Talking Buffalo

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran continues his “Wings With” series while still back visiting his hometown of Buffalo. This time the spot is Sonny Red’s in Lackawanna and his guest is former Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl center and current Bills game day radio color commentary as well as ACC Network analyst, Eric Wood. Before they even dive into topics Moran is blown away by how slimmed out yet chiseled Wood’s looking these days. Moran is going in the complete opposite direction, probably because this is his 15th time having wings over the last 12 days. These were among the best of the lot as they mowed down a plate full of “Joe’s Chicken Wings”, ironically labeled as “made famous by Eric Wood” on the menu. After discussing how good the wings were and mentioning other spots their fond of they discussed big changes in Wood’s professional life —getting jobs with the ACC Network as an analyst and taking over for Mark Kelso as Bills radio game day color analyst. Wood revealed how those opportunities came out, how he plans on approaching his work, what his attitude will be calling games for the team he spent his entire career with and what his travel schedule will look like now that football season is starting. They also spend plenty of time discussing the 2019 Bills as Wood breaks down the offensive line including how he feels about so many news faces in terms of continuity, what he’s hearing about Mitch Morse, why he gives Dion Dawkins a pass for 2018 and how he feels about Cody Ford playing both guard and tackle early in camp. He also has thoughts on Josh Allen going into his second year and a defense he thinks can and should be one of the best in the league. They also talk about the “What’s Next With Eric Wood” podcast, including Eric’s process of putting the episodes together and the premise of great guests from all walks of life transitioning into their next phase of life. It’s a formula that makes Wood’s podcast an entertaining and even educational listen. They wrap with a series of random questions for Eric submitted by fans from Twitter and Facebook ranging from the Bills to superstitions, karaoke jams and much more. You can follow Eric on Twitter @EWood70 and of course tune into WGR-550 for all Buffalo Bills games during the season. Special thanks again to Sonny Red’s in Lackawanna for being a great host and allowing the guys to devour some ridiculously good wings (and pizza.) If you live in the Western New York area you need to give Sonny Red’s a visit, located just minutes from New Era Field in Orchard Park. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran is hanging out and eating wings while taping live from The Audubon North in Amherst with not one but two of his favorite guests. Tim Graham, feature writer at The Athletic and host of the Tim Graham Show on 1270 the Fan joins the show along with Jeff Boyd of the 716 Sports Podcast and also the recurring Big Boyd Theory segment on this podcast for a fun conversation covering a ton of topics. The guys hit the record button at one of Moran’s favorite spots in all of Western New York for wings and let the conversation fly, warts and all not to mention plenty of patrons eavesdropping in. The three spend a chunk of time early discussing one of Graham’s outstanding feature stories, a stunningly detailed and sometimes dark look at former professional wrestling star from Western New York, Lex Luger. Moran asks Graham to detail the process of what goes into producing a long form story like this and Tim provides a lot of insight on several factors that go into making long form stories a winner. After taking a break to bang out wings and chicken fingers, all three unanimously praise Cajun hot while agreeing the fingers are nothing to sleep on either. They then spend time talking about The Athletic and Tim details a fantastic story of being responsible for bringing together Matt Fairburn and John Vogl for a meeting last year, one that ultimately became the foundation of an all-star Buffalo media lineup to join online subscription-based publication. Unsurprisingly throughout Graham’s incredibly candid, as always when pointing out reasons he left The Buffalo News and what he perceives the big working environment difference between the two. Of course, The Athletic’s Buffalo division got even stronger recently with the addition of Joe Buscaglia and Graham reveals what makes Buscaglia a special reporter and such a good and credible fit there. The conversation turns to honest talk about Tim’s interviews with O.J. Simpson and Tim’s radio show before finishing up with some silly random questions before signing off, including karaoke songs Tim and Jeff think they could rock out too. As we’ve all come to expect, Tim pulls no punches whether the topics are fun or serious. Jeff, a former college journalism student of Graham provides excellent commentary and insight throughout the episode as well. Huge thanks again to The Audubon North for being a gracious host on what was a far busier Monday night taping than anticipated. The wings are very highly recommended so much so that both Moran and Graham put them in their top three. You can follow Tim Graham on Twitter @ByTimGraham and of course check out his incredibly entertaining work at The Athletic. Follow Jeff on Twitter at @JeffBoyd716 and hear his work along with the boys at the 716 Sports Podcast. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran is joined by recurring guest Joe Yerdon, Buffalo Sabres beat writer for The Athletic in a fun conversation taped live at the Essex Street Pub on the west side of Buffalo. This is Yerdon’s third time on the podcast but first in person. In fact, just minutes before this taping is the first time the two ever met. Once the tape started rolling Pat and Joe spent time talking Buffalo and more specifically the west side, a neighborhood Moran grew up in and Yerdon currently lives in now. They run down some of Joe’s favorite sports for chicken wings before turning their attention to The Athletic, which now has more than a half-million subscribers. The Buffalo division received a huge boost on the football side recently when Joe Buscaglia joined the staff and Yerdon offers his thoughts on Joe B’s addition. They also discuss Joe’s mindset during hockey offseason summer months before taking a break to mow down some BBQ, Jerk and Maple wings. The second half of the conversation revolves around the Sabres and Joe takes on topics such as predicting if Rasmus Ristolainen will be traded before opening night, what blue liner is best equipped to be paired with Rasmus Dahlin, who should skate on the top line with Jack Eichel and Jeff Skinner, if Tage Thompson should spend the upcoming season in Buffalo, what is going on with the goaltending situation and wrapping up the chat providing a present day forecast for the upcoming season. You can follow Joe on Twitter @JoeYerdon and of course check out his work at The Athletic, where they always have discount specials going on for annual subscriptions. Special thanks to the Essex Street Pub for being a gracious host. It’s located at 530 Rhode Island Street in Buffalo and both Pat and Joe, already a Pub regular highly recommend checking it out. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by O’Neill’s Stadium Inn, Patrick Moran hooks up with veteran WGR 550 Buffalo Bills beat reporter Sal Capaccio for an extended chat at O’Neill’s in Orchard Park, one of Moran’s favorite spots for both drinks and wings. It’s Capaccio’s third time on the podcast but the first with Moran in person after previously being his first-ever guest and also his guest on the one-year anniversary episode. They begin with talk on Bills training camp and Capaccio breaks down how the offensive line rotation has worked, his mild surprise that Cody Ford is getting so much first team work this early, how John Brown has looked the part of a game changing through the first few days, how far long shots David Sills and Duke Williams need to go to make the team and a few players Sal wants to see step up and do more in the coming days and weeks. They then take a break to chow down some wings and here’s a spoiler alert—the Cajun medium at O’Neill’s are absurdly delicious. After spending a few talking wings, in which Sal’s convinced most wings taste the same—a take Moran considers controversial they shift to several questions for Sal submitted by fans on Twitter. The questions range from the Bills to general sports, Game of Thrones, his own former football career, what he thinks about his son possibly playing the sport and much more. You can follow Sal on Twitter at @SalSports and of course be sure to check out his work at WGR550.com. Special thanks to O’Neill’s Stadium Inn for being such a gracious host and banging out tasty wings for us to enjoy, which by the way rank seventh out of 44 spots on Moran’s Chicken Wings Power Rankings. Everyone knows O’Neill’s is a great party spot for Bills Sunday home games—you need to know it’s also a place to get top notch food from a full menu and of course wings that feature literally dozens of flavors. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Celluar, Patrick Moran has an extended chat with longtime fantasy football writer & analyst Evan Silva on a variety of topics. Silva discusses his early life, ranging from northern Virginia to St. Louis before ultimately going to college at the University of Marquette in Wisconsin and living in Chicago today. He still remembers when he first caught the fantasy football bug and how it’s a developed passion that ultimately led to Rotoworld, where he’d work for more a dozen years. Recently Silva co-founded a new subscription-based site called Establish the Run and he reveals why he felt it was time to leave Rotoworld and what motivated him to tackle this new venture. Of course, the two also spend considerable time talking fantasy football, both from a Buffalo Bills and NFL perspective. Moran runs down all the skill position players on the Bills and Silva offers fantasy analysis for each, landing on three players he considers the most draft worthy. They then move to the NFL with Moran throwing out names in packs of three with Silva ranking while also throwing out some sleepers to target and potential fantasy flops to avoid early. You can follow Evan on Twitter @EvanSilva and check out Establish The Run for more information on how to become a member. After that Moran reads off some Bills fans bold predictions for training camp, including takes on Lesean McCoy as well the battle for wide receiver roster spots before Moran adds a prediction of his own in regards to Buffalo’s starting left tackle. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran has an extended chat with Nate Geary from WGR550 on a variety of topics including a look into Buffalo Bills training camp. Before they venture into Bills camp territory Geary talks about having the opportunity along with Joe DiBiase to take over for Howard Simon on the Bills “Countdown to Kickoff” Sunday morning pregame show as well as replacing Sal Capaccio on the Sports Talk Saturday show. From there it’s a training camp preview with Buffalo beginning camp at the end of the week. Moran and Geary sift through the roster, breaking down potential battles and standout players at each position. Following the camp preview both Moran and Geary power rank the top five Buffalo businesses they wish could bring with them if relocating to another part of the country. The interview concludes with the traditional Moran-Alytics Podcast mini lightning round, where we learn what game show Nate could dominate, what Queen song he rocks out at karaoke and what three dinner guests he’d most enjoy having over. You can follow Nate Geary on Twitter @NateGearyWGR and check out all of the WGR online content and ability to stream the radio station live at www.wgr550.com. Also, congratulations to Michael Hontz Jr., winner of the three Buffalo-themed t-shirt prize pack giveaway sponsored by our friends at Identity Ink. