1. Micah Hyde to help this Buffalo cause with his charity softball game
The countdown to Micah Hyde's charity softball game is on. The event is taking place at Sahlen Field on June 2 at 1 p.m. will benefit Hyde's IMagINe for Youth Foundation.
"I grew up in Ohio and you had these fees like insurance or something else to play," Hyde said onKiss 98.5 FM. "The school wasn't able to provide for that stuff. So what we do is provide sporting equipment or whether its fee or academics we want to be able to do stuff for kids who can't afford it."
With the softball game, Hyde hopes to generate revenue for the foundation and be able to give back to the community of Buffalo like he's done before. He's hosted a back to school backpack drive, Christmas Eve dinner and a Thanksgiving Eve dinner that invited over 100 inner city kids to have a Thanksgiving dinner at New Era Field.
"It's a lot of support and I think we all have one goal as to see what we can do for the kids here in Buffalo and around the area."
There's still going to be a competitive aspect to the game and Hyde has already called center field over teammate Jordan Poyer. Poyer was selected by the Florida Marlins in the 2009 MLB draft and was named Oregon's player of the year his senior season.
Tickets are available now with prices set for $10, $23 and $75.
Players scheduled to attend include:
Offense: Josh Allen, Jason Croom, Dion Dawkins, Patrick DiMarco, Stephen Hauschka, Zay Jones, Spencer Long.
Defense: Lorenzo Alexander, Jerry Hughes, Micah Hyde, Dean Marlowe, Matt Milano, Harrison Phillips, Jordan Phillips, Jordan Poyer, Julian Stanford, Levi Wallace, Tre' White, Eddie Yarbrough
Former Bills: Fred Jackson and Eric Wood
2. ESPN: Ed Oliver a perfect fit with the Bills
ESPN focused on the rookies who landed in the offensive and defensive schemes that will allow NFL teams to maximize their ability. On the list of 15 players, ESPN writes Ed Oliver is set up to succeed early on with the Bills.
Oliver is a fit in Buffalo's 40 front because we will see his upside as an interior disrupter playing in his natural position as a 3-technique tackle. With Oliver's 6-foot-2, 287-pound frame and rare movement skills, I compared him to Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins leading up to the draft.
Oliver's first step off the snap is legit, and I love the effort level he shows on film. Line him up at a position that caters to his skill set and let the former Houston star create chaos in both base and sub-package personnel.
ESPN's Mike Clay projects Oliver to finish his first season with 39 tackles and 3 sacks.
3. Eric Wood joins ACC Network
Eric Wood is making his transition to the booth as the new ACC Network continues to countdown to its debut on August 22, 2019. The conference announced its first three weeks of football games and the additions of on-air talents Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, Kelsey Riggs and Wood.
Wood spent 10 years with the Bills after being a first-round draft selection in 2009. He started 120 games, a three-time captain and a two-time nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
Wood played at Louisville from 2004-08 before his NFL career. He started 9 consecutive games, was a three-time all-conference selection and served as a team captain for two seasons.
When not focusing on football, Wood devotes his time to the Eric Wood Foundation which supports chronically ill children and their families. It is in honor of his brother who was born with cerebral palsy and passed away when he was 11 years old.
Wood and Herzlich are going to share insights and analysis earned from their time in the ACC and NFL and will be seen both in studio and the broadcasting booth.
