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Husky Talk is back with a guest who will blow your mind! Former UConn Football Sports Information Director Leigh Torbin. Currently he works as a Production Assistant with ESPN as a statistician and spotter during college football games. Leigh and I could have talked for hours. He has a wealth of knowledge and information of all sports because he pretty much either played or worked with them. Growing up in Framingham, Massachusetts, he was a sports junkie from the start. He tried different sports and according to him, the one he was the "least bad at" ended up being baseball. As a diehard Red Sox fan, I mentioned that I host a radio show about the Worcester Red Sox. Leigh also works for a Triple A team for the Chicago Cubs and explained the pitch clock to me because he operates it for their games. He knew Worcester traded top prospect Niko Kavadas and went over the situation with me since our team had no idea why they moved him. I don't want to tell Leigh's story for him, listening to his journey is fascinating. From starting a newspaper in high school to going straight to the SID office when he arrived at UMass and all the stops in between Leigh because he would always throw me a bone after games and send me out to the press for interviews. Kyle Muncy, who I also love, Ed Injaychock and I would yell out his name when he walked by us. He would think something was wrong, but we would ask Kyle if he needed us for interviews, he would laugh as he walked away. Kyle is awesome and we appreciate his support of Husky Talk.' Our episode went a little long, but Leigh Torbin is a blast to interview. I guess being around watching players being interviewed for helps you become a master. Don't miss this fun interview with Leigh and I appreciate all the support he has given to Husky Talk.

Watch for yourself the wildest episode of Moneyline to ever exist. Football, Olympics, Politics, Sarcasm, jokes, debates, and pure entertainment GOLD!!!

For the first time ever on Husky Talk, we had a former Olympian as a guest, UConn Track and Field legend Bethany Hart Gerry. Bethany is extremely busy with her career and family; we appreciate the time she gave us. Bethany grew up in a small town of Grafton, Massachusetts and always played sports. She did not see herself as a great athlete, it was her work ethic that set her apart. Bethany and her twin sister took to Track and Field where they competed at the varsity level as freshmen. Bethany threw shot put, discuss, and ran the 100-meter dash. She improved tremendously throughout high school, her parents pushed the value of having a great education and her interest was in Physical Therapy. Unfortunately, she was not accepted to Ithaca and Northeastern, but found her calling as a Husky, just in Storrs at UConn. On a visit, she ran into a track coach purely on accident and mentioned that she competed as well. Bethany started indoor as a walk-on and the rest is history. Although, she wanted to perform more events, Bethany excelled at the Hammer Throw. It was not offered in Massachusetts, but she took to it like a duck to water. UConn kept her as a walk-on, then she progressed to a partial scholarship to finally achieving a full scholarship her last few years. Talk about someone who EARNED everything she achieved, Bethany always had a desire with a strong work ethic, which is why she pushed herself past her limits in the weight room. She knew in order to move or throw heavy objects; she was going to have to lift and become as powerful as possible to be the best. Taking a day off became almost tragic because she felt like she wasn't doing enough to improve. Bethany has a legendary career at UConn in the Hammer Throw. She was a Big East Champion, she placed at Nationals and was multi-time All American. Bethany overall is one of the best athletes to come out of UConn ever. She studied athletic training which helped her learn how to be proactive and prevent injuries, as well as heal them. She trained for the Olympics in the Hammer Throw as well but was introduced to the Bobsled event. She had the speed and strength that made her a perfect fit. Bethany trained for Bobsledding as she was getting her master's degree. In 2006, it was the first time the Olympics did a female bobsledding competition. She made the team and was featured competing on the largest stage in the world. One of her proudest moments recently was going back to UConn and seeing a monument put up to honor our athletes who went to the Olympics'. She was there with her family, and it was beautiful. Bethany was a gifted athlete, her desire, determination, passion and belief that she could outwork anyone is a huge reason she experienced success. These days, she has her own personal training business. She likes to work with moms and help them with their goals. Bethany has done CrossFit, another avenue to train. Talk about a special journey, Bethany went from a college walk on to Olympian and is the greatest women's Hammer Thrower in UConn history. Congratulations! Procyon Partners are a proud sponsor of Husky Talk. They specialize in Employee Benefits, Wealth Management, and Retirement planning. Thank you, President Sean Rabinowitz for all your support.