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran reunites with his buddy Joe from NYC for the first time in over two months for an extended installment of “The Run In With Joe” that covers numerous topics. The two spend a few minutes with a little friendly NBA and TV show banter before diving into the Buffalo Bills as we’ve now reached the one week mark from the start of training camp. Both compile a list of the 10 best players on the Bills right now and count them down, both agreeing on nine of 10 players although not necessarily the same order. They also discuss a few things they’re looking forward to at camp with Moran highlighting the offensive line and Joe (@BuffaloWins) being into defensive back depth. The topic of a potential 18-game NFL regular season schedule is discussed amid reports it could become a reality with Pat and Joe both listing the pros and cons of how it’d likely play out. From there it’s a spirited discussion over whether most reporters have any true benefit of being granted media credentials to cover a team and which outlets should and shouldn’t be sitting in professional sports press boxes. They also play a little fantasy game on the heels of a recent WGR poll as both reveal what past Bills and Buffalo Sabres player they’d add to the current roster to improve the team. They wind down with a chat about WWE, including Brock Lesnar once again being Universal Champion, the failed title reign of Seth Rollins, the emerging Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon and Joe angering Pat by making fun of the IIconics before each come up with a storyline they think could make WWE more entertaining. Of course, each Run In With Joe segment ends with Joe hitting his (final take) finisher, and this time it’s aimed directly at sports media personalities who tweet about themselves playing golf. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran and Jeff Boyd get together for a supersized “Big Boyd Theory” segment covering the Buffalo Bills ,Buffalo Sabres and….. Seinfeld. They discuss how the Bills may distribute the percentage of snaps and carries between aging veterans Lesean McCoy and Frank Gore as well as the role rookie Devin Singletary may play. They also speculate how the offensive line may shake out over the next handful of weeks and agree that Tremaine Edmunds is set to emerge from training camp/preseason with breakout season potential oozing from the second-year linebacker. Moving onto the Sabres, they go over the Henri Jokiharju for Alex Nylander trade with Chicago, which happened just hours after Jeff spent considerable time discussing Nylander on the podcast last week. They examine what move(s) Buffalo may make on the blue line to help add to the forwards or if the team rolls with Jimmy Vesey and Marcus Johansson as the lone potential significant additions up front. They end with an extended conversation about Seinfeld on the heels of Moran binging the entire series after never seeing it when originally aired in the 1900s. Claiming he feels like he got a Christmas gift and forgot to open it for two decades, Moran highlights some of his favorite parts of the iconic show while adding a few things he wasn’t thrilled with before ending with each naming their Mt. Rushmore of TV shows. You can follow Jeff on Twitter at @JeffBoyd716 and check out his work on the 716 Sports Podcast. Before that Moran opens with thoughts on deceased boxing legend Pernell Whitaker and discusses plans for upcoming episode tapings in Buffalo. Also, you can have a change to win a FREE T-Shirt Prize Pack, sponsored by Identity Ink. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and see his pinned Tweet for more details. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran kicks off what will be a recurring High School Hoops Legends series, beginning with former Buffalo Traditional star Jason Rowe, who dominated the area high school scene in the early-to-mid 1990’s. Rowe’s fourth all-time in Western New York with 2,286 points. He’s a three-time first-team All-WNY and two-time Buffalo News Co-Player of the Year. He’s also on The Buffalo News’ All-90’s decade first-team as well as third-team on their all-time team. Translation: he’s one of the best basketball players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers in Buffalo. Rowe talks about growing up with basketball around him physically and in his bloodlines, including his Uncle Lester Rowe, a stud player at Lafayette high school who went on to become a star at West Virginia. Rowe speaks of the role his local Boys Club played in his development as well as playing on teams against kids several years older. They discuss his days at Traditional, where Jason spearheaded a team that won the Class C Section VI title all four of his years including a state title his senior season. He reveals why he chose Loyola of Maryland for college over Marquette, his disappointment with how his college career ended and what life was like playing overseas, as Jason played professionally for 15 years globally in countries all over the world. Beyond Jason’s life and accomplishments the two spend time discussing his current head coaching job at Bishop Timon, reminiscing about the glory days of the Yale Cup and some of the best players to ever come out of Western New York while examining why more city legends didn’t make it big before ending with Moran stumping Rowe by asking him to name his own personal all-time WNY team. You can follow Jason on Twitter at @CoachJRowe. Following Rowe’s interview is a movie review of Spider Man: Far From Home courtesy of Sean Chandler from the Sean Chandler Talks About YouTube channel. Chandler was on the podcast a few months ago and has become one of YouTube’s leading and most respected content creators. His movie reviews, franchise rankings and much more can be found among his daily content on his YouTube channel, which is over 122,000 subscribers and growing. Also, you can have a change to win a FREE T-Shirt Prize Pack, sponsored by Identity Ink. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and see his pinned Tweet for more details. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran interviews former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Marques Sullivan on his life, Bills career, Western New York and other topics. Despite being born in Chicago, Sullivan discusses growing up a fan of the Buffalo Bills. He didn’t even start playing football until his freshmen year of high school and still by the time he was a senior he was the highest ranked offensive prospect in the country and one of the nation’s biggest recruits. Marques reveals that family was the deciding factor in choosing Illinois for college over such powerhouses as LSU and Wisconsin among others. After a good career at Illinois Sullivan talks about the process of going from college football player to NFL draft prospect, including sharing the disappointment back in 2001 that he wasn’t a first-round draft pick. He then spends time talking about his time in Buffalo, including some of the veteran players he became close with, the love the organization showed him during a difficult time, why he felt 2002 first-round pick Mike Williams was rushed into the starting lineup and the colossal frustration of a talented Bills roster that went just 6-10 in 2003. The two discuss what Sullivan is up to these days before wrapping with the traditional mini-lightning round, where we learn a myriad of Sullivan fun facts. You can follow Marquise on Twitter @SiFuSullivan. Immediately after that Jeff Boyd (@JeffBoyd716) from the 716 Sports Podcast joins for another installment of The Big Boyd Theory. Today the guys are talking about Buffalo, another hidden gem Moran had chicken wings at before settling into some Buffalo Sabres talk as Boyd analyzes the impact of Marcus Johansson, how the forward lines may play out and if the needle will move on the team if the roster remains essentially what it is now. They wrap with a chat about Seinfeld and each create their own Mt. Rushmore of TV show theme songs. Also, you can have a change to win a FREE T-Shirt Prize Pack, sponsored by Identity Ink. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and see his pinned Tweet for more details. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Identity Ink, Patrick Moran interviews brand new ESPN.com Buffalo Bills beat reporter, Marcel Louis-Jacques on a wide variety of topics. They talk about Louis-Jacques growing up in Sacramento a big Kings fan and discuss some of those early 2000s teams that were on the cusp of a NBA title but never got over the hump. Marcel was a four sport athlete in high school and recalls the point he realized his path to a future in sports was through covering rather than playing them. He chose to go to Arizona State for college and it was the start of a journey that led him to Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina and now ultimately Buffalo. Life’s about breaks and Marcel sheds light on how the opportunities to cover Clemson athletics, Carolina Panthers and now the Bills came about. He also has initial impressions of Buffalo, the winter weather he’s not used to but will learn to deal with it, chicken wings, Bills fans, his thoughts on social media interaction and much more. It’s an opportunity to get know the guy who’s replacing Mike Rodak in covering the Bills beat for ESPN. You can follow Marcel on Twitter at @Marcel_LJ and of course check out his work at ESPN.com starting July 1. After that is a movie review of “Child’s Play”, a remake/reboot of the classic 1989 film about a demonic doll that comes to life to terrorize a family. The review comes courtesy of Sean Chandler of the Sean Chandler Talks About YouTube channel. Sean has become one of the most respected and popular movie and TV reviewers on YouTube with over 113,000 subscribers. Subscribe to his channel! Also, you can have a change to win a FREE T-Shirt Prize Pack, sponsored by Identity Ink. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and see his pinned Tweet for more details. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this packed episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Identity Ink, Patrick Moran interviews Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic in addition to an installment of the “Big Boyd Theory” with Jeff Boyd. Fairburn was on the podcast a little more than a year ago and they talk about how things have changed during that time. For starters, Fairburn was at NYUp.com at the time and not long after that podcast aired joined the newly formed Buffalo division of The Athletic. He talks about the decision not being a particularly hard one to make with having the opportunity to remain living in Western New York at least playing a small role in the decision. He talks about the success of The Athletic Buffalo since launching and the professional and personal satisfaction he gets from covering the Buffalo Bills there. Speaking of personal, Fairburn talks about his upcoming wedding later this week, including answering if the final days leading up have him nervous and what wedding song was chosen for their first dance. Of course they also spend a little time talking about the Bills and Fairburn offers his analysis on their busy offseason, how the offensive line will help shape this team, the lack of leadership he’s seen from Lesean McCoy and offers a few Bills positional predictions before the season starts. You can follow Matt on Twitter at @MatthewFairburn and of course check out The Athletic, where you can currently get a subscription for 40% off. After that Moran is joined by Boyd for their recurring “The Big Boyd Theory” segment. Today the guys are discussing the Buffalo Sabres first few draft picks from this weekend, with Boyd giving his take on how long before fans can expect Dylan Cozens to be playing in Buffalo and if Ryan Johnson will unfairly be forced to carry a Ryan O’Reilly tag on him the same Tage Thompson does. They also discuss the Sabres roster and how much better it could possibly be because of incoming head coach Ralph Kruger, even with limited personnel changes and weigh in on if former Sabre great Alexander Mogilny should be included in this year’s Hall of Fame class. They wrap up by talking Seinfeld because Moran is nearly three seasons into a binge of the show, never having watched it when originally on in the 90s. Jeff talks about what made him a big fan of the show and the two pick their Mt. Rushmore’s of television shows. You can follow Jeff on Twitter @JeffBoyd716 and listen to his work as part of the 716 Sports Podcast. Also, you can have a change to win a FREE T-Shirt Prize Pack, sponsored by Identity Ink. