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- [00:01]
Jenna Cottrell
Welcome back to the Buffalo plus podcast, presented by Buffalo Plus, Mike Catalana, Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cottrell. Before we jump in, please be sure to, like, comment, subscribe and share the Buffalo plus channel. If you enjoy our content. We are in full off season mode, so that means we're gonna do things a little bit different Today. We're going to talk about how we started this channel, why we started this channel, and why we've gotten some comments that people think that we get along. Why it appears like we get along. No, I'm kidding. We do.
- [00:30]
Dan Fates
Do you guys remember when VH1 used to do, like, behind the Music? This is like behind the podcast.
- [00:35]
Jenna Cottrell
Yes.
- [00:35]
Dan Fates
I love the channel.
- [00:36]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. A little explainer. We've been now, we've had the channel now for, I think about two years, but we really didn't upload in the beginning. So that's on us. All right, Michael, why don't you kind of set the scene because you are the grizzled veteran.
- [00:54]
Mike Catalana
Yes, veteran. So here's the way it really started. We are from traditional television news backgrounds, all three of us, at obviously different times. And I started back. You know, we've talked about this back when the Bills were good, back in the late 80s. I mean, seriously, it was. And the traditional model for television was, you know, tv, the newscast. You go to the games, you record the interviews, and it plays at 6:00, 10:00, 11:00. That's what it was. And it eventually evolved into more, you know, of some form of social media, online media. But when the idea for this came about, it was. It was a little different. It was the idea of prioritizing the online. Now, I know I'm speaking to a lot of younger people for our podcast, but you have to keep in mind with television paid the Bills. Television is where the audience was. I mean, it was in. Maybe you'll remember, maybe it was your parents, maybe I'd say maybe your grandparents. But it was appointment viewing, 6 o'clock news, reading the newspaper, all those things. This was the first time we started as a group, at least the initial offering to say, hey, let's prioritize the online version of coverage of a team. And the Buffalo Bills were the perfect team to be doing it with.
- [02:24]
Dan Fates
And it's not only that, it's also, it's because this YouTube channel, look. And there are a lot of Buffalo Bills YouTube channels. There are a lot of good ones. We don't have time to name all of them, but we are able to get that Traditional media access. We're there every day. We are there at practice, and then we're giving you this. This is why I feel like it's different. You know, it's like we are. This is your 6, 10 and 11 long form. A lot of times, our analysis, it gives us more time because to Mike's point, people always act like we do just 2 minutes and 30 seconds of work a day. It's like there's so much that goes into that 2 minutes and 30 seconds. And there's so much stuff that we don't get to talk about that I think this gave us this platform to. Hey, what did you see at practice? And what were the five things that we've done that really stood out that we probably can't fit into? You know those. The new sportscast times.
- [03:19]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. I feel like when, you know, I. So I've been working with Mike now for. It's going on six years, which is crazy. And I worked with Dan now for two years, but we worked together in our previous job as well. And as younger people in the industry, I always felt like there was this huge void because we put so much work into our sportscast that you watch during the 6 o'clock news. But I would have my friends ask me what time the 6 o'clock news was on because people my age, our age, younger ages, just don't watch the news like they used to. So I always thought like, we got to meet people where they are now.
- [04:02]
Mike Catalana
Let me set you up here because we have a running joke.
- [04:06]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
- [04:07]
Mike Catalana
About how we ended up on this platform, which is YouTube. But I will start by saying our corporate ownership came to me initially about doing something with, again, a version of, you know, online social media in some form to cover the bills. And I will give them full credit on giving us the ability to prioritize. Like I said. Now, the initial venture into that was. It was a. It wasn't enough of a transition. It was more of websites and trying to then have people access websites. And it was our individual website and we still have it, buffaloplus.com and there's good content on there if you want to go. It's part of the 13. Wham. It's the ABC television station platform. But Jenna, as she is known to do, will give her opinion and as I'm known to do. In the beginning, I sort of. Yeah. You know, and then I listened to her when she said, we need to.
- [05:21]
Jenna Cottrell
Start a YouTube channel.
- [05:22]
Mike Catalana
Yeah.
- [05:23]
Jenna Cottrell
Because I always felt like. And going off of what Dan said. Dan, I Will agree with you.