Husky Talk is back with a fun loving, bubbly, Maria Shaker who is a former UConn Volleyball star. She has a wonderful personality and an incredible journey that has led her to tremendous success.Maria played volleyball at an early age and fell in love with the sport. She credits her parents for putting her in every sport in all the different seasons until she found her calling.Maria went to camps, played on travel teams and was recruited heavily. However, she didn’t take an official visit to UConn until May of her senior year in high school and committed shortly after. Maria knew she wanted to be on the east coast, especially New England, after growing up in Cleveland, Ohio.She was on the court as a freshman and played a significant role in the Volleyball team winning the Big East championship in 1998. Maria started the rest of the way as a center, who is like the quarterback in volleyball. She has amazing leadership, setting up plays, making sure the girls were in the right position and was voted to the All Big East team .Maria is extremely intelligent and wanted to get into medicine. She majored in Molecular Biology and received her masters at Case Western University before going to medical school at Wright State. She has been an OBGYN and Gynecologist for the last 10 years . Maria also is in charge of training the residents, which isn’t surprising because she still has strong leadership qualities.Maria was a pleasure to interview and I plan on meeting her on October 5th when the 1998 Volleyball team is honored and UConn Football plays home against Temple Procyon Partners are a proud sponsor of Husky Talk . They specialize in Employee Benefits, Wealth Management, and Retirement Planning.

One of the coolest, most interesting guests I have ever had on Husky Talk, Mr. Eric Bechtal. A man who is living an incredible life after being a free safety for UConn football in the late 80's. My writing will not do our interview justice, Eric Bechtal has literally done it all. He worked for the WWE, which of course I went crazy over being a huge WWE Fan and more importantly, he knows HULK HOGAN! Eric worked in different industries before forming his own company IdeaQuest. He works with Fortune 500 companies developing, implementing integrated sales and marketing programs within the sports, entertainment, media and technology industries. Eric has an incredible journey and listening to where he came from to the hilarious stories he shares, this is an amazing episode, listen, Eric will captivate you throughout! Please go to www.ideaquest.com to request services. Procyon Partners are a complete financial services firm, ranked in the 50 fastest growing companies in the country. When I make my first million, I know President Sean Rabinowitz will have me buying a yacht in no time! Procyon are proud supporters of Husky Talk, and the BEST is yet to come.

On 97.M FM Unity Radio, there exists the greatest sports talk show in Worcester, Massachusetts, the second largest city in New England. That show my friends, is called Moneyline. If you live in the 508, Thursdays and Friday nights you should be listening to the number 1 rated sports show in town, Executive Producer is Ernie Floyd. Frank Cristiano and David Shuman join me for a spirited episode. We talk about the run on Quarterback contracts with Tua and Jordan Love getting massive deals before the option year of their rookie contracts. Tua with concussion issues, Jordan Love performed admirably down the stretch, leading the Packers to a play-off berth and win. Coach Schuman pulls out a Dave Brown reference with the NY Giants, one of my favorite QBs growing up, in reference to Daniel Jones. Frank and Schuman believe Tua not being dynamic as a runner will keep them from taking the next step. We look at the AFC East and give insight into who will win the division. Dave thinks with a healthy, motivated Aaron Rogers on the field, the Jets will come out on top. Frank does not see Buffalo improving because they lost so much and did not gain enough in the draft. Moneyline is sponsored by Forty Second Brew Co, located in Kingston, MA. From Pilsners, Lagers, to IPAs, Forty Second has whatever your heart desires. Former teammate and friend Steve Darby has weekly events, specials, check out the tasting room. Go to www.fortysecondbrewco.com for more information. A great episode with a lot of banter, arguing, infighting, and entertainment, never miss Moneyline on 97.9 FM Unity Radio.

Part 2 of Renaissance Man Sanjiv Shah shares breakthroughs on Emotions- The interface between our inner world and the outer world. How can we reclaim our natural state as peaceful, loving, joyful beings? While experiencing and having emotions rather than allowing to have emotions define us. Sanjiv provides expert insights on answers to this question and how we can create the fun filled life that we all desire to have. Please check out his website at www.sanjivshah.me to learn more about his teachings and philosophy.

