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Author: Jonathon Norcross

Mohawks Bring Outlaws to Justice, B-Spa Native Earns Win

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.


Players line up for the national anthem and introductions during an Opening Day matchup between the Amsterdam Mohawks and the Oneonta Outlaws at Rao Family Stadium in Shuttleworth Park. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.

AMSTERDAM — The Amsterdam Mohawks, 13-time champions of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL), subdued their ruffian rivals, the Oneonta Outlaws, 8 to 5, in an Opening Day contest at home last Thursday. 

Ballston Spa native Matt Sgambati earned the win on the mound, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings in which he whiffed a whopping six batters. Joe Gold, another Mohawk pitcher who calls B-Spa home, struggled a bit in one inning of work, allowing two runs. (Gold’s sister Ana was recently drafted by the Athletes Unlimited Softball League after a successful career at Duke University, and his brother Luke was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2022).

Reigning PGCBL MVP Cade Ladehoff met expectations by socking a two-run dinger over the towering 280-foot leftfield wall (aka the Mohawk Monster) in the bottom of the sixth to shatter a 2-2 tie game. Outfielder Brandon McCraine added a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh to make it an 8-2 ballgame. The Outlaws managed to grab three more runs collectively in the 8th and 9th, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the home squad.

McCraine finished 2-4 on the night; cleanup hitter Chris Holacraft went 2-3 with three runs and a walk; and third baseman Jayden Harriel went 2-3, smacking a double and driving in 2 runs. Pitcher Derek Duval also racked up 4 strikeouts across three scoreless innings.

“It felt really good,” McCraine said about his homer after the game. “That was the first one in a while. It feels really good to get that first one off my bat so hopefully there’s more to come.”

This year’s Mohawks roster includes a number of pitchers from Saratoga County, including Joe Gold (hometown: Ballston Spa, college: Boston College), Mason Veronezi (Burnt Hills, Coastal Alabama Community College), James Redick (Clifton Park, Fordham), Matt Sgambati (Ballston Spa, Stony Brook), and Brad Curtis (Clifton Park, Siena).

The team is aiming for its first-ever PGCBL “grand slam” this season after winning three straight league titles. To aid in that effort is the returning MVP Ladehoff, although he will only be in Amsterdam for a couple weeks before he skips town to join the prestigious Cape Cod League.

Since the end of the 2024 season, a number of Mohawk alumni have made waves in the majors. Luke Maile signed with the Kansas City Royals, Matt Shaw made his debut with the Chicago Cubs, and Matt Gorski had his first stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dozens of other ex-Mohawks are currently playing for minor-league teams scattered across the country.

Amsterdam’s regular season will continue until late July/early August, when the PGCBL postseason begins. 

Skidmore Baseball Alum Summits Mount Everest

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.


Photo via Skidmore Athletics / Matt Ferrari.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Former Skidmore College baseball player Matt Ferrari recently summited Mount Everest, even posing at the top of the mighty mountain with a Skidmore baseball banner. 

Ferrari was part of the esteemed 2005 baseball team that captured both the Liberty League regular season title and the tournament championship. They were also the first baseball team to represent Skidmore in the NCAA Division III tournament, where they entered the New York Regional Tournament as the No. 2 seed, earned a pair of victories, and ultimately finished in third place. Ferrari and his teammates were inducted into the Skidmore Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.

Less than 8,000 people are believed to have ever summited Mount Everest, which stands at more than 29,000 feet tall. 

Saratoga Tennis Players Make History, Head to State Championships

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.


Saratoga Springs varsity tennis players Ian Hill, Kevin Rosas, Liam Chartrand, and Ryan Clancy at their high school’s tennis courts during a practice session on Monday afternoon. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — For the first time in Saratoga Springs High School history, two of its varsity tennis doubles teams will compete in the state championships at the iconic USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, home of the US Open. 

On Monday afternoon, doubles partners Ian Hill and Kevin Rosas (who finished 2nd in the Section 2 tournament last week) and Liam Chartrand and Ryan Clancy (who placed third) were participating in one of many practice sessions leading up to their trip to New York City, working on their volleys.  

“It’s incredible,” Chartrand said about playing at Billie Jean King. “Playing on those courts is like night and day. You get to play on courts that professional players play on and you get to play in front of kids from every single high school combined. It’s a bigger stage.”