- [05:29]
Dan Fates
Hey, it's first time for everything on the pod. All right.
- [05:34]
Jenna Cottrell
I felt like our. Why is the fact that we do have such a unique perspective, and it's a perspective I always felt like Bill's fans would really appreciate if they got to know our content. And I felt like, for us, we cover the Bill so heavily. We are so invested in the team in terms of being at practices, being at games, traveling, and we always had such an infinite or a finite amount of time to do our sportscast in. And I always felt like there was this. This. This void there of, like, we have so much great stuff and we have so much insider stuff that fans want to know, but not the ability to really put it out there. So I felt like, to me, like, YouTube was the perfect platform, and that's kind of how we got started. And obviously, it's kind of, like, rolled down the hill, and that's why it's so important if you, like, comment, subscribe, and share. But I feel like I always just knew that this could be something, and I got laughed at. I don't want to. Like, I was. People were like, okay, Jenna YouTuber. And I'm like, no. Like, this could be something.
- [06:37]
Mike Catalana
Wait a minute. I don't talk like that.
- [06:39]
Jenna Cottrell
You don't talk like that.
- [06:42]
Dan Fates
And that's a little bit more behind the curtain, too, where we joked around about, like, we do so many things, you know, instead of it's our 2 minutes and 30 seconds insider baseball. Jenna also watches a lot of YouTube at her desk. So she was the one going, hey, while we're writing a story, while we're researching, a lot of times 20, you know, 18 to 20 to 35 year olds have YouTube just playing on the background. Whether it is a podcast, whether it is just a video, whether it is a tutorial on what this is or how to fix an appliance. Like, it has become that thing where Jenna's like, hey, there. There's a big audience here, as we have seen through a podcast that have taken off on YouTube.
- [07:20]
Mike Catalana
And to finish that point, what I was describing initially, and again, these things change. They evolve. Was sort of an online version of television. It was sort of saying, okay, here we are. And in this case, it's buffaloplus.com and again, to a lot of people, and even through our site, that's fine. They can access that way. But it was more like, come to where we are. Which is the same way the newspaper ran and the television stations ran. Where here we are at this time in this case here we are at this site and Jenna's point was people are on YouTube. We need to be where they are.
- [07:58]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
- [07:59]
Mike Catalana
And that was how we it. Because it's the platform. We, we could have done some of this content and we did do some things, whether it was on Facebook or other places. But we felt like. And look, Jenna said in the beginning there's a lot of good content you guys said on YouTube. There's a lot of people who do a really good job with the Bills and you will see a lot of stuff and while you're there, if you find us. And we've been fortunate that people have gravitated to this and it has grown and grown. So we think we're in the right avenue to then give you what Jenna said, our perspective on what we're doing.
- [08:35]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, no, I think, and like, I think we're unique too because a, we get that access but be like we are all very different people but also to get along very well. And like Mike, I know we joke about grizzled vet, but like you have seen this Bills team and the evolution of this team. A perspective that not many people have.
- [08:56]
Mike Catalana
Yeah. You know, from a yearto year basis, I, I think I've covered the team longer than anybody in western New York. My buddy Sal Mayana, the Democrat and Chronicle, started his full time coverage of the team I think a year after I did. So for me it was in the end of 1987. We're talking full on beginning of Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, all that kind of stuff. And so I've seen a team evolve, covered that team, was around that team. Now I said to you guys and I get why a lot of people younger certainly covering the team, talked a lot about the drought. The drought was terrible for fans. It was awful for media. It was 20 years of mediocre at best, boring football. So my perspective is I've seen it good pre social media, the whole world we live. I've seen it be the worst thing you can be in the NFL, which is sort of irrelevant. Middle to lower pack, not really challenging. And it's exciting for me to now be able to sort of compare the two sides of this with you guys who are seeing it for the first time.
- [10:09]
Dan Fates
Yeah.
- [10:09]
Mike Catalana
When you're covering one of the great teams in the NFL, I'll. I'll stop short of great. They're going to be great when they get their Super Bowl. One of the best teams in the NFL right now. And the evolution of, you know, Jim Kelly to Josh Allen, I'm not just looking at old videos. I was there for those games, and it wasn't in.
