WEBVTT 00:00:01.109 --> 00:00:03.089 What's up, Bill's Mafia? Welcome back to the 00:00:03.089 --> 00:00:06.070 Buffalo Bread Podcast. I am your host, Dan Roberts. 00:00:06.429 --> 00:00:09.310 We are very excited here to be kicking off another 00:00:09.310 --> 00:00:12.929 season of Buffalo Bread. You'll notice that it's 00:00:12.929 --> 00:00:16.010 just me on this recording this evening, and that's 00:00:16.010 --> 00:00:17.609 what it's going to be for the next couple of 00:00:17.609 --> 00:00:20.329 recordings that we drop on the pod. JJ who is 00:00:20.329 --> 00:00:22.850 our normally scheduled co -host here on the program 00:00:22.850 --> 00:00:25.629 He is going through some some family issues right 00:00:25.629 --> 00:00:28.050 now some personal issues And he has need to take 00:00:28.050 --> 00:00:30.350 a little bit of space from the pod in order to 00:00:30.350 --> 00:00:33.170 attend to those of course We love JJ. We wish 00:00:33.170 --> 00:00:35.609 you and your family the best man, and we cannot 00:00:35.609 --> 00:00:38.450 wait to have you back on the pod But at JJ's 00:00:38.450 --> 00:00:40.780 request Given that we are so close to training 00:00:40.780 --> 00:00:43.060 camp, we are turning out new episodes of the 00:00:43.060 --> 00:00:45.679 pod starting this week as we are now a couple 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:48.299 of weeks here from training camp and the kickoff 00:00:48.299 --> 00:00:51.799 to the Buffalo Bills, uh, pre season. So we're 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:53.479 going to be dropping a few episodes on you. It 00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:56.679 is of course, list season, ESPNs dropping lists, 00:00:56.740 --> 00:00:58.479 the ringer, the athletic, they're all dropping 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:01.240 lists of best coaches, best position rooms for 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:03.219 the upcoming season. We're going to be diving 00:01:03.219 --> 00:01:05.319 into all that with some of our regularly scheduled 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:08.659 co -hosts. Um, and also a couple of new faces. 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:11.239 on the pod that have found their way onto recording 00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:13.159 with us. We're appreciative, of course, all of 00:01:13.159 --> 00:01:14.640 their time and all their energy that they're 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:17.120 giving to us as we get ready for another Buffalo 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:21.540 Bills NFL football season. So, tonight what we 00:01:21.540 --> 00:01:24.379 have for you as we kick the rust off this podcast 00:01:24.379 --> 00:01:26.379 is we've actually got a great interview that 00:01:26.379 --> 00:01:29.480 I want you to stick around for with one of our 00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:32.540 newest co -hosts, Mike Kujowski. Kujo, as we 00:01:32.540 --> 00:01:34.780 affectionately like to call him. A huge Bills 00:01:34.780 --> 00:01:37.260 fan, has been working abroad for the past few 00:01:37.260 --> 00:01:39.599 years. has recently made his way back to upstate 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:42.859 New York and is very excited to rejoin his home 00:01:42.859 --> 00:01:45.099 community of Bill's Mafia. You're going to get 00:01:45.099 --> 00:01:46.299 a chance to hear about what it was like being 00:01:46.299 --> 00:01:48.840 a Bill's fan abroad, some of his favorite memories 00:01:48.840 --> 00:01:51.340 at the Ralph here as we close out the final season 00:01:51.340 --> 00:01:54.140 of that glorious, glorious stadium before the 00:01:54.140 --> 00:01:56.400 opening of a new Highmark next year. A lot of 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.219 really good stuff. We hope you stick around for 00:01:58.219 --> 00:02:01.299 that. Before we get into that, there is, of course, 00:02:01.579 --> 00:02:03.340 some news and notes starting to come on, one 00:02:03.340 --> 00:02:05.760 of which, and I think the most prevalent piece 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:07.579 of discourse of Bill's Mafia, has been having 00:02:07.579 --> 00:02:10.360 this season has been around one James Cook and 00:02:10.360 --> 00:02:13.879 his contract situation. So as everyone I think 00:02:13.879 --> 00:02:16.620 is aware, James Cook shortly after the season 00:02:16.620 --> 00:02:19.520 made it known what he thought his worth and value 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:23.219 was to the Buffalo Bills, i .e. $15 million a 00:02:23.219 --> 00:02:25.919 year guaranteed. He is going to be eligible for 00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:28.599 an extension at the end of this season being 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:31.280 a second round pick. This is the last year of 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:34.539 his rookie deal. No fifth year eligibility being 00:02:34.539 --> 00:02:37.430 that he was not a first round pick. So, he is 00:02:37.430 --> 00:02:39.949 asking for a number that I think a lot of Bill's 00:02:39.949 --> 00:02:42.990 mafia and a lot of folks in Bill's media have 00:02:42.990 --> 00:02:45.409 kind of balked at. And the reason being is because 00:02:45.409 --> 00:02:48.270 there's only two guys that are getting that amount 00:02:48.270 --> 00:02:52.110 of money, that 15 million guaranteed tier at 00:02:52.110 --> 00:02:54.909 the running back position. That is Saquon Barkley 00:02:54.909 --> 00:02:58.849 and Christian McCaffrey. So many Bills fans, 00:02:59.270 --> 00:03:02.770 while we love what Cook has brought to this unit 00:03:02.770 --> 00:03:05.150 offensively, and we've loved to see his development 00:03:05.150 --> 00:03:07.210 over the past few seasons, there's a lot of Bills 00:03:07.210 --> 00:03:08.810 fans that balk at that number for a couple of 00:03:08.810 --> 00:03:12.210 reasons. One, in general, the value of the running 00:03:12.210 --> 00:03:14.789 back position despite the success of second and 00:03:14.789 --> 00:03:17.770 third contracts that Saquon Barkley assigned, 00:03:17.889 --> 00:03:19.789 Christian McCaffrey assigned despite his injuries, 00:03:20.129 --> 00:03:22.629 and Derek Henry in Baltimore as well, despite 00:03:22.629 --> 00:03:26.050 that, recent run of success, there are still 00:03:26.050 --> 00:03:29.189 questions about how valuable it is to have a 00:03:29.189 --> 00:03:32.889 running back in your system locked up at that 00:03:32.889 --> 00:03:35.349 type of cap hit, especially when you're a Buffalo 00:03:35.349 --> 00:03:37.590 Bill squad that is already tied up against the 00:03:37.590 --> 00:03:40.449 cap year after year, and you have big decisions 00:03:40.449 --> 00:03:43.330 coming up on guys like Osiris Torrance, David 00:03:43.330 --> 00:03:47.289 Edwards, and Conor McGovern. So we're gonna dig 00:03:47.289 --> 00:03:49.229 into a little bit of that here in this intro. 00:03:50.840 --> 00:03:54.020 But I got to tell you I think and we'll find 00:03:54.020 --> 00:03:55.879 out where JJ stands when he returns to the pot 00:03:55.879 --> 00:04:00.699 on this I think we're I stand right now is I 00:04:00.699 --> 00:04:04.099 lean towards giving cook Close to what he's asking 00:04:04.099 --> 00:04:06.360 for and before you come out with your pitchforks 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:10.500 and Spears Hear me out as to why I am fully cognizant 00:04:10.500 --> 00:04:13.280 of where James cook needs to improve He is still 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:17.720 not a three down back. He has a lighter frame 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:22.379 511 190. He is last season and seasons before 00:04:22.379 --> 00:04:25.639 he has averaged just over 200 carries per season. 00:04:26.019 --> 00:04:28.439 Nowhere near the 300 carry load the guys like 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:30.839 Saquon Barkley and Derek Henry and Christian 00:04:30.839 --> 00:04:33.500 McCaffrey that elite tier that we talk about 00:04:33.500 --> 00:04:37.920 are taking on when healthy. All right. So I enter 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:40.220 this conversation fully cognizant of the fact 00:04:40.220 --> 00:04:44.019 that James Cook is just not on the field as much 00:04:44.019 --> 00:04:46.949 as those guys are. Part of it is because of the 00:04:46.949 --> 00:04:48.649 skill set and the physical traits that he brings 00:04:48.649 --> 00:04:50.410 to the table. And then the other part of it is 00:04:50.410 --> 00:04:52.910 the Buffalo Bill scheme in general. They have 00:04:52.910 --> 00:04:56.310 carried and played three running backs in that 00:04:56.310 --> 00:04:58.589 running back room for multiple seasons under 00:04:58.589 --> 00:05:00.990 Sean McDermott at this point and through multiple 00:05:00.990 --> 00:05:03.509 offensive coordinators as well. It is a piece 00:05:03.509 --> 00:05:05.689 of the game. They've always valued complimentary 00:05:05.689 --> 00:05:08.509 football and they like to spread out and share 00:05:08.509 --> 00:05:12.189 the load. I say all that wanting you to know 00:05:12.189 --> 00:05:13.910 that I'm totally aware of all the reasons why 00:05:13.910 --> 00:05:16.310 James Cook probably should not be paid at that 00:05:16.310 --> 00:05:19.569 elite tier. But there are some things that he 00:05:19.569 --> 00:05:22.410 legitimately brings to the table that I think 00:05:22.410 --> 00:05:25.509 are a hand in glove perfect fit for the scheme 00:05:25.509 --> 00:05:29.110 that the Buffalo Bills want to run in their ground 00:05:29.110 --> 00:05:32.430 game. And I feel like every season we've gone 00:05:32.430 --> 00:05:34.170 into a year and we've talked about where James 00:05:34.170 --> 00:05:37.230 Cook has needed to improve. And he has improved 00:05:37.230 --> 00:05:39.750 after his rookie season. It was all about field 00:05:39.750 --> 00:05:42.550 vision. He was going dancing too much East to 00:05:42.550 --> 00:05:44.250 West. He wasn't going North to South enough. 