As a lifelong Capital Region sports fan who has just so happened to be in radio for most of my professional life the chance to “join the Team” pun intended was the kind of offer I’ve been dreaming of. Growing up a Yankees, Knicks and Raiders fan(a punishment I share with my beautiful daughter Ella) I’ve felt the pain and success that comes with diehard fandom. Luckily for me my friends that love the Giants have adopted me so I have a reason to watch football after the Raiders have been eliminated EARLY every season for the last 10 plus years. I’m excited to talk sports and enjoy multiple happy hours with all the sports fans of the Cap Region…even the Red Sox fans.
Levack
Julius Randle Receives Most Improved Player In Cutest Way Possible [VIDEO]
New York Knicks big man Julius Randle has achieved at least one more major accomplishment this season. Randle made the NBA All-Star team, lead the Knicks to the playoffs, and now has won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award. Randle went from a guy that just about everyone from NBA Reporters and Insiders to fans thought would be traded as part of a complete rebuild in New York to being a key piece of the future at Madison Square Garden. The coolest part of Julis Randle winning Most Improved Player was who presented him with the trophy, his four-year-old son Kyden.
Some Of My Favorite Interviews – Levack
It's impossible to list all my favorite interviews I've done over the last seven years here but as I sit here preparing to do my last few full-time shows there are a few that come to mind. There's obviously every time Buster Olney has been on the show but I actually consider him part of the show and more than just a guest. Obviously, the Super Bowl trips are the base for a lot of the ones I'm most proud of. Let me know if any interviews I've been lucky enough to do are your favorites, please. Here are a few top interviews in no particular order.
The Knicks Are Better Than The Nets…At Selling Tickets
Just about every year for the last seven or so years Brooklyn Nets fans will start the "New York In Nets country now" discussion. Even though the New York Knicks haven't had the talent or success of the Nets over that time frame, New York is and always will be Knicks country! If you don't believe me just take a look at ticket sales for the NBA Playoffs.
The Yankees Need To Bring Up This Outfielder NOW!
The New York Yankees are super thin in the outfield right now. Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton, and Ryan LaMarre are on the 10-Day IL, Clint Frazier is Day to Day and Micheal Tauchman is a San Fransico Giant. So right now the Yankees outfield consists of Aaron Judge, Brett Gardner as well as infielders Miguel Andujar and Tyler Wade. It's time to call up Estevan Florial from Triple-A Scranton!
Buster Olney Predicts A 4-Way Battle For The AL East [LISTEN]
The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox haven't even played each other yet and the Yanks have already played 42 games. With the Red Sox currently on top of the American League East is one of the bigger surprises of this young season the 19 games between them and the Yankees loom large in deciding the outcome of the division. ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney cautions fans of the two teams to not get tunnel vision because there's no shortage of competition in the AL East.
Derek Jeter Docuseries COULD Be Great…But I Doubt It
One of the greatest things about Derek Jeter during his Hall of Fame career with the New York Yankees is avoided controversy and drama like no star of his caliber ever has in New York. Now ESPN is going to "pull back the curtain" on Jeter's career in New York and now in Miami in "The Captain" scheduled to be released in 2022. As a Yankee and Derek Jeter fan I will 100% be watching the entire docuseries but if they want it to be great rather than good they need to tell the story that Jeter somehow kept quiet for over twenty years of his dating life and more.
Coach Carm Explains Why The Basketball World Loves Siena’s New Assistant Coach
During his weekly call with Levack and Bahl on 1045 The Team ESPN Radio Siena Saints Men's Basketball coach Carmen Maciariello told us all the reasons he's excited about the new coach added to his staff. Bobby Castagna joins Coach Carm's staff and bring years of NBA and college basketball experience with him. Not only experience but the clear respect of Maciariello and many pro coaches.
Shen’s Kevin Huerter Could Loom Large In Knicks Hawks Series [LISTEN]
The New York Knicks are back in the NBA Playoffs for the first time in eight years! As if that isn't enough reason to tune in and get excited they'll be facing the Capital Region's Kevin Huerter and the Atlanta Hawks. The only way this would be better for us here in Upstate New York is if Huerter was on the Knicks. Host of ESPN Radio's Bart and Hahn (as well as just about every other show on the network right now) and super Knicks fan Alan Hahn joined Levack and Bahl to preview the matchup and give an overview on just how the Knicks made such an amazing turnaround this year.
Albany Empire Begin Single-Game Ticket Sales For The 2021 Season
Today is the day you can begin to buy Albany Empire tickets for single games for the upcoming 2021 season at the Times Union Center. Another big step forward towards normalcy as sports fans and an even bigger step closer to the Empire returning to the field with QB Tommy Grady looking to win back-to-back titles for the Capital Region.
Derek Jeter’s New York Castle Up For Sale AGAIN
Back in the summer of 2018 Derek Jeter's home in Greenwich Lake New York hit the market for just under $15 million. Here we are three years and a pandemic later and the house is back up for sale at a "reduced price" of only $12,750,000. What a bargain! Honestly, when you really look at the house you can kinda see that the reduced price is, in fact, a bargain you know if you played 19 seasons for the New York Yankees and earned a reported salary of over $266 million, not counting endorsements of course.
Horse Racing Insiders Betting Against Derby Winner In Preakness [LISTEN]
It seems that there is always drama circling horse racing trainer and legend Bob Baffert but after winning his record seventh Kentucky Derby with Medina Spirit the drama is stronger than ever. We spoke to NYRA's Andy Serling and horse racing insider Dick Jerardi to try to make sense of Derby winner Medina Spirit's failed drug test and if it'll have an effect on the 146th running of the Preakness Stakes this Saturday. Both insiders took a similar stance.
Only One New York Athlete Cracks Forbes’ 10 Highest Paid List
After years and years of the New York Yankees handing out some of the biggest contracts in all of sports and all the massive endorsements you see New York stars getting it odd there isn't more New York talent on Forbes' latest list. Forbes just released "The World's Ten Highest-Paid Athletes" and only ONE member of the New York sports scene has made the list.