“You’re surrounded by seats so it’ll echo,” Hill said. “It’s really loud when you hit the ball.”

“Yeah, that’s another big part,” added Chartrand. “When you hit a serve, it echoes for about a second after. It’s kind of crazy.”

The booming Blue Streak serves can be heard during this weekend’s tournament, when first-round doubles action kicks off on Friday morning. There are only four doubles teams representing Section 2, and two of them hail from the Spa City. 

The tournament is poised to be a memorable final hurrah for Hill, Rosas, Chartrand, and Clancy, all of whom are seniors who have been playing at the varsity level for at least five years.

“I think we know that the competition is going to be harder than we’ve ever played against. I know that there are kids in there that are committed to some top colleges; there are some top players in that tournament. But we don’t have any pressure on ourselves, because our whole goal was to get to states,” Chartrand said.

Nonetheless, the Blue Streaks still firmly believe they could upset one of those top teams if they play to the best of their abilities. In this historic season, anything is possible.

The Big Belmont Preview:Post Draw, Predictions, Policies, Performers

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

ARATOGA SPRINGS — Decorated storefronts. A free concert downtown. Green banners on lamp posts, everywhere you look. Even a limited-edition Stewart’s ice cream flavor. It’s all in celebration of what has finally arrived: the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which has returned to the Saratoga Race Course for only the second time in history.

The third leg of the Triple Crown will feature a rematch between Sovereignty and Journalism, the first and second place finishers (respectively) in this year’s Kentucky Derby. While Sovereignty skipped the Preakness Stakes, Journalism instead ran and won it. With one leg of the Triple Crown apiece, the two horses now aim to settle the score at the Spa.

Post Draw & Predictions

The live post draw show, hosted at a bedazzled and champagne-stocked Universal Preservation Hall (UPH) on Monday, resulted in the following field:

1. Hill Road (10-1)

2. Sovereignty (2-1)

3. Rodriguez (6-1)

4. Uncaged (30-1)

5. Crudo (15-1)

6. Baeza (4-1)

7. Journalism (8/5)

8. Heart of Honor (30-1)

Following the draw, Fox Sports host Acacia Courtney Clement spoke with some of the top trainers heading into the Belmont, including Bill Mott, whose Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty drew the second post position.   

“We’ve been very lucky with everything that’s gone on since he’s been [in Saratoga],” Mott told Clement. “He’s been moving well over the track, eating the bottom out of the feeding tub, and he’s carrying his weight well. So we hope he’s doing as good on Saturday and he’s doing this morning.”

Mott attracted controversy recently over his widely reported comment that he and his horse’s connections decided not to run Sovereignty in the Preakness because “we didn’t feel like it.” Although this has perhaps made Journalism more of a fan favorite due to the Michael McCarthy-trained horse running in all three legs of the Triple Crown, it can’t be forgotten that when nose-to-nose in the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty was able to put Journalism away. And Journalism, who subsequently won the Preakness in exhilarating fashion, has had a full schedule while Sovereignty has been resting comfortably at the Spa. Nonetheless, Journalism will enter the Belmont as the morning-line favorite.

“He’s been the same kind of horse since July of last summer,” McCarthy told Clement. “He does everything you’d ask a good horse to do; eats well, trains well, acts well. I thought through the last 6, 7 weeks here his energy has been the same throughout. Obviously, Saratoga we know is very good for horses. He seems a little bit re-energized up here.”

Although much of the focus of this year’s Belmont is on the heavyweight showdown between Journalism and Sovereignty, other contenders are hoping for an upset akin to Dornoch’s victory in 2024. Baeza, trained by John Shirreffs, finished third in the Kentucky Derby last month, and, much like Sovereignty, has been resting his bones since then. Prior to the Kentucky, Baeza finished 2nd in the Santa Anita Derby, right behind Journalism. Even if Baeza isn’t the next Dornoch, a top-three finish certainly seems plausible.

“Baeza is the best bet,” said Sara Elbadwi, one of the New York Racing Association’s handicappers, at the Embrace the Belmont event at UPH on Tuesday night. “The ride that Flavien Prat gave Baeza in the Derby, he had post 21, all the way to the outside of 20 horses. He had no choice but to have a wide journey in that race. I think that he can sit a little bit closer, as he has in his past races.”