00:05:44.550 --> 00:05:47.089 What did he do? He elevated his field vision 00:05:47.089 --> 00:05:48.930 in the next two years to get to what I would 00:05:48.930 --> 00:05:52.540 like to call S tier. His first cut, his first 00:05:52.540 --> 00:05:54.860 read and first reaction hitting holes is one 00:05:54.860 --> 00:05:57.720 of the best in the league. And his yards per 00:05:57.720 --> 00:06:01.019 carry before contact, bear that out. I understand 00:06:01.019 --> 00:06:03.720 that's also an offensive line metric as well. 00:06:04.300 --> 00:06:07.100 On average last season was 3 .4 yards, which 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:10.660 was top five in the league last year. I get some 00:06:10.660 --> 00:06:12.319 of that as the offensive lines production and 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:14.959 the offensive lines effectiveness as well. But 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:17.519 he has also added power to his game that we have 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:20.899 not, I think, anticipated or talked about enough. 00:06:21.339 --> 00:06:23.740 His touchdown production in the red zone, two 00:06:23.740 --> 00:06:26.779 seasons ago, going back to 2023, he was only 00:06:26.779 --> 00:06:28.779 used in about a quarter of the snaps that the 00:06:28.779 --> 00:06:31.019 Buffalo Bills were running in the red zone. Simply 00:06:31.019 --> 00:06:33.579 didn't have the physicality, he still was working 00:06:33.579 --> 00:06:35.600 on his field vision, understanding his reads 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:38.069 and things like that. And in the red zone, the 00:06:38.069 --> 00:06:40.610 Bills were going to a myriad of other options 00:06:40.610 --> 00:06:43.110 that were not James Cook. Last year, he got about 00:06:43.110 --> 00:06:46.149 60 % of the snaps in the red zone. Why? His field 00:06:46.149 --> 00:06:48.589 vision improved. His acceleration is through 00:06:48.589 --> 00:06:50.829 the roof, as we have all seen on film and in 00:06:50.829 --> 00:06:54.350 watching real -time games. But he added an underrated 00:06:54.350 --> 00:06:57.769 power element to his game as well. We said already 00:06:57.769 --> 00:07:01.709 that he averaged 3 .4 yards per carry before 00:07:01.709 --> 00:07:05.699 contact. After contact last season those number 00:07:05.699 --> 00:07:09.000 went up to three point five yards carry After 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:11.399 initial contact according to next -gen stats 00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:14.540 that it was good for top 14 in the league last 00:07:14.540 --> 00:07:18.560 season overall when you take out Quarterback 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:20.879 runs they take out guys like Jane Daniels and 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:25.019 Lamar Jackson He was number six amongst all running 00:07:25.019 --> 00:07:28.360 backs and overall yards per carry at almost five 00:07:28.360 --> 00:07:32.279 yards a clip He is elevated and added a skill 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:36.209 set to his game each and every season that has 00:07:36.209 --> 00:07:39.589 continued to help his development accelerate. 00:07:40.009 --> 00:07:43.769 It's also accelerated in perfect cohesion and 00:07:43.769 --> 00:07:46.689 unison with where this offensive line program 00:07:46.689 --> 00:07:50.189 has gone. You guys may remember last season. 00:07:50.839 --> 00:07:53.720 Not so much JJ, but definitely me had a lot of 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:55.300 questions about how the bills were handling the 00:07:55.300 --> 00:07:57.720 offensive line room. It finally felt like after 00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:00.759 the 2023 season they had figured out that formula 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:02.920 they had rolled out at that time would have been 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:06.540 the. best offensive line that they had had arguably 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:09.860 in the Josh Allen, Sean McDermott era. And we 00:08:09.860 --> 00:08:11.519 had a lot of questions about letting guys like 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:14.560 Mitch Morse go, Ryan Bates go, letting go of 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:17.060 a lot of our depth. Well, as it turns out, an 00:08:17.060 --> 00:08:20.000 Aaron Cromer we trust because last season was 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:22.720 arguably the best offensive line that the Buffalo 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:24.379 Bills have had to work with, not just in pass 00:08:24.379 --> 00:08:27.060 protection, but also in the run game as well. 00:08:27.579 --> 00:08:30.519 There is a lot of discourse because of the efficacy 00:08:30.519 --> 00:08:34.659 of that offensive line that you can plug any 00:08:34.659 --> 00:08:38.179 running back into that old lines into that online 00:08:38.179 --> 00:08:42.220 scheme and they will be successful. Here is my 00:08:42.220 --> 00:08:45.840 counterpoint to that. Philadelphia Eagles are 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:49.590 in Baltimore Ravens, arguably. better offensive 00:08:49.590 --> 00:08:52.090 line factories than the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo 00:08:52.090 --> 00:08:54.309 Bills are new to this game, where it's next man 00:08:54.309 --> 00:08:57.429 up, be it an Alec Anderson or be it a Cedric 00:08:57.429 --> 00:09:00.029 VanPan Granger, and they're able to play at a 00:09:00.029 --> 00:09:02.350 level of really high efficacy, coming off the 00:09:02.350 --> 00:09:05.149 pine. Philly and Baltimore have lived that life. 00:09:05.230 --> 00:09:07.850 They have built deep rotations along their lines 00:09:07.850 --> 00:09:11.690 for many, many years. They made the decision, 00:09:12.230 --> 00:09:17.159 respectively, to invest in quality veteran running 00:09:17.159 --> 00:09:19.220 back skill because they felt like that would 00:09:19.220 --> 00:09:21.559 put them over the top. One of my favorite guys 00:09:21.559 --> 00:09:24.159 to listen to an O line play aside from JJ is 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:26.580 Michael Junior. And I remember an interview he 00:09:26.580 --> 00:09:28.360 did, I want to say it was four or five years 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:30.759 ago, where he was just talking about what it 00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:32.440 was like to be an offensive lineman at Notre 00:09:32.440 --> 00:09:34.460 Dame and then for a cup of coffee in the NFL. 00:09:35.019 --> 00:09:37.100 And he always, he says something that was really 00:09:37.100 --> 00:09:40.039 striking to me. He was like, yes, and I'm, this 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:43.000 is not exact word for word. I'm kind of paraphrasing 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:46.580 here. He was like, O -line play matters. 100 00:09:46.580 --> 00:09:50.080 % absolutely O -line play matters, but it makes 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:53.960 such a huge difference to have a guy carrying 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:57.019 the ball behind you that can understand the openings 00:09:57.019 --> 00:09:59.580 that you're creating for them and attack them 00:09:59.580 --> 00:10:01.940 with the speed. and the confidence that they 00:10:01.940 --> 00:10:04.360 need to, to make the most of those openings. 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:07.820 We all remember the Devin Singletary, Zach Moss 00:10:07.820 --> 00:10:10.460 days, where it felt like Motor, in particular, 00:10:10.940 --> 00:10:13.980 had opening after opening for him at certain 00:10:13.980 --> 00:10:15.639 points. Granted, there were issues with the O 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:17.720 -lines he played behind, I understand this. But 00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:19.639 it felt like that when the holes in the openings 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:21.980 were there, he wasn't hitting them with any kind 00:10:21.980 --> 00:10:24.559 of real confidence. Same thing with Zach Moss, 00:10:24.620 --> 00:10:26.200 who was supposed to be this bowling ball with 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:29.840 knives for us. Again. All line was not back then 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:33.759 what it is now, but openings were there and we 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:36.580 did not have the horses in that running back 00:10:36.580 --> 00:10:39.220 room to really exploit the limited amount of 00:10:39.220 --> 00:10:41.580 opportunities that they were being given flash 00:10:41.580 --> 00:10:43.740 forward to now. And it feels like you have the 00:10:43.740 --> 00:10:46.279 perfect match of a running back with great field 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:50.320 vision has increased his, not just acceleration, 00:10:50.740 --> 00:10:53.440 but his overall top speed last season, clocking 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:57.620 in at multiple 20 mile per hour runs. Um, and 00:10:57.620 --> 00:11:00.440 became a home run threat last season in James 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:02.399 Cook. It wasn't just about his power game in 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:05.139 the red zone. There were quite a few breakaway 00:11:05.139 --> 00:11:07.200 runs. I mean, the one I remember the most was 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:09.320 against Miami and watching Jordan Poirier take 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:12.179 a terrible tackling angle and Cook basically 00:11:12.179 --> 00:11:15.019 waving goodbye to him and breaking away. We haven't 00:11:15.019 --> 00:11:18.019 had that total package at running back, I would 00:11:18.019 --> 00:11:21.440 argue, since potentially Travis Henry maybe. 