- [10:29]
Dan Fates
I think that's where, you know, the people that have come up to us, you know, out in public, we really appreciate that, say, hey, like Saw Buffalo. Plus, love, love the pod, love the channel, all those things. It's funny because we all, like Jenna said, we all are different. We all bring something different to the table. And it's in the sense of Mike's not like the old man, get off my lawn. Like, he's not sometimes, but, like, that's not your. At best who you are. And, you know, I guess I get the most flack. It feels like at times in the comments, but it's also having strong opinions. And I think that's part of where Mike has said that, like, this traditional media, this traditional broadcast, this traditional sports journalism has evolved. I'm not talking about screaming A and skip, but there are so many opinions out there that you do have to have strong points to some respects. Like, I always remember when people would. We would talk to people, or they say, hey, well, who do you think is going to win this week? Well, the Bills could win or, you know, or they could lose. It's like that. Who wants to hear that? Like, it is. Have a point, stick to it. And again, I think that's where these people, our viewers that we appreciate so much and our subscribers and that I think they like to say I'm an idiot. And I understand that. And that's part of why this is a great podcast and a great channel.
- [11:54]
Jenna Cottrell
Also have to add, it is not a bit. Dan is this opinionated about everything.
- [11:58]
Dan Fates
Everything. Pork chops. Like we like it is full on in the sports office when we're back there, it is constantly Jenna saying like this. What you see here is 100% real.
- [12:11]
Jenna Cottrell
Like, my thing is I don't have as many opinions on things because I. It's not that I'm super easy going, but there's just times where I'm like.
- [12:18]
Dan Fates
You'Re just so high all the time.
- [12:20]
Jenna Cottrell
Jenna's just so mellow, you know, but, like, I look at Dan and I'm like, I just don't have that many opinions. But I will say I think what makes it fun is, like, you talk about, you know, the fact that we're doing this job and, like, you have opinions and we know this team, but also, like, we know the context of this team. And I feel like when you have other people talking, especially national media, they have a tough job. They're covering the entire NFL, the entire sports landscape. But, like, there's times where it's like, oh, is what's going on between, you know, Josh Allen and this player. And it's like, well, I think we have a more of a level head because we know this team and how they operate, and we've seen the day to day, we've seen this team struggle with. We've seen this team be successful. So it's kind of like, I think we're a bit more measured.
- [13:11]
Mike Catalana
Yeah.
- [13:11]
Jenna Cottrell
But then we have Dan Sprinkle in some.
- [13:13]
Mike Catalana
I think the word you use is perspective, and I've used that with you guys a lot, saying, there's opinions, but then there's the perspective that you take on it. And I know sometimes, by the way, we love the comments. Yeah. And even if we don't always, because fortunately there's a lot of comments and we read them and we appreciate people are saying.
- [13:34]
Dan Fates
Yeah. And all those ones that you guys are saying about Ira.
- [13:39]
Mike Catalana
What I. What I love about the comments in this case is we get immediate feedback on what we're saying.
- [13:46]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
- [13:47]
Mike Catalana
So we do. And you know. You know, I go back a long time where I would literally, oh, my God, this sounds like I'm in front of the transistor radio, but I would literally get letters from people saying, you're an idiot. What are you talking about? Like, but it takes time. Think about it. When somebody had to write a letter and put a stamp on it.
- [14:07]
Jenna Cottrell
Really hated you.
- [14:08]
Mike Catalana
Yeah. To do that. Or, you know, at times it was compliments, which is nice. Right. But I saved. I saved some really good ones where they attacked me. Not quite to dance level, but they attacked me. And then it became like emails. And you still get that and all. But this is interactive in that way. And especially when we do the live show. So we. I appreciate that. I appreciate the ability to give my opinion. I have a lot of opinions on a lot of things. Again, closer to Dan's level. Not quite there, but, you know, but. But closer. And I love the feedback. I love that we can give our opinion. I love that people can disagree. Love it with us. And we disagree with each other. But I. I love that it's. Whether it's live and it's an immediate conversation or it's the three of us together, or we put it out there and then you respond to it and we see it and we address it. At times it's a conversation. Sometimes that's delayed by the fact that it's a taped piece. But. But I actually really enjoy that part.
