News & notes

Catching up on some stuff.

As first reported by the Albany Times-Union a week ago, and picked up by El Cheapo Media three days later, Siena men's soccer coach Cesar Markovic retired after a 25 year career, the last seven spent at Siena. Overall, Markovic accumulated 213 wins with 5 different programs, Siena included. Best wishes to Markovic as he moves into the next phase of his life.
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The New York Racing Association, in anticipation of the return of racing at Belmont Park next week, announced that the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga will be opening next month as well, which would signal that racing will start on time at the Old Spa on July 16. Stay tuned.
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Sharp eyed viewers will recognize WWE superstar Titus O'Neil (real name: Thaddeus Bullard) as the newest pitchman for the Fuccillo auto group in recent ads.

Check out this sample:



Bullard starred as a defensive lineman for Florida before turning to wrestling. Fuccillo Auto Group also has a base in Bullard's home state of Florida, where he has been active in civic causes when not in the ring. Fittingly, the spots with Bullard and Caroline Munro have been airing during Smackdown on Friday nights when WXXA can fit the spots in.

This isn't the first time a WWE (nee WWF) wrestler has been a pitchman for an upstate NY business. Tony Garea did ads for the Battery Mart here in town in the 80's. At the time, Garea's in ring career was winding down, leading to his becoming an agent-producer.
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As the 518 awaits Phase 2 of the reopening initiative coming out of the coronavirus, both of the area's women's roller derby teams, the Troy Hellions (who play their home matches in Rotterdam because they can't afford to rent an arena in Troy) and the Albany All-Stars (who play at the Capital Center), are awaiting clearance to start their seasons. May ye scribe suggest online streaming?