00:11:22.409 --> 00:11:25.169 Fred Jackson was an incredibly effective and 00:11:25.169 --> 00:11:27.289 cerebral running back, but he didn't have a lot 00:11:27.289 --> 00:11:29.710 of the juice as far as the speed and acceleration 00:11:29.710 --> 00:11:33.750 went that James Cook has. I mean, Cook feels 00:11:33.750 --> 00:11:37.250 like he has a skill set that is developing at 00:11:37.250 --> 00:11:39.789 the same time that this O -line scheme is finding 00:11:39.789 --> 00:11:44.330 its height of perfection. I feel like the bills 00:11:44.330 --> 00:11:47.470 should highly consider. I don't know. 15 million 00:11:47.470 --> 00:11:50.210 is the number. Maybe 12 million is the number. 00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:55.279 Maybe 12 .5 is the number 13, even average annual 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:57.960 value. I don't know what that is, but when I 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:00.200 think about a guy like James Cook and his skillset 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:03.700 potentially walking out the door, when I see 00:12:03.700 --> 00:12:06.539 what Philly and Baltimore identified for their 00:12:06.539 --> 00:12:08.779 squads that have helped put them over the top 00:12:08.779 --> 00:12:11.559 offensively and needing to bring in some veteran 00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:14.240 running back help that fit their scheme. I kind 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:15.840 of don't want to let the guy walk out the door, 00:12:15.899 --> 00:12:18.480 because I think if we do, we are starting from 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:22.960 a further back building point that I think a 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:25.379 lot of us really understand. Yes, I think Ray 00:12:25.379 --> 00:12:27.120 Davis is great. I think Ray Davis is actually 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:28.840 more effective at catching the ball out of the 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:31.720 backfield than James Cook is. But I think the 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:34.000 total package of what Cook brings to the table 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:36.440 is something that is worth keeping an eye on 00:12:36.440 --> 00:12:41.799 as these contract negotiations go out. Listen, 00:12:41.960 --> 00:12:45.399 man. I think back to that AFC Championship game 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:47.559 against the Chiefs, and I think about who played 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:50.299 their best game. Who played their best game for 00:12:50.299 --> 00:12:52.980 the Buffalo Bills? Who showed up when the stage 00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:56.500 was the absolute brightest at that particular 00:12:56.500 --> 00:12:59.299 moment? Definitely wasn't the defense, as we 00:12:59.299 --> 00:13:02.519 have talked about all offseason. Wasn't the wide 00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:05.279 receiver room. You could argue, too, that it 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:07.659 wasn't even Josh's best game of the season. Came 00:13:07.659 --> 00:13:10.519 out very jittery in the beginning, and Brady 00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:13.009 had to do a lot to settle him down. Who played 00:13:13.009 --> 00:13:14.690 their best game of the season when it mattered 00:13:14.690 --> 00:13:17.190 the most for the Buffalo Bills? It was James 00:13:17.190 --> 00:13:20.049 Cook scoring multiple touchdowns and only 13 00:13:20.049 --> 00:13:24.110 touches and a snap share 47 % and the AFC Championship 00:13:24.110 --> 00:13:30.090 game even if even if Cook cannot for whatever 00:13:30.090 --> 00:13:34.009 reason improve his pass blocking And I understand, 00:13:34.090 --> 00:13:35.870 and I've watched the film, and I know that the 00:13:35.870 --> 00:13:37.649 play before the Dalton Kincade missed catching 00:13:37.649 --> 00:13:40.350 that AFC Championship game, Cooke absolutely 00:13:40.350 --> 00:13:42.789 blew a blocking assignment and allowed easy pressure 00:13:42.789 --> 00:13:45.549 to get to Allen. I get that it is an issue. Totally 00:13:45.549 --> 00:13:48.149 understand that. But when you look at the big 00:13:48.149 --> 00:13:50.529 reasons why the Bills were even in that game 00:13:50.529 --> 00:13:53.190 so close towards the end against the Steve Spagnola 00:13:53.190 --> 00:13:56.470 defense, it was because of James Cooke. I just 00:13:56.470 --> 00:13:59.049 have a hard time letting a guy walk out the door 00:13:59.049 --> 00:14:02.139 who fits our scheme so well. And I think we should 00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:04.440 learn the lessons that Philly and Baltimore chose 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:09.700 to learn two seasons ago and signing their veteran 00:14:09.700 --> 00:14:12.279 running backs to the deals that they did. And 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:13.840 I think we should give James Cook a look. What 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:15.799 does it look like? I don't know. But I'll tell 00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:17.759 you what, I'll feel a lot better about paying 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:21.179 someone like James Cook $13 million a year than 00:14:21.179 --> 00:14:23.200 I would someone like Josh Palmer $13 million 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:26.220 a year. I think... Cook makes this offense better 00:14:26.220 --> 00:14:28.480 in a way that no wide receiver, say for maybe 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:31.620 Cluel Shakir, can make this offense better. He's 00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:34.039 a pressure release fell for Josh. He fits in 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:36.539 perfectly with our scheme. And I think we should 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:40.460 not be so quick this season to dismiss his value 00:14:40.460 --> 00:14:43.139 to the team just because of the position he plays. 00:14:44.220 --> 00:14:46.240 That's all I got to say about that. I can't wait 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:48.659 to hear how you guys Absolutely disagree with 00:14:48.659 --> 00:14:50.799 that take and how JJ disagrees with that take 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:53.379 when he comes back But I appreciate you guys 00:14:53.379 --> 00:14:55.720 letting me go off on that for a little bit So 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:58.220 please stay tuned because following up next we 00:14:58.220 --> 00:15:00.320 have a very entertaining interview with one Mike 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:03.240 Kujawski About his time being a Bills mafia member 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:09.899 abroad What's up Bill's Mafia and welcome back 00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:12.600 to the Buffalo Bread podcast I'm your host Dan 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:15.120 Roberts and we have the pleasure today of being 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.559 joined by our newest guest host Mike Kijowski 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:20.500 for those of you regular listeners of the pod 00:15:20.500 --> 00:15:23.460 you know that JJ and I we carry a very very deep 00:15:23.460 --> 00:15:27.000 bench of Buffalo Bill's fans Bill's mafia lovers 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:29.139 and I've had the pleasure of getting to know 00:15:29.139 --> 00:15:31.360 Mike Kijowski here over the course of the past 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:33.639 few weeks and we're very Excited to have him 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:36.039 on the pod. We've had a chance to bond since 00:15:36.039 --> 00:15:38.379 meeting each other over a number of things, music, 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:41.539 movies, comic books, and of course, Bill's Mafia. 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:43.740 And we are very excited to have Mike here today 00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:46.200 to talk a little bit about where his love for 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:48.600 Bill's Mafia comes from and where he thinks the 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:52.139 2025 Buffalo Bills can ascend to this season. 00:15:52.620 --> 00:15:54.639 Mike, welcome to the podcast. How you doing, 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:58.100 sir? Dan, thanks so much. Awesome to be here. 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:01.139 I'm doing great. Happy to talk some bills. Happy 00:16:01.139 --> 00:16:05.840 to be in Bill's country. And yeah, let's get 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:08.360 it. Let's get going. Awesome, dude. So you mentioned 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:11.279 being back in Bill's country We're going to let 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:13.039 you get into kind of your backstory and your 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:15.519 history here a little bit. But you are a recent 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:18.240 returner here to the upstate New York, western 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:21.600 New York area. What I'd love to know and what 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:24.500 our favorite thing about having some of our guest 00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:26.980 hosts on is to find out where their fandom started 00:16:26.980 --> 00:16:29.039 and kind of where their love for their team comes 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:32.059 from. So, Mike, if you could walk our listeners 00:16:32.059 --> 00:16:34.320 through your journey of falling in love with 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:36.059 the Buffalo Bills and tell us a little bit about 00:16:36.059 --> 00:16:39.340 your story about being a fan. Thank you. Great 00:16:39.340 --> 00:16:42.799 question. My journey begins like many Bills fans 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:49.539 in Wegmans. My earliest memory is they used to 00:16:49.539 --> 00:16:53.460 put up Squish the Fish behind the cashiers at 00:16:53.460 --> 