- [15:15]
Dan Fates
And to Jenna's point, like we said, it's not a bit. And I would rather have people get done watching our videos and say Dan's an idiot or they do. That was a great point by Dan. Than for somebody to click off our video and be like, oh, well, that was it. Like, we want. We're not going to be like, it's like I said, like screaming A and skip, where we're just throwing out random takes about anything. But we are passionate about this because this is what we devote most of our time at work is to this. So to have an opinion that, you know, I feel like we've. That I don't. Some I just throw out there. Most of them are crafted. Most of them are thought thoughtful and I have some facts and knowledge to back it up, but I will never. Also, nothing is. At least for, I know all of us. We're not going to talk about something that we don't know. Like when people talk about, like, when. Whether it's critiquing, play calling or formation or anything like that. Like, I. We have always said, I'm not going to break down the all 22. I don't know what play was called in the huddle. I'm not going to give you that aspect. But I can also tell you that this guy just didn't play well because I have eyes and I've watched enough football and covered this team for now going on six years. So.
- [16:26]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, no, I mean, I think it all makes sense and that's why. And I do want to add, like, if people have things that they're like, oh, maybe this would make like, for good content or I have a question about this or that. Like, feel free to add that in the comments because this channel is still in its infant stages and we want to continue to grow it. And I think we've had so much fun with it, but I think there's so much potential for this channel. And especially as the Bills continue to rise, I feel like the. I don't know, it's just exciting to see, like, what we could be covering. And I know for Bills fans, I mean, it's even more exciting.
- [17:04]
Mike Catalana
Yeah. And I also want to say this. I say, you're on YouTube. You'll see a lot of Bill stuff, and there are a lot of people that are putting content out there that don't have the access that we do now. That doesn't mean they don't have a perspective. And you may enjoy watching them. And I would have Been that guy. If I had access to this 35 years ago, I would have been. You know, I would. Because you would have said, I have an opinion. I want to put it out there. I'm not saying that you can't enjoy that and you listen to it. But to Jenna's point, you know, we are at practice, we're around the team, we travel to every game. You know, we'll be in la, we'll be in Miami, we'll be in Foxboro and Cincinnati. Like, all these places. And those things at times give you that perspective that other people don't have. Doesn't mean you can't watch them, listen to them, enjoy it, whatever it is. But to Dan's point, the national guys, by the way, you'll see it this year. Like, somebody will come out with their big, hot take that Josh Allen may be the best quarterback in the NFL. Like, they just discovered Josh Allen. Like, that's what you see nationally a lot of times. And that's why, you know, we can be critical, too, without making it hot takes. And I know sometimes we get pushback.
- [18:19]
Jenna Cottrell
Jenna, you know, you be more specific.
- [18:22]
Mike Catalana
Yes. Well, that was from Sean McDermott. Yeah. To Dan, who asked very legitimate questions to Jenna's golf buddy, Sean McDermott. And he wasn't happy. Fine. He wasn't happy. That's okay. If you're not asking questions sometimes that. That the fans want to hear.
- [18:39]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
- [18:40]
Dan Fates
Yeah.
- [18:41]
Mike Catalana
That they might. They may be mad at because you kind of struck a nerve, so be it. Hey, sometimes there's dumb questions, too. None of us ever asked the dumb questions, but sometimes there are dumb questions, too.
- [18:51]
Dan Fates
And it's also that. That sense of, I don't want to, like, get up on a soapbox, but, like, being there, talking to players, asking the questions at press conferences is not an easy thing to do. And so for everybody to say. For everybody to sit here and say, oh, why aren't you asking these things? Like, there's a vibe to press conferences. There's a feeling in press conferences. There's. When you're talking to players after a loss, like, it is not an easy place. People always ask me, and I know I've gotten comments about this before. Well, Dan, you're not a Bills fan. You're right, I'm not a Bills fan. Do I root for the team to do well? Because my job then is way more fun. It is way more fun to talk to players after they've won 30, 35 to nothing compared to a 42 to nothing loss. Like it. So Yes. I root for the team in the sense of I want my job to be more fun, and it's a lot more fun to cover. But, yeah, I'm not. I'm not a Bills fan. I didn't grow up a Bills fan, and that's okay. And I call this team, as I've always said, I like to. I would cover this team the same way I'd cover the Browns or the Patriots. Like, I'd like to say, I call a circle a circle. A square. A square. And that's what we try and do on this. This channel and giving our thoughts and opinions. Like I said, we've got what, over 40 plus years. Mike's got 30.
