WNY NCAA Champions

Two WNYers are NCAA Champions. Matt Anderson of West Seneca & Max Lipsitz of Williamsville helped Penn State win the NCAA Mens Volleyball Championship. The Nittany Lions beat Pepperdine for their first title in 14 years. Anderson, the six-foot, ten-inch grad of West Seneca West, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. He led the Lions with 29 kills. Lipsitz, a Williamsville North grad, had 17 kills.

Bills Undrafted Free Agent Pick

Here's my pick for the undrafted free agent with the best chance to make the Bills roster: Arkansas guard Robert Felton. As we've seen in the past with Jason Peters, Pat Williams, Fred Jackson, George Wilson and John DiGiorgio, there's always an unsung rookie who emerges on the final 53. Felton will have a good chance because he comes from a big school, played at a high level, and plays a position without much depth. The 6-4, 328 pounder was part of a Razorbacks line that opened holes for two 1000 yard, first round draft picks: running backs Darren McFadden & Felix Jones. He was ranked by some as one of the top ten guards in the draft. Plus, he can look at fellow Arkansas alum Peters as inspiration. Currently, Duke Preston is the main backup at guard.
Felton was funny when I asked him about his chances: "I came in the back door. Everybody else came in the front. But right now, we're all in the same house. "

Rookie Impressions

I had a chance to watch the Bills rookies work out this morning, in the first session of the weekend minicamp. It's tough to draw any conclusions from one practice, but this much is certain--these young players will benefit from the kind of intensive coaching they're getting this weekend. With only 28-players at practice, the Bills coaches have a chance to break down each player fundamentally, and work with them on a one-on-one basis. It's the kind of attention many rookies do not get once the team heads to training camp with the season weeks away. The Bills two top draft picks, Leodis McKelvin and James Hardy, look like standouts so far. I was intrigued by 3rd round draft pick Chris Ellis, the defensive end from Virginia Tech. He's definitely quick, but he looks seriously undersized. As Dick Jauron pointed out, however, he's tall enough to add plenty of weight to that frame. In the meantime, look for him to be a situational pass rusher for the Bills in his first season. He'll probably get plenty of snaps, but it seems like it might be tough to see him taking on big 315lb guards and tackles in the run game. Free agent rookie fullback Mike Viti (above) also makes a strong first impression. He's listed as 5-10, but I doubt he's even that tall. He's got a fireplug build, and looks like he's ready for contact at any moment. I can't wait to see him firing out of the backfield drilling linebackers in preseason games, or running downfield to cover kicks. Watch for more rookie minicamp coverage from Paul Peck on News 4 this weekend.

My Derby Pick

You can go with the chalk if you want. But I like to pick for value, and that's the way I'm approaching this year's Kentucky Derby. I like Gayego to win it all, even with his outside (19th) post position. The horse is a definite long shot; 15-1 on the morning line odds. But, again, I'm looking for value, and Gayego looks like he's ready to run a big race. The horse won the Arkansas Derby three weeks ago, succesfully making the switch from the synthetic track to the dirt. Before that, Gayego ran a strong second in the San Felipe Stakes out west. He also benefits from Hall of Fame Jockey Mike Smith, who steered Giacomo to an upset win in the Derby three years ago.
I know Gayego lacks the top-flight Derby pedigree, and I wish the horse fared better in the post position draw. But I'm looking for a big race from Gayego, and a bigger payoff after the race.
Good Luck!

It's Derby Time!

They're getting ready at Churchill Downs for the annual Run for the Roses. It's the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the Triple Crown.

The Favorite is undefeated Florida Derby-winning colt, Big Brown. Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. chose the far outside post No. 20 during yesterday's post position selection ceremony.

The last horse to win the Kentucky Derby from the No. 20 post was Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.

News 4 producer and horse racing guru, Dan LaDelfa is picking Big Brown. Then he picks Pyro to complete the exacta, and Smooth Air to round out the trifecta.

Watch out for the Vase

The Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, and the Philadelphia Flyers continue to impress. After knocking off the Capitals in the first round, they've won three in a row, and they have the top seed in the East, the Montreal Canadiens, on the ropes. Philadelphia is up three-games to one in the series, and they can finish off the Canadiens in Montreal Saturday night. And the two biggest contributors to the Flyers posteason success are former Buffalo Sabres. Daniel Briere is having an outstaning postseason, with 8 goals and 6 assists in 11-games so far. He scored the game winner last night with 3:38 to go in Philadelphia's 4-2 win over Montreal. Briere struggled in the playoffs for Buffalo last year, with just 3-goals in 16-games.

