Charlie Voelker

On Friday, the 8-5-1 New York Giants were in the Twin Cities preparing for an opportunity to clinch a surprising 2022 NFC playoff birth with a win (and some help) over the 11-3 Minnesota Vikings. Some of the Big Blue players and staff took advantage of the team hotel being attached to the world famous Mall of America to get in some last minute holiday shopping. During the same time, at the nation's largest mall's Nordstrom's location, shots rang out, leaving a 19-year old man dead and thousands in a panic, including the New York Giants.

There is no question that Miami Dolphins head coach, Mike McDaniel has done a nice job this year. McDaniel has led his team to an 8-5 record and possible playoff birth in his first season at the helm. This Saturday night in Buffalo, facing the first place Bills, is a crucial game for his Dolphins. The rookie head coach led Miami to a victory over Buffalo in late September. The game was played in Miami and the weather was very hot. Bills players struggled with the extreme temperatures. That won't quite be the case on Saturday night at 8:15pm in Orchard Park.

The story is as old as professional sports. Star athletes make it big one day but never plan for tomorrow. Then bad things happen after they can't play anymore and we hear about them in the media. Donte Greene, who played at Syracuse University during the 2007-08 season before leaving for four seasons in the NBA, has just been added to the list of sports figure tragedies.

Buffalo Bills edge rusher extraordinaire, Von Miller, knows a thing or two about hitting an opposing quarterback. In a way, Miller has made his living off of disrupting and tackling quarterbacks, specifically. However, as the Bills Mafia paced nervously, awaiting news on Josh Allen's injured elbow, Miller offered Buffalo his services on the other side of the football.

Recent injuries to the Buffalo Bills may make it harder for the western New York team to "guarantee" a trip to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona to their wild fanbase. As you know in the NFL, there are no such covenants. However, signing two-time Super Bowl champion and MVP, defensive star Von Miller, fresh off of his Los Angelas Rams' Lombardi trophy celebration, was great start. Now, Miller is making his own guarantee that may help the Bills Mafia with their planned February trip to Phoenix.

In pro sports, it is not uncommon for former players criticize those still in the game, for one reason or another. Sometimes the commentary is founded and on other occasions, it is jealous griping. When the targeted commentary comes from a well-educated, NBA legend with a background in communications, and they are directed a player constantly in the middle of controversy, those opinions are delivered with a little more clout.

The Buffalo Bills invested $120 million into 33 year-old Von Miller for one reason, to win a Super Bowl. Miller brought with him to western New York two enormous championship rings from two different teams. Bills' general manager Brandon Bean and head coach Sean McDermott knew what Miller brought to the table besides being an All-Pro defensive star. Von Miller carries an understanding of what it takes to be a champion and has the gift of imparting that knowledge to his teammates.

When you want to find out who is the best at something, you ask people that are in the same business. You ask people that compete against that person or business. When it comes to great Major League Baseball players, a guy like former Boston Red Sox star, Los Angelas Dodgers' outfielder Mookie Betts is probably a solid reference. Betts dished out some hefty praise on a New York Mets pitcher on Wednesday night and that player had nothing to do with Timmy Trumpet.

The Buffalo Bills are the odds-on favorite to win Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona next February. A lot of things have to go right for Sean McDermott's team but they are certainly built for the task. Nobody knows that much better than the New York Giants new braintrust, general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll. That's why it will be very interesting to to watch over the next few weeks as teams whittle their rosters down to 53 by 4pm on August 30th, how many former Buffalo Bills become New York Giants.

Tuesday morning was media training with yours truly giving the presentation to the University at Albany football team. 100 players packed into the academic center, where the team generally holds training camp team meetings. The UAlbany Great Danes are preparing to take on 10th-ranked Baylor on September 3rd, so information had to be quick and to the point. Plus, one Great Danes player was about to learn that he earned something incredibly special.