- [20:04]
Jenna Cottrell
I got six.
- [20:05]
Mike Catalana
Well, we have more than that because I have 35 on my own.
- [20:11]
Dan Fates
35, six, and six.
- [20:13]
Mike Catalana
So we're closing in on 50. Wow.
- [20:16]
Jenna Cottrell
That's kind of crazy.
- [20:17]
Mike Catalana
One more year, we'll be combined 50.
- [20:19]
Dan Fates
We'll have to update the Buffalo plus logo with, like, one of those, like, the Sabres jerseys where they put, like, the 50 into it. Yeah, the golden. The golden years now.
- [20:30]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. No, it's true. All right, why don't we talk a little bit about how we all know each other, like, how this got started, Because I feel like it's.
- [20:40]
Dan Fates
Well, I feel like Jenna wouldn't know Mike if it wasn't for me.
- [20:43]
Jenna Cottrell
Facts, Summers.
- [20:44]
Dan Fates
That's very fair.
- [20:46]
Mike Catalana
The first time I believe I met Dan was when he was an intern for John Dullio on his radio show.
- [20:56]
Jenna Cottrell
Oh, my gosh. I don't know if I know this.
- [20:59]
Mike Catalana
Yes. I remember being in the studio.
- [21:02]
Dan Fates
Bill's brothers.
- [21:03]
Mike Catalana
Dan was there. This was. Yeah, Bill's brothers that we used to do that show. Well, we still do. It's just in a different format now. And that's where I met Dan. And then he came to work in production at Channel 13. And they used to always be mad at him. They'd be, like, saying to me, the production. He's got to go do what we hired him to do. He's always hanging out in the sports department.
- [21:29]
Dan Fates
I was that annoying. I was the dirty penny you couldn't get rid of. I was Levi Wallace, I believe.
- [21:35]
Mike Catalana
Levi, you called the ugly penny.
- [21:36]
Dan Fates
I think I said, yeah, maybe.
- [21:38]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, you said ugly, which is not.
- [21:41]
Mike Catalana
And by the way, the phrase is bad penny, but that's fine. Yeah, but Dan was there, and then he got his job in Elmira. Yeah, that's where. Go ahead, Jenna.
- [21:54]
Jenna Cottrell
So out of college, I. My first TV job was in Elmira, New York, and there was an opening for my sports director left. So I went up to sports director and we had a sports reporter position. And I was very scared about who we would hire. And so Dan was one of the people recommended. And I was like, all right. Well, in my. My head, I was like, I'm gonna make this interview the longest interview in the history of the world. So that way I know whether or not I can get along human being, because especially we work a lot of hours together, but especially in small markets, you are working constantly with the same person in an office that is essentially a shoebox. So Dan and I drove to Ithaca, covered. What game is it? Lacrosse.
- [22:44]
Dan Fates
Must have been lacrosse. Or soccer.
- [22:45]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, it was spring.
- [22:46]
Dan Fates
It was covered.
- [22:47]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, I think we covered a Cornell lacrosse game. Shout out, showcoff field. And then it was like an eight hour interview.
- [22:56]
Dan Fates
I showed up at noon. Jenna didn't show up till 3, and I didn't leave until 11. Yeah. So it was like an 11 hour interview where I was like, I don't know. I got a shot.
- [23:07]
Jenna Cottrell
And I remember after you left, I was like. I was like, yeah, I didn't hate him. I was like. I was like, I feel like we can.
- [23:14]
Dan Fates
That was the bar I had to clear. I don't hate the kid. Little did she know. Little did she know where. Where this friendship would take us.
- [23:23]
Jenna Cottrell
Well, it was funny because I remember thinking. I was like, man has a lot of opinions.
- [23:28]
Dan Fates
That kid can talk. Like, what the hell?
- [23:32]
Jenna Cottrell
But I was like, okay. Like, yeah. So we decided to hire Dan at that station. And then we worked together for like, what, a year? Not even.