Offering their picks alongside Elbadwi at Embrace the Belmont were fellow handicappers Matthew DeSantis (who picked Journalism for the Belmont), and Seth Merrow (who went with Sovereignty).

Guest Policies

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced last week its guest policies for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which include: 

no outside alcohol on June 5, 6, and 7; 

no cash accepted for food and beverages, admission, parking, or programs (with the lone exception of the official Saratoga store); 

no pop-up tents, folding tables, and wagons from June 5-7 (one folding chair per guest is allowed, as are small bags and purses);

no re-entry throughout the festival;

no professional photography and/or videography equipment;

fans can view morning training at the Oklahoma training track from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday by entering through Gate 21 on East Avenue (pedestrians only, vehicles are not permitted). 

Schedules

Wednesday, June 4: parking gates open at 10 a.m.; admission gates open to the public at 11 a.m.; first post time is 12:40 p.m.

Thursday, June 5: parking gates open at 10 a.m.; admission gates open to the public at 11 a.m.; first post time is 12:40 p.m.

Friday, June 6: parking gates open at 9 a.m.; admission gates open to the public at 10 a.m.; first post time is 11:40 a.m.

Saturday, June 7: parking gates open at 8 a.m.; admission gates open to the public at 9 a.m.; first post time is 10:45 a.m.; post time for the Belmont Stakes is 7:04 p.m.

Sunday, June 8: parking gates open at 10 a.m.; admission gates open to the public at 11 a.m.; first post time is 12:40 p.m.

Entertainment Lineup

Wednesday, June 4: The Mendelssohn Club of Albany will perform trackside, including a rendition of “New York, New York” in celebration of New York Showcase Day.

Friday, June 6: Local opera tenor Angelo Mazzone, who has performed at Carnegie Hall, will sing the National Anthem. Opera Saratoga will also perform a pair of sets trackside during the afternoon, featuring Jarrett Porter (“She Loves Me”); Kate Morton (“Trip to Library”); Shavon Lloyd (“Ilona”) and Chrissy Price (“Ice Cream”). Plus, The Garland Nelson Band will perform on the Purdy’s Summer Music Stage from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 7: Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum artist Mark Tremonti (a founding member of the rock band Creed) will headline this year’s entertainment lineup. Members of Tremonti’s band will perform multiple trackside orchestral sets in the afternoon, culminating in a vocal rendition by Tremonti of “New York, New York.” Also performing: Staff Sergeant Phillip Morris and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point Band, who will sing “God Bless America” at 10:20 a.m., and the National Anthem at 3:40 p.m. Plus, the Purdy’s Summer Music Stage will host live music from Nymbis (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and Ill Funk (2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m).

Sunday, June 8: The Racing City Chorus, a local chapter of the BarberShop Harmony Society, will perform the National Anthem and a pair of live medleys trackside during the afternoon.

Special Events and Giveaways

Wednesday, June 4: The first 10,000 fans with paid admission will receive a limited-edition “I Love NY-Breds” baseball cap in celebration of New York Showcase Day.

Thursday, June 5: A 1936 Ford Phaeton, a vehicle model which was once owned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, will be on display outside of the Clubhouse Gates, courtesy of the Saratoga Automobile Museum. 

Friday, June 6: Fans can enjoy complimentary souvenir photo magnets featuring the backdrop of a Belmont Stakes floral wall at the Jockey Silks Porch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Complimentary samples of Dunkin’ beverages will also be available outside Gates B and C beginning at 3 p.m.

Saturday, June 7: Fans can enjoy complimentary samplings of Bulleit Bourbon at the Bulleit Backyard Gazebo Bar from noon to 5 p.m., while supplies last. Fans can also enter a Belmont Stakes photo fashion contest for a chance to win various prizes from Lifestyles of Saratoga, a women’s fashion boutique located in downtown Saratoga Springs, and Moet Hennessy. The contest will run from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Jockey Silks Porch. Plus, complimentary souvenir photo magnets featuring the backdrop of a Belmont Stakes floral wall will be available at the Jockey Silks Porch from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Sunday, June 8: The first 5,000 fans through the turnstiles with paid admission will receive a free Belmont Stakes Racing Festival enamel pin featuring the official Belmont Stakes logo.