00:16:57.000 Wegmans on the wall, you know, unashamedly loud 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:58.919 and proud. And I remember just getting revved 00:16:58.919 --> 00:17:03.179 up by that as a little kid. And, you know, my 00:17:03.179 --> 00:17:06.140 love for the Bills came through my dad. Obviously, 00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:08.779 he raised me right. You know, he was a Bills 00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:11.200 fan, grew up in Batavia, New York. So him and 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:13.740 his buddies were always plugged in, going to 00:17:13.740 --> 00:17:16.539 games, you know, tailgating harder than I probably 00:17:16.539 --> 00:17:20.059 ever could try, you know, if they'd invent it 00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:24.500 or not. So, you know, I got to see the glory 00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:29.359 days, the 90s era Bills, the Jim Kelly era. I 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:33.940 got to meet him and a million Bills through the 00:17:34.380 --> 00:17:36.259 at the stadium, they had something called the 00:17:36.259 --> 00:17:38.680 NFL experience for any of our listeners who've 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:41.920 done that. And my dad used to get access through 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:45.240 his work. And so got to do that a bunch when 00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:48.660 I was young and like get actual FaceTime, you 00:17:48.660 --> 00:17:50.839 know, besides like going to the mall and like 00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:53.380 seeing Thurman Thomas and getting a signature. 00:17:54.220 --> 00:17:56.839 So those are my earliest Bill's memories. And 00:17:56.839 --> 00:18:00.000 then, you know, that run in the 90s codified 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:03.980 everything and. You know. The fashion, you know, 00:18:04.059 --> 00:18:06.480 from the get go had the bills, the bills, gear 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:10.160 in elementary school, ready to go. So Zubas pants 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:14.359 always. Yes. Yeah. And then one of my other favorite 00:18:14.359 --> 00:18:18.480 early memories was we would make cookies with 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:21.160 my cousins for Christmas, you know, like old 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:23.359 school with the cutters. But you would like kind 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:25.579 of do it. And we would customize the dolphin 00:18:25.579 --> 00:18:28.900 ones so that, you know, they were being murdered, 00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:33.839 basically. You know, in a cartoon fun kind of 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:39.640 way. So yeah, it was my love was born on dolphin 00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:42.460 hate, like any good Bill's fan, I think. Oh, 00:18:42.460 --> 00:18:45.220 excellent. Hating the Dolphins, loving Wegmans. 00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:48.259 And then of course, the very clutch love of family 00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:51.299 member who stewarded you through your early childhood 00:18:51.299 --> 00:18:53.160 and getting you hooked on the bills. All those 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:56.660 things swirled together have made you Mike Kujawski. 00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:59.720 I think one of the most like energetic bills 00:18:59.720 --> 00:19:01.680 fans I've had a chance to talk to I remember 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:04.279 day one meeting you at the office. And you called 00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:07.880 yourself the bills fan. And I absolutely loved 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:10.799 two things about that, right? Like the confidence 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:13.450 that you put behind that but it was spoken like 00:19:13.450 --> 00:19:16.509 someone who was yes excited about the team but 00:19:16.509 --> 00:19:18.910 carried the weariness of the drought years in 00:19:18.910 --> 00:19:22.150 their soul like so many of us grew up in the 00:19:22.150 --> 00:19:26.109 90s loving this team did right so I felt an immediate 00:19:26.109 --> 00:19:29.029 kinship with you sir and I want to go back to 00:19:29.029 --> 00:19:31.269 something that you had kind of touched on earlier 00:19:31.269 --> 00:19:33.569 which is your bet find yourself back in upstate 00:19:33.569 --> 00:19:36.269 New York if you could tell us a little bit about 00:19:36.269 --> 00:19:38.589 what you've been doing for the past few years 00:19:42.029 --> 00:19:45.710 Just to touch on that last point, those 17 years 00:19:45.710 --> 00:19:49.230 playoff drought, that's true love. That is. All 00:19:49.230 --> 00:19:53.009 you bandwagon fans or you new fans, we love you, 00:19:53.049 --> 00:19:57.650 welcome, but you don't know love like that until 00:19:57.650 --> 00:20:00.549 you've been through it. You don't know love until 00:20:00.549 --> 00:20:03.789 you've known pain, and we know our pain. Yeah, 00:20:03.930 --> 00:20:10.480 like a jaded 15 -year -old. So for since 2000, 00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:13.279 well, I grew up in Rochester. Let's start there. 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:16.119 Been going to those games any chance I could. 00:20:16.859 --> 00:20:20.440 Went to Eastman School of Music. Started a career 00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:23.059 in music from there and moved to New York City. 00:20:23.460 --> 00:20:26.980 Quickly got snatched up by cruise ships. I said, 00:20:27.019 --> 00:20:30.180 I'm going to do this for a year. That was 2009. 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:32.900 They said do you want to go to Alaska for the 00:20:32.900 --> 00:20:35.619 summer? I'd never been anywhere I've been to 00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:38.420 Washington DC for a school trip and maybe Toronto, 00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:42.819 you know, that's it Never even been to Syracuse, 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:48.519 right? And so I said yeah, I found myself there 00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:51.759 It was contract work had the time of my life 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:55.240 playing music traveling, you know finally earning 00:20:55.240 --> 00:20:58.700 a paycheck at one point I would joke and say 00:20:58.700 --> 00:21:05.109 that I was I had a unicorn job. I was a full 00:21:05.109 --> 00:21:09.589 -time employed musician with healthcare in the 00:21:09.589 --> 00:21:14.049 United States. It wasn't lost on me how blessed 00:21:14.049 --> 00:21:22.549 I was to make that trinity. So one year turned 00:21:22.549 --> 00:21:26.049 into 15 years. So that's why I say I'm back in 00:21:26.049 --> 00:21:28.369 Bill's country because I was a Bill's fan all 00:21:28.369 --> 00:21:31.589 over the world. I would come home. I was always 00:21:31.589 --> 00:21:35.549 home in the winter at crunch time. So when we 00:21:35.549 --> 00:21:36.930 weren't in the playoffs, yeah, it was pretty 00:21:36.930 --> 00:21:39.930 lonely. But recently it's been pretty awesome. 00:21:41.029 --> 00:21:46.029 And getting to watch the Bills from afar and 00:21:46.029 --> 00:21:49.420 you know. be a part of it that way has been a 00:21:49.420 --> 00:21:52.460 really cool perspective, but, you know, getting 00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:57.099 to now be here with everybody, you know, and 00:21:57.099 --> 00:22:00.650 the cumulative energy of that is... is already 00:22:00.650 --> 00:22:03.170 awesome. And the season's like just getting going. 00:22:03.490 --> 00:22:05.809 Oh, God, I know. training can kicks kicks off 00:22:05.809 --> 00:22:08.369 here in a couple of weeks. I'm so stoked. So 00:22:08.369 --> 00:22:11.150 stoked for regular bills content news to start 00:22:11.150 --> 00:22:14.250 coming out of St. John Fisher and training camp. 00:22:14.250 --> 00:22:18.210 Turn it out. Yeah, dude. Yes. Mike, that's, that's 00:22:18.210 --> 00:22:22.400 a such a cool story. And The Buffalo Bills being 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:25.519 such a small TV market in the US comparatively 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:30.079 I'm curious what your experiences were like being 00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:32.279 a Bills fan abroad I can't imagine that you were 00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:34.880 able to get many games other than things that 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:37.099 maybe you could stream Tell us a little bit about 00:22:37.099 --> 00:22:39.799 what your experience was like being a Bills fan 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:42.660 being away from like the core energy of the fan 00:22:42.660 --> 00:22:44.920 base here in this area and Just kind of what 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:47.039 it was like to be a Bills fan working abroad 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:53.619 So to start with I worked for a company that 00:22:53.619 --> 00:22:55.859 like most companies don't employ a lot of Americans 00:22:55.859 --> 00:22:58.819 so I would be on board and all of our guests 00:22:58.819 --> 00:23:01.279 would be American for the most part or globally 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:04.180 it was like a 51 % split but for one country 00:23:04.180 --> 00:23:09.440 that's still a huge like Sway of the population 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:13.900 so Only being like a dozen crew members. I didn't 00:23:13.900 --> 00:23:17.200 have a lot of other people that were Americans 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:20.980 that liked the NFL the same way that I did. So 00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:23.680 we would even get into the classic arguments 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:26.460 about rugby versus football, which I won't even 00:23:26.460 --> 00:23:30.940 entertain. But we should just grab their best 00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:33.559 11 guys and our best 11 and let's just have it 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:35.740 out. Let's just do it because they're they want 00:23:35.740 --> 00:23:37.480 to talk about the pads and they want to talk 00:23:37.480 --> 00:23:39.619 about all that. We could do a whole podcast on 00:23:39.619 --> 00:23:42.099 rugby versus football. Maybe we should. That's 00:23:42.099 --> 00:23:44.200 the number one question. If it's their 11 versus 00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:46.960 our 11, are we playing in pads or are we doing 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:49.880 the snow pads rugby style? Right. Either way, 00:23:49.960 --> 00:23:53.119 they have no idea. They have no idea. You're 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:56.400 like irrelevant. They'll get snow. But yeah, 00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:00.160 those rugby dudes are crazy. That sport is amazing. 