- [23:40]
Dan Fates
Not even a year. And then I was always the one saying, well, I want to go back to Rochester. That's where I'm from. I want to. I want to try and get back to Rochester market. I said, it's great market. You know, you get to cover the bills, you get to cover a little bit of Sabers, Syracuse, all these things. And then Jenna's like, oh, Rochester, huh? Rochester.
- [23:55]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
- [23:55]
Dan Fates
And then everything kind of evolved, obviously. I said, well, I had this great. I. I loved this at channel 13. I was a. I worked behind the scenes there. I'd love to get back there someday. A job opened up, and Jenna stole my job. And that is where we are.
- [24:10]
Jenna Cottrell
You know, you were mad at me when I left.
- [24:12]
Dan Fates
I was like, dan, very mad.
- [24:14]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. Yeah. No, it was like, I. We can joke about it now, but it was actually uncomfortable because I was like, dan is legitimately mad at me. But, Mike, I don't remember. I Remember the first time I talked to you on the phone because for some reason, I had sent you my stuff, My. My work?
- [24:31]
Mike Catalana
Yeah.
- [24:31]
Jenna Cottrell
And I remember being like, oh, my God, I have a call with this guy. No idea who he is, but he's supposed to be a big deal. We'll see about that. And you like critiquing my work. And I was like, okay, he seems pretty reasonable. But I don't remember the first time I met you in person.
- [24:44]
Mike Catalana
I met you the first time at a Bills game. Oh.
- [24:48]
Dan Fates
And you broke all the rules, Jenna.
- [24:50]
Mike Catalana
You broke all the rules. And she came in. Jenna walks in the press box, and she basically announces, I'm here. Everybody gets. It's Jenna Cottrell. I'm here, and I don't have a pass to shoot on the field, but I don't care. I'm going to just walk down there and break.
- [25:08]
Jenna Cottrell
I got bad info. They let me down there. I don't know.
- [25:13]
Mike Catalana
For those who don't know, these guys obviously shoot the games. They have a very attractive brown vest that they wear that you're supposed to have in order to be on the field. Well, the team notices that Jenna just la dee da on the field from Elmira is shooting the Bills games, and the PR people are up in the press box going, who's that down there with a camera without a pass?
- [25:35]
Dan Fates
So she and crazy fans on the field filming the game.
- [25:38]
Mike Catalana
And I believe she changed the rules for the entire media. Right?
- [25:42]
Dan Fates
Fact.
- [25:44]
Mike Catalana
So then they had to escort you to the area.
- [25:47]
Dan Fates
Had a sign and everything. Like, now you have to sign and get a vest. And, like, they pretty much don't let you near the tunnel without a vest or a pass.
- [25:54]
Mike Catalana
Yes.
- [25:54]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
- [25:54]
Mike Catalana
So.
- [25:55]
Jenna Cottrell
Well, in my defense, I walked right by.
- [25:58]
Dan Fates
They didn't.
- [25:59]
Jenna Cottrell
It was. They didn't, like, hey, hey, hey, you can't go here.
- [26:02]
Mike Catalana
I just walk right by.
- [26:03]
Dan Fates
She's like, jenna Codrel, clear out.
- [26:06]
Mike Catalana
I'm coming the way she is. So it was a little while after that we had an opening for the job. And that's when, yeah, I had talked to Jenna, and it ended up working out that we were able to hire her. And she came up to Rochester, and it wasn't that much longer that Dan made his way to Rochester.
- [26:28]
Dan Fates
Yeah, I got hired. There's three stations in Rochester. I got hired at one of the other stations and went there. But it's funny because I grew up, like, Mike called my high school highlights. Like, I grew up watching the number one station, like, channel 13. Like, that was what it was. And obviously as Jen and I, our friendship just continued even despite us because we were together for so long and a year. But you're working with the same person every single day.
- [26:55]
Jenna Cottrell
Quarters that you're.
- [26:56]
Dan Fates
And I remember when I proposed to my wife and got married and I was working at the other station but I had always really appreciate and respected what they did at channel 13. And I remember telling J. I was like, I think I'm gonna invite Mike to the wedding. I was like, this is the long play. Like he's not even my boss. Like I invited my boss and other co workers that I had at the other.
- [27:16]
Jenna Cottrell
You did say that.