More Bathrooms?

At least one eagle-eyed social media user photographed what appeared to be more than a dozen portable toilets being trucked into the Saratoga Race Course last Friday. Lines for the bathrooms at last year’s festival were an oft-noted topic of complaint that perhaps will be addressed for the 2025 edition.

Do it again next year?

Although not yet confirmed by NYRA, speculation is growing that the Belmont will return to Saratoga for a third time in 2026 as construction of the new Belmont Park on Long Island is expected to continue well into next year.

Giving Back

Trainers Michael McCarthy, George Weaver, Jonathan Thomas, Whit Beckman, and Amelia Green—a group of former Todd Pletcher assistants—have pledged to donate a percentage of their earnings from the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival to support the mission of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, a nonprofit that is the oldest and largest Thoroughbred aftercare organization in the the country.

Pulitzer Prize Winner Discusses Battles of Saratoga and the Art of History 

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Entertainment, Featured.

Cannon in Saratoga National Historical Park, Saratoga County, Upstate New York, USA. This is the site of the Battles of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Rick Atkinson discusses his latest book with WAMC/Northeast Public Radio’s Joe Donahue at the Saratoga Springs City Center on May 30. Photo by Jonathon Norcross. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — About ten miles from the site of the Battles of Saratoga, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Rick Atkinson assessed the historic importance of the events, calling them a “manifest catastrophe for the British.”

Atkinson’s discussion of the famed skirmishes jived with what would probably be considered common knowledge among locals: Benjamin Franklin used the victory to entice the French into the war, a critical turning point that ultimately led to American independence. But he also described why the battlefields were a valuable resource for the second installment of his American Revolution trilogy, titled “The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780.”

“If you go to Saratoga, you’ve got some sense of the sacrifice that was made there,” Atkinson told a large audience at the Saratoga Springs City Center last Friday. “You get some feel for it. Even though it’s 250 years ago, there are ghosts there and you can feel them. It’s also important for me as an amateur to see the ground and to understand tactically why they did this and why they did that.

“I spend a lot of time understanding the flora and fauna of places. When I go to Saratoga or Valley Forge or whatever, I’ve got apps that show me what’s growing there, and I use that to be able to bring the reader in touch with the natural world the way that they were then…I think that’s one of my ambitions as a writer, to recreate that.”

Atkinson elaborated on his artistic aspirations as a chronicler of history, saying he hoped to bring long-dead people back to life, make the reader feel like they don’t know what’s going to happen (even when they do), and empower the reader’s imagination by allowing them to hear, smell, and feel historic events as if they were unfolding in the present.

“That is when I think you begin to transform history into art, when the reader’s imagination is playing on the words on the page in a way that they have become engrossed in the story,” Atkinson said.

One perhaps surprising detail Atkinson uncovered in his research was that he found George III to not quite be the “royal brute” described by Thomas Paine, nor the “tyrant” that Thomas Jefferson called him in the Declaration of Independence. Atkinson was granted access to thousands of previously unpublished letters written by George III, which helped him better understand the king’s perspective.


Cover of Atkinson’s “The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780” provided.

“He’s a constitutional monarch,” Atkinson said. “He’s a patriot king. He’s a child of the Enlightenment who’s a great patron of the arts and the sciences. He’s got a lot going for him.”

The scholar’s latest tome covers, among many other things, the Battles of Saratoga and the role of Fort Ticonderoga in the American Revolution. His previous work includes the Liberation Trilogy (“An Army at Dawn,” “The Day of Battle,” and “The Guns at Last Light”), as well as “The British Are Coming,” the first volume of his Revolution Trilogy.

His appearance at the Saratoga Springs City Center was presented by the Northshire Bookstore and the Saratoga 250 Commission, which had “soldiers” in revolutionary garb posted outside the event. 

Skidmore Baseball Wins Coaching Staff of the Year, Head Coach Heads to Hall of Fame

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Skidmore College’s baseball program has been growing in renown in recent years, racking up accolades and sending one of its players and one of its coaches to the majors. Although the 2025 season concluded without a championship, the Thoroughbreds are nonetheless garnering acclaim for their coaching staff, which was named the 2025 Liberty League Baseball Coaching Staff of the Year just one week prior to news that Head Coach Ron Plourde would be inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.