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:03.640 But our guys are they're small businesses. Every 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:05.079 single one of them, like they're not getting 00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:07.240 wrecked like that and playing that many games 00:24:07.240 --> 00:24:10.559 and. You know, the physics of the sport are just 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:14.000 different, I'm sorry. So yeah, you guys put on 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:16.339 some pads too, or we'll take ours off, whatever 00:24:16.339 --> 00:24:20.559 you wanna do, but it's no content. So I did a 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:23.240 lot of that, did a lot of talking about that, 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:27.059 did a lot of explaining rules live, but all the 00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:29.680 guests would be really into it, and later in 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:32.000 my career when I got to be an entertainment director, 00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:36.779 we would have to choose which game we got each 00:24:36.779 --> 00:24:40.779 week, and so. I had significant power in this 00:24:40.779 --> 00:24:43.640 way. I always chose a game that was relevant 00:24:43.640 --> 00:24:45.599 to the bills or the bills when they were on. 00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:48.240 So I think this answer is the first part of your 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:50.339 question. Like the early part of my travels, 00:24:50.380 --> 00:24:52.420 I was disconnected. Like I was listening to internet 00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:55.920 radio, like even I started, we didn't even have 00:24:55.920 --> 00:25:00.460 wifi on the ship. Oh wow. 2009, everyone could 00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:03.400 smoke in their cabin and there was no wifi. like 00:25:03.400 --> 00:25:06.160 you think that's like the 80s dude that was 2009 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:09.180 there was a radio room before they had computers 00:25:09.180 --> 00:25:11.380 and there and in 2009 there was like six computers 00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:13.920 and everyone shared them and you paid per megabyte 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:17.279 so there was no bill streaming early on it was 00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:22.160 just whispers and rumors of war but you know 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:25.920 later in life we got near -earth orbit satellites 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:28.180 and you know you could you could stream anything 00:25:28.180 --> 00:25:33.299 and You know when I got to be entertainment director 00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:35.859 and choose the games we would put them on these 00:25:35.859 --> 00:25:39.000 big screens these Gigantic, you know movie -sized 00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:42.759 screens on a moving ship. That was super cool 00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:45.720 You know and a unique experience so sounds pretty 00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:48.160 awesome It went from being non -existent to being 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:50.779 like a unique Boutique experience to be able 00:25:50.779 --> 00:25:53.380 to do it on the ship and have all the food right 00:25:53.380 --> 00:25:56.680 there Have the service and have the ocean and 00:25:56.680 --> 00:25:59.799 have your fellow fans around And it could get 00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:02.240 pretty rowdy there. You know, it was for most 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:05.299 part friendly, but You know when the playoffs 00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:08.960 come around the worst of all so oh a hundred 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:12.359 percent So you didn't you didn't get much in 00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:15.640 the way of discourse about football? With your 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:18.319 crew members, but what about some of the some 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:20.079 of the guests that you would travel with like 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:23.460 did you encounter? More bills mafia in your travels 00:26:23.460 --> 00:26:26.549 abroad everywhere. So the best part of Bill's 00:26:26.549 --> 00:26:29.349 Mafia is how well we travel and how well we sport 00:26:29.349 --> 00:26:33.369 our allegiances. So any piece of Bill's gear, 00:26:33.970 --> 00:26:37.049 I'd be in an airport in Italy, you know, we deployed 00:26:37.049 --> 00:26:39.930 all over the world. So if I saw Bill's gear, 00:26:40.250 --> 00:26:43.990 I would, to the chagrin of my fellow, you know, 00:26:44.109 --> 00:26:45.970 crew members who were not American and didn't 00:26:45.970 --> 00:26:48.529 understand how brazen I was, would just scream, 00:26:48.849 --> 00:26:51.029 Go Bills. And then they would also be shocked 00:26:51.029 --> 00:26:53.269 when someone would just scream, Go Bills, back. 00:26:53.559 --> 00:26:56.940 So I've done that in Japan. I've done it in South 00:26:56.940 --> 00:27:03.799 America. The power of that community, if you 00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:07.180 don't know, it extends far beyond our shores, 00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:10.019 far beyond just having games in London. And the 00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:12.400 international games have helped immensely, I 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:17.019 think. I'd imagine. But Americans travel pretty 00:27:17.019 --> 00:27:19.619 well, especially in the summer and especially 00:27:19.619 --> 00:27:23.720 on cruise ships. I'd see the gear and it was 00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:27.099 an easy way to make instant friends No matter 00:27:27.099 --> 00:27:30.240 where you were it was I think almost like any 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:35.279 other franchise regardless of sport I would argue 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:39.019 That's so awesome to hear. I mean we know that 00:27:39.019 --> 00:27:41.640 bills mafia travels You can hear the squeak toy 00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:45.819 and my dog in the background. I'm sure it's almost 00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:47.460 perfectly tuned to this comment I'm going to 00:27:47.460 --> 00:27:50.559 make Bills mafia travel so well in the US as 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:54.240 we know they travel excellently to away games 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:57.119 and things like that. I have very little experience 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:00.279 abroad. So to hear from you that Bill's mafia, 00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:03.259 regardless of how small the TV market might be, 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:06.400 that their influence kind of permeates across 00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:09.160 our borders is not something I think I fully 00:28:09.160 --> 00:28:11.680 understood or appreciated in all my time being 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:15.180 a Bill's fan. And it is legit. So cool to hear 00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:19.319 that Bill's mafia have like Legion everywhere 00:28:19.319 --> 00:28:21.640 else that you might go abroad. It's so cool that 00:28:21.640 --> 00:28:23.680 you'd like find your people no matter where you 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:26.380 were, no matter what borders you were in. So 00:28:26.380 --> 00:28:28.559 we know you found bills mafia, you mentioned 00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:31.779 earlier, particularly on playoff time, that things 00:28:31.779 --> 00:28:33.619 might get a little bit friendly, but a little 00:28:33.619 --> 00:28:36.750 bit rowdy between some opposing fan bases. In 00:28:36.750 --> 00:28:38.890 addition to Bill's mafia and connecting with 00:28:38.890 --> 00:28:41.890 them, I'm sure you have also gotten some exposure 00:28:41.890 --> 00:28:45.990 to other fan bases by while working abroad. What 00:28:45.990 --> 00:28:48.789 were some of the largest contingents of other 00:28:48.789 --> 00:28:51.369 fan bases you got to interact with? And if you 00:28:51.369 --> 00:28:53.750 wouldn't mind sharing, sir, what were some of 00:28:53.750 --> 00:28:56.069 the most annoying fan bases you had to deal with 00:28:56.069 --> 00:29:01.680 in your travels abroad? Great question. So Some 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:03.819 of it would be dependent on where we were. So 00:29:03.819 --> 00:29:06.400 if we were out of Florida Fort Lauderdale, which 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:09.480 was very common You know, there'd be a lot of 00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:13.420 Dolphins fans. So in recent times that was just 00:29:13.420 --> 00:29:17.640 a joy I would skip through Miami Airport Zip 00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:19.799 -a -dee -doo -dah with this exact outfit and 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:22.500 a Bill's hat this Bill's hat right here, you 00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:25.039 know Beautiful screaming go bills whether no 00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:27.079 one said it or not and it was glorious Actually, 00:29:27.079 --> 00:29:28.859 there were so many of those fans down there. 