Marty Biron (above) has been outstanding in goal, surviving some rough patches and doing just enough to win. And Marty's keeping everything in perspective, as you might expect from a seasoned veteran. How about this Biron gem after last night's game, when it was mentioned to him how well the Flyers are playing: "When things are going good, people want to give you flowers. When things are going bad--heads up. The vase is coming." Classic Biron. It's tough not to root for a guy like that.

More From Toronto than Ticket Revenue

The news came out last night that Rogers Communications is ready to pay $78-million dollars to the Buffalo Bills, for the eight games to be played in Toronto over the next five years. What's not known, is how that money is disbursed between the Bills (the home team) and their opponents (the visitors). Visitors typically receive a 40-percent cut of ticket revenue to NFL regular season games (50-percent for preseason games). What's also unclear, is whether the NFL, NFL International, or NFL Canada gets part of the ticket revenue.
But what's almost as important to the Bills, are the ancillary sponsorship benefits they may reap from playing the eight game series north of the border. The main thrust of the Toronto initiative is to generate more sponsorship revenue from Canadian corporations, both in Toronto and in Orchard Park. The Bills are already at work trying to drum up sponsorship business in Ontario, in hopes that Canadians (and Canadian companies) buy into the Bills as their team. Those sponsorships really hold the key to how successful the Canadian initiative will be for the franchise. And they are critically important to the Bills long term viability in Buffalo.

N.H.L. Playoffs

Here's what I'm thinking: Sorry to hear that Rangers pesky forward Sean Avery is out with a lacerated spleen, but I will not miss him. After what he did to Martin Brodeur in their series against the Devils, I really have no time for his antics anymore. Speaking of the Rangers, what a letdown! I really was expecting more of a series from them against the Penguins, as they are down 3 games to none. Alot of that is New York's power play is non-existent, and Henrik Lundquist is not as sharp as he can be. Moving on to the other Easter conference series. How about Marty Biron, do you feel yourself cheering for him like I do? He's a great person, and teammate and you can't help but want him to do well. His stellar play is a big reason the Flyers have a 2-1 lead in their series over Montreal. Carey Price's inconsistent play has been a problem for the Habs. Don't be surprised if Jaroslav Halak gets the start tonight.

In the West, I picked San Jose to win the Cup. Little did I know they'd crumble before making it to the conference finals. Tonight, the Stars could sweep the Sharks! Brian Campbell is taking alot of heat for his poor defensive play, but don't expect that to stop him from getting mega bucks when he signs a deal this summer. In the Detroit and Colorado series: No surprises, the top seeded Red Wings are on the verge of sweeping the Avalanche.

Former Bill Tripplett Signs in Seattle

Former Bills defensive tackle Larry Tripplett has signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

Tripplett was the team's premier free agent signing in 2006, when he came over from Indy to anchor the Tampa-2 Bills defense. He was never the stout, run-stopper the team needed. The Buffalo defense has evolved away from the style that utilizes those quick, gap-slicing defensive tackle. Tripplett was released one day before the trade for Marcus Stroud. The emergence of John McCargo also made Tripplett expendable. The Bills current depth chart at defensive tackle includes Kyle Williams, Stroud, McCargo & Spencer Johnson.

Pro Basketball Back in Buffalo

Another pro basketball league is coming to Buffalo. The Buffalo Dragons announced that they will start play in January. The team will compete in the Premier Basketball League. The games will be at the Flickinger Center. The team is owned by Toronto businessman Paul Riley. It will be coached by former NBA Player & Buffalo Rapid Jean Paul Afif.
No word yet on ticket prices, but Riley says it will be "family-friendly." The PBL will have 14 teams. The defending champs are the Rochester Razor Sharks, who's roster includes former Niagara players Demond Stewart and James Reeves.
Most interesting for the Buffalo team, they will try to gain an audience in China. Riley says he hopes to have the games broadcast there by 2010, and the roster will include a number or Chinese players.
Sorry if I'm skeptical. We've seen a few of these minor pro basketball teams come and go in Buffalo. These guys seem sharp, have credentials, and at least have a place to play. Good luck to them. We'll see.

