EP 37: Joe Buscaglia, Bills Beat Reporter

On this really cool episode of the Moran-Alytics Podcast, Patrick Moran finally tracks down one of a handful of guests he’s wanted on since launching the podcast around five months ago. WKBW-TV sports director, Buffalo Bills beat reporter and Bills Beat podcast co-host Joe Buscaglia joins Moran for a wide ranging interview.

It’s one of those deep dive type of conversations as Moran gives fans of Buscaglia an opportunity to get to know the man many consider one of, if not the best Bills beat reporter in the industry today.

Going all the way back to the beginning, Joe B. talks about growing up in Western New York and being obsessed with sports from a very young age and in unorthodox ways. He went to St. Francis high school in Hamburg before embarking on a journey down to Florida State College to continue his education. Not having the journalism program he was looking for, Buscaglia came back north after two years, transferred to Buffalo State College and the rest was history.

However, it wasn’t an overnight success. Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) was only a part-time producer at WGR-550 after college while working a job at Key Bank to make ends meet. He was close to moving on from aspirations of sports journalism when he caught a break. He’d go on to become a Bills beat reporter for WGR and eventually the sideline reporter during Bills games on live radio, which is where he started to make a big name for himself.

In 2015 Buscaglia made the move to television, joining WKBW-TV. He’s now the station’s sports director and Bills beat reporter.

He talks about that journey each step of the way as well his thoughts on several media topics and the hugely popular Bills Beat podcast he co-hosts with Matthew Fairburn.

Of course, they spend some time talking Buffalo Bills football. Buscaglia discusses Sean McDermott, Tremaine Edmunds’ ceiling as a rookie, Lesean McCoy’s place among the Bills all-time greats (NOTE: this segment was taped before allegations against McCoy arose) and reveals a guy he thinks can be the pleasant surprise of training camp.

This is an excellent, must-listen episode for Bills fans that features one of the true rising stars in the sports media business.

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

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