00:29:28.859 --> 00:29:34.029 It's ridiculous in Florida But besides like the 00:29:34.029 --> 00:29:37.750 local markets West Coast and Florida you just 00:29:37.750 --> 00:29:40.470 get bandwagoners who would either choose the 00:29:40.470 --> 00:29:45.190 team because the colors or the fashion or Just 00:29:45.190 --> 00:29:49.309 because it was the easy The easy attachment like 00:29:49.309 --> 00:29:50.769 if anyone doesn't know anything about baseball 00:29:50.769 --> 00:29:54.430 they go. I'm a Yankees fan So for a long time 00:29:54.430 --> 00:29:59.150 that was either the Cowboys or it was the Patriots 00:30:02.180 --> 00:30:04.819 particularly painful for the Bills, the Patriots, 00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:07.720 right? There was a lot. And so to answer the 00:30:07.720 --> 00:30:11.759 last part, the annoying fans was, you know, during 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:16.480 that Patriots run and all the bandwagoners, that 00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:21.160 was particularly painful. You know, Tom Brady 00:30:21.160 --> 00:30:23.180 fans, especially people who didn't actually know 00:30:23.180 --> 00:30:25.539 anything about football, but we're just blindly 00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:28.220 supportive of Tom Brady. You know, it was like, 00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:29.960 what are you going to say? It's Tom Brady. Yeah. 00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:35.960 Yeah, oh god that that also somehow is a is a 00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:38.420 little bit like it's nice to be confirmed that 00:30:38.420 --> 00:30:40.299 Patriots fans are not just the most annoying 00:30:40.299 --> 00:30:42.799 fans here stateside, but also elsewhere in the 00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:47.019 world I gotta I gotta feel like to Chiefs fans 00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:49.039 at some point are gonna get up there as well 00:30:49.039 --> 00:30:51.619 because bandwagons tend to get large and when 00:30:51.619 --> 00:30:54.259 they get large they get a little bit weird like 00:30:54.259 --> 00:30:56.019 at the end of that Patriots run some of that 00:30:56.019 --> 00:30:59.589 fan base was just I don't even know. So it's 00:30:59.589 --> 00:31:02.450 really good to hear that Patriots fans were not 00:31:02.450 --> 00:31:05.630 just a plague for Bill's mafia here stateside, 00:31:05.769 --> 00:31:08.430 but also there were battles you were bravely 00:31:08.430 --> 00:31:11.049 waging against them. And your travel travels 00:31:11.049 --> 00:31:16.130 across the seas as well, my friend, Bill. There's 00:31:16.130 --> 00:31:18.369 spoiled babies, those Patriots fans. It's wild. 00:31:18.509 --> 00:31:20.829 I think Dan talking a little bit about James 00:31:20.829 --> 00:31:24.940 Cook, if I may, then the first part. I worry 00:31:24.940 --> 00:31:27.900 that we are going to get a bit of a patriot syndrome 00:31:27.900 --> 00:31:31.039 as Bills fans and not realize how good we have 00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:34.339 it. And like our main problem, if we could even 00:31:34.339 --> 00:31:37.680 call it a problem is we're talking about an amazing 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:39.940 running backs contract renewal instead of like 00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:43.319 not having one at all or not having Josh Allen 00:31:43.319 --> 00:31:46.259 or like think about the times when it was we 00:31:46.259 --> 00:31:50.230 had so much more to talk about than that. And 00:31:50.230 --> 00:31:52.269 Patriots fans would be, you know, if they lost 00:31:52.269 --> 00:31:56.049 any game, no matter the circumstances, would 00:31:56.049 --> 00:31:58.349 cry about it because they were just so used to 00:31:58.349 --> 00:32:04.109 winning. So we got to be have that 17 years. 00:32:04.289 --> 00:32:06.529 You got to have that here, back here, whispering 00:32:06.529 --> 00:32:10.109 here to remind you to be humble and remember. 00:32:11.289 --> 00:32:14.190 Wow, it's a good time to be a Dills fan. Dude, 00:32:14.789 --> 00:32:18.329 it's such such sage advice. And it's a it's a 00:32:18.329 --> 00:32:20.569 topic that JJ and I debate all the time because 00:32:20.569 --> 00:32:22.910 we do we do this thing weekly and in season we're 00:32:22.910 --> 00:32:25.230 doing a pregame show and we're doing a postgame 00:32:25.230 --> 00:32:29.410 show. And after a Bill's loss there is being 00:32:29.410 --> 00:32:31.430 critical of the team is something that you know 00:32:31.430 --> 00:32:34.289 is still really hard for us. But there's always 00:32:34.289 --> 00:32:37.089 that like little voice in the back of our minds 00:32:37.089 --> 00:32:39.890 that's asking us like should we be upset about 00:32:39.890 --> 00:32:43.779 this like. broad scheme macro view, we have it 00:32:43.779 --> 00:32:46.680 really good as Bill's mafia right now. The team 00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:48.579 in my lifetime has only been more successful 00:32:48.579 --> 00:32:51.019 in the 90s when I was a kid and I really didn't 00:32:51.019 --> 00:32:53.839 know how to appreciate it. So now the team is 00:32:53.839 --> 00:32:56.720 so successful, they are starting to permeate 00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:59.440 the mainstream culture thanks to Josh Allen's 00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:02.740 popularity, his MVP season, Bill's now going 00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:07.220 to be on hard docks. It's like, do we... Do we 00:33:07.220 --> 00:33:09.599 deserve this? You know what I mean? There's a 00:33:09.599 --> 00:33:12.119 piece of us that is still like you said trapped 00:33:12.119 --> 00:33:16.799 in that 17 year drought and every time we criticize 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:20.900 something in this moment Are we being are we 00:33:20.900 --> 00:33:24.259 being sort of ungrateful for the grander scheme 00:33:24.259 --> 00:33:26.680 of success that we get to we get to enjoy right 00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:32.019 now I think it's a valid valid point And yes 00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:34.960 Brandon Bean JJ and I, I'm sure, are going to 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:36.819 be critical, especially if this wide receiver 00:33:36.819 --> 00:33:39.460 room falls apart this season, though I don't 00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:42.019 think it will. I don't love the Josh Palmer signing. 00:33:42.759 --> 00:33:44.720 That interview was pivotal, what Brandon Bean 00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:47.720 said when he was saying, you criticized the receiver 00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:50.660 room. We scored more points than anybody. That's 00:33:50.660 --> 00:33:52.720 that kind of mentality that he was going. It's 00:33:52.720 --> 00:33:56.180 like, do people realize James Cook was tied for 00:33:56.180 --> 00:33:59.980 the most touchdowns as a running back? I still 00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:03.240 say it out loud and I'm like, am I getting hoaxed? 00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:06.619 On Wikipedia by that like no, that's true. It's 00:34:06.619 --> 00:34:11.039 true. Yep, and you know and and again Bean has 00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:14.300 every right to make that point and How long do 00:34:14.300 --> 00:34:16.239 you think he was sitting on the you guys wanted 00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:23.280 Josh Rosen and we picked Josh Allen like? The 00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:26.079 bank for sure and he can pull it out whenever 00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:29.579 he wants to so that's the balance that's really 00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:31.579 hard I think for Bill's Mafia to strike right 00:34:31.579 --> 00:34:35.280 now because Yes, we enjoy the success we're having 00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:39.679 right now but also we have all had family members 00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:42.900 who are bills fans who have lived and died and 00:34:42.900 --> 00:34:45.920 Never seen the bills win a championship. So there's 00:34:45.920 --> 00:34:49.960 so so there is that added I feel like added pressure, 00:34:49.960 --> 00:34:52.539 particularly now in the window that Josh Allen 00:34:52.539 --> 00:34:56.480 is in and his athletic peak playing at the height 00:34:56.480 --> 00:35:00.679 of his abilities, like to maximize that and finally 00:35:00.679 --> 00:35:04.400 bring a Lombardi Trophy home to Buffalo. And 00:35:04.400 --> 00:35:07.780 I think that's where some of these criticisms 00:35:07.780 --> 00:35:12.260 tend to land and tend to, I think, be fair because 00:35:12.260 --> 00:35:15.219 being victims of your own success is a real thing. 