Plourde has spearheaded Skidmore’s baseball team since 1998, earning nearly 500 career wins, five Liberty League titles, and four NCAA Division III tournament appearances. He’s also received the Liberty League Coach of the Year honor five times (2005, 2010, 2022, 2023, 2025) and was named the 2010 Eastern College Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

Plourde also mentored Jackson Hornung, who in 2023 became the first athlete in school history to be drafted by a professional team when he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the MLB Draft. In 2024, another Plourde mentee, former Skidmore pitching coach Mike McFerran, joined the Oakland Athletics as the team’s pitching performance coach. He returned to the ballclub this year as its minor league pitching coordinator.

Prior to his tenure at Skidmore, Plourde played and coached collegiate baseball at St. Joseph’s College in Maine. He will be formally inducted into the state’s baseball hall of fame later this year. His coaching staff—which includes Matt Karpousis, John Barnes, and J.T. Tellstone—earned its 2025 accolade for the fifth time in Plourde’s career.

In 2025, the Thoroughbreds captured the East Division crown after finishing 9-3 in the division and advancing to the Liberty League Tournament, where they were eliminated by Rensselaer on May 10. Overall, the squad finished 21-17-2 on the season, for a .667 winning percentage. At the plate, standout players included seniors Sam Kornet (1.097 OPS, team-leading 12 HRs and 45 RBI), Zachary Leiderman (1.022 OPS, team-high 14 doubles), Ewen Donald (.990 OPS), and junior Eddie Galvao (.981 OPS, team-high 3 triples). On the mound, sophomore Charles Modlin garnered a 3.47 ERA across 23.1 innings, fellow sophomore Chase Siegel led the team in wins (9) and innings pitched (65.2), and junior Quinn Hocom led the Thoroughbreds in strikeouts with 71.

“Now that it’s come to an end, I can say that Skidmore baseball has been the most profound experience in my life,” said Ewen Donald in his senior testimonial, one of several that heaped high praise onto the program. “I will be forever grateful for my family, coaches, and teammates who showed me what excellence looks like. Skidmore baseball gifted me a strong sense of meaning in life…I am proud to be a Skidmore ballplayer till I die.” 

Meanwhile, Skidmore alum Jackson Hornung continues to impress with Toronto’s High-A affiliate, the Vancouver Canadians. His stats this season are the best of his pro career thus far, with a slash line of .284/.375/.407 for an OPS of .782. He’s also knocked out two dingers and smacked two doubles and a triple in only 23 games. This season is Hornung’s second in Vancouver, after he was promoted from the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays following the 2023 season. In September 2024, Hornung was named to the Northwest League All-Star Team.

Skidmore College is also working on building a new turf baseball field on Daniels Road. The $3.4 million project was originally expected to be finished in time for the spring 2025 season but is still under construction. 

Sensational Saints Saunter Through Sectionals

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.


Image via Saratoga Central Catholic Athletics.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 22-1 Saratoga Central Catholic varsity baseball squad earned a shot at the Section 2 Class C title after defeating Greenwich 6 to 1 on Memorial Day. As of press time, they were scheduled to face off against Granville Thursday afternoon for the championship at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy.

In the semifinal win, the Saints were led at the plate by Max Britten (2-3), Jason Pescetti (2-3), and Ronan Rowe (1-2 with a walk). All of them batted in a run. Brian Selig shut down Greenwich on the mound, pitching 7 innings, striking out 8 hitters, and allowing 6 hits.

The one run allowed by Spa Catholic was their highest opponent score thus far in the sectional tournament, as the Saints walloped Hadley Luzerne 10 to 0 in the second round and clobbered Hoosic Valley 12 to 0 in the opening round.

Against Hoosic, Pierce Byrne tossed a no-hitter, whiffing ten batters. Contributing to the dozen runs were Ryan Gillis (2-2 with a triple and 2 RBI), Hunter Fales (1-2 with 2 RBI), and Ronan Rowe (1-2 with 2 RBI). 

The Saints haven’t lost a game since they fell to Our Lady of Lourdes 12 to 6 on May 10.

Offensive statistical standouts this season have included Max Britten (slash line: .386/.463/.421), Pierce Byrne (.395/.489/.645), Kihl Kelly (.405/.520/.544), Jason Pescetti (.471/.553/.571), Ronan Rowe (.474/.550/.645), and Brian Selig Jr. (.382/.560/.500).

