This is what I’m thinking:
Get ready for a pilgrimage of Bills Mafia West from Wyoming to Highmark Stadium in November.
Last week, I wondered the reasons why the University of Wyoming was advertising during Buffalo Bills preseason games in addition to its obvious ties to quarterback Josh Allen.
Chad R. Baldwin, the associate vice president for marketing and communications at the University of Wyoming, gave some perspective on why the school is advertising.
Unsurprisingly, it has a lot to do with Allen, who was Wyoming’s starting quarterback in 2016 and 2017 before the Bills drafted him.
Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears NFL Preseason Football (copy)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen looks up as he talks with Joe Brady and Ronald Curry prior to the Bills playing the Chicago Bears during an NFL Preseason Football game at Soldier Field on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
Somewhat surprisingly, Baldwin explained the university had 43 students from New York enrolled there in the last academic year.
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“With the success of our most famous alum, Josh Allen, who has become a household name across the country, we have been emphasizing his story in our advertising,” Baldwin wrote in an email.
“As Buffalo and Wyoming media have reported previously, Wyoming has essentially become Bills Mafia West because of Josh’s success. A trip to Highmark Stadium to watch Josh and the Bills has become a pilgrimage for many Wyomingites, including members of my family. As part of our agreement with the Bills, we’re the sponsor for the Nov. 16 game against Tampa Bay. In conjunction, our Alumni Association has secured 100 tickets in Section 101 (already sold out); there will be UW gathering the night before in Buffalo; and we’ll be tailgating with Bills Mafia before the game.”
The university also sent out a release last week saying the agreement with the Bills to sponsor the games was “aimed at increasing UW’s brand awareness and building a student recruitment pipeline in Western New York and among Bills fans everywhere.”
Here’s another little-known fact about Wyoming involving the Bills: Legendary Coach Marv Levy was recruited by the Cowboys as a defensive back but never played there.
WGRZ-TV (Channel 2) reporter Andy Paden will be exiting the station Aug. 25.
In an email to the staff, Assistant News Director Judy Moore wrote that she is “sad to say Andy Paden has made the decision to leave.”
She praised Paden, saying he “has evolved into a great storyteller during his short time in Buffalo, including being nominated for an Emmy. He has grown as an MSJ (multiskilled journalist) and has gained experience as an anchor on ‘Daybreak.’ He also tackled several hours overnight of breaking news on Election Night … He’s been a great asset to this newsroom.”
I have tuned in to BTPM PBS (formerly WNED-TV) briefly over the last few weeks during their pledge drive aimed at cutting the $2.2 million shortfall that has resulted from its loss of federal funds after a vote by the Republican-controlled Congress.
The station thanks people pledging by putting their names and locations across the screen. During my brief time watching, it was notable that more support was coming from new members from Canada than from Western New York.
It wasn’t that surprising since I’ve been told that about two-thirds of the financial support for BTPM comes from Canada.
But it still should be embarrassing to Western New Yorkers. If you are a Western New Yorker who believes in public broadcasting and one of the seven people out of 10 who watch the station and aren’t a member, it is time to step up.
One of my favorite things to watch on Sunday morning is Willie Geist’s “a life well lived" segment on “Sunday Today” on WGRZ-TV (Channel 2). Geist honors someone who died recently and had a significant impact on American life. Most of the choices aren't well known.
Just about every time I go to my gym, Spectrum meteorologist Ashley Stanley is on a television giving a weather report. During my 30 minutes on a stationary bike, she’s on about five times. She does such a good job on the weather I am a little surprised that one of the local broadcast affiliates hasn’t hired her away from Spectrum.
Someone at WGRZ-TV (Channel 2) needs a geography lesson. In a Sunday night story Aug. 10 about a swimming death, anchor Courtney Cortright said that the Village of Akron is in Niagara County. It is in Erie County. I’m not sure who wrote that. I could almost understand the confusion since the vans carrying first responders had Niagara County written on them.
Just wondering: How long before referencing “X” do people have to stop reminding us that it was “formerly known as Twitter”? I think we all should know that by now.
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