00:35:15.400 --> 00:35:17.980 and being in McDermott have established an incredible 00:35:17.980 --> 00:35:21.699 culture, an incredible, an incredible roster 00:35:21.699 --> 00:35:24.159 program. When you look at how deep they are at 00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:27.159 certain positions, they may not have stars on 00:35:27.159 --> 00:35:29.760 defense and they might not have stars at a lot 00:35:29.760 --> 00:35:31.800 of skill positions outside of Josh and I would 00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:35.969 argue James Cook, but they have depth. It's so 00:35:35.969 --> 00:35:38.869 many different places. When you look at their 00:35:38.869 --> 00:35:44.309 average wins as a DVOA DVOA metric against injuries, 00:35:44.769 --> 00:35:46.730 they're usually one of the most successful teams 00:35:46.730 --> 00:35:50.139 in the league because it's every man up. But 00:35:50.139 --> 00:35:52.800 that's only gonna take you so far when you're 00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:55.679 going up and losing Constantly against the Patrick 00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:58.139 Mahomes is who on his side of the ball was dealing 00:35:58.139 --> 00:36:01.519 with his own injury issues the Joe Burrows, right? 00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:04.139 And and the Lamar Jackson's even though we've 00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:05.900 had some success against that team in the regular 00:36:05.900 --> 00:36:10.139 and postseason There is I think there is a yearning 00:36:10.139 --> 00:36:13.559 for the Buffalo Bills to not want to to your 00:36:13.559 --> 00:36:16.659 point um be ungrateful for what we're living 00:36:16.659 --> 00:36:20.340 in but we still still don't want to end up like 00:36:20.340 --> 00:36:22.679 so many of our grandparents and our parents and 00:36:22.679 --> 00:36:25.059 living an entire life devoted to this team without 00:36:25.059 --> 00:36:27.179 seeing it reach the promised land and i think 00:36:27.179 --> 00:36:29.440 that's the conflict a lot of bill's mafia are 00:36:29.440 --> 00:36:31.159 in but you're right it can come off as being 00:36:31.159 --> 00:36:33.239 ungrateful like i said me and jj question that 00:36:33.239 --> 00:36:35.420 about ourselves all the time on this podcast 00:36:35.420 --> 00:36:38.519 like should we just sit back and enjoy this and 00:36:38.519 --> 00:36:40.960 some days we're happy to but then other days 00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:44.239 it's like i I want I want I want I just want 00:36:44.239 --> 00:36:46.619 one before I die man. You know what I mean? That's 00:36:46.619 --> 00:36:49.820 where I'm at some days Yeah, I think you got 00:36:49.820 --> 00:36:52.280 to have Bill's optimism and I would challenge 00:36:52.280 --> 00:36:54.639 the parent your pair our parents generation mine 00:36:54.639 --> 00:36:58.039 and mine included like It's a it's a classic 00:36:58.039 --> 00:37:00.599 class is half empty versus a glass is half full. 00:37:01.079 --> 00:37:03.679 Yes We lost four Super Bowls in a row, but we 00:37:03.679 --> 00:37:06.199 went to four Super Bowls in a row Like how do 00:37:06.199 --> 00:37:09.360 you measure success? Like we made it one step 00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:12.840 closer last year like And that was a year that 00:37:12.840 --> 00:37:14.940 there was doubts. And then I got to rub it in 00:37:14.940 --> 00:37:17.739 everybody's faces at the end, which was a glorious 00:37:17.739 --> 00:37:20.519 feeling, right? Especially as a Bills fan. That 00:37:20.519 --> 00:37:23.659 vindication, like because of what we've gone 00:37:23.659 --> 00:37:26.639 through, is sometimes, you know, twice -fold, 00:37:26.659 --> 00:37:32.199 ten -fold. So I think the Super Bowl is in the 00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:34.239 end all be all, and many people will disagree 00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:38.340 with me. But as long as we go out there, as long 00:37:38.340 --> 00:37:42.139 as we go out there, and Fill up the highlight 00:37:42.139 --> 00:37:44.679 reel and they crush it and they have fun and 00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:48.500 it's fun to watch That's a hell of a lot better 00:37:48.500 --> 00:37:50.699 than many of the years that we've already been 00:37:50.699 --> 00:37:53.860 through and if they get a bowl You know, obviously 00:37:53.860 --> 00:37:56.659 it's incredible dude. That's cool It's not it 00:37:56.659 --> 00:37:59.019 sounds like you're a person who both love loves 00:37:59.019 --> 00:38:01.880 the team but like loves the community around 00:38:01.880 --> 00:38:04.500 the team and loves the Experience around the 00:38:04.500 --> 00:38:07.159 team and that seems to fill your cup as a Bills 00:38:07.159 --> 00:38:11.000 fan. So talk to me a little bit Mike about what 00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:13.579 you are the most excited for this season. It 00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:16.579 is your your first full football season back 00:38:16.579 --> 00:38:19.840 here stateside, back in upstate New York. What 00:38:19.840 --> 00:38:21.860 are you most excited for for these twenty twenty 00:38:21.860 --> 00:38:26.380 five bills? Well, I'm going to try to go to the 00:38:26.380 --> 00:38:28.239 stadium as much as I can. Obviously, the live 00:38:28.239 --> 00:38:31.500 experiences is one of the best parts, and that's 00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:34.000 why our fan base is incredible. And I've made 00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:36.320 it to one every year, more or less, I think, 00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:40.219 maybe with one or two exceptions. So. I'm going 00:38:40.219 --> 00:38:44.960 to try to go to a bunch. You know, but I just 00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:48.480 because I'm trying to highlight our achievements, 00:38:49.639 --> 00:38:51.880 does it mean I don't think we're building towards 00:38:51.880 --> 00:38:54.400 a Super Bowl and that I don't think it's still 00:38:54.400 --> 00:38:57.980 possible and that that cherry isn't still glowing 00:38:57.980 --> 00:39:00.679 and that maybe we're not our best version of 00:39:00.679 --> 00:39:03.500 ourselves yet in the same way that we thought 00:39:03.500 --> 00:39:08.380 we had a ragtag wide receiver core and they churned 00:39:08.380 --> 00:39:11.739 out some pretty serious numbers like you know 00:39:11.739 --> 00:39:15.500 they could really embarrass some people this 00:39:15.500 --> 00:39:19.699 year like it could you know has potential so 00:39:19.699 --> 00:39:22.780 um that's what i'm most excited about i think 00:39:22.780 --> 00:39:26.960 is even with more eyeballs on them i don't think 00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:29.380 they're that flustered like even if the expectation 00:39:29.380 --> 00:39:32.340 is higher i think they've been through enough 00:39:32.340 --> 00:39:36.420 that core group of them that uh hopefully they 00:39:36.420 --> 00:39:38.690 can I mean, Josh is always talking about one 00:39:38.690 --> 00:39:40.610 game at a time, like even when he's done the 00:39:40.610 --> 00:39:43.869 most ridiculous Superman game of all time, he 00:39:43.869 --> 00:39:48.110 comes in with the uber lowball, you know, one 00:39:48.110 --> 00:39:51.070 game at a time speech. And you're just like, 00:39:51.349 --> 00:39:55.309 seriously, man? So, you know, I think that's 00:39:55.309 --> 00:39:57.989 going to spread from his leadership and they're 00:39:57.989 --> 00:39:59.670 going to be able to weather more storms like. 00:40:00.039 --> 00:40:02.400 Bills fans and probably the players even more 00:40:02.400 --> 00:40:08.159 so have been volatile emotionally because of 00:40:08.159 --> 00:40:10.400 all the circumstances surrounding the team and 00:40:10.400 --> 00:40:14.380 even last year with the refs it was emotionally 00:40:14.380 --> 00:40:17.179 volatile because we're thinking here we are doing 00:40:17.179 --> 00:40:19.300 everything else right and we're getting you know 00:40:19.300 --> 00:40:25.380 this uh this thing we can't control so you know 00:40:25.469 --> 00:40:27.530 Seems like there's more eyeballs on that subject, 00:40:27.650 --> 00:40:32.150 too. Maybe it's the final straw to break Kansas 00:40:32.150 --> 00:40:36.070 City's camel's back, I guess. Dude, you're so 00:40:36.070 --> 00:40:39.230 zen. I freaking love it. After a Bills loss this 00:40:39.230 --> 00:40:40.829 season, I think me and JJ are going to have to 00:40:40.829 --> 00:40:43.070 have you back on the pod just to like talk us 00:40:43.070 --> 00:40:45.469 off a ledge. It's when we're at our lowest is 00:40:45.469 --> 00:40:48.050 when we're recording those postgame pods after 00:40:48.050 --> 00:40:50.030 a loss. So we might have to bring you in as like 00:40:50.030 --> 00:40:52.429 the objective third party. Be like, hey, guys. 00:40:52.639 --> 00:40:54.500 It's still not Trent Edwards out there. We're 00:40:54.500 --> 00:40:58.840 OK. Oh, gosh. Yeah, you know. Yeah, we're going 00:40:58.840 --> 00:41:00.280 to need some of that this season. I'm going to 00:41:00.280 --> 00:41:02.579 keep you on speed dial, sir. Who was it who threw 00:41:02.579 --> 00:41:04.780 seven interceptions? Is that Edwards or was it 00:41:04.780 --> 00:41:06.679 Peterman? It was Nathan Peterman. Yeah, it was 00:41:06.679 --> 00:41:10.840 Peterman. So it ain't that. It's not that. So 00:41:10.840 --> 00:41:13.599 if it ain't that, it's by definition. Emmanuel 00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:17.179 breaking his leg every every day. You know, all 00:41:17.179 --> 00:41:19.639 that. You know, such a god. Such a think about 00:41:19.639 --> 00:41:22.820 it, guys. Take five minutes and think about how 00:41:22.820 --> 00:41:25.960 bad it used to be and then forget about it and 00:41:25.960 --> 00:41:28.539 remember how good it is now I'm also talking 00:41:28.539 --> 00:41:30.639 to myself off a ledge here Dan and everybody 00:41:30.639 --> 00:41:34.659 but you know If I can be a positive influence 00:41:34.659 --> 00:41:39.880 for Bill's fans I'll take it Let your positivity 00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:43.860 wash over this podcast and all of our listeners. 