- [27:17]
Dan Fates
But I was like this is the long play. So that like one day if there ever is an opening over there, like this is going to be the play where it's like, well yeah, like we're close. I invited him to my wedding. And I also know that my dad and my father in law.
- [27:27]
Mike Catalana
Oh yeah.
- [27:28]
Dan Fates
Talked your ear off at my wedding. Laying more groundwork.
- [27:32]
Mike Catalana
Oh, there was no doubt. It was so any chance there's ever something. Which was absolutely fine because you know.
- [27:42]
Dan Fates
Very embarrassed now it all worked out.
- [27:44]
Mike Catalana
But oh no, no. So it wasn't that much longer, was it? Maybe another. Yeah, you know, and look it was. I think it was great for you to get in the market to start understanding how the bill stuff went, but it was a better opportunity for you. And so everybody knows this was right at the time when our corporate people were like we're going to do this channel or this, in this case website. And they were describing the person that they wanted and they wanted somebody who you know, again they had some ideas. And like I said, I do appreciate their support but I sort of. Sorry if any of them are listening. I sort of manipulated what they said to get the person. That type of person that I knew would help us. And Jenna, you was making the point. Small quarters but also limited amount of people. You have to have multiple skills to do this. But they wanted somebody who could live in Buffalo. Well, initially that was a thought because they thought since we're in Rochester, look, you know, we're all programmed to be up and down the throughway. That's a non issue. Yeah, but it was also more of what they were thinking and they wanted a social media presence and Dan's hot takes definitely were a plus and I was able to highlight some of his better hot takes and they liked it right away and I was able to sell them on that. I'm very proud of the way I was able to Sort of maneuver that. But I knew it would be a good hire.
- [29:23]
Jenna Cottrell
You knew he would be a good hire. And you were right, and you normally are right. But you were so stressed out.
- [29:29]
Mike Catalana
Oh, yeah. Because I didn't. I didn't trust that they would see things the way that I did. And eventually they did, and there was never any question about hiring Dan. I think they were just looking for something else. It would have been a mistake. It would have taken us in the wrong direction, and we wouldn't have been able to do the things we're doing now. But. But again, I'm not blaming anybody. All the things we do have evolved.
- [29:57]
Dan Fates
Yeah.
- [29:57]
Mike Catalana
And so it evolved into the version that. That I see for it. And it's been kind of nice because, you know, we've gotten not just compliments from you guys, our viewers, but we've gotten it from other media people who like the way we do this, and they see the value in sharing some duties and all, having our opinions. And, you know, for a TV station, I think it's. It's the model of the way TV entities with other outlets should cover sports.
- [30:32]
Dan Fates
Yep.
- [30:32]
Mike Catalana
Because you can do different things. And, you know, you guys are out there. We're going to find you. And by the way, I don't dismiss our television audience. We still have a very large TV audience. It's a different audience. There's some overlap, but it's a different audience. And we're still able to, you know, support that while we're doing this. So that's why I wanted somebody like Dan. That's why I wanted somebody like Jenna. And that's the model of what this will be when they're both on the network someday.
- [31:01]
Dan Fates
I always thought it was. I thought it was always funny when people would ask us, like, how are you and Jenna so close and friends? It's like, even when I came back to Rochester, we shot every game. You know, games that we would go and we would travel with. It was like you hung out with Jenna. So it was. It's always been a good friendship. You getting all teary eyed.
- [31:22]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. Because hear me out. We're very close for our job. But when I got sick with cancer, and I'm intermission now, and I'm. I'm healthy, and I'm very, very blessed and fortunate for that. But I can't even express how much Mike and Dan were just there for me as a human being. And I'm. I am emotional, which is shocking if you know me. But, like, this channel is homegrown, and we have so much fun with it. But I just can't say enough about how good of people you guys are. And that's what makes this so much fun.
