Charlie Voelker is the co-host of The Drive every weekday afternoon from 3 pm to 7pm. Charlie has been a part of the Capital Region Sports scene for over the last 25 years. In 1996 he joined Big Board Sports host and NewsChannel 13 sports director, Rodger Wyland in the UAlbany broadcast booth for football and basketball. Charlie spent 6 years in minor league baseball, then spent the next 17 years as the Associate Athletic Director for the University at Albany before retiring from that position in 2020. Charlie and his wife Kim live in Albany County with his son Andrew.
Charlie Voelker
New Yorkers Can Brace For More Powerful Hurricanes This Season
The official start of "hurricane season" season begins June 1st and goes through November. If you think the giant storms are becoming more frequent, well, they are. And according to Tuesday's release by NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, they expect the trend to continue in 2022.
Lessons From His Late Father Propel New York Yankees Hero
Tuesday night was a tough time to focus for anyone with the unthinkable horror in Texas, especially if you are from within 100 miles of the tragedy. Then add in that it is your late father's birthday and you play Major League baseball for his favorite team. Top it all off with your first place team has lost 4 out of 5 of their last games, which is irrelevant in comparison to the nightmare in the first sentence.
New York Mets Squirrel Drives San Francisco Heckler Nuts
Some fans enjoy the so-called "art" of heckling the opponent. Sometimes it's funny for short periods of time. Most times the hecklers are not very good at it and it's quickly deemed to be annoying. What is always funny, no matter which team you are rooting for, is when the heckler gets burned. That's what happened Monday in San Francisco courtesy of the New York Mets player, known as the Squirrel.
See Sunday’s Bethlehem Baseball Community #BatsOutForLazar Clinic
It's difficult to take a tragic situation and turn it into a positive. On Sunday, the baseball community in Bethlehem, New York tried to do just that. In honor of Lazar LaPenna, the 10-year-old boy that lost his life while playing Little League at the end of April due to seizure, Tri Village Little League hosted a #BatsOutForLazar baseball clinic open to all Capital Region boys and girls 5-12 years-old for only $5.
Double-Blown Sunday Highlight’s New York Yankees Troubles
Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees would rather forget this past weekend. Yes, losing two of three to a team that you handled at their place last weekend stinks. But, that certainly wasn't the worst of it for the Yankees manager. When your weekend is filled with questions about your team involving Tommy John surgery, struggling closer, blown saves and a racial comment, it's easy to forget that you have a 5 game lead in the American League East.
Ex-New York Jets QB Thinks Tom Brady Has A Problem
Problems for most of us are relative. So, when a former New York Jets quarterback suggests that Tom Brady has a problem, I immediately rule out that it is an issue on the playing field. In the span of TB12's playing career he has played in 9 Super Bowls. In that same span of time, actually in the last 53 years, the Jets have not played in a single Super Bowl. So, logic leads us to the difficulty being off the playing field.
Is Albany High Treating Male & Female Athletes Differently?
Student-athlete administrative decisions can often be tricky. What seems to be an obvious answer, often comes with other complications. Gender equity is one of those issues. However, that is the job and you have to be as judicious according the rules and policies laid out by your school and the conference you participate in. The Albany School District Athletic Director is in one of those positions and from comments that were allegedly made, the coaches may be upset, as well as the student-athletes.
Which Red Sox Pitchers Could Be New York Mets Trade Targets?
Thursday afternoon, prior to the New York defeating the St. Louis Cardinal by a score of 7-6, on a walk-off moon-shot by the polar bear, Pete Alonso, the Mets announced that Max Scherzer would be out for 6 to 8 weeks. Scherzer removed himself from the game in the middle of a batter with 2 outs in the 6th inning. Even though they are in first place and twelve games over .500, the Amazin's need pitching help.
Hudson Valley Yankees Prospect Dumped For Ripping Off Team & Fans
Some people take advantage opportunities. Some throw them away. Short-sighted players in minor league baseball are certainly in the minority. 99.5% of the baseball prospects on minor league rosters have hopes and dreams of getting to the big leagues.
Upstate New Yorker The New King Of The Hill For The Yankees
New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman has allowed runs in four straight appearances. Projected 8th inning set-up man, Jonathan Loáisiga has pitched better of late but owns a 5.52 ERA for the season, so far. Lucas Luetge has allowed 5 runs in 9+ innings. Yet, the Pinstripes bullpen is being lauded as one of the best. Why?
Hudson Valley Has Prospect Blooming For New York Yankees
Some athletes are like fine wines or bourbons, depending on your preference. They take time to develop. Minor league baseball is stocked with players that organizations hope will develop like a fine cabernet or single malt bourbon. Ballclubs begin touting some of these young players on they day they sign their contract. However, most of them are never mentioned.
New York Yankees “Mustache” Is In A Hairy Twitter Situation
The saying, "we learn from our mistakes," is as old as time. Look back in your life ten years and I'd be surprised if you didn't wish you handled certain situations differently. When you are in a starting pitching rotation for the New York Yankees and for the first time in your career things are really rolling, it's hard when those mistakes are maliciously revealed.