This was a break from our usual Husky Talk shows, but I felt it was important to learn from an incredible person who is light years more intelligent than me. It was enlightening for me, and I am proud to share this episode. I was lucky enough to sit down with my friend Dan Circelli's Father In Law Sanjiv Shah. It was a tremendous learning experience, and this is part 1 of our interview. Sajiv was beyond kind and helped me to grow as a person. Sanjiv is definitely a true Renaissance Man, on his incredible life journey having spent many years in both Eastern and Western Cultures. What is each culture learning from the other, along with what can we really learn from each other. He has experiences and insights on many diverse topics. Sanjiv and I talked sports, music, cultural trade balance and meditation. I appreciate his knowledge and kindness because Sanjiv sincerely wanted to help me succeed in life. Please go to his website to learn more about his teachings and philosophy at www.sanjivshah.me

Apologies to everyone, I was sick and my e-mail was hacked, making us unable to post podcasts. My passwords were changed, and I was able to start a new Spotify account without losing our podcasts. Husky Talk had a guy I bled with on and off the field, our Center Billy Irwin. We played together and accomplished some amazing goals like defeating our first Big East opponent, Rutgers, beating out first Big 12 Ranked opponent in Iowa State, shutting out Navy and closing Memorial Field putting up 63 points. Husky Talk is sponsored by Procyon Partners. They are one of the top 50 fastest growing companies in the country. President Sean Rabinowitz has built an incredible Finacial Services company that specializes in Employee Benefits, Wealth Management, and Retirement planning. Billy shares his journey coming from Virginia, working his way up to be our starting center and becoming a leader. He was part of 4 great teams, including UConn Football's first bowl win in 2005 against Toledo. Having moved around a lot, you hear how he got into academic counseling to help the next generation of athletes succeed. Currently at in California, he lives with his wife and two kids. I appreciate his support of the show, and he gave me special advice that meant a lot.

Procyon Partners is a financial services firm that specializes in Wealth Management, Employee Benefits, and Retirement Planning. After I make my first million as a podcaster, President Sean Rabinowitz will provide a bright future. We have former UConn Football standout Jamar Wilkens as a guest on Husky Talk. Jamar came in at a challenging time, from the best season in UConn Football history, to taking on a leadership role, sacrificing for the good of the team, and still dominating after switching positions. Originally from New Jersey, he played Tight End and Linebacker in high school. His amazing athleticism and exceptional talent gave him several college options. Unfortunately, his school did not fill out the proper NCAA Clearinghouse paperwork, UConn wanted him and kept a scholarship open. Jamar was a true student of the game and played Middle Linebacker, which is the Quarterback of the defense. In 1998 and 1999 he was an outstanding player, a tackling machine. He put in many hours of film study. In 2000, Jamar showed us all the team came first, as he was moved to Defensive End. He recognized the young group of Defensive linemen and took on a leadership role, determined to make them better. He taught the guys how to watch film, who to key, and most importantly the work ethic it took to have success. He was named team Defensive MVP, led the team in sacks, tackles for losses, and had the most tackles out of any of members of the D-Line. One of his proudest moments was watching in 2002-2003, his young bucks develop into a dominant force. Uyi Osunde, Greg Smoot, Sean Mulchay, Tyler King, Hakeem Kashama, all became starters, contributors, reliable, dependable, and hard workers. The team didn't win as many games in 2000 but he understood his role to get the next group ready to play and show what the UConn way was all about. These days Jamar has a great career and loves coaching his two young boys. Jamar bleeds blue, he has been a tremendous supporter of this podcast and it was a blast having him on, hearing some classic stories. Love you JOMAR:)

