Charlie Voelker

Tuesday was a sad day for the NHL hockey world, as long time player, coach and broadcaster Barry Melrose, who has strong ties to the Capital Region, announced he was retiring from the broadcast booth, as a result of complications from Parkinson's Disease.

According to newyorkupstate.com, the freshwater fishing industry generates $2 billion each in New York. The Salmon River, located on the eastern side of Lake Ontario just north of Syracuse, and its yearly salmon run of monster fish, has drawn anglers from across the world for decades, with hopes of reeling in a 30-pound beast, while standing in the shallow riverbed.

The UAlbany football team wasn't supposed to be very good this season. In fact, some 'experts' thought they would be pretty bad. Coming off of a 3-8 season in 2022, where the Great Danes didn't win a single game on the road, 2023 expectations were light, at best, by many but not all.

It is not a secret that whales are amongst the most visible marine life to return in abundance to New York waters. The massive beasts of the sea can be seen frequently from Manhattan to Montauk. However, a dark secret regarding the New York whale population is coming to light, people are intentionally chasing them and bumping them.

After spending extra time this week in his NFL lab in Loudonville, 'Intern Mike' is putting that winning record on the line with this week's 'Hot Picks,' including doubling-down against Jalen Hurts. Here is 'Intern Mike' Giarraputo and his NFL 'Hot Picks' for Week 5:

Applying to college can be costly for any student. Many, high school seniors have no idea what they really want to do or where they want to spend the next four years of their lives.

To start, let's quote (courtesy of friend of 'The Drive with Charlie & Dan', Darryl Slater of nj.com) New York Giants offensive tackle, Evan Neal, “Why would a lion concern himself with the opinion of a sheep?...The person that’s commenting on my performance, what does he do? Flip hot dogs and hamburgers somewhere?”

Over the past decade, the development of the daily line-up card, more importantly who's on it and where, has become more of an organizational decision, rather than one that sits solely with the team's manager. For a grizzled veteran skipper, like Buck Showalter, that has been a dooming change.

One of the Catskill Mountains' most popular ski destinations, is getting a facelift. The new owners of the recently renamed Windham Mountain Club announced they are investing $70 million to expand and improve the properties' amenities.

You will get little argument from anyone that Buck Showalter knows the game of baseball inside-and-out. At 67, Showalter could easily get another thankless MLB managerial job, dependent on over-paid players, under the microscope of social media's thirst for coaches' blood. Sounds fun?

The National Transportation Safety Board held a press conference on Tuesday, revealing their initial findings in the investigation of the plane crash that killed Super Bowl champion tight end, Russ Francis and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden.

No Big Blue fan is going to sugarcoat it. New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones made some terrible mistakes on Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks. But, what should really worry the fanbase is head coach Brian Daboll.

David Stearns took over the New York Mets on Monday, as their new president of baseball operations. Besides being force-fed general manager Billy Eppler by owner Steve Cohen, it appears that Stearns will have free rein.

A former NFL star, who had taken up residency near Lake Placid, died on Saturday from injuries suffered in a plane crash. The accident occurred near the runway at the famous winter olympic village's small airport.

As we like to say on 'The Drive with Charlie & Dan', the shiny penny gets all of the attention. The Dolphins are fun. They play in Miami, a city where the weather is hot and the people can be flashy. Things that flash get attention.

It is time for 'Intern Mike' Giarraputo's 'Hot Picks' for Week 4 of the NFL season. Okay, we gave 'Intern Mike' a critical evaluation of his picks from last week on 'The Drive with Charlie & Dan.' However, he still has a winning record and is poised for a big week.

The 2023 Miami Dolphins are very good. Any NFL team that can put 70 points on an opposing defense, is something to be reckoned with. However, the Dolphins have their toughest test of the young season on Sunday, the perennial AFC East champion, Buffalo Bills, who some critics seem to forget these days.

Nine break-ins in any town are going to cause alarm. When black bears are the culprits, that may be a bit more concerning. However, when your town sports a 'Bear Task Force', you probably have some level of expectation for this type of invasion.

Sunday is the start of Small Game hunting season in New York State. Some portions of the state will offer youth and veteran opportunities to get out there on Saturday. The biggest thing to remember as hunting season begins is: safety.

New York Yankees' general manager Brian Cashman is going to have a busy off-season. Never has the baseball executive's leadership of the storied franchise been more in question. Are the Bronx Bombers stale? Is their organizational strategy antiquated? Does the front office need help fixing this team?

The UAlbany Great Danes roll into Saturday's CAA match up with Villanova at Tom & Casey Stadium with a 2-2 record. The only losses for head coach Greg Gattuso's squad are to FBS programs, Marshall and Hawaii. That's the good news.

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson Jr. purchased the NFL franchise in 1999. In the first 10 seasons as CEO of New York's AFC organization, Johnson's teams went to the playoffs 6 times. Fast forward and they haven't been back in a dozen years.

Week 3 of the NFL kicked off on Thursday night with the Niners politely disposing of the injured Giants 30-12. To get you ready for Sunday's action, 'Intern Mike' Giarraputo has put together his 'Hot Picks.'

New York State is focusing on the latest technology to try to reduce one of our country's senior population's greatest challenges, loneliness. Researchers from the state's Office of the Aging is using a technology called ElliQ that is designed to reduce a person's feeling of isolation and being out of touch.

New York Mets manager Buck Showalter is as disappointed as anyone regarding the team's performance in 2023. Coming off of a 101-win season and a Manager of the Year award, Showalter appeared to be the captain that would steer Steve Cohen's MLB yacht into the World Series. That excursion may be short lived.

Some actors and comedians seem like they have been around for your entire life. Paul Reiser is in that group. Reiser is performing in Saratoga in October and was nice enough to join 'The Drive with Charlie & Dan' on Wednesday.

A bus carrying a high school band reportedly had an issue with a front tire, which may have forced the vehicle to veer off of the highway and slide down a 50-foot ravine. Two adults were reportedly killed with dozens of band members injured.

Some cases that go to Federal Court are a "little fishy." This is literally one of those. A Montauk fisherman faces 20 years for illegally over-harvesting fluke and black sea bass over a four year period. Seems like a steep penalty? That's because the story gets deeper and involves a prominent Montauk family that, some say, has dominated the East End of Long Island's fishing industry for decades.

Going to an NFL game can be expensive. For 53-year old Dale Mooney from New Hampshire, going to the New England Patriots game on Sunday cost him his life. At one time, this would be shocking news. It's not anymore.

The saying goes something like 'you can take the New Yorker out of New York but you can't the New York out of...' Well, you get the idea. Now let's apply that same philosophy to the "Charlie Brown" of major sports franchises, the New York Mets. Can anyone really save the Mets from themselves? David Stearns, a Mets fan from Manhattan, will be next up to have that unenviable task.