00:41:44.880 --> 00:41:46.420 Listen, man, a couple more questions. I don't 00:41:46.420 --> 00:41:48.639 want to abuse your time. You had mentioned that 00:41:48.639 --> 00:41:50.980 you want to get to the stadium this year. This 00:41:50.980 --> 00:41:53.860 is the last year of the Ralph, right? Or as others 00:41:53.860 --> 00:41:56.219 like some like to call it Highmark Stadium, even 00:41:56.219 --> 00:41:58.699 though we'll never call it that. So we're about 00:41:58.699 --> 00:42:01.639 to open new Highmark in 2026. This is the Bills 00:42:01.639 --> 00:42:04.460 last ride here in the Ralph. You mentioned being 00:42:04.460 --> 00:42:06.360 at a bunch of games, wanting to get to a bunch 00:42:06.360 --> 00:42:09.190 this year. Tell our listeners what are some of 00:42:09.190 --> 00:42:12.329 your favorite memories like top one or two memories 00:42:12.329 --> 00:42:15.710 of? Attending games at the Ralph is a Bills fan 00:42:15.710 --> 00:42:20.090 I remember going to the Ralph Young with my dad 00:42:20.090 --> 00:42:24.349 and his brothers like like a classic crew of 00:42:24.349 --> 00:42:30.090 big old boys from Batavia and some guy I Went 00:42:30.090 --> 00:42:33.349 to we went to go do something else or you know 00:42:33.349 --> 00:42:37.130 and this guy I come back my nachos are gone. 00:42:37.829 --> 00:42:43.150 This guy's laughing two rows up eating my nachos 00:42:43.150 --> 00:42:46.469 and like to impress his girlfriend who was mortified 00:42:46.469 --> 00:42:50.210 right and I get to watch my dad and his two brothers 00:42:50.210 --> 00:42:54.349 who by the way are big old boys if I didn't mention 00:42:54.349 --> 00:42:58.610 it earlier. I love this. Confront this guy who 00:42:58.610 --> 00:43:01.650 wanted to steal nachos from a little kid and 00:43:01.650 --> 00:43:07.179 as Bill's mafia All of a sudden I had like 150 00:43:07.179 --> 00:43:12.199 uncles and aunts. And basically they just collectively 00:43:12.199 --> 00:43:16.420 tossed, tossed them out, like just get out. Yes. 00:43:16.659 --> 00:43:18.199 What I'm pretty sure didn't help that he was 00:43:18.199 --> 00:43:20.679 wearing like a Jets jersey or something. Oh, 00:43:20.679 --> 00:43:23.659 even more so. He's lucky he left with his life. 00:43:24.320 --> 00:43:26.679 But those fans are benevolent like that. But 00:43:26.679 --> 00:43:29.460 it was just like, hey, buddy, you think it's 00:43:29.460 --> 00:43:31.440 still, you know, from the kids. So anyways, it 00:43:31.440 --> 00:43:35.860 was great to see that. Like community, you know 00:43:35.860 --> 00:43:38.239 come to the rescue of a kid like wasn't that 00:43:38.239 --> 00:43:39.780 upset about the nachos I didn't know what money 00:43:39.780 --> 00:43:44.760 was back then but that was super cool and This 00:43:44.760 --> 00:43:48.519 past year it was December 29th. I believe it 00:43:48.519 --> 00:43:51.920 was the game versus the Jets and Everyone I was 00:43:51.920 --> 00:43:55.599 talking to Wasn't going to the game because I 00:43:55.599 --> 00:43:59.079 think we had the playoffs, you know lined up 00:43:59.079 --> 00:44:03.119 and the weather it was December everyone just 00:44:03.119 --> 00:44:05.619 didn't want to brave it after they had put the 00:44:05.619 --> 00:44:09.500 work in all season. It ended up being, after 00:44:09.500 --> 00:44:13.159 a little bit of rain, an amazing day. I think 00:44:13.159 --> 00:44:15.440 it might have gotten close to 50 degrees at one 00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:17.980 point, even though it was supposed to be miserable. 00:44:18.239 --> 00:44:20.480 And there was a small period where it was. And 00:44:20.480 --> 00:44:24.860 then we watched the bill stop the jets 40... 00:44:25.150 --> 00:44:28.829 40 burger easy to 14. I think it was and it was 00:44:28.829 --> 00:44:33.070 14 even came in garbage time. So like I Had gotten 00:44:33.070 --> 00:44:36.769 hundred section seats for that So we were behind 00:44:36.769 --> 00:44:39.309 like the classic characters like the Elvis and 00:44:39.309 --> 00:44:41.190 the cook and everybody was right there We were 00:44:41.190 --> 00:44:44.130 by the end zone in the corner. So that was just 00:44:44.130 --> 00:44:47.429 like watch the Jets get stomped. It's December 00:44:47.429 --> 00:44:50.969 It's basically still Christmas like in the Ralph. 00:44:50.989 --> 00:44:54.449 It's not even that cold like that was you know 00:44:54.380 --> 00:44:57.440 Christmas present if there was one I'd say so 00:44:57.440 --> 00:45:01.860 good so good Listen, man, I cannot let you leave 00:45:01.860 --> 00:45:05.480 without Indulging in a tradition on this podcast 00:45:05.480 --> 00:45:09.880 So JJ and I are very well known for saying things 00:45:09.880 --> 00:45:12.559 about the bills and the NFL that turn out not 00:45:12.559 --> 00:45:15.780 to be true, right? so we have this segment that 00:45:15.780 --> 00:45:17.579 we do at the end of every pod called prediction 00:45:17.579 --> 00:45:21.099 sure to go wrong and As is tradition as a guest 00:45:21.099 --> 00:45:24.829 host It is bestowed upon you the opportunity 00:45:24.829 --> 00:45:27.750 to give our listeners one prediction for the 00:45:27.750 --> 00:45:29.929 Buffalo Bills this year that is sure to go wrong. 00:45:30.250 --> 00:45:32.389 So lay it on us. Give us your hottest take for 00:45:32.389 --> 00:45:33.889 this upcoming season about the bills and what 00:45:33.889 --> 00:45:37.730 you think is going to happen. Cook scores more 00:45:37.730 --> 00:45:42.599 total tubs than Derek Henry. Yo, that's a good 00:45:42.599 --> 00:45:45.599 one. And here's why I like that one, the stats 00:45:45.599 --> 00:45:50.139 nerd in me. So cook has not been a huge TD generator 00:45:50.139 --> 00:45:52.659 in his time, because up until this past season, 00:45:52.659 --> 00:45:55.039 he really struggled with yards after contact, 00:45:55.340 --> 00:45:57.119 totally turned that around this past season, 00:45:57.260 --> 00:45:59.159 which made him a more effective weapon in the 00:45:59.159 --> 00:46:02.440 red zone. But based on a lot of his TD history, 00:46:02.719 --> 00:46:05.340 there's a lot of fantasy nerds out there that 00:46:05.340 --> 00:46:08.039 are predicting a regression back to like his 00:46:08.039 --> 00:46:10.440 mean and his average for what he might do for 00:46:10.440 --> 00:46:14.139 total TDs. You're saying no, you're saying last 00:46:14.139 --> 00:46:17.619 year was his first step into ascending into the 00:46:17.619 --> 00:46:21.099 elite of touchdown producers. I love this take. 00:46:21.579 --> 00:46:23.860 And I'm sure James would like to hear that too, 00:46:23.860 --> 00:46:25.639 because if he does, in fact, lead the league 00:46:25.639 --> 00:46:28.480 in total TDs this season, in a contract year, 00:46:28.880 --> 00:46:30.420 that dude's gonna get paid if the bills don't 00:46:30.420 --> 00:46:33.519 lock them up preseason. Love that take what what 00:46:33.519 --> 00:46:35.400 makes you so confident that you think James is 00:46:35.400 --> 00:46:36.780 going to be able to pull that off this year. 00:46:38.750 --> 00:46:42.210 Well, I don't know if he's gonna do it, but I 00:46:42.210 --> 00:46:46.570 think he has every incentive to do so Because 00:46:46.570 --> 00:46:49.570 the contract problem is really his problem. The 00:46:49.570 --> 00:46:52.110 bills are in the best possible spot really they've 00:46:52.110 --> 00:46:55.349 got a guy who just cooked all year pun intended 00:46:55.349 --> 00:47:00.090 and then stills got a year left and and you know 00:47:00.090 --> 00:47:03.769 not showing up to Optional training camps. That's 00:47:03.769 --> 00:47:05.809 only so much leverage, right? They still have 00:47:05.809 --> 00:47:10.110 I think everything so Um, yeah, I'd love to see 00:47:10.110 --> 00:47:13.570 him turn his frustration into productivity. Yes, 00:47:13.889 --> 00:47:16.530 turn some of that fu mentality into TDs this 00:47:16.530 --> 00:47:19.730 season. I love it, dude. I love it. Listen. Yeah, 00:47:20.010 --> 00:47:21.909 you're Yeah, do it. You're the bad you're the 00:47:21.909 --> 00:47:25.980 bad boy. Show us again. You know, live it. Yeah, 00:47:25.980 --> 00:47:28.980 like, listen, and and the James Cook discourse 00:47:28.980 --> 00:47:31.139 is going to continue all season if he doesn't 00:47:31.139 --> 00:47:33.619 get locked up at training camp, which it's looking 00:47:33.619 --> 00:47:35.480 unlikely that he will it looks like him and the 00:47:35.480 --> 00:47:37.940 bills are still pretty far apart on a number 00:47:37.940 --> 00:47:40.960 of average annual value that he's looking for 00:47:40.960 --> 00:47:43.719 versus what they're willing to give. So this 00:47:43.719 --> 00:47:46.619 discourse is going to continue all year. It would 00:47:46.619 --> 00:47:50.019 be great. if some of that controversy and negativity 00:47:50.019 --> 00:47:53.059 around this contract thing does manifest itself 00:47:53.059 --> 00:47:55.719 into one of the best contract years that a player 00:47:55.719 --> 00:47:58.559 could have. cook benefits, and then the team 00:47:58.559 --> 00:48:00.780 ultimately ultimately benefits as well from it. 00:48:01.320 --> 00:48:04.340 So dude, I will be rooting for that outcome for 00:48:04.340 --> 00:48:07.820 sure. Love that take love that prediction. We 00:48:07.820 --> 00:48:09.800 will of course revisit at the end of the season 00:48:09.800 --> 00:48:12.179 to see how close it came to coming true like 00:48:12.179 --> 00:48:15.280 we do with all of our prediction should go wrong. 00:48:15.539 --> 00:48:20.420 Mike on my lucky bills, Hawaiian lay for that 00:48:20.420 --> 00:48:23.960 prophecy there. I love it and that my friend 00:48:23.960 --> 00:48:26.539 is the perfect point to probably end the interview 00:48:26.539 --> 00:48:29.079 because we cannot top the Hawaiian lay at this 00:48:29.079 --> 00:48:31.599 point So Mike, thank you very much for joining 00:48:31.599 --> 00:48:34.380 us. Thank you for taking time to guest host with 00:48:34.380 --> 00:48:36.739 us It was truly fascinating to hear about your 00:48:36.739 --> 00:48:39.800 time with bills mafia abroad and on behalf of 00:48:39.800 --> 00:48:42.360 all of our listeners Welcome back stateside. 00:48:42.360 --> 00:48:44.420 Welcome back to Central New York. Hopefully you're 00:48:44.420 --> 00:48:46.199 gonna get treated to some really great Buffalo 00:48:46.199 --> 00:48:49.949 Bills football this season Amen. Thanks for having 00:48:49.949 --> 00:48:53.809 me and Go Bills. Thank you and as always, Go 00:48:53.809 --> 00:48:54.190 Bills.