Procyon Partners are one of the top 50th fastest growing financial services companies in the country. Go to their website at www.procyonpartners.net . President Sean Rabinowitz will provide exceptional outcomes for his clients, and he is a proud supporter of Husky Talk. This episode was a joint venture by Husky Talk, and Husky Talk- Broker Than You with Laban Marsh. Our very special guest is Founder and CEO Dr. Chris Nowinsky of the Concussion Legacy Foundation in Boston.  Also, an authored the Book Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis which sent shock waves through the NFL. Chris has appeared on television networks like Fox News and ESPN working to spread awareness of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE. He was a pioneer behind discovering the disease and on the frontline of studying it to work at finding treatments for those suffering with this debilitating condition. Laban Marsh and Licensed Mental Health Therapist Kelly Virkler Greene joined the show to talk with Chris about what the Foundation has to offer. Kelly shared her experiences with me over the last year which have shown many symptoms of CTE and the onset of it came extremely fast. Laban discussed his own struggles and concern for how he will be in the future. He already donated his brain and is always proactive. Chris explained there is hope for us and people who come to the Foundation where they will do an evaluation for free. Then they can tell you which of the 4 stages of CTE you are at. There are several treatment options, and they will work to find a doctor in your a rea to battle this disease. The helpline website is at ⁠http://concussionfoundaion.org/helpline⁠ and the foundation will contact you to offer support, along with discussing options. Thank you to Chris again for coming on the show. Also, thank you Kelly Virkler Greene for being a guest and being there for me as I navigate through to get the help needed. Kelly always shows up when I am struggling, she has seen the good, bad, and ugly. She is incredible and never gives up on me

Husky Talk is sponsored by Procyon Partners, offering the best in employee benefits, retirement plan consulting and wealth management. We appreciate all their support, for more information go to their website at www.procyonpartners.net . Our guest is UConn Defensive Back Roy Hopkins from my neck of the woods in Rochester, NY. He was an outstanding athlete who was the first player in UConn Football history to start a game in 5 years. Carl "Shank" Bond did a run in and it was cool listening to them reminisce. Stories about competing during one on ones as Carl was a receiver and Roy matched up against him in practice. Both guys had speed to go with incredible talent, which was a big reason why Roy became a starter by the 4th game his freshman year. Roy discussed the toughest receivers he covered during his career being Andre Davis from Virginia Tech and Andre Johnson at Miami. I remember Roy making Superman like plays when he matched up with Andre Johnson who will be in the NFL Hall of Fame. Shank and Roy both coach high school football now, doing a great job preparing the next group of kids to compete in college. We also shared a few hilarious stories about when Roy and I would carpool to UConn together. He didn't have a license at the time but definitely would have drove better than me! Shank and Roy = High Entertainment value!

Procyon Partners are your complete financial services solution and proud sponsors of Husky Talk. President Sean Rabinowitz is committed to delivering exceptional outcomes. For the first time ever, our guest on Husky Talk is former UConn legendary soccer player Luis Arauz. Voted All Conference for the Big East and more impressive was being an All American his senior year. His story is truly astounding, born in Bolivia, he was accepted into one of the best soccer academies in the world at 3 years old. Luis entire family had success, starting with his father who played professionally, and his brothers also had great careers. After attending St. Benedict prep school in New Jersey, Luis went to community college to learn the English language and won a National Championship as he was a phenomenal goal scorer on offense. Luis played two outstanding seasons at UConn, leading them to the Final Four after decades of losing. He is married with two kids, living in Washington DC where he teaches Spanish and coaches girls soccer. His wife received her PHD from Northwestern and is an activist for the environment. Luis is one of a kind and has built an amazing life, he wanted to teach so he would have more time to spend with his kids. A dedicated father with a family, thank you for being a guest on Husky Talk.

Procyon Partners is one of the top 50 fastest growing companies in the country. They are your complete financial services solution and proud sponsors of Husky Talk. Go to their website at www.Procyonpartner.net to connect today. This was a WILD episode of Husky Talk that was absolutely hilarious. We have Murray "The Cat" Clayton, Carl "Shank" Bond, and Shane Stafford on as guests. Madness ensued early as Murray The Cat shared his first experiences in Storrs. Shane and Carl should have their own reality show together. Great story tellers but when it comes to talking football, we get to witness their passion and love for the game explode. Memories of specific plays, details from 25 years ago was special to witness and be part of. Shane describing how he would give Carl a look and he knew what route to run, along with understanding Shane was coming to him. The Cat was a speedster who was part of a separate personnel grouping that took advantage of his blazing speed and quickness. No matter the surface he was running on, Murray was blazing by everyone. It was an incredible moment for me doing an episode with legends like Shane Stafford and Carl Bond who are still in the record books for UConn football today. Also to learn the story of Murray "The Cat" Clayton was icing on the cake!