Pitchers Pierce Byrne (1.33 ERA in 42 innings), Luke Dejnozka (0.51 ERA in 27.1 innings), Brian Selig Jr. (0.41 ERA in 34 innings), and Tyler Weygand (1.14 ERA in 24.2 innings) have shut down the Saints’ foes all season. 

Saratoga Loves LaMP: Jam Trio Shines at Putnam Place

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Entertainment.


LaMP performs in front of a packed house at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs on May 8.
Photo by Jonathon Norcross.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — When a band is named LaMP, it’s near impossible to not make an “Anchorman” reference. Thankfully, this trio of jam band veterans is in on the joke (their website is ilikelamp.com).

The curious name is a combination of the first letters of each band member’s surname. Russ Lawton and Ray Paczkowski are both co-members of Phish frontman Trey Anastasio’s eponymous band, and Scott Metzger also shreds for Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, which is widely regarded as either the best or one of the best Grateful Dead tribute acts.

Rather than repeat the same sounds they create elsewhere, this trio has used LaMP to keep things groovy, jazzy, and instrumental. To these ears, they sounded something akin to Circles Around the Sun meets 70s-era Herbie Hancock. To the ears of their audience at Putnam Place on May 8, the sound inspired a whole lot of dancing.

According to their bio, LaMP played their first gig at a bar in Burlington, Vermont in December 2018 before entering a studio to create their debut EP, released in 2020. Five years later, a follow-up, One of Us, arrived on both vinyl and streaming platforms.

The group is one of those side projects created by talented musicians that flies a tad under the radar, but any fan should want it that way. There was no giant ticket conglomerate shelling expensive seats at LaMP’s recent gig in Saratoga Springs. Virtually anyone could afford the price of admission and find themselves an arm’s length away from the stage. From that vantage point, they could enjoy, in all its loud and live glory, the talents of three master musicians who are on stage simply because they want to be. Lest the joke be made one too many times, let it be said just once more, “I love LaMP.”

The Artist Formerly Known as Intern Aaron:A Social Media Star Goes Solo

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business, Featured.


Photo of Aaron Madej via his Instagram account, @internaaron.

ALBANY — Greeting the governor. Suiting up to play for the Albany FireWolves. Winning the judges’ choice award at a fashion show in Saratoga Springs.

For the past year or so, it felt like everywhere you looked in the Capital Region, there was Intern Aaron (real name: Aaron Madej), a content producer and social media star who, until earlier this month, worked at Two Buttons Deep, a digital media company that has collaborated with Stewart’s Shops, the Saratoga Casino Hotel, and a host of other local institutions.

Then, with one swift social media post, he was gone.

“The rumors are true, Intern Aaron has left Two Buttons Deep; he quit,” announced the company’s co-founder Jack Carpenter in a May 8 video. “I speak for the team when I say that we’re bummed. We didn’t see this coming, and I felt he had a lot more potential here in our world, but alas, he’s got new opportunities coming his way and he’s doing what’s best for Intern Aaron, and really that’s all that matters.”

But the Aaron Madej story didn’t end there. Rather, it entered its sequel, “Empire [State] Strikes Back” era.

“When my departure happened, it came to a certain point where I realized that I needed to prioritize myself and my mental health and go forward and take new opportunities that also align with my personal, career-driven mission,” Madej told Saratoga TODAY.

That mission? To become an on-air personality for QVC, the home shopping network that Madej said he’s been watching since he was four years old.

“I have always been amazed at the persuasive tone of reporters on QVC, and that sort of carried through my entire life,” Madej said. “No joke, I put QVC on in the background in my house. It’s literally on the TV muted right now.”

Madej’s long-time admiration of QVC has helped dictate where his career is headed next, now that he’s officially a free agent. He’ll be working with Lola Saratoga, the downtown boutique known for its designer handbags, selling their products live on TikTok. Madej is also looking to expand his presence from social media to TV screens. It’s all in pursuit of his QVC dream.

“If QVC called me today, the second call would be to my landlord to cancel my lease,” Madej quipped.

Although he’d skip town for such an opportunity, Madej said he believes he’ll always end up back at home here in the Capital Region.