Former Bills Scout Out in San Diego

Former Bills scout Buddy Nix, who worked under the late John Butler, is out as the Assistant GM in San Diego. Nix, who worked in Buffalo for 8 years, had been the top aide to former Bills personnel man A.J. Smith, now the Chargers GM. The team announced that Nix, 68, had retired, but published reports in San Diego say Nix is not ready to hit the golf course. He says he'd like to continue scouting. Maybe the Bills can find a spot for a guy who helped the team find some of its best talent in the late 90's.

Great Days for UB Sports

You can't blame the folks in the Athletic Department at UB if they're feeling pretty good these days. It's been a very positive couple of days, starting with the NFL Draft on Sunday. To have not just one, but two players selected in the draft is not just a milestone for the up and coming UB football program, it's also a sign that the Bulls will have to be reckoned with in the MAC and in Western New York's sports consciuosness. In just two years, Turner Gill has already turned the corner for the Bulls football program, leading his team into bowl contention a year ago and producing pro football prospects from the players he inherited.
In addition, the UB Womens' Tennis Team made history Sunday, by winning the first MAC Championship in school history. Today, the school learned that it will play fifth ranked UCLA in the first round of the NCAA tournament the weekend of May 9th and 10th.
Congratulations to Warde Manuel and his staff at UB on both developments. Not only is UB making serious headway in a major revenue producing sport like football, but success in Womens Tennis indicates the school is paying attention to the smaller, non revenue sports.

Check out James Hardy Features

Our sister station in Ft. Wayne, Indiana has done a number of in-depth feature stories on Bills 2nd round draft pick James Hardy. He's a Ft. Wayne native and obviously a favorite of the folks at WANE-TV in Ft. Wayne. There's some interesting features on his preparation for the draft, and some archival material on his decision to attend Indiana University. If you want to see more of Hardy and learn more about his background, check it out on the WIVB website.

Mixed Emotions for Bulls Punter

U.B. punter Ben Woods signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns. Thrill of a lifetime, right? Yes, but. Woods is a native of Pittsburgh and grew up a huge Steelers fan. The Browns are the Steelers arch rival. So when the call came from the Browns Monday morning, Ben first thought it was his father playing a practical joke.
Ben picks up the rest of the phone converstation:
"The guys like 'Do you want to be a Cleveland Brown?' I said if you only saw my room decked out in all Pittsburgh Steelers stuff, it might change your mind. "
Ben calls his signing with Cleveland "the chance of a lifetime."

Wish They Did More

In the aftermath of the Bills draft, it's hard to find too much fault, especially with the Saturday picks. Things broke perfectly for the Bills for them to get the best cornerback in the class--Leodis McKelvin of Troy University. They had him in their sights for the last several weeks, and the way cornerbacks move around in free agency these days, you always need to replenish.
Getting James Hardy in the second round was solid, also. He's got the perfect size to help out in the red zone. I can't wait to see him post up smaller defensive backs in the end zone, giving Trent Edwards a big target in touchdown territory.
They had eight picks going into Sunday, and they used them all, adding eight more rookies to the roster. I was hoping they might package up some of those picks to move up, and get the tight end they were looking for in the third, or earlier in the fourth round. Nothing against Derek Fine, the fourth rounder they got from Kansas, but there were nine TEs drafted ahead of him, some of them with much more to offer than Fine. I don't see how you can add ten new rookies to what was already one of the youngest rosters in the NFL last year.
But here they come. The rookies will be in this weekend for an orientation minicamp, and I can't wait to see how they fit into the mix.

Keyshawn Johnson Rips the Bills

ESPN analyst & former NFL star Keyshawn Johnson dropped a big rip on the Bills, and more specifically, J.P. Losman. Quoted in the USA Today, Keyshawn was talking about the Chad Johnson situation in Cincinnnati. He was illustrating to Chad how leaving the Bengals means leaving star quarterback Carson Palmer.
"I think Chad is going about it the wrong way. I told Chad at the Super Bowl, 'Be careful what you wish for. Because when they bounce your butt and you wind up in Buffalo with J.P. Losman as your quarterback, you're going to be screaming."
Ouch. I think that's mostly a rip on Losman, but probably also a rip on Buffalo. An L.A., big-city, flashy guy like Keyshawn probably thought Buffalo was just about the worst place in the NFL.