The hottest sports show in the 508, Moneyline, returns to you only on 97.9 FM Unity Radio, Executive Producer is Ernie Floyd. We air Thursday and Friday nights at 6pm, always bringing the best analysis and insight. The coach Frank Cristiano has a lot to on his mind and we are joined by a guest from right down the road in Boston.... none other than my cousin Sheb Shumar. Entertaining from start to finish, we break down ESPNs list of top 10 QBs going into 2024. Frank and Sheb debate the rankings, along with the criteria used, and certain metrics used to determine who are the best QBs in the NFL. Frank and Sheb also discuss the Boston Celtics and their run to the championship. Both being huge fans, they were thrilled for the city of Boston and are excited for the future as pieces are in place to repeat. Sheb is the owner of A-LIST-LAUNDRY in Boston, and Frank also being a small business owner, we talk about Frank's resistance on opening a doggy day care for me to run. Finally, we talk about the news of the week being the assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump. It does not pass the smell test, Frank is not a conspiracy theorist but he believes it was a set up and the audio shows it. Sheb compares the shooting to the movie the Manchurian Candidate. Fun episode with Frank and cousin Sheb, we had some great stories, along with unique insight from Sheb coming from the Brookline native. We will definitely have him on again!

Procyon Partners is a full-service financial planning company and a proud sponsor of Husky Talk. They specialize in employee benefits, retirement planning along with being in the top 50 fastest growing financial services firms in the country. President Sean Rabinowitz has led an outstanding team and will provide you exceptional outcomes. Go to their website at www.procyonpartners.net. Husky Talk checks in with former UConn Football kicker Dave DeArmas as he recovers from major surgery. Last month, he went under the knife for a procedure on his heart that had 3 arteries with a 98 percent blockage. They were lucky to catch the problem early and he is already back in the office 18 days after surgery. Dave will soon be on the field when training camp begins. We are happy for Dave and his family and it was great to hear that everything went well. We wish him the best and I personally think he may be a cyborg to recover so fast and is already planning out practices!

Procyon Partners are a proud sponsor of Husky Talk and one of the top 50 fastest growing financial services firms in the country. Procyon is led by President Sean Rabinowitz. If you are looking for a firm who specializes in wealth management, retirement planning and more, contact Procyon Partners or go to their website at www.procyonbenefits.net. Husky Talk has grown and expanded with each episode, along with the new shows we have added. If you want to sponsor or advertise with us email me at SCully7958@gmail.com. Any former Huskies from all sports who would like to be a guest, please do the same. We were extremely lucky to have Alfred Fincher on the show, a legendary Linebacker for UConn Football. He came in and hit the ground running as a 4-year starter who is in the top 5 for tackles made a single game, as well as tackles for a career. Instantly, he drove me nuts because he was loud, knocked me around, was always happy, and pushed the entire team to be better. Al was a difference maker, playing with passion, confidence, an incredible work ethic, and desire to be the best. He took a leadership role on early in his career and helped bring UConn football to the next level. Winning the Motor City Bowl, playing in the Senior Bowl, attending the combine with QB Dan Orlovsky. Alfred Fincher was truly a difference maker, along with Dan Orlovsky, both were the first draft picks for the NFL in the Randy Edsall era. He was selected in the 3rd round by the New Orleans Saints and talks about his experience in the NFL. The major differences from transitioning from college to the pros. We had a great interview, a nicer guy he couldn't be, and Al joined on with the Husky Investment group which we hope to collaborate with in the future. Thank you Al!

