Residents of #DCWildcatNation: Mike Miranto

A: I grew up in North Tonawanda, a suburb situated about halfway between Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Although we moved to a new house when I was a kid, we stayed in the same general part of town, fairly close to where I live with my family now. 

A: There's so many that come to mind, it's hard to pick just one. We were blessed to take some great vacations to places like Orlando and Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach when I was a kid, so those were all great times. I also spent a lot of time playing sports and if I had to choose one group of memories it's probably that. We hosted the state all-star tournament for little league baseball when I was 12, and although we lost in the finals, that is one of my favorite memories of playing sports as a kid. Honorable mention for the time we visited Duke University and got to shoot hoops inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, the time I won a contest and got to sit on the Chicago Bulls bench for their preseason game at the old Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, and the time I got to be a ball boy on the sidelines for a Buffalo Bills game.

A: Michael Jordan, hands down. I grew up when SportsCenter was in it's heyday so I would be in the driveway trying to mimic all the things I saw Jordan do in the game highlights. My mom was a high school basketball coach when I was young so I really gravitated towards that game and Jordan was the best player in the world at the time, so who better to try and emulate? That's why it was such a big deal when I got to sit on the bench for the Bulls preseason game here against the Sacramento Kings. That was in the fall of 1992 so I would have been nine years old. 

A: I've really grown into an amateur chef, or at least in my own head I have. I enjoy cooking and barbecuing, especially if it's for a family party or a football tailgate party with friends, so I'm often searching the internet for new recipes to try. As far as hobbies and interests go, I'm your quintessential sports guy, so if I'm not working on something related to Daemen Athletics, I'm probably watching some kind of college or pro sporting event. I'm trying to read more, and I enjoy being informed about current events. And, as frustrating as it can be at times, I like to play golf. 

A: Well, I've known my wife since we were kids, although she's a few years younger than me. She played travel volleyball with my sister. I wouldn't say we were friends or anything, but we obviously knew of each other. We didn't start dating until we were both out of college. We got married in 2014, and then our twin boys, Dominic and Elliott, were born in February of 2016. 

A: It's hard to argue against summers in Buffalo, but I would probably say that fall is my favorite season. That's when things really get ramped up here with our teams, and although it's normally pretty busy, I enjoy the grind. Our fall weather here is usually pretty decent until mid or late October, and it's fun getting together with friends to watch our beloved Buffalo Bills.

A: I don't know if I'd call it a job, but the first thing I did to make a few bucks was cut lawns. I'd cut grass for my grandparents, for my Aunt Alice and at the small, family-owned business we had. My first real job, I think, was working for the recreation department in town. I did some youth programming and then moved to Gateway Harbor as a dockhand. That was fun because you got to be outside and interact with the boaters. 

A: Pretty early on I knew I wanted to pursue coaching. I wasn't sure at first if that would be at the college or high school level. Breaking into college coaching can be very difficult and you're very much relying on networking and your own personal connections. I went through some real trial and error trying to get my name out there, but luckily I had a connection with a guy, Steve Silsby, who was the head coach at the University of Great Falls. He took a chance on me and pretty soon after I arrived there I knew college athletics was the right path for me. It's been a long and winding road since then, but I've got great piece of mind knowing this is where I was meant to be.

A: Well, obviously my parents and grandparents have all made a major impact on me and raised me with certain beliefs. Even now as a 37-year old man, I live my life trying not to let them down. Outside of my immediate family, the coaches I played for in high school - Greg Ross, Erik O'Bryan and Rick Tomm - were great mentors for me, and continue to be to this day. More recently, my colleague here at Daemen, Mike MacDonald, has been an incredible mentor for me. We bonded over coaching and basketball, but just observing how he goes about his work and the way he's raised his children are traits I aspire to in my life. I've been blessed to have a lot of great mentors along the way. 

A: This is an easy one. If you paint the town at night, you have to clean the brushes in the morning. The late, great Archie O'Bryan told me that long ago. He was a long-time high school coach and teacher, and someone I got the opportunity to know pretty well. I miss our conversations and all the stories he would tell. 

A: Man, I don't even know about this one. It would have to be something involving sports. I can't picture myself doing anything outside of sports. Looking back, I wish I would have given consideration to something like broadcasting. As I learned in a Seinfeld episode though, they tend to give those jobs to ex-ballplayers and people that are actually in broadcasting, so that dream is probably dead. 

A: The Buffalo Bills, the New York Yankees and Duke Blue Devils basketball. That's the list. I grew up around the time the Bills were going to four straight Super Bowls, the Yankees developed into a dynasty and Duke was winning back-to-back titles behind Christian Laettner who was from Western New York. It's easy to look back and see how the experience of following those teams as a kid helped shape who I root for today. There's been more misery than joy with the Bills since the Super Bowl years, but being a Bills fan is something that connects so many people in Western New York and beyond. I guess I balance the small market, lovable loser reputation that the Bills have with the Yankees and Blue Devils, teams that people either love or hate. I watch the Yankees almost nightly in the summertime, and I've grown to have a much greater appreciation for baseball overall than I did when I was younger. 

A: It wasn't necessarily a vacation, but when I was coaching in Montana we took our team on a trip to Glacier National Park. We did a day hike in the hills and came upon this beautiful glacier-fed lake. For someone who didn't grow up really appreciating nature, it was quite a sight. The next day we took the team on a whitewater rafting excursion, so that's something I can say I've done. I got to do some exciting things when I was living out west; seeing Mount Rushmore, visiting Yellowstone National Park, floating up the Missouri River; those are things I don't think I would have ever planned on doing had I not gone out west for work. 

A: If I could get over my slight fear of flying, I would love to someday visit Europe and maybe trace my ancestral roots in Italy. As someone who has a history degree, it's probably not surprising to hear that I would enjoy experiencing the culture and history of a place like Italy. 

A: My late grandfather, Walter Lipinoga, would be one. He was the kindest, gentlest, most supportive person I've ever been around, and to have one more meal with him would mean everything to me. Second, I'd say Mike Krzyzewski, the Duke head coach. Coaches are usually great storytellers and I'm fairly certain he has some entertaining tales to tell. And then I'd probably go with Derek Jeter. I'd be interested to hear stories about his glory days with the Yankees and performing day in and day out despite the pressure he was under. 

A: That something devastating would happen to my wife or my boys. I don't even want to think about it. 

A: Oh, brother. I'm not what people might call a vocal sensation, so I'd have to go with something that's better for a group. The Bills Shout Song comes to mind. We basically sing that every Sunday anyway, so yeah, that's my answer. 

A: Someday, I'd like to return to coaching. I don't know if it will ever be possible, but maybe someday it will be. 

A: While playing high school football, at one point or another, I played all three positions that touch the ball on an extra point or field goal. I was the long snapper once, I was the holder my sophomore and junior years, and then my senior year I was the kicker. Dumb, I know, but that's the point, isn't it?