Two U.B. Bulls Drafted

For the first time in school history, two U.B. Bulls football players were drafted. Defensive end Trevor Scott was taken by the Raiders in the 6th round. Center Jamey Richard was the Colts choice in round 7. The last Bull drafted was Drew Haddad, by the Bills in 2000. Bulls punter Ben Woods is expected to sign as a free agent.
Think about this. The Bulls get two players drafted. Among the big-time schools that had none drafted....Alabama, Texas Tech, Syracuse, Washington, Stanford and Oklahoma State.
Two other WNY natives went undrafted, but will get a shot in the NFL. Clymer's Jehuu Caulcrick, the big running back from Michigan State, signed with the Jets. Grand Island's Brett Kern, a punter from Toledo, signed with the Broncos.
Its been a good run for local football players. Last year, two were drafted (Darren Stone of Lockport by Atlanta, Corey Graham of Buffalo by Chicago.)

Final Thoughts on the Bills Draft

It's over, and don't expect one of those cheesy letter grades from me, for the Buffalo Bills 2008 draft. How can you grade guys you've never seen? As I think about it, I probably only watched two of the Bills 10-draft picks play college football: James Hardy of Indiana, and Chris Ellis at Virginia Tech. I consider myself a pretty avid college football fan, but how many chances do you get to see Troy University, NW Missouri State, or even Iowa State? Which is not to say I wouldn't watch those schools. I wish I would have seen Leodis McKelvin run back one of the 7 punt returns he ran back for touchdowns during his college career. I wish I came across Iowa State LB Alvin Bowen when he was making some of his 155-tackles during his junior season. I would have paid to watch Xavier Omon run wild for Northwest Missouri State. Now, I'm excited to see what they can do for the Bills. It will really be training camp in Rochester this summer, before we start to get a good handle on who these guys are, and how they might be able to help.
If you're keeping score at home, the Bills wound up with 5 picks on offense(2-WRs, 1-RB, 1-TE, 1-OT) and 5-on defense(3-CBs, 1-DE, 1-LB). I guess I loved to see the Bills get a Tight End in this draft earlier than they did (4th round), but it appears the board didn't fall that way. All in all, a pretty good draft.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Omon's Tragic Family Background

The Bills 6th round draft pick, Xavier Oman, has a tragic story in his family history. The RB from NW Missouri State wears the number two for a reason--he wants to honor his two deceased brothers. In 1999, when Xavier was 14-years old, his older brother,Demetrius Oman, was killed by a drunken driver. In 2000, another brother, Effiong, committed suicide. Before his junior season at NW Missouri State, Oman changed his jersey number from 32 to 2, to honor the memory of his brothers.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Cox is Bills Final Pick

The Bills wrapped up the draft tonight, by selecting CB Kennard Cox from Pittsburgh, with their third pick in the 7th round. He's a native of Miami, 6-0, 192lbs. Cox was a two year starter for the Pitt Panthers and was named the team's Most Improved Player in his Junior year. His cousin, Torrie Cox, is a defensive back in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Bell's Bloodlines

Demetrius Bell, the 7th round pick from Northwestern State, went to college as a basketball recruit, and it figures. His father is perennial NBA All Star Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz. Bell told us he and his basketball coach at Northwestern State went to the school's football coach and asked for a chance to play. "As soon as I got to college, and played the first two years, and redshirted the third year (in basketball) I decided I wanted to try it (football) and I went out and tried it." Bell says he doesn't have much contact with Malone. "I have nothing against him, I feel good at this time. If he had been here, good, but he's not. Everything's a plus right now."