- [32:03]
Dan Fates
Can I take a turn from sentimental to making fun of Jenna again? So we get back on track a little bit? Because if she's going to take the cancer line, like, to show people how close we are as friends and how close we work together as competitors. And Jenna knows where this story is going. We would shoot the silence here, and we. You're competitive against the other stations. You want to get the best shot. I'm competitive now. When Jenna shoots a game, it's like, damn, she shot that game really well. Like, all right, I gotta. I gotta back it up. We're shooting a game in. It's a Miami game. They're at home and it's snowing. And Jenna goes in early at halftime and misses this great touchdown right into my lap. And I'm coming back there like, Jenna, you lazy sob. Like, what is wrong with you? Like, you're calling it quits early. Like, wow, some work ethic you had. You weren't the person I knew in Elmira. A week later, did you get diagnosed with, like, stage four?
- [32:55]
Jenna Cottrell
It was like three weeks later.
- [32:57]
Dan Fates
Yeah, I was like, oh, that was just pretty tired. Like, that was cancer all throughout her body. Yeah, I guess that's all right. But that was like.
- [33:04]
Jenna Cottrell
I do remember, and you told me that you were like, yeah, I thought you were just like, really, like, resting on your laurels. Like, you know, I have to give an F. And I was like, no, man, cancer. Yeah. No, but I just. Yeah. I mean, I think the reason this channel works is because we are such great friends. And I just do feel very appreciative. And I get a little emotional because I get to work with my best friends and like, wow, such a blessing. And we're not just work friends, we're like actual best friends. Like, I tell people one of my best friends is a 60 year old male.
- [33:39]
Dan Fates
Yep.
- [33:40]
Jenna Cottrell
But it's because it's true.
- [33:42]
Mike Catalana
Well, you know, we go out and play golf together. And by the way, Jenna, she's dressed, she's got the hat. Like, she's got the bug now. And Dan, you couldn't play with us yesterday the other day. We've created a monster here. Yeah, she's hitting the ball, you know, one ball.
- [34:00]
Dan Fates
She's only hitting one ball.
- [34:01]
Mike Catalana
Well, no, there's still times to drop the second ball, but.
- [34:04]
Jenna Cottrell
Well, I'm like, I can do better. Let me hit it again.
- [34:06]
Mike Catalana
Yeah. But I'm saying as we do that, you know, you guys have been over here with your spouses, who. My house for dinner. We go out all the time. We. We do enjoy that because we have a common thing that we're teammates here. This is what it is. Right. And we enjoy the work, and it's stressful. Schedules are tough. We have to adjust to each other.
- [34:28]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
- [34:29]
Mike Catalana
Because of a lot of things. And we do. I think we do a pretty good job of that, but, you know, it's. It's very real between the three of us.
- [34:42]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, it is.
- [34:43]
Dan Fates
That's the best way to put it.
- [34:44]
Jenna Cottrell
And we get mad at each other. Like we are real. Like we have.
- [34:47]
Mike Catalana
Yeah, but Dan's usually wrong when we get mad at him.
- [34:52]
Jenna Cottrell
We have fun with it. But no. Yeah. Don't make fun of me for being. For crying. Not. I don't know. I know you guys won't. But the. In the comments, just have mercy on.
- [35:02]
Mike Catalana
Me, by the way. You've earned that. And it's. It's a. It's something that we all are very aware of. It's part of, obviously, you and all of us, but we're really happy in the side we're on now, so.
- [35:19]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, exactly.
- [35:20]
Mike Catalana
Yes.
- [35:21]
Jenna Cottrell
Very true. All right. Wow. This episode, I wasn't expecting.
- [35:24]
Dan Fates
I didn't get. I didn't see it getting deep. I got deep.
- [35:27]
Jenna Cottrell
You know, I didn't either, but here we are. All right, well, thank you so much for everyone joining us on the podcast. We'll be gearing up, obviously, training camp starting soon. We'll have more episodes of the podcast, but please be sure to, like, comment. Subscribe to the channel. Share this content if you enjoy it. We always appreciate the comments like we talked about, even if they say Dan is an idiot. The best part of the comments, a little less.
- [35:53]
Dan Fates
The best part is that, like, I'm usually the first one to read them.
- [35:56]
Mike Catalana
Yeah.
- [35:56]
Dan Fates
And it'll be like, guys, look at what this person said about me.
- [35:59]
Mike Catalana
And then Jenna and I have already read them, and I'll say to her, did you see.
- [36:04]
Jenna Cottrell
Somebody went in on Dan? But no. So for Mike and Dan, I'm Jenna. We'll catch you next time on Buffalo Plus.