid-fire style questions and actually stumps him when Richard’s asked what three dinner guests he’d most like to have, dead or alive.

After that Patrick grabs Tone Pucks (@tonepucks) for the Monday weekly “Pat with Pucks” segment. This week they are giving their final thoughts as the NFL draft begins just four day from now. They also react to the Benjamin Allbright interview from last Thursday, give their takes on the NFL schedule release and offer opinions on now retired former Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson.

Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page.

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We’re just one week away from the NFL draft and Denver sports radio host Benjamin Allbright joins Patrick Moran on the Moran-Alytics Podcast to talk all things NFL and the draft.

Widely known as one of football’s best insiders and a must-follow on Twitter (@allbrightNFL), Benjamin shares the latest on what he’s been hearing when it comes to personnel decisions on this draft class, particularly at the quarterback position.

We discuss several draft scenarios starting at around the 8:20 mark, including Allbright’s thoughts on the Buffalo Bills and what he hears the team is trying to do in regards to moving up the draft board.  Here’s a spoiler alert–if you’re a Bills fans and in love with Josh Allen, this probably isn’t the interview you want to hear.

We also discuss reporting, Twitter and social media in how it pertains to the relationship between reporter and content consumer, as well as details of Allbright’s very public feud with Jason La Canfora from 2016.

The interview ends by stepping away from sports for a few fun facts, and we learn among other things what tunes Allbright likes to pump on his music player and three people he’d love to have dinner with.

Immediately after that (around the 42:00 mark) Patrick is joined by former University at Buffalo defensive end and NFL draft prospect Demone Harris (@demoneharris).  The two discuss Harris’ journey to this point — a road not paved easy.  Harris wasn’t even a full-time starter on his high school football team until his senior year and didn’t receive a college scholarship. Instead, he was a walk-on at UB and during his time transformed himself from just another face in the program to one of its most pivotal players.

With just one week Demone finds himself on the doorstep of the NFL, whether it comes in the later rounds of the draft or immediately after as an undrafted free agent, he’ll be on an NFL roster soon.  Demone reveals what he plans on doing during the draft.

Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page.

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