WUFO sports 1080 reporter - who is this guy?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Name of Wookie or Mookie? Hawkins or Mawkins?  Who is this guy?  What is his background?  (keep in mind I'm not WNY based)

 

This guy seems to consistently ask some of the most perceptive (and embarrassing) questions and pull out some most honest responses out of the coaches.  McDermott and co generally have snooze-tastic pressers and if our RBs could slide through holes like these guys slide under or around press questions, Man we could run!

 

Example: at 15:36 into Daboll's presser, he drills into him about why we couldn't run against a team that was giving up 166 yds on the ground - but he did it in a way that didn't put up the hackles and bring out the vasoline.  I think the way he phrased it was "what did they do that made it so difficult for you to...."

https://www.buffalobills.com/video/brian-daboll-didn-t-get-it-done

He basically got Daboll to acknowledge that the run game is a mess in both execution and maybe in play design that we're able to execute.

 

Second example: at 21:30 into McDermott's presser, he asks him "How was your sleep?" and McDermott laughs and says "Yeah" and then the guy asks him what seems like a kind of softball question that McDermott tossed a few platitudes at, and follows up/leads McDermott to say right out "I didn't have our team ready to play"

 

Another good questioner I wasn't familiar with is Mike Catalano.  At 19:36 he asks McDermott straight out if he feels it more when the Defense doesn't play the way he wants them to play.  McDermott laughs, says "Yeah.  Yes, I do" and explains he's not laughing at the question.  "If you could only be in my brain last night, on the plane and trying to sleep a few hours...you don't want to be there"  "It's just something I take a lot of pride in and it means a lot to me" Seemed like a platitude-free moment of honesty.  Then he slid back into the comfort of platitudes.

 

I completely understand people who don't bother with the pressers any more because these coaches are platitude rich and information thin, and typically not much given to humor.  So I found it interesting that there was a comfort level there which actually got a couple honest sounding answers.

 

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

Mookie Hawkins seems to be new this year. He seems to like to establish a personal connection.

[jkeerie]

I listened to McD's presser last night and today.  You're right the media is asking some great questions and McD was more forth coming in these pressers than in others.

[PromoTheRobot]

I think I've seen his YouTube show. He's pretty good. Different than what we're used to. Not a buttoned-down old school media type.

 

Edit: Sorry, the dude I'm thinking of is Rico on Buffalo Fanatics.

Edited October 15, 2020 by PromoTheRobot

[Hapless Bills Fan]

4 minutes ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Mookie Hawkins seems to be new this year. He seems to like to establish a personal connection.

 

I think that's how he manages to get a more "real" response out of McDermott and Co. 

 

Is that his name, Mookie?

[Warcodered]

I've noticed him a lot this offseason every time he pops up the players seem to relax/be in a better mood.

[Dablitzkrieg]

Agreed.  I've seen more descriptive and genuine answers, specifically last night and tonight.  Mookie is, as mentioned before, trying to, at least it appears to me, develop a relationship with them.  It helps

[TUBSTER]

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I think I've seen his YouTube show. He's pretty good. Different than what we're used to. Not a buttoned-down old school media type.

 

Edit: Sorry, the dude I'm thinking of is Rico on Buffalo Fanatics.

Buffalo Fanatics does a pretty good job with their YouTube shows and podcasts.  Their social media pages are run very well and they aren't just lunatic fans that spout random garbage.  I would recommend the Overreaction Podcast with Joe Miller if you want something good to listen to that's Bills related. 

[GunnerBill]

6 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

Name of Wookie or Mookie? Hawkins or Mawkins?  Who is this guy?  What is his background?  (keep in mind I'm not WNY based)

 

This guy seems to consistently ask some of the most perceptive (and embarrassing) questions and pull out some most honest responses out of the coaches.  McDermott and co generally have snooze-tastic pressers and if our RBs could slide through holes like these guys slide under or around press questions, Man we could run!

 

Example: at 15:36 into Daboll's presser, he drills into him about why we couldn't run against a team that was giving up 166 yds on the ground - but he did it in a way that didn't put up the hackles and bring out the vasoline.  I think the way he phrased it was "what did they do that made it so difficult for you to...."

https://www.buffalobills.com/video/brian-daboll-didn-t-get-it-done

He basically got Daboll to acknowledge that the run game is a mess in both execution and maybe in play design that we're able to execute.

 

Second example: at 21:30 into McDermott's presser, he asks him "How was your sleep?" and McDermott laughs and says "Yeah" and then the guy asks him what seems like a kind of softball question that McDermott tossed a few platitudes at, and follows up/leads McDermott to say right out "I didn't have our team ready to play"

 

Another good questioner I wasn't familiar with is Mike Catalano.  At 19:36 he asks McDermott straight out if he feels it more when the Defense doesn't play the way he wants them to play.  McDermott laughs, says "Yeah.  Yes, I do" and explains he's not laughing at the question.  "If you could only be in my brain last night, on the plane and trying to sleep a few hours...you don't want to be there"  "It's just something I take a lot of pride in and it means a lot to me" Seemed like a platitude-free moment of honesty.  Then he slid back into the comfort of platitudes.

 

I completely understand people who don't bother with the pressers any more because these coaches are platitude rich and information thin, and typically not much given to humor.  So I found it interesting that there was a comfort level there which actually got a couple honest sounding answers.

 

 

Love Mookie. He appeared over the summer and he is great. I think the reason he is great (like the McDermott sleep question) is he treats the coaches as human beings. I think some of the beat guys tend to see them as coaches and not much else.... coach bot 2.0..... the reason Mookie tends to get revealing answers IMO is that he asks questions that get to the person and not just the football coach. Love him.

[HOUSE]

I listened to the presser. I was shocked when McD said " We need to get better"

 

Edited October 15, 2020 by HOUSE

[WizdomCalling]

I love to listen to his questions (Muki Hawkins) If you want to learn more about him check out this video/interview he did with Buffalo Fanatics a few nights ago. If you dont want to check it out here"s the long and short of it. He is a well known little league/Pop Warner coach in the Buffalo area.  When he asks questions he does so with the mindset of a coach and a fan without wanting to burn bridges with the team. 

 

Muki on Buffalo Fanatics

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, WizdomCalling said:

I love to listen to his questions (Muki Hawkins) If you want to learn more about him check out this video/interview he did with Buffalo Fanatics a few nights ago. If you dont want to check it out here"s the long and short of it. He is a well known little league/Pop Warner coach in the Buffalo area.  When he asks questions he does so with the mindset of a coach and a fan without wanting to burn bridges with the team. 

 

Muki on Buffalo Fanatics

Thanks!  Yeah, that fits what I hear & makes perfect sense.  And as someone else said, he tends to approach as if they’re human beings and he really wants to understand

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

WUFO 

[NewEra]

10 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I think I've seen his YouTube show. He's pretty good. Different than what we're used to. Not a buttoned-down old school media type.

 

Edit: Sorry, the dude I'm thinking of is Rico on Buffalo Fanatics.

He’s been on Rico’s show and several other bills content YouTube shows.  It’s Muki Hawkins.  Grew up a bills fan, good guy.  Good charisma 

[Muki Hawkins]

Appreciate the love I try to ask the same thing y’all would say watching on the couch. Voice of the fans.