Procyon Partners are a proud sponsor of Husky Talk and one of the top 50 fastest growing financial services firms in the country. Procyon is led by President Sean Rabinowitz and they make sure their clients have exceptional outcomes. If you are looking for a firm who specializes in wealth management, retirement planning and more, contact Procyon Partners or go to their website at www.procyonbenefits.net. Husky Talk has grown and expanded with each episode, along with the new shows we have added. If you want to sponsor or advertise with us email me at SCully7958@gmail.com. Any former Huskies from all sports who would like to be a guest, please do the same. Husky Talk was pumped to have an outstanding guest, who is on the ground floor of a special company that has grown tremendously worldwide in its 7th season. Jim Tucker, Senior Vice President of Global Brand Partnerships for The Professional Fighters League, also known as the PFL joined the show. Co-hosts Frank Cristiano and Tyler King participated because their love of MMA. Jim shares his remarkable career path from working in the NFL office, NASCAR, UFC, along with other stops along the way before joining PFL. Jim was gracious in answering our questions, having 3 co-hosts slinging them rapid fire is never easy. We were all excited about the PFL and learning about his role, as well as the future. Don't miss Husky Talk and thank you Jim for giving us your time. Please check out their website for information on future events, www.pflmma.com and starting on Friday, August 2nd, the playoff fights being. The 2nd, 16th and 23rd are when competition heats up during playoff season. Then on Saturday, September 7th, we get to see Bellator return for their Championship series. PFL continues to impress and is going to be an outstanding MMA company for years to come. Thank you Jim!

Procyon Partners are a proud sponsor of Husky Talk and one of the top 50 fastest growing financial services firms in the country. Procyon is led by President Sean Rabinowitz and they make sure their clients have exceptional outcomes. If you are looking for a firm who specializes in wealth management, retirement planning and more, contact Procyon Partners or go to their website at www.procyonbenefits.net. Husky Talk has grown and expanded with each episode, along with the new shows we have added. If you want to sponsor or advertise with us, email me at SCully7958@gmail.com. Any former Huskies from all sports who would like to be a guest, please do the same. Sean, with his wonderful family met up with me to watch the Worcester Red Sox over the weekend. His wife and two children had an outstanding time attending their first baseball game ever. Sean has been an amazing supporter of Husky Talk and always makes time to give feedback or provide advice. Truly a special person who has helped in many ways. His daughter noticed that I said the cotton candy looked tasty. Minutes later she asked her dad for one and gave it to me! Sean's son Ben became a fan of The Mustache Man Micky Gasper, my favorite player, and we cheered him on after Mickey hit a two run Home Run that iced the game for the WOOSOX. Don't miss Husky Talk, we had more fun talking about the weekend than anything. Take a listen !

Procyon Partners are a proud sponsor of Husky Talk. They offer financial services and are one of the 50th fastest growing companies in the country. Specializing in Wealth Management, Employee Benefits, and retirement planning, go to their website at www.procyonpartners.net. Husky Talk is back with a former teammate I competed against in practice every day for 3 years, Coach Nicolas "Hakeem" Kashama. For starters, I always thought his name was Hakeem and 23 years later, he kindly told me it was his nickname. Better late than never I guess? Kashama loved basketball and Hakeem stuck because he played like NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon. College Football is different because there are 110 guys on the roster, and you don't always have an opportunity to get to know even close to everyone on the team. Talk about a special story, Nicolas Kashama's path to UConn was sincerely fascinating. A description from me will fall short, listen to this episode. Born in the Congo, Hakeem's father wanted more for his family and sensed turmoil within the country. He left for Canada, worked for a year saving money, and moved the family to Toronto. Kashama had friends but enjoyed playing with his brothers the most. What's amazing is that he never played American Football until being a sophomore in high school, and he struggled as a Defensive End. At the time, they moved to Montreal and Nicolas spoke primarily French. He began taking classes to learn English in school. Hakeem watched tapes on all the best pass rushers of the era, Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Lawrence Taylor and would practice moves with his brothers in the back yard. UConn saw him at a Canadian summer showcase camp and offered a scholarship, he committed after his visit. Coming to Connecticut in January, Kashama made an impact immediately during spring practice. Athletic, extremely talented, Hakeem is one of the rare college football players to start all 4 years. Earning accolades of All Conference and All ECAC as a DE. Injuries kept him from having a long professional career, but he was a force on a tough defensive line at UConn. Nicolas was married shortly after college and coming up on 20 years of marriage. He teaches and coaches high school football in Georgia, one of the top gridiron states in the country. Kashama has 4 kids, 2 who play for him now and the older one is being recruited by division 1 schools as a Strong Safety. Loved catching up with Nicolas, thrilled to see him having the big family he wanted and happy that he is a leader, mentor, someone his players look up to. Enjoy!