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and see his pinned Tweet for more details. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran offers a break from sports talk by having an extended chat with Matthew Schuler, former finalist on The Voice that spans his life and career to this point. Matthew was on Season five of NBC’s Emmy award winning show and his audition resulted in the fastest four judge chair turn in the history of The Voice. It resulted in all four coaches battling for him with Schuler ultimately choosing Christina Aguilera over Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and CeeLo Green. They go all the way back to Schuler’s humble beginnings, growing up in Pennsylvania with singing and church the dominant factors in his life. Matthew talks about learning to sing, his mother being a super soprano and having artists like Michael Jackson influence him as a kid. He eventually went to college determined to study the business side of things, including music. His life changed in 2013 when auditioning for The Voice. He talks about the lengthy process it takes from first auditioning to performing in front of the judges on television, the overwhelming nerves he often had to shake off, why he chose Aguilera as his coach over the other three contenders, how much time the contestants actually spent with the coaches, the weekly schedule of being on The Voice and who was responsible for several of his song choices. Matthew also recalls what it felt like to see his stunning performance of “Hallelujah” not only reach number-one on iTunes, but end up as a Billboard Top 40 hit. They also discuss why Moran thinks Schuler didn’t win the show, what Matt’s been up to post-Voice before finishing by offering sound advice for aspiring singers out there hoping to chase their dreams on a show like The Voice. You can follow Matthew on Twitter @MatthewSchuler_ and visit OfficialMatthewSchuler.com for news, bookings, contact information and more. Also, you can have a change to win a FREE T-Shirt Prize Pack, sponsored by Identity Ink. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and see his pinned Tweet for more details. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran interviews Jenna Callari, sports reporter and anchor at WKBW-TV Buffalo on her life and career to this point. Callari was born and raised in Western New York (Cheektowaga) until she was 10 years old, when her family moved to Michigan. Callari recalls the anger she and her sister felt at the time towards her parents for leaving but ultimately considers the move the best thing that ever happened to her. She went to Michigan State for college and began pursuit of a sports broadcast journalism career. The journey took her to Maine and Georgia before ultimately ending up back in Buffalo. Callari discusses her previous jobs and the process that culminated in her return to Western New York, including a reveal that she still doesn’t remember applying for the WKBW job. She also spends time talking about her WKBW colleagues Matt Bove and Joe Buscaglia, her brutally honest feelings about living in Western New York again, the “thank you” folder she keeps for hard times, her thoughts on women in sports media and feelings about social media before finishing with the traditional Mini-Lightning round, where we learn tons of fun facts about Jenna. You can follow Jenna on Twitter at @JennaCallari and be sure to check out her work at WKBW-TV. Immediately after the Callari interview Moran’s joined by his buddy Tone Pucks (@TonePucks) for a “Pat with Pucks” segment. Today the guys are talking about the crazy NBA finals and big Anthony Davis trade before turning their attention to Ryan O’Reilly winning the Conn Smythe trophy for St. Louis, leading to a Mt. Rushmore of all-time terrible Buffalo sports decisions. Tone ends the segment with a take on Buffalo Sabres needing to refrain from knee jerk reactions to personnel moves coming soon. Also, you can have a change to win a FREE T-Shirt Prize Pack, sponsored by Identity Ink. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today’s episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran has a fun chat with WROC-TV in Rochester sports director Thad Brown spanning his life and career. They go all the way back to Brown’s beginnings in Rochester, growing up an admitted stat nerd and a fan of the most unlikely combination of sports teams you’ll ever hear. Brown played football and lacrosse in high school before coming to grips that his path to professional sports would be covering rather than playing them. He went to Hofstra for college, ultimately got his job at WROC in the late 90’s and never looked back. The two discuss several sports media topics, including the mostly tight knit relationship a lot of the Western New York contingent of Buffalo Bills media enjoys, the competition among each other that’s fun but doesn’t cross the line, the biggest pros and cons of being a sports reporter, what being a sports director means to him and his take on social media, particularly Twitter. They also spend time talking about the Buffalo Bills as Brown elaborates on why he thinks Lesean McCoy still has one more big season left in him in Buffalo. He also has a take on Josh Allen working hard to become the leader of the team, offers a bold prediction that someone projected to be a starter won’t be in Week one, and reveals his realistic expectation of what it will take from the Bills to keep fans and ownership happy. As is traditional on this podcast, they end with Moran’s “Mini Lightning Round” and we learn among other things what Brown’s go-to karaoke song would be, what game should he would dominate, his favorite city to visit, his first celebrity crush and three guys he’d most love to share a beer and meal with. You can follow Thad on Twitter at @ThadBrown7 and check out some of his work at RochesterFirst.com. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran chats with WGRZ-TV Buffalo “Daybreak” co-anchor and reporter Melissa Holmes on a wide variety of topics. Born and raised in Western New York, Holmes talks about growing up in Amherst and being into musicals and dancing as a child, once dreaming of becoming a Rockette before coming to the realization she’d grow to be too tall. From there she remembers the exact moment where she decided that she could see herself becoming a news journalist and hits on many of the steps that she took to get there. They also talk about the unorthodox sleep (or lack thereof) schedule Holmes became accustomed to with being on the air so early as well as the favorite part of her job. Melissa reveals the emotional connection that comes with getting to know some of the people she does stories on and how it can be difficult but also help put her own life into perspective. Melissa also shares stories of how her and her husband, Buffalo News sports reporter Jay Skurski first met and their son Elliott’s impressive golf swing before finishing with the traditional mini-lightning round, where we learn among other things her first celebrity crush, most re-watched movie, favorite city to visit, what TV game show she could dominate and much more. You can follow Melissa on Twitter @2MelissaHolmes, be sure to check out some of her work at WGRZ.com and of course, tune into Channel 2 weekday mornings from 4:30-7:00am for Daybreak. Immediately following that interview, Moran is joined by Jeff Boyd (@JeffBoyd716) for the debut of a new recurring segment called “The Big Boyd Theory.” Jeff is one of the guys from the 716 Sports Podcast crew as well as a play by play announcer for several teams and will bring takes on several sports topics to the segment, particularly hockey. Today Moran introduces Boyd to his audience and spend a few minutes getting to know him before gaging Boyd’s reaction to the Buffalo Sabres re-signing Jeff Skinner to a whopping nine-year, $81 million deal a couple of days ago. We get Jeff’s personal perspective on if the Sabres did the right thing while examining how the deal is being perceived around the league. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Celluar, Patrick Moran is joined by Zach Sheldon AKA Maniac from Trainwreck Sports as they chat about a ton of topics. It’s Maniac’s second-ever appearance on the podcast and the two discuss the growing success of Trainwreck Sports and Maniac’s growing comfort with being behind a camera with a microphone. After landing former Buffalo Sabre Brian Gionta’s in studio for a recent Trainwreck Tonight, Moran asks Maniac to power rank his top five guests ever on their show and his answer, as you’d expect is wildly entertaining. They also talk New York Yankees baseball, Mike Rodak leaving his Buffalo Bills reporter post at ESPN after six years and Maniac being faced with a difficult decision over if he would trade the Buffalo Sabres, Bisons and Bandits for just one franchise. Sean McDermott, Rachel Bush, La’Adrian (and Shelby) Waddle are also topics before finishing up frustrated over the state of WWE as Moran charges Maniac with making the product better. You can follow Maniac on Twitter at @ZachSheldon and be sure to check out Trainwreck Sports for all their content. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this brand new episode of the Moran-Altyics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran returns from a one week break to interview WKBW-TV sports anchor and imminent sports director Matt Bove on a variety of topics. This is Bove’s second time doing the podcast, having first appeared back in late September of last year. Today they spend time talking about Bove’s pending promotion, his friendships with colleague Joe Buscaglia and Paul Hamilton, Buffalo Bills and Sabres talk, thoughts on Roger Goodell’s comments while in Western New York on Monday and plenty more. Follow Matthew on Twitter @Matt_Bove and check out his work at WKBW.com. After the chat with Bove the podcast turns to a movie review of Rocketman, the new Elton John biopic. It comes courtesy of Sean Chandler from the Sean Chandler Talks About YouTube channel. Be one of more than 110k strong that subscribe to Sean’s channel on Youtube, which provides informative, entertaining and insightful content on movies and television shows on a near daily basis. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is a special “Best of” episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Volume Two. Podcast host Patrick Moran is in the process of moving so in lieu of new episodes on Tuesday and Friday of this week we’re presenting full length replays of some of his favorite interviews over the first 122 episodes. Today we’re re-airing not one but two interviews that rank among not only Moran’s favorites but also the most important to date. First up is an interview with arguably the best known NFL insider in the world, ESPN’s Adam Schefter from back on Episode No. 23 last May. We learn of Schefter’s entire life story and journey and how a series of “no’s” would ultimately lead him to becoming one of the biggest names and brands in all of sports media. After that is Moran’s interview with the all-time king of sports agents, Leigh Steinberg. That interview took place on Episode No. 52 last September. Steinberg, the real-life inspiration for the Hollywood blockbuster Jerry McGuire tells his life story, including how he became a sports agent in the first place. Both interviews with these legends of the sports world are presented in their entirety. We’ll be back with brand new episodes of the Moran-Alytics Podcast starting next Tuesday. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is a special “Best of” episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Volume One. Podcast host Patrick Moran is in the process of moving so in lieu of new episodes on Tuesday and Friday of this week we’re presenting full length replays of some of his favorite interviews over the first 122 episodes. Today we’re re-airing not one but two interviews with the late Ezra Castro, AKA Pancho Billa, a two-time featured guest of the podcast. The first interview from Episode No. 43 first aired on August 3, 2018 and the second, from Episode No. 63 aired on October 19, 2018. Hearing Pancho tell stories about growing up, becoming a Buffalo Bills fan, his life and how he approached fighting cancer with support from family, friends and fans will stand the test of time. He was a man filled with love, honor and integrity and while no longer physically here, his indomitable spirit will live on. Give these Moran-Alytics Podcast vintage interviews a listen and re-live Castro’s life, in his own words. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran has an extensive interview with Buffalo Bills beat reporter Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News on a variety of personal and professional topics. Skurski was previously a guest on the podcast all the way back on episode five last March. When that episode aired last year it was business as usual at The Buffalo News. Not long after however, an exodus of veteran writers left the News for a variety of reasons. Skurski talks about how he and the department handled it, the sting of losing several colleagues that are also his friends and having to deal with the phony perception that the Buffalo News sports department was essentially dead following the departures. The two then spend a lot of time talking about the Bills. Jay offers his take on how much new tight end Tyler Croft’s broken foot at the first day of OTA’s sets back the position, the Jerry Hughes extension, Ed Oliver’s expectations as a rookie and the offensive line actually being the sexy position to cover during training camp. He also reveals a player on the roster he thinks is poised to have a big breakout season. You can follow Jay on Twitter @JaySkurski and of course be sure to check out his work at The Buffalo News. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran is joined by contributing writer for The Athletic, hockey analyst and the first ever three-time featured guest on this podcast, Kris Baker. The two discuss several Buffalo Sabres topics, including the hiring of new head coach Ralph Krueger. Baker gives his insight on the hire and explains why he thinks there’s a chance for Krueger to be exactly what the Sabres desperately need. Baker also has thoughts on why Phil Housley failed as head coach in Buffalo, putting at least some blame on a lack of talent on the roster. They also talk about whether the Sabres will be able to re-sign Jeff Skinner, what Plan B may be if he departs, Baker’s take on several young players in the organization and he provides a peak at a handful of prospects the Sabres may target with the seventh overall pick in the NHL draft next month. They wrap by briefly talking a little Game of Thrones and Kris pays respect to recent podcast guest Paul Hamilton. You can follow Kris on Twitter @SabresProspects. After that, courtesy of Sean Chandler is a non-spoiler review of John Wick Chapter 3. Chandler is the host of the widely popular Sean Chandler Talks About YouTube channel, which now boasts over 111,000 subscribers and growing daily. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran talks with NFL Blogger and strong social media presence Lindsey OK on a variety of topics. The two discuss Lindsey being born and raised not far from Baltimore, what got her interested in first football and later on blogging, working with Hall of Famer Ed Reed and addressing head-on a controversy Lindsey got herself into on Twitter several years ago as a youngster. They also dive into some Baltimore Ravens talk, including Lindsey’s feelings on Joe Flacco being traded to Denver, Lamar Jackson’s passing struggles as a rookie, the departures and additions of several key players this offseason and her thoughts on new first-round draft pick Marquise Brown. The chat wraps with a little fandom over N’Sync, dudes trying to slide into Lindsey’s DMs, the darker side of social media creepiness and her favorite thing about blogging. You can follow Lindsey on Twitter @Lindseyyok and be sure to check out her website at www.lindseyyok.com. After that Moran is joined by his buddy Joe (@BuffaloWins) for another installment of the “Run-In With Joe.” Today the guys are sort of crapping on the NHL in light of Moran’s unpopular tweet on Tuesday suggesting he’d trade the Buffalo Sabres, Bandits and Bisons for a NBA franchise. They also spend a considerable chunk of time discussing Game of Thrones, giving their takes on a final season that’s left many feeling unsatisfied, Moran goes over some show nitpicks he has before the two conclude the segment with predictions for the series finale airing Sunday night. At the very end of the episode Moran pays tribute to Buffalo Bills super fan, friend of the podcast and friend of his in general, Ezra Castro AKA Pancho Billa, who passed away from cancer this week at the age of just 39. He’ll be loved and missed by a legion of family, friends and fans. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran interviews WGR 550 producer/evening talk host Joe DiBiase on his entry into the sports media business, his career to this point and his brand new podcast. A native of Orchard Park, DiBiase grew up a huge Buffalo Bills and Sabre fan, teams he now in part covers for a living. They talk about his childhood Buffalo sports fandom through going to Buffalo State College as he began his pursuit of sports broadcasting. DiBiase discusses his college gig as Sports Director at WBNY that ultimately helped him prepare for his job at WGR 550, going from a part time producer to full time asset at the station who not only produces the afternoon show but also has one of his own on weeknight evenings from 7-9pm. They also spend time chatting about DiBiase’s brand new “Sneaky Joe Show” podcast and we find out what the premise is, who he’s doing the show with, what his production schedule will look like and what about his show will be unique in comparison to a sports market growingly saturated with podcasts. You can follow Joe on Twitter and get info about his new podcast at @SneakyJoeWGR and check out his work at WGR.com. Before and after DiBiase, Moran is joined by recurring guest Aaron Quinn (@AaronQuinn716) of Cover 1. The first part has the two running down several topics, including Bills rookie camp, Lee Smith signing, E.J. Manuel retiring, the NBA playoffs and much more before they return later in the podcast for a full and fiery review of the second-to-last episode ever of Game of Thrones. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSORS ♦♦♦♦♦ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran hooks up with his Pat with Pucks partner Tone Pucks for a chat on a variety of sports and pop culture topics. With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, Moran and Pucks (@TonePucks) sort through a list of five significant Buffalo Bills post draft team storylines with the predominant theme being competition. They discuss in detail the brewing battle between Levi Wallace, Kevin Johnson and E.J. Gaines for a starting cornerback spot, how the NFL draft was a vote for confidence for Zay Jones and Robert Foster, how the incredibly crowded Bills backfield may play out and sift through all the team’s addition on the offensive line with several scenarios on how they’ll arrive with a starting unit, of which both Pat and Pucks urge fans to not sleep on Ty Nsekhe as the starting left tackle when the smoke clears. They also spend some time collectively crapping on the Buffalo Sabres. Who will be the Sabres next head coach? Pucks suggests that if Phil Housley was truly as incompetent as it appears, Jason Botterill’s next imminent retread selection may actually matter. The two also talk a little MLB, including the surprising Minnesota Twins start and the New York Yankees staying afloat despite all the early season injuries and the Buffalo sports media news that Joe Buscaglia will be soon joining The Athletic before finishing up with several Game of Thrones takes as the epic series heads into its final two episodes. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this unique episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran has an extended interview with former American Idol star Elliott Yamin ranging over a wide variety topics spanning his life and career. The former top three finalist from of one of America’s most iconic shows of this century speaks of humble and diverse beginnings as a young child in Los Angeles before his family relocated to Richmond, Virginia at the age of 11. He describes the culture shock of switching coasts and some of the physical ailments that has plagued him since his early teen years— ear surgeries leaving him with 90% hearing loss in his right ear as well as being diagnosed with Diabetes. Yamin credits his friends for forcing him to audition for season five of American Idol in Boston and explains the entire process, which actually consisted of three full rounds over two months before even getting to sing for Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul. After impressing the judges in a non-televised audition, Yamin went to Hollywood, where he struggled in large part because his mother was ill back home in Virginia. After making it to the Top 24 he hit his stride during the three semi-final rounds, more-less dominating as he seemingly came out of nowhere to win America over with splendid renditions of “If You Really Love Me” and “Moody’s Mood for Love,” the former promoting Simon to say he was potentially the best male vocalist he’s ever heard on the show at the time. Moran takes Yamin on a stroll through several of the weeks after becoming a Top 12 finalist and we learn about his experiences working with Barry Manilow, being confused after nearly going home during Queen week, his thoughts on the “A Song for You” performance that had Paula in tears and Simon calling it a vocal master class before shocking show fans by stealing the show during Top 4 Elvis week a few rounds later. You can feel the emotion in Yamin’s voice when he talks about going home to Richmond for Top 3 week and being treated like a hero—what it meant to feel the love from an entire city that embraced him during his memorable run. He also speaks of clashing a little bit with music mogul Clive Davis, the one thing that left him sore about being eliminated, performing during the finale with the legendary Mary J. Blige, his post-Idol career and so much more. It’s a great interview, the longest ever on the Moran-Alytics Podcast and it really sheds light on why Elliot Yamin was and remains one of the most beloved contestants on American Idol history. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran interviews longtime WGR550 Buffalo Sabres reporter Paul Hamilton on a wide variety of topics spanning his life and career. A radio veteran at WGR since 1994, Hamilton talks about discovering the sport of hockey at a very young age in Amherst. While his adult career has been focused on covering the sport in Hamilton’s younger years he excelled at playing it, going to Iowa State to play college hockey and eventually earning school Hall of Fame honors. He also was invited to the 1980 U.S. Olympic team tryouts and recounts that story, including spending time playing on a line with future Olympic hero Mark Johnson. Hamilton also discusses what led to his opportunity at WGR nearly 25 years ago and how it quickly transitioned from part time board operator to Sabres reporter—a position he’s held ever since. The two spend considerable time on deep topics, including Hamilton losing his wife to cancer and how the support of others helped him move forward as well as a major lifestyle change and procedure a few years ago that very likely saved his life. They also talk a little Buffalo Sabres hockey as Hamilton gives his take on who he’d like to see as the next Sabres head coach, how trading Ryan O’Reilly last summer was absolutely the right move for them to the make, and what the organization needs to realistically do this summer to improve and wipe off the stench for falling off in historical fashion this past season. Along with some lively conversation on the pitfalls of Twitter the two wrap up with the Mini-Lightning Round, where we learn among other things Paul wishes he could rock out some Led Zepplin at karaoke, is a big Lance Allworth fan and would love to have an intimate conversation with people involved with Pearl Harbor. You can follow Paul on Twitter @Pham1717 and check out his work at wgr550.com. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran has a full of review of the Buffalo Bills 2019 draft with CBS Sports NFL Draft Writer Chris Trapasso. After spending some time giving listeners a chance to know Chris, a Western New York native, the two deep dive into all eight of the Bills selections from the draft. Chris breaks down each pick, reveals how he had the prospects graded and explains how he thinks each fit into the organization. They spends considerable time talking about Buffalo’s most surprising pick, running back Devin Singletary in the third round, why Singletary was Trapasso’s highest rated running back in the draft and what it may mean going forward for Lesean McCoy. Chris also explains what he didn’t like about the Dawson Knox pick, how surprised he was to see Ed Oliver on the board at nine, solid roster depth on the back end of the draft and much more. You can follow Chris on Twitter at @ChrisTrapasso and be sure to check out his work at CBSsports.com. After that Moran is joined by his buddy Joe (@BuffaloWins) for an atypical Tuesday edition of “The Run-In With Joe” on the heels of the epic Game of Thrones episode from Sunday night. The two discuss the Battle of Winterfell, highlighting their favorite and least favorite moments, the shocking destroyer of the Night King and the somewhat lack of main character deaths during the longest and most fierce battle in television history. They also take a peek at what to expect over the final three weeks of the series. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this special overnight Friday/Saturday episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast presented by Pulse Cellular, Patrick Moran chats with NYup.com Buffalo Bills writer Ryan Talbot about the first three rounds of the NFL draft and more specifically how the Bills have fared. Talbot, a recurring guest on the podcast is armed with tons of information and insight on the first four players selected by Buffalo; defensive end Ed Oliver, offensive lineman Cody Ford, running back Devin Montgomery and tight end Dawson Knox. While mocked to Buffalo and several mock drafts in the months leading up to this week, there were numerous reports indicating Oliver would go within the first three to five picks, making his falling into the Bills lap at nine a pleasant surprise. Talbot offers his take on Oliver as a player and fit for Buffalo while the two discuss what scenario probably would’ve played out had Oliver not been on the board. In the second round the Bills moved up two spots to select Ford. The two dicsuss Ford and the entirely revamped Buffalo offensive line, which now has seven new players from last season’s historically bad unit. Where will Ford fit ? Who’s likely to be on the outside looking in? Of course, the big surprise of the draft came in round three when Brandon Beane chose Devin Singletary other prospects at tight end, wide receiver and defensive end—positions most thought they’d address before running back. Singletary’s arrival almost certainly means a veteran will be on his way out. Will it be Lesean McCoy? Before Friday ended the Bills traded away both their fourths to Washington to move back into the late third and select tight end Dawson Knox. He’s a project with very little college production but Talbot raves about his physical talents. Moran ends the segment by having beef with McCoy for spoiling the ending of one of the most anticipated movies of the decade less than 24 hours before it theaters. You can follow Ryan on Twitter at @RyanTalbotBills and check out his work at www.nyup.com. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, presented by Pulse Cellular is (almost) entirely about the NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday. First, Patrick Moran interviews Greg Gabriel, a three-decade veteran of NFL scouting as the two talk several prospects and positions, mostly as it pertains the Buffalo Bills. Gabriel isn’t as high on Ed Oliver as many Bills fans and ultimately predicts the Bills’ selection at nine will come down to tight end T.J. Hockenson and offensive tackle Jonah Williams. Gabriel also discusses the improvement of Josh Allen over his first year at quarterback in Buffalo and confesses some details missed when first evaluating him as a NFL draft prospect last year. You can follow Greg on Twitter @GregGabe. Sandwiched between Gabriel’s interview is Moran getting together with Aaron Quinn (@AaronQuinn716) from Cover 1. They spend the first half of their segment discussing both the best and worst case draft scenarios for the Bills when the first round begins on Thursday night, including an incredible realistic scenario where Oliver, Hockenson and Williams are all gone before the Bills are on the clock. They also talk about a potential trade for a defensive end and have thoughts on the signing of running back T.J. Yeldon. Later they conduct their fourth and final four round Bills Mock Draft, done in real time with the computer simulating the other 31 teams. The guys are faced with a tough decision at nine with both Oliver and Williams on the board. They also have to change course when tight end Irv Smith Jr. is gone in the second round before taking a defensive end in the third along with a wide receiver and safety in the fourth, both of whom have picked in their previous mocks. They end the segment talking a little Game of Thrones with at least a slight disagreement on the second episode before looking forward to what should be a historic Battle of Winterfell coming on Sunday. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran has a lengthy interview with former NFL player and current ESPN writer/analyst Matt Bowen on a variety of topics covering Bowen’s life and career. They circle back to Bowen’s beginning, where he describes growing up near Chicago a fan of the Bears, particularly the legendary 1985 Super Bowl team that helped inspired him to start playing in fourth grade. A star quarterback running a veer offense as well as defensive back in high school, Bowen was recruited by several colleges as a quarterback and ultimately chose Iowa over Northwestern. He’d eventually move to the defensive side of the ball in college and became a two-year starter for Iowa. Bowen gives details of his NFL draft process that began after his college career ended and culminated with being a sixth-round pick of the St. Louis Rams in 2000. He gives insight and perspective to what it’s been like being the guy picked exactly one spot before the New England Patriots took Tom Brady. He also discusses his seven-year playing career, including a season in Buffalo where he speaks fondly of former Bills head coach Dick Jauron in addition to several teammates. The conversation shifts to Bowen’s post career and he talks about going back to school to get his Master’s and becoming a fixture in the sports journalism field, writing for numerous print and web publications before eventually landing his current job at ESPN. He talks about that process including getting comfortable being on camera. They conclude by spending time talking several potential Buffalo Bills draft targets with Bowen also offering his thoughts on Josh Allen and the Bills organization going forward. If that’s not enough, Bowen’s also a coach on a high school football team that has won three straight high school state championships. He talks about the pride, teaching and competitiveness that comes with coaching. You can follow Matt on Twitter at @MattBowen41 and follow his work on ESPN. After that Moran is joined by Joe from NYC (@BuffaloWins) for another installment of “The Run-In With Joe.” Today the guys are discussing the release of the Buffalo Bills 2019 schedule, with Moran a big fan of how it played out while Joe being considerably more indifferent. They also give their takes on the WWE Superstar Shakeup this week and conclude with Game of Thrones talk, both having thoughts on the premiere, looking forward to the next episode and each offering predictions of three characters who will ultimately die before the series ends. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran is joined by recurring guest Aaron Quinn of Cover 1 to discuss a trio of hot topics. They start with the Masters, where Tiger Woods shocked the world on Sunday by completing a comeback once thought improbable, winning the 15th major of his career and his first in 11 years. Moran talks about how he was so nervous he literally couldn’t sit still while watching, naming this Woods triumph one of his top five favorite sports memories of his life. From there they talk about the much anticipated Game of Thrones finale season premiere and get into a discussion over whether weekly shows or binge watching makes for better television viewing. While both enjoyed the premiere Quinn felt a little let down while Moran was giddy about the plethora of long awaited reunions. Both expect the tempo to pick up over the last five episodes and Moran claims that not having a vested interest in any specific character will make the final episodes less stressful for him to watch. However, the main focus of the podcast is on their latest Buffalo Bills four round NFL mock draft and the guys deliver a third in a series of four. This mock features four of five new picks from last week, including essentially a redshirt defender for 2019 in round two and a wide receiver in the third that sparks a conversation revisiting how all the work the Bills put into the offensive line during free agency has afforded them the luxury of selecting players based on value over need. It’s a must listen for Bills fans that provides excellent insight to the draft, now only nine days away. You can follow Aaron Quinn on Twitter @AaronQuinn716 and check out the work of his colleagues over at Cover1.net. Sandwiched between Moran and Quinn is a movie of the new Pet Sematary now in theaters, a remake of the 1989 thriller by Sean Chandler. Chandler’s the host of one of the popular movie review Sean Chandler Talks About” on YouTube, which is up to nearly 100k subscribers and growing daily thanks to Chandler’s engaging daily content. Next time you’re on YouTube, make sure to check out and subscribe to his Sean Chandler Talks About channel. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran scores a rare interview with former Buffalo Bills 1992 first-round draft pick John Fina on a variety of topics. Fina talks about growing up in Arizona and playing football on the defensive side of the ball before eventually getting switched over to offensive tackle, a position he originally hated. He discusses his recruitment that led to him going to the University of Arizona and what the process was like between the end of his college career and the NFL draft, including not thinking he would be a first-round pick until legendary coach Bill Belichick told him otherwise. Fina recalls his reaction to finding out he was going to Buffalo with the 27th overall selection in 1992 and what it was like being in the locker room with the likes of Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Darryl Talley, etc. Fina became the starter at left tackle in his second season in what would be the Bills last of four straight Super Bowl appearances. John also talks about being the first player in team history to have the franchise tagged place on him in 1996 and shares his feelings about playing for Marv Levy. The interview is littered with great stories, including a Ralph Wilson/New Orleans tale and John recalling a time where he composed himself from punching out a nasty fan in the parking lot. They also talk about John’s son, Bruno, who has become a big football star as the same high school his dad played at. Bruno already has offers from USC and UCLA and is well on his way to being a name to look out for in the future. After that, Moran is joined by Joe (@BuffaloWins) for another installment of “The Run-In With Joe.” Today Moran is asking Joe about his experience of being among the 80,000-plus in attendance at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey for Wrestlemania 35 last weekend. Joe fought being sick to partake in Wrestlemania activities, not just the main show but also WWE Axxess and a few Indie shows as well. He talks about the Wrestlemania card being fun but long, escaping heavy traffic right after the show ended and points out a few of his highlights, favorite ring entrances and reveals if Wrestlemania is worth the investment. The two also discuss Tyler Dunne’s Bleacher Report story that recently went viral regarding Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former head coach Mike McCarthy’s alleged tumultuous relationship, including an angry Rodgers firing off at Dunne over published comments by former teammates in the story. They also take a look into the final season of Game of Thrones beginning Sunday, offer a prediction for how it ends and debate whether they’d rather watch their favorite shows on a weekly basis or binge-watching at once. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast covers a trio of topics. First up, Aaron Quinn of Cover 1 joins for another Buffalo Bills four round mock draft done in real time that results in four out of five picks being different from last week. The two break down a myriad o f scenarios for the Bills based on how the board may play out and discover there’s a fair argument for the team not selecting defensive tackle Ed Oliver with the ninth overall pick despite being arguably the most talented player at arguably their biggest position of need. Patrick and Aaron unexpectedly end up with three skilled position players among their five selections and lay out why offensive line can still be in play early, even after all the recent free agent additions. After that Chad DeDominicis, managing editor of Die by the Blade joins Moran to discuss the Buffalo Sabres firing of Phil Housley. Moran asks Chad if he found the move surprising considering Terry Pegula’s assumed vote of confidence in Arizona just two weeks ago and the now former head coach’s comments just 24 hours before his dismissal. DeDominicis discusses what went wrong with Housley as coach, the subsequent failures of general manager Jason Botterill through two years, who could be a good fit as the next head coach and what needs to be added to the roster for a new coach to have a realistic chance at success. Moran finishes the episode with an extensive review of Wrestlemania 35, including his thoughts on Kofi Kingston and Seth Rollins both winning, the iiconics pulling off the stunner of the night, the return of Thuganomics John Cena and Ronda Rousey deserving more respect for the recent explosion of women wrestling. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews WGRZ-TV Sports Director Adam Benigni on a variety of topics. The two chat for nearly an hour and we get all the details of Benigni’s journey from a youth growing up near Boston all the way to his 20-year plus and counting career at WGRZ in Buffalo. There were many stops and decisions along the way that shaped his journey, especially deciding to attend Syracuse University for college after being accepted at two other schools, including USC. Benigni discusses how the opportunity to join WGRZ in 1997 came about and that on his very first day the Buffalo Sabres hired Lindy Ruff as their head coach. Adam has several takes on a number of sports media topics, including being able to balance the line between friendship and competition when it comes to his colleague and how it’s been covering Terry and Kim Pegula since they became owners. They also spend time talking about a serious bicycle accident in the fall of 2016 that saw Adam struck by a car while riding his bike, causing a severe concussion and other significant damage to his body including dental. He discusses his road back to recovery and his passion for cycling, including being a big part of the annual Ride for Roswell which raises money for cancer research. Before wrapping they spend a little time talking about the dismal Buffalo Sabres and finishing with the Mini-Lightning round, where we learn Adam’s fond of Florence (Italy), cooking and would love to be able to rock out a U2 song at karaoke. You can follow Adam on Twitter at @AdamBenigni and check out his work at WGRZ-TV online if you’re not in the Buffalo market to see the local news on television. After Adam’s interview Joe (@BuffaloWins) joins for another installment of ‘The Run-In With Joe.” Today it’s all about Wrestlemania 35 and the guys have a full preview. Moran runs down all the matches while Joe has insight and a prediction for each. The two disagree on a handful of them, including Kurt Angle losing his retirement match, Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre and the Uso’s retaining the Smackdown tag team title. They also discuss how Kofi Kingston could end up getting screwed over again, what may happen if Ronda Rousey isn’t taking time off after Wrestlemania and what John Cena’s role in the show will be. Joe ends the segment with a final take on what he perceives to be a weird act among some Buffalo Bills fans. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews Eric Wood, former Pro Bowl center for the Buffalo Bills and host of the “What’s Next With Eric Wood” podcast. This is Wood’s second appearance on the podcast, first appearing on Episode No. 47 last August. Back then he was just months removed from prematurely retiring because of his neck injury. Today the two discuss how big the adjustment was for Wood to become a spectator during a football season for the first time since before high school. They also discuss his new podcast, which even before its debut peaked all the way in the top 15 on the Apple Podcast sports podcast charts. Wood elaborates on the premise of his show, which includes a different guest each episode where they discuss among other things their transition into a new chapter of life, something still a work of progress for Wood. Wood also gives his thoughts on a completely Buffalo Bills revamped offensive line, including new center Mitch Morse before defending Buffalo in wake of Antonio Brown publicly refusing to go there in a trade. You can follow Eric on Twitter at @EWood70 and be sure to check out his “What’s Next With Eric Wood” podcast. Also featured on the podcast is Sean Chandler’s movie review of Dumbo. Sean’s a friend of the podcast and talented content producer. Be sure to check out and subscribe to his Sean Chandler Talks About channel on YouTube, which features daily movie/entertainment content and has drawn nearly 95,000 subscribers. Sandwiched between the segments is Aaron Quinn of Cover 1. Aaron and Patrick discuss Ed Oliver and the likeliness of the Bills moving up from nine to draft him. They also do a Bills four round mock draft in real time with a computer simulating the other 31 teams. They’re stunned to see a guy fall to them at nine and Chris surprisingly passes over tight end Irv Smith Jr. for another prospect at pick No. 40. A running back goes in round three while the fourth nets them a safety and wide receiver. They also do the Moran-Alytics Interest Meter and Patrick throws his typically Buffalo Sabres hissyfit before agreeing Tom Brady sucks. You can follow Aaron on Twitter @AaronQuinn716 and check out Cover1 at www.cover1.net. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews Shelby Waddle, wife of new Buffalo Bills offensive tackle LaAdrian Waddle and becoming somewhat a Buffalo social media celebrity of her own. In the days since Waddle signed his one-year deal with the Bills, Shelby’s been heavily engaged with Bills fans on Twitter, demonstrating both her sense of humor and willingness to strike at trolls who take shots at her. It’s quickly made her a popular Twitter follow. Moran talks to Waddle about her growing up near Detroit, paying her own way through school and working as a manager for a company. Her “normal” life would change when striking up a relationship with LaAdrian, originally via Twitter (she “slid” into his DMs) and eventually in person. Although she admits neither can fully recall all the details of their courtship, she reveals one of the more memorable proposal tales you’ll ever hear. While the bulk of the conversation is light there’s serious subject matter involved as well, including late 2015 when their lives got flipped upside down after LaAdrian was cut from the Detroit Lions, exactly one year to the date of tearing his ACL. Of course, there’s always a silver lining and in this case Waddle was claimed by the New England Patriots within 48 hours of his release. Three full seasons, three Super Bowl appearances and two championship rings later things worked out for the best. Shelby discusses her personal feelings towards Tom Brady and close relationship that her and LaAdrain have with Rob Gronkowski, a Buffalo native hated by the majority of BillsMafia in part due to the dirty hit he inflicted on Tre White two years ago. Waddle says while she understands the feelings of Bills fans, she’s very much a fan of Gronk the human being and doesn’t concern herself with blow back because of her previous New England ties. They finish up with the Mini-Lightning Round, where among things we learn about Shelby is her rapping to Kid Rock’s “Cowboy” at her wedding and being a big fan of Toronto. You can follow Shelby on Twitter at @MrsWadd68. After that Moran is joined by his friend Joe (@BuffaloWins) for another installment of “The Run In With Joe.” Today the guys are analyzing Buffalo Bills and Sabres owner Terry Pegula’s press conference from Arizona earlier this week and share their feelings about whether the Bills should get a new stadium, where it should be located and if it should be domed. Patrick nearly loses his cool when the conversation turns to Sabres talk, visibly bitter at how ugly this season got under the watch of embattled head coach Phil Housley. The two also get semi-heated over Antonio Brown, excited about Game of Thrones and spend a little time talking WWE before Joe ends the segment with a take on the perception of Buffalonians. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran scores an interview with arguably the greatest offensive tackle in Buffalo Bills franchise history. Will Wolford joins for an extremely rare interview covering a wide variety of topics. Going all the way back to the start, Wolford talks growing up in Louisville, Kentucky with basketball as his favorite sport, only playing youth football because his father made him. Wolford became a two sport star in high school, making honorable mention for All-State in basketball. However, it was football that presented the best opportunities despite suffering some key injuries and an illness. He was recruited by Notre Dame, Kentucky and Tennessee among other teams and ultimately chose Vanderbilt after Notre Dame pulled their offer, where he became a standout guard and tackle and All-SEC selection. Wolford parlayed his talent and size into a first-round NFL draft pick in 1986 when the Buffalo Bills moved up to No. 20 overall in a trade with San Francisco to take him. Wolford recounts the draft process and his feelings the moment he realized he was going to Buffalo. He stepped into an organization that was horrible as a rookie, coming off consecutive 2-14 seasons. Wolford recalls players smoking cigarettes in the locker room with cases of all over as well. He also tells a stunning story of a 1986 game in Tampa where the team knew a loss would result in Hank Bullough’s firing. Most of the veterans despised Bullough as coach and the team intentionally lost the game, leading to his ouster and the arrival of Marv Levy. Wolford talks about the turnaround and what would become the Super Bowl era of Bills football, the memories he had in Buffalo and the bittersweet emotions after signing the contract with Indianapolis in 1993 that contained the infamous “poison pill” clause making it impossible for Buffalo to match. Will explains in great detail the conflict with the deal and the heartbreak not only he felt, but his wife as well. The interview wraps with an update of Wolford’s post-career, what he’s up to now and his thoughts on his nephew John Wolford, who’s tearing up the AAF with Arizona. Of course, no Moran-Alytics Podcast guest star interview is complete without the Mini-Lightning Round, and we learn of several Wolford favorites, including a city in Australia as his favorite place to visit. He’s not on Twitter much, but you can shoot John a follow there at @Wolf6769. After the interview Moran does his first Buffalo Bills four-round NFL mock draft in real time. The computer makes simulated selections for the other 31 teams and Moran makes five picks for the Bills, explaining his rationale for each. It’s a segment he’s planning on doing each episode between now and the NFL draft that begins on Thursday, April 25th. Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. ♦♦♦♦♦ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SHOW SPONSOR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews NESN Boston sports reporter and host Courtney Cox about her life and career. Cox talks about growing up in Lowell, Massachusetts and eventually going to Boston College, where she was not only a member of the cheerleading team but a captain by her junior year. She would give it up for her season to start focusing on making sports journalism her career and it’s clearly a decision that paid off. After stints honing her craft in Charlotte, North Carolina at the ACC Digital Network and the LAX Sports Network back closer to home, Cox landed her job at NESN in Boston during the summer of 2016 and she discusses how each opportunity came about. Cox also has several takes on the sports media, reveals how she deals with occasional idiots that troll her on Twitter and offers sound advice for aspiring sports journalists. We also learn among other things that Cox loves Nashville, knows how to deal with dates from people that just wish to talk sports, wants to have dinner with Tyrion from Game of Thrones and isn’t bothered with name comparisons to the Courtney Cox that played Monica on Friends. You can follow Courtney on Twitter at @CoxCourtney and be sure to check out her work at NESN.com. After the Cox interview Moran does an AMA (Ask Me Anything) segment where fans of the podcast were asked to submit sports and pop culture questions to be answered. Among the topics Moran hits on are his favorite current and past Buffalo sports reporters, the biggest go-to song to get a party started, three things Kim Pegula should do with the Buffalo Sabres this summer and why so many who leave Buffalo for greener pastures end up missing it. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews former nine-year NFL veteran guard Kraig Urbik about growing up, the process of getting to the NFL and his time with the Buffalo Bills among several other topics. Urbik played six seasons in Buffalo including several as a starter. He talks about being part of an unheralded unit that helped pave the way for impressive Bills team rushing totals despite the lack of overall team success and recalls a few of his favorite Buffalo memories, including the blizzard that forced the team host a Monday night game in Detroit. He also reveals that he’s very much still a Bills fan and recalls getting to finally see an actual Buffalo pre-game tailgate after retirement. Kraig also talks about growing up as a kid who started playing football in middle school and parlaying his size and worth ethic into a scholarship at Wisconsin, becoming one of the best offensive linemen in the conference. He finishes with the traditional Moran-Alytics Podcast Mini-Lightning round and we learn about a few of his favorites; including Peaky Binders, London, Eric Wood and Anthony Bourdain. Follow Kraig on Twitter @KraigUrbik. After the chat with Kraig, Tone Pucks joins for another installment of “Pat with Pucks.” Today the guys are discussing all of the Bills free agent additions as a whole and how much they think it improves the team, particularly on the offensive line. Tone (@TonePucks) tells his legion of 132 Twitter followers that he’s liked every acquisition, including Frank Gore and gives his theory on how the running back situation will play out. They then turn their attention to the Buffalo Sabres and as expected the mood quickly goes somber. Pucks reiterates his disdain for Phil Housley as the head coach while Moran wonders if this train wreck of a season half will ultimately cost the team being able to re-sign Jeff Skinner. Tone finishes with a Sabres related “Puck Drop” containing uncharacteristically evident emotion. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews Locked on Bills podcaster and The Draft Network writer Joe Marino on several Buffalo Bills, NFL free agency and draft related topics. The two run through every player the Bills have acquired since free agency started earlier this week and Marino offers analysis on each, his opinion on their contracts and where they should fit in. He has particularly strong takes when it comes to the additions of running back Frank Gore and kick returner Andre Roberts. With free agency well underway and team needs a little more apparent after the big wave of signings, they discuss the NFL draft and Marino points out a handful of players he sees the Bills targeting with the ninth overall pick, including a pair of prospects that may surprise you. They also discuss the Antonio Brown trade that nearly was and Marino reveals what NFL team has disappointed him the most since free agency started. Before football talk they spend time discussing about Joe’s professionally produced Locked on Bills podcast, and Moran asks Joe the process he uses to put out three to four episodes every week. You can follow Joe on Twitter at @TheJoeMarino. Be sure to check out his work at The Draft Network as well as his Locked on Bills podcast. After Joe’s interview, Moran plays a full non-spoiler movie review of the megahit “Captain Marvel”, reviewed by Sean Chandler. Sean’s a talented and hugely popular YouTube content creator who was recently a guest on the Moran-Alytics Podcast, where he discussed the path that saw him go from part time hobbyist to a full-time profession of producing movie and television related content on YouTube nearly daily. Be sure to go to Sean’s YouTube page, “Sean Chandler Talks About” and join the more than 90,000 subscribers. Also hit the bell next to it so you can get notified whenever Sean posts new content. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews WIVB-TV sports director Josh Reed on a variety of topics. The two discuss Reed growing up in a small town in Ohio a Browns and Indians fan, playing football in high school and winning a state championship. Reed went to Kent State for college and tells a revealing story of once being an unmotivated student who temporarily dropped out of school before his father convinced him the hard way that doing well in college would be in his best interest. Reed worked in Hagerstown, Maryland after school before spending a decade working in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania as a sports anchor and reporter. His run there ended in August of 2015 when he was offered the sports director job at WIVB-TV Buffalo. Reed offers his take on several sports media topics as well as advice for aspiring sports journalists before wrapping up with the Mini-Lightning Round, where we learn a handful of Reed’s favorites, leading to a fascinating Whitey Ford story. Follow Josh Reed on Twitter at @4JoshReed and make sure to check out his work at WIVB-TV. Immediately after Moran is joined by Aaron Quinn (@AaronQuinn716) of Cover 1 for their recurring segment. Today the guys are all about talking football on the heels of NFL free agency beginning. Quinn offers insightful breakdowns of all four Buffalo Bills early verbal agreements: Kevin Johnson, Frank Gore, Tyler Croft and Mitch Morse. They also discuss some of the big moves going on around the league, including examining if Jacksonville overpaid for Nick Foles before ending the segment with a take on the A-Rod/J-Lo engagement. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this milestone Episode No. 100 of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran has an interview with Tim Graham of The Athletic on a variety of topics. Graham first did the podcast all the way back on the second episode and there’s been much change in his life over the past year. At the time Graham was still at The Buffalo News but a few months after the podcast aired, he moved on to The Athletic as part of an exodus of Buffalo News sports writers who left for a variety of reasons. Graham tells Moran in detail how his decision to leave went down. They also spend time discussing the impact The Athletic has made on the sports content consuming community, how reuniting with an old boss helped make the transition smoother, his thoughts on the rise of Athletic teammate Matthew Fairburn, the process of his radio show and defending of colleague Mike Rodak from idiot Twitter troll attacks. Graham then does the traditional interview-ending “Mini Lightning Round” and we learn among other things what line of work he thought about getting into, the athlete he wish he could’ve covered more than any other, what his favorite Twitter handle is and what three famous dinner guests he’d most like to entertain. You can follow Tim on Twitter at @ByTimGraham and subscribe to The Athletic, where you get supreme local and national sports coverage for one low monthly price. Immediately following the Graham interview Moran’s joined by Joe (@BuffaloWins) for another installment of “The Run In With Joe.” Today the guys are dissecting several published reports linking the Buffalo Bills to two premium free agent offensive linemen. They also debate what method the Bills may use to add talent at wide receiver and tight end, discuss cornerback Kevin Johnson visiting the Bills this week and have thoughts on the re-signing of Jordan Phillips. Joe also does the Moran-Alytics Podcast Interest Meter, where he scores and offers takes on topics including Josh Rosen, Lebron James, RKelly and Ronda Rousey. The segment ends with Joe blasting Moran over his previously tweeted Rocky movie power rankings. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews Buffalo Bills long snapper Reid Ferguson, who recently signed a three-year extension to this past January to remain with the team. The two discuss Ferguson growing up in Georgia and he talks about his father first convincing him to give long snapping a shot as a means to get on the field more. It certainly worked as by the time Ferguson was finishing high school he was the No. 2 long snapping prospect in the entire country. He reveals why he chose LSU over Tennessee and San Diego State –a decision he says he wouldn’t hesitate to do again. Ferguson also describes how a potential conflict of interest with his agent led him to deciding to sign with the Bills instead of the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He also reflects on the magical feeling that came with being part of the team that ended a 17-year playoff drought in 2017 while not spending time dwelling on a disappointing team campaign last season. They wrap up discussing one of, if not their favorite TV of all time “The Office” where Reid reveals his favorite three episodes before finishing with the traditional Mini-Lightning Round, where we learn a handful of fun facts about him –including his favorite sports movie, Twitter follow and three celebrities he’d love to have over for dinner. You can follow Reid Ferguson on Twitter @SnapFlow69. Immediately after, Moran is joined by a returning Tone Pucks for their first “Pat with Pucks” segment in a month. Pucks describes what it is about Buffalo Sabres head coach Phil Housley that’s always made him a skeptic while also placing plenty of blame for Buffalo’s huge collapse on the players as well. They also talk Bills, including Pucks discussing two positions he thinks the team will sink its biggest resources into while Moran remains convinced running back Lesean McCoy may still end up a former Bill before the 2019 season begins. Puck finishes with a prediction that the soon returning Game of Thrones will be the most epic final season in TV history. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran is joined by #BillsMafia pioneer and founder of 26 Shirts, Del Reid for an interview taped at a diner in Sarasota, Florida. Reid was in Moran’s neck of the woods for a company event and the two got together to meet in person for the first time, even though Reid originally appeared on a past episode last May via telephone. The two sat down outside on a patio over coffee (plus chicken and waffles for Del) and talked about a handful of topics, including some of the great adventures and people Reid’s been able to work with since 26 Shirts launched and has continued to grow. In particular Del recounts stories on former Buffalo Bills greats Thurman Thomas and Darryl Talley and also discusses what it feels like to be a bit of a local celebrity himself these days. You can follow Del on Twitter at @DelReid, check out the BillsMafia official website and be sure to visit 26 Shirts, where you can order a variety of shirts with a percentage of every purchase going to a worthy charitable cause. Immediately after that Moran checks in with his buddy Joe (@BuffaloWins) for another edition of “The Run-In With Joe.” Today the guys are locked on the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, or at least Moran is. They attempt to read between the lines following the media gathering with Bills head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane, including a strong feeling the Bills will sink considerable resources into the tight end position, not so much at cornerback and feel pretty confident that Spencer Long’s role on the offensive line truly still is to be determined. They also discuss the absolute implosion of the Buffalo Sabres that saw them go from having an 83% chance of making the playoffs at the end of November to all-but-mathematically eliminated by this first day of March. They wrap with a little wrestling talk in light of WWE having their best week of television program in a long time, and Joe hits his finisher to highlight a disdain he has for award shows. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews YouTube content creator Sean Chandler of the “Sean Chandler Talks About” channel on a variety of topics. Chandler talks about how a love for discussing movies and television shows first motivated him to start making videos on YouTube. The channel came from humble beginnings but over time has grown to an impressive 87,000 subscribers. Chandler shares tips for aspiring content creators on methods that helped him expand his brand to the point he recently quit his “daytime” job to focus on full-time YouTube creating. Chandler also gives a review of “Fighting with My Family,” the new movie based on the life of WWE star Paige. Moran then transitions to Chandler’s series of videos dedicated to The Office, including his ranking of the 10 Best Episodes Of The Office Ever. They run down his list and Chandler explains why each ranked episode. You can follow Sean Chandler on Twitter at @KirkNeverDied and check out his YouTube Channel for daily videos. Before that Moran is joined by recurring segment guest Aaron Quinn of Cover 1 to discuss this week’s NFL Combine. They run down a list of intriguing prospects Buffalo Bills fans should be paying close attention to at the combine, focusing on some of the draft’s top offensive prizes. They also go through some of the top free agents soon to be available and each pick a guy from the list they’d like to see Buffalo sign the most. They also turn on the Moran-Alytics Podcast Interest meter, where Quinn registers his level of interest and adds takes on the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Antonio Brown, Manny Machado, the Buffalo Sabres and more. Moran also has an honest take on Bradley Cooper. You can follow Aaron Quinn on Twitter @AaronQuinn716 and be sure to check out Cover 1 for all your Bills draft and free agency needs. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the future award winning Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran interviews longtime NFL Insider Adam Caplan on a variety of football and Buffalo Bills topics. This is Caplan’s second appearance on the podcast, first appearing on Episode No. 21 last May. Caplan offers his thoughts on Joe Flacco being traded to Denver, reveals the team Nick Foles is likely heading to per his sources, who the frontrunners for free agent running back Le’Veon Bell appear to be, potential trade fits for wide receiver Antonio Brown and talks about a handful of veteran quarterbacks that could be with new teams in 2019. The attention then turns to the Bills and Caplan is tasked with giving fans a big reason to be optimistic going into free agency and the draft. He discusses if Lesean McCoy was actually close to being deal to Philadelphia near the trade deadline last year, has insight on what new signee Spencer Long’s role with the team is expected to be and shares what he hears around the league when it comes to Josh Allen. You can follow Adam Caplan on Twitter @Caplannfl. After that Moran is joined by his buddy Joe (@BuffaloWins) for another installment of “The Run-In With Joe.” Both guys are absolutely heated at the Buffalo Sabres after watching a promising season that not long ago saw them atop the NHL standings go completely down the drain. They discuss if Phil Housley deserves to be fired and more importantly how much blame Jason Botterill deserves for the implosion. Moran suggests more blame should be assigned to the players, going as far to say the locker room may have its share of coach killers while Joe attributes their demise to a lack of talent. They also spend a little time talking WWE and Joe explains why he thinks Vince McMahon called up a bunch of NXT stars during the road to Wrestlemania instead of immediately after it. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this special, one-year anniversary edition of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran welcomes the same guest he had for the very first episode of the podcast. Buffalo Bills beat reporter and radio on-air personality Sal Capaccio of WGR550 joins Moran to celebrate and talk sports, and props to Sal for batting through an illness to do the interview. When Ssal was on the podcast exactly one year ago today, the two spent a full hour discussing Sal’s life and career, dating back to his childhood. It was a fun conversation that covered dozens of topics yet had very little Buffalo Bills talk. It’s the polar opposite this time around. Patrick takes listeners to a tour around the Buffalo Bills roster and at each positional stop Capaccio, who is the Bills sideline reporter offers insight on where the team stands and what moves may be coming during the offseason. In particular Sal has interesting takes on Spencer Long, Lesean McCoy and Levi Wallace as well as a discussion about what wide receivers and tight ends would make for great fits. Before the interview concludes Sal has thoughts on the New York Yankees winter and the gradual crumbling of the Buffalo Sabres, including examining if head coach Phil Housley could be in trouble if the season doesn’t turn around soon. You can follow Sal on Twitter at @SalSports and of course be sure to check out all his written work as well as live and archived audio at WGR550.com. Before this anniversary pod wraps, Moran hands out his semi-recurring Moran-Alytics Podcast MVP award to a newfound love for coffee and LVP to the imploding Sabres. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the future award winning Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran is joined for a second time by John Vogl, Buffalo Sabres writer for The Athletic. When John was first on the podcast back in early July of last year, he had literally just started at The Athletic after leaving The Buffalo News following 16 years on their staff. Vogl reviews how the transition has been over the past nine months and highlights differences he’s found in his work flow as a result of the change. From there they dive into the Sabres and John’s pleased at how much more fun it’s been to cover the team this year with them in a thick of a playoff race through the middle of February, a far cry from most seasons over the past decade where it’s deadline trade sellers and draft lottery positioning dominating Buffalo headlines. Vogl also feels the Sabres 10-game winning streak early in the season was in some ways a curse because of the lofty expectations it created and also provides insight into two prospects the Sabres could potentially move before the NHL trade daedline while being candid about Phil Housley’s future with the team if they falter down the stretch. Both being wrestling marks, Moran and Vogl wrap up with a little WWE talk, hitting on Charlotte Flair being brought into the main event at Wrestlemania, Dean Ambrose’s imminent departure from WWE potentially being a work, and a possible Mania’ opponent for Daniel Bryan. You can follow John Vogl on Twitter at @BuffaloVogl and be sure to get an online subscription to The Athletic, where Buffalo fans not only get tons of Bills and Sabres coverage but also access to all acclaimed national writers on The Athletic staff. Following that, Joe’s (@BuffaloWins) back for another installment of “The Run-In With Joe” and it’s a lively one. They begin by highlighting this as the perfect time to begin your Game of Thrones viewing binge with the final season now just 58 days away. That seems to be the extent of things they agree on, because they spend the next several minutes bantering and arguing about how the Buffalo Bills should approach the offseason in regards to how they should spend their money and resources. Moran thinks Buffalo should invest very heavily on the offensive line via free agency and the draft while Joe prefers more skill position players and predicts the Bills will invests heavily on defense. Joe is also married to the ideal that the Bills are being modeled after Carolina but Moran’s not ready to agree. They also go through the Moran-Alytics Podcast Interest Meter, where Moran runs off several sports and pop culture topics while Joe scores his interest level on a scale of 1-10 and has a take for each. Among the topics covered are Joe Flacco, James Harden, The Los Angeles Lakers, pitchers and catchers, Frozen 2 (yes!) and Journey. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the future award-winning Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran scores an interview with one of the most versatile and talented members of the national sports media. Sports Illustrated senior writer, podcast co-host and star of The Wilder Project Charlotte Wilder joins for a wide-ranging interview. The two talk about Wilder growing up near Boston the daughter of an accomplished writer, setting a desire early in Charlotte’s life to follow in her mother’s career path. She explains (rather humorously) why she ended up at Colby College and how the experiences of writing for several publications helped prepare her for the opportunity that would come at Sports Illustrated. While the interview is generally lighthearted Moran asks Wilder about an enlightening post she penned for Boston.com in 2015, where she revealed she’d been dealing with anxiety since sixth grade. Wilder provides outstanding perspective on mental health. Charlotte also discusses her Most Valuable Podcast she co-hosts with Jessica Smetana and The Wilder Project for SI TV. She reveals that a new season is coming soon while discussing past guests, including PFT and Big Cat from Pardon My Take. They finish with the traditional Moran-Alytics Podcast “Mini Lightning Round” and Charlotte reveals among several things her favorite city to visit, athlete to cover, Twitter follow and three guests she’d most enjoy having for dinner. You can follow Charlotte Wilder on Twitter at @TheWilderThings and check out all her work at SI.com. After the interview Moran has takes on Sunday night’s Grammy’s show, including Alicia Keys as host, Cardi B. winning Best Rap Album and being blown away by a Brandi Carlile breakthrough performance. Recurring guest Aaron Quinn (@AaronQuinn716) of Cover 1 then joins for another segment, where the two talk about Kareem Hunt signing with the Browns as well as a tweet from Benjamin Allbright that suggested the Bills had interest in the troubled running back and what it may mean for Lesean McCoy’s future. They also discuss some mock drafts out there that have Buffalo tacking an offensive tackle in the Top 10 plus the Moran-Alytics Interest Meter, where Quinn scores and offers a tak a bunch of topics, including Phil Mickelson, Anthony Davis and AEW. ♦♦♦♦♦ Follow Patrick Moran on Twitter @patmorantweets and “like” the Moran-Alytics Facebook page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.