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Another Big Receiver in the Seventh

The Bills picked up another receiver in the 7th round, drafting Kentucky's Steve Johnson with the second of their 7th round picks. He's 6-2, 210lbs, a native of San Francisco. Johnson was a junior college transfer to Kentucky, and it took until his second year for him to settle in. Wildcat coaches named him the most improved player on the squad last year, after he struggled in his junior season. As a senior, Johnson caught 60-passes, 13 ofthem for touchdowns.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Bills Ring Bell in the Seventh Round

It's the seventh round, the Bills have three picks in this round. Now's the time to take a chance on raw, developmental type players. It looks like that's what they've done with the first pick in the 7th, OT Demetrius Bell of Northwestern State. He's a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, and he's huge-- 6-5, 302lbs. Bell is described as a very raw talent and a project. He started his career at Northwestern State as a basketball player, before switching over to football.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

6th Round-A Big Back

The Bills 6th round pick really put up the numbers at Division II NW Missouri State. He is RB Xavier Omon, a 5-11, 228lb running back, who's a native of Beatrice, Nebraska. Omon carried the ball 370-times last season for NW Missouri State, and he led D-II in rushing with 2,337 yards. He also scored 37-touchdowns. Bills RBs Coach Eric Studesville says "He plays hard, he plays physical, he plays tough. He's a raw guy with a nice upside. He's a bigger back with a physical style. He tried to finish on defenders, he tries to fall forward." So that's seven picks for the Bills so far, three more to come in the 7th and final round.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

"The Door is Open" for Bowen

It sounds like the Bills have big plans for 5th round draft pick Alvin Bowen, when it comes to special teams. Assistant LBs and Special Teams Coach DeMontie Cross (right) just met with us in the media room,and talked about how Bowen is needed as an immediate contributor on coverage teams. "The door is open," Coach Cross says, "not only for Bowen, but for any other guy we draft. The door is wide open. Those guys we lost (Haggan, Stamer, Wire) were core special teamers." Cross has special insight into Bowen, since he was his position coach at Iowa State. "Obviously, he has great range, runs around, he's got great athleticism. We expect him to contribute on special teams."

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Linebacker Help

Here's that linebacker we were just calling for--the Bills selected OLB Alvin Bowen in the 5th round today. He's a 6-1, 223lb tackling machine from Iowa State. Bowen led the nation with 13 tackles per game as a junior for the Cyclones. He transferred to Iowa State after two years at a junior college, and he's a native of Montclair, New Jersey. Bowen is described by some draft experts as an undisciplined, out of control player. Sounds like he'll be perfect for an early tryout on the Bills coverage teams.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Bills-- Five Picks Down, Five to Go

The Bills went into the draft with a total of ten draft picks, and as of now, theyve used five of them. They've drafted two CBs, one WR, one DE, and one TE. I still think they need some depth at OLB, especially with the departures of Mario Haggan, Josh Stamer, and Coy Wire. They're going to need reinforcements for special teams, and most of the quality cover guys on teams come from the ranks of the linebacking corps. They have five picks left, one in the 5th, one in the 6th, and three in the 7th.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Fine-ally,a Tight End

The Bills waited all the way until the 4th round, before they finally got the tight end theyve been looking for. They tapped Kansas TE Derek Fine with their second pick in the 4th round. He's a 6-3, 250lb native of Oklahoma. Fine caught 46-passes for the Jayhawks last season, in their pass-oriented offense, four of them went for touchdowns. Bills College Scout Brad Forsyth says Fine is "the most complete tight end in the draft. He's not flashy, but he's an excellent blocker and more of a short area receiver. We like his toughness."
Fine told us on a conference call "I take a great amount of pride in my blocking." That was confirmed by Bills Tight Ends Coach Charlie Coiner, who has met with Fine. "He's a tough guy who will block," Coiner told us in the media room.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Corner was a Receiver

The Bills fourth round draft pick has the perfect name--Reggie Corner is a corner, a three year starter at CB for the Akron Zips. He grew up down the road from Akron in Canton, Ohio, and played for the longtime football factory at Canton McKinley High School. Corner told us today he wasn't always a corner. "I didn't play cornerback until I got to college," he said by phone. "I was a wide receiver my while life. I can read body language from a wide receiver very well. And the other thing that helps me is film study." Bills scouts, Tom Roth and Dave Smith, who watched Corner,say he sort of operated under the radar until the last few months of his college career.

John Murphy at the Bills Draft

Bills Draft Ellis in 3rd Round

This was a need position. With Anthony Hargrove gone on suspension, and memories of the position injuries from last year, the Bills needed another defensive end. Chris Ellis will join the rotation of Schobel, Kelsay & Denney. The Bills scouts like his effort and skills. He's had some shoulder injuries in his past, but the Bills team doctors cleared Ellis. Now, with Marcus Stroud, Spencer Johnson, John McCargo and Kyle Williams, the Bills have the making of a very good defensive line.