Peck-Bad Boy
Is it--- is it safe to blog again? Has everyone calmed down? I've deliberately waited a few days before resuming my regular blogging on the News 4 website, to let my colleague, Paul Peck, soak up the love from the bloggers. Paul's blog on Sunday, wondering whether a Buffalo Bandits win in this week's National Lacrosse League title game would constitute "a real championship," set off a torrent of vitriol and disagreement. Most of them were bona fide Bandits fans who wrote to defend their favorite team. More on some of the others in a moment.
I don't think anyone would argue that a Bandits victory in this week's Champions Cup Final would overshadow a Super Bowl win by the Bills, or a Stanley Cup for the Sabres, when it comes to national interest or media coverage. But that's not the point.
A Bandits victory this weekend would certainly be "real" to their loyal, passionate fans who love the sport. Buffalo has been long established as a flagship franchise in indoor lacrosse and a hotbed for the sport (indoors and outdoors) at almost every level. A Buffalo championship would be just as real as Niagara's basketball team capturing the MAAC Championship two years ago, or UB's womens tennis team winning the MAC title a couple of weeks ago.
One of the great things about covering sports in Western New York is the wide variety of teams and sports we get to follow. Like many of our media colleagues in town, we do the best we can to cover high school, college, and professional sports given the constaints of time and resources.
I know some of the most memorable moments I've had in recent years came while covering the Niagara Purple Eagles in the NCAA Tournament two years ago; their victory in the play-in game in Dayton, followed by a first round loss to Kansas in Chicago. The Purple Eagles were certainly "real" champions, and their fans savored their appearance in "the big time." Longtime Niagara basketball fans soaked up the championship atmosphere and celebrated the fact that their favorite team in their favorite sport had qualified for the Tournament.
By that measure, the Bandits potential championship is more than real. The indoor lacrosse team regularly draws more than several thousand more fans to its' home games than Niagara basketball does.
What makes any championship, or any fan experience 'real" is not so much the attendance, or TV ratings, or position in the USA Sports Section. I think it becomes real when the fans identify with the sport, the team, and the players, and adopt them as their own. I've seen it happen with college basketball teams, high school football teams, even NLL lacrosse teams.
Just one word on the tenor of some of the responses to Paul's initial commentary. Most were fine, and it's certainly acceptable to argue and debate--we actually encourage that. But personal attacks and insults do nothing to elevate the discussion, and in fact, I think they diminish the good blogs and the good points some others make in their commentary. Let's fight the temptation to use the anonymity of the internet to hurl drive-by slams at each other (especially Paul). If you just have to comment on someone's parentage, appearance, educational background, or job qualifications, take it to another website.
Blog-on Buffalo.
posted by John Murphy at
8:33 PM
21 Comments:
The only way I see this being resolved is if Paulie sports a playoff mohawk and paints his face orange for TV.
Who's house? STEEN HUIS! Let's go Bandits! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
All I know is I'm going to the game Saturday, and judging by the tickets sales on tickets.com, so are probably 18,000 others.
If we win, it is going to be an unbelievably fun and electric atmosphere, and we 18,000+ Bandits fans will have a memory we'll never forget. I doubt any of us will care less what anyone thinks of the sport, the team, or it's overall relevance. In fact, I find those to opinions to be irrelevant.
I was at the home game at the Aud when we won I believe our second championship. We were down by a goal with only a few minutes left, and scored 2 late in the game, the last one with I think 30some seconds left. When that goal was scored, the packed Aud exploded with the loudest ovation I ever heard, including for any of the hundreds of Sabres I had been to.
I never forgot that night or that game. I hope this Saturday gives me the same memory.
Go Bandits!
I was at I b
Underlying John's comments, what I read is: it's only a real championship to those who follow the team. And the fact that it's mentioned about trying to cover all the teams in this town including high school sports uncovers how the local media truly looks at the Bandits. I say this because there have been many nights when I'll flip around on the local news after a Bandits game during the regular season and the coverage skips from Sabres right to high school basketball with no mention of the Bandits, sometimes even when the game is at home.
Yes, some of the comments I saw as I paged through the last blog were probably less thought out than others. BUT I think it's safe to say that Mr. Murphy's attempt to deflect attention away from his colleagues blatent and disrespectful comments towards the Bandits franchise shows his own opinion being similar to that of Mr. Peck's.
In a city known for being the underdog, the Bandits are the ULTIMATE underdog as they have to fight through the face of this. These players have full-time jobs and sacrifice much of their own personal time to participate in this sport. They don't make it into the public spotlight with crime and drug abuse like many NFL stars. They make maybe $30,000 per season of play while the team still averages $1.8 million in tickets sales (assuming an average ticket price of $15 per seat and 15,000 seats sold per game). They run harder, hit harder, score more and do everything that the NHL WISHES it had in its game filled with overpaid slackers named Jagr and Satan and Heatley.