“I love it here,” said Madej, who grew up in Amsterdam. “It’s all I’ve ever known.”

While attending Amsterdam High School, the former intern fell in love with the world of marketing and knew he wanted to pursue it as a career. Fast forward a few years later and Madej, now a student at the University at Albany, saw an opening at Two Buttons Deep. Interested in a fun and flexible opportunity, it was a natural fit. 

His tenure at the company began with an internship (hence his nickname) in fall 2023 before he was promoted to content producer. In that role, he appeared on the Buttonista Show podcast, met with clients, and curated social media content. His time at the company taught him not only how to be a success in the social media landscape, but it also provided a crash course in the businesses and power players of the Capital Region. But becoming a notable on-camera personality wasn’t something Madej initially expected.

“I got to learn, especially from Taylor Rao [aka the Buttonista], a lot of what it takes to be on camera and how we can shift our personalities to be best for the camera,” he said.

Despite the shift, Madej said his public persona is genuine, albeit a bit more extroverted than his true self. And when his true self is out and about in the world, he said he’s often approached by fans. 

“It’s very strange to be that hyper-local celebrity,” Madej said. “It’s really great to be able to connect with people and also remind myself every day that my small work that I do really makes a positive impact in people’s lives and makes them feel better not only about themselves but also about the area that they live in.”

Whether selling handbags, interviewing the governor, dancing with the FireWolves, strutting his stuff at Panza’s, or ending up on QVC, the artist formerly known as Intern Aaron is, at heart, a Capital Region devotee.

“I love that every single city has a little bit of a different culture,” he said. “Every day I can wake up and I can choose what I want. If I want a big city life or if I want to go to the track or if I want to go to the Adirondacks and do some hiking, it’s all within arm’s reach. And that’s what I love about it.” 

A Kentucky Derby Rematch at the Spa? Preakness Winner Heads to Saratoga

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — When the connections of Sovereignty, the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby, decided to forgo the Preakness Stakes in pursuit of the Belmont, it ignited a firestorm of controversy among racing fans. Has the Triple Crown become obsolete? Should schedules be adjusted to encourage more attempts at a feat so impressive that Netflix named a TV show after it?

Despite all the grumbling, fans may soon bear witness to something arguably more spectacular than a Triple Crown attempt: a final showdown between the winners of the Derby and the Preakness here in Saratoga.

On Monday, the gleaming chestnut coat of Preakness winner Journalism was led casually into a Spa City-bound horse van. His trainer, Michael McCarthy, will have until June 1 to decide whether the colt is ready and able to run the Test of Champions.

“It would be three races in five weeks but if the horse is doing as well as he’s doing now, it would be hard to offer up any excuses,” McCarthy told BloodHorse on May 18. “Now it’s two races in two weeks. He ate up last night and he seems pleased with himself. So, we’ll weigh the pros and cons.

“I think it would be great for the sport if these horses stay healthy and whether it’s for the Belmont, Travers, or Breeders’ Cup Classic, we get a rematch,” McCarthy added. “It would be great for racing. Period.”

Journalism was upset by Sovereignty at Churchill Downs in front of the largest Kentucky Derby television audience since 1989. But at the Preakness, he boldly squeezed his way through two other horses, emerging unscathed enough to rocket ahead for a spectacular first-place finish. 

“It went from the devastation of not being able to win the race, with what looked like an impossible task, to hopeful that he was going to somehow make a miracle happen,” Aron Wellman, president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, told the New York Racing Association (NYRA). “It took a superior, elite horse and jockey to be able to overcome those circumstances and make it happen.”

With Sovereignty resting comfortably in Saratoga, a rematch between the two thoroughbreds seems both inevitable and widely desired.

Journalism has visited Saratoga before (he was the third-straight Preakness champion to come out of Fasig-Tipton’s annual Saratoga Sale), but he hasn’t yet competed at the Graveyard of Champions. It may not be long before that changes.

Other horses who may run in the Belmont include Preakness second-place finisher Gosger, Kentucky Derby third-placer Baeza, Peter Pan-winner Hill Road, and Wood Memorial-victor Rodriguez.

NYRA also revealed this week that Preakness third-place finisher Sandman will likely target the Jim Dandy on July 26 at Saratoga.