Especially at this time when it is the Championship of the league for a team that epitomizes the characteristics of those who live and work in this town, this should not just be "real" to those of us who follow the team. The media should take its responsibilities more seriously and help to make it real to all those who live here because the team uses OUR name: they are the BUFFALO Bandits.
I'd actually like to offer a little technical analysis...hopefully the heads of the football/hockey only folks won't explode. :-)
The Bandits generally have 2 problems...and looking back at some of their recent playoff losses, esp the Colorado championship game 2 years ago, these 2 things are what killed them most.
1) They take too many penalties.
2) They lose too many faceoffs.
Both of these were true at last week's game (esp the faceoffs...omg that new york dude owned bucktooth and our other guys who tried), and it's why they outshot us so bad, because they got so many more chances/shots as a result. Luckily, the New York goalies sucked. I love Steenhuis, but a lot of his goals were ridiculous long rangers.
These things killed us against a good Colorado team 2 years ago in the championship, and it's why that was never even a game. If we just break even in those 2 categories this week against a suspect Portland team, I think our talent and the home atmosphere should lead to a comfortable win.
Murph to the rescue! lol
I'm glad you've had fun seeing Banditland blow up these here boards and putting the ol' titanium-comb-over figuratively on Mr Peck. But to the point of this whole "to-do" is defining a "real" Championship.
In it's simplest of terms it's being the best. Now how that affects the psyche of the greater metro area of Buffalo/Niagara is subjective. It is also subjective to "assume" a Real Championship for the Sabres or Bills would mean more. How would we know? Those 2 teams are a collective 0-7 when it comes to the big dance. "Assume" the Bills win SB25, would the control board be gone? If the Sabres won against Dallas would all our college grads be working here at home? Maybe we'd get some decent props from the national media for a week or 2 which seems to be all we ever want here. WE know what we have here and to heck with the rest of the country if all they see in their minds is snow and losing teams. I'm proud of this messed up city with all it's warts and it's just my luck that the Bandits give me that sunshine on a lot of cloudy days. When the Bills and Sabres win theirs, i'll have the same amount of satisfaction and pride as I do with my 3 time World Champion Buffalo Bandits.
See ya at the tailgate, Michigan and Perry St. lot!
Why are you comparing the Bandits and NLL to high school and college teams?? Have you ever participated as a fan in the game? I mean deck out in orange and scream at the top of your lungs? not just be present at the game.
You can't say anything about the importance until you participate, then you'll know why the fans are so loyal
I don’t feel it’s appropriate to call Mr. Peck names or personally attack him. He is entitled to his opinion, just as those who reply are entitled to theirs. However, I do want to say this. He stated in both his replies that he expected better from Buffalo sports fans. To be honest, I expected better from him. Supposedly the idea of his blog was to explain why a win by the Bandits this weekend won’t be regarded the same way by the general public in this town as a Bills or Sabres championship would be. I understand his point, and in the grand scheme of things, he is probably right. But his wording could not have been worse. The blog comes across as a dig at the franchise, it’s players, and it’s fans. To make statements about how the Bandits are playing a team with a losing record and how they haven’t won the title since 1996 seem unnecessary. Why post a negative blog ONE WEEK before their championship game? To put a negative spin on something positive that is happening for this city? Instead of downplaying the Bandits accomplishments, he could have posted a blog about a team that exemplifies what everyone claims Buffalo is about...working hard...the city of good neighbors...sounds like the Bandits to me.
As for Mr. Murphy’s response, I found it to be a somewhat backhanded attempt to side with the Bandits fans. Why compare it to HS football, college basketball or college tennis? This isn’t college. The NLL is the best of the best. You state, “A Bandits victory this weekend would certainly be "real" to their loyal, passionate fans who love the sport.” To that I say, a Bandits victory will never be “real” to me. It will just be real. And I, along with thousands of other loyal, passionate fans, will enjoy every second of it.
hey nice to know we have some one who will support the only winning team in buffalo.
LETS GO BANDITS!
and hey why dont WE air the bandits games? my family and i have to huddle around the radio to hear what happens and we cant even see it we have t imagin and what about all thos fans that CAN'T get to bandit land because they are like in a nursing home or something tell me this. thats all i wanna know you used t air the destorys
To quote Mr. Peck originally:
"But its not a traditional sport, and it shouldn't be considered a championship for this title-starved town. Only a hockey or football victory would count in my book. In the big picture of sports, lacrosse is a minor player. Bigger here than most places, but still minor. It has no national following, no national TV and no nationally-recognized stars. It's a niche sport, big in the few regions of North America that follow lacrosse.
Now I know the Bandits fans will disagree, and I expect plenty of angry posts. This doesn't mean I don't enjoy the sport, and we will cover the title game as extensively as possible.
Convince me I'm wrong. Tell me why there should be a parade and a rally in Niagara Square, and why kids all over town should be wearing Mark Steenhuis (above, left) and John Tavares jerseys."
He asked for it, and he got exactly what he deserved. This is Buffalo. We defend our teams constantly, we never back down from a challenge from others when regarding local sports teams and heroes.
Sure, Paul Peck was right that lacrosse is a minor player in the big picture. What he did say is that lacrosse is not a traditional sport. Is tradition to be defined by media and press and national following? I guess in order for the NLL and other lacrosse leagues to become "real" they must pay players millions upon millions of dollars, charge insane prices for merchandise and tickets, and in the end have players that can't relate to the fans that watch and pay them. I respect what you said Paul and John but please don't try to tell us lacrosse fans that we need national media and press for a lacrosse championship in Buffalo to be real. It's real to not only us, but the hundreds of thousands of supporters of not only boxla but also outdoor lacrosse as well. Just because America hasn't accepted lacrosse as a billion dollar sport doesn't mean it has to be one in order to gain recognition for local fans.
just another lacrosse fan
less than 2500 tickets left . lets go bandits
All I have to say that WIN or LOSE we the fans of the BUFFALO BANDITS can be proud of this team, these players play their hearts out each and every game and for them to win a fourth NLL Championship will be another GREAT moment in BANDIT history!
LET'S GO BANDITS!
Quote "I don't think anyone would argue that a Bandits victory in this week's Champions Cup Final would overshadow a Super Bowl win by the Bills, or a Stanley Cup for the Sabres, when it comes to national interest or media coverage. But that's not the point."
The point here is simple... These guys play this sport because they love it, they are not playing it to become instant millionaires. This is a "real" championship because it is not bought, unlike your so-called "real" sports. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy Football and Hockey, but I do believe that the Buffalo Bandits as well as every other NLL team rightfully deserves alot more publisity then they seem to be getting.
This is a game that is played by individuals who have to travel miles upon miles just to practice, and the go back so they can do their "real" job. Avg. salary I heard this yeaar was around $20K... when was the last time the NFL or NHL could say they had that low of an avg. salary.
Mr. Peck and Mr. Murphy please understand that this is the 1 and only sport that is still played by people who play for the love and not the money.
I know what you are talking about
Have you no say in the matter
After its all said and done
Tavares will choke
Evereyone love lax
Nancy is the #1 fan
I know I love lax
Glenn has good seats
Gary does too
Edward dosent have good seats
Ray sits by me
Sara has been the best fan
Thanks, Murph! While I agree vehemently with my fellow posters that this is more than a real championship, I also think a couple people took it a little too far. Defending your team and the sport is fin but attacking someone personally for having an opinion is a little too much. As a loyal and very passionate Bandit fan, I apologize for those of us who went a little far, but I see where they were coming from. As Bandit fans, we take things very personally and I think some felt personally attacked by Paul's comments and lashed out personally back.
Anyways, get ready to cover this REAL Championship when we win it tomorrow!!! :)
Mr. Murphy just posted a blog entry about spygate.
I predict there will be zero responses to that. :-)
I suspect people care just a tad more about the Bandits than that very, very stale topic.
As I said last night...
Zero posts.
Go Bandits!
Is there a way to delete a comment because if there is, I think perhaps the one by "hitler of the hsbc" should be deleted... It is a disgrace and embarassment to every Buffalo Sports fan and is completely unacceptable. This is a sports blog, not an outlet for ignorance.
Oh, and by the way, Tavares is Canadian... not American... get your facts straight "hitler of the hsbc"...
Hitler Junior isn't a very good speller, either. It isn't "nieve"; it's "naïve".
Meanwhile, I have to agree with an earlier poster about this quote:
"A Bandits victory this weekend would certainly be "real" to their loyal, passionate fans who love the sport."
That comment is so condescending! Murph, please pat my head and tell me to run along and fingerpaint some more while you adult sports fans go about covering "real" sports.
Oh, please, adults of the sports media, please tell us wee waif fans of "minor" leagues what "real" really means?
*sigh* You know, I can accept Paul Peck pissing us off, but I'd like to think you could be a little more diplomatic about it with us given that you've had more time to choose your words carefully.
I'm still waiting to have an adequate defined what a "real championship" is!
You know what? I'm beginning not to care because all of those "real championships" are bullshit "earned" by zillion-dollar athletes with their big shoe deals and pumped-up with God knows what hormones now. "Real championships" are about as real as Pamela Anderson's tits. I'd rather have the real, pure, honest championship from any NLL team than a "real championship".
we dont know you.....
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well then ill clean it up. I hate coons, I hate a lot of coons. F--- coons
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