News 4 Sports Blog

Championship Analysis

2008-07-03T16:45:00.004-04:00

I know it's a rival network, but I have to say the best, absolute best color commentary I've ever heard on any sport, comes from the Wimbledon team of John McEnroe and Mary Carillo (left). I've had the pleasure of watching their Wimbledon coverage every morning this week, and McEnroe and Carillo are tremendous.
They are insightful about the game, obviously the result of their backgrounds as former professional tennis players. But they don't live in the past. They obviously do their homework on today's players, and are full of anecdotes and stories about seemingly obscure young stars like China's Zheng Jie, or England's Andy Murray.
Moreover, they are funny. They are not afraid to poke fun at each other or at the sometimes archaic customs of Wimbledon. McEnroe, a bona fide tennis Hall of Famer, never acts stiff or "above it all." Today, he launched into a Maxwell Smart (Don Adams version) imitation, when he said Zheng Jie "missed it by that much."
Together, McEnroe and Carillo comprise television's best color analysts--smart, funny, and very interested in making the sport entertaining.

Disappointing Sabres

2008-07-02T20:39:00.003-04:00

More than twenty hours into free agency, and the Sabres still haven't signed the impact defenseman they were seeking. It's pretty disappointing, especially when you see the moves other teams have made since free agency began.
GM Darcy Regier (above) says the team moved off Brooks Orpik shortly after the signing period began at noon yesterday, because of money issues. What's interesting, is that Orpik re-signed with Pittsburgh today, for $22.5 million over six years. That's $3.75 million a year, and that's not bad. It certainly is where the market has been set, for better-than average defensemen.
So, what were the Sabres waiting for? Mike Commodore got the same money from Columbus on Tuesday--the market was set. Now Orpik is gone, along with all the other free agent defensemen who might have made a difference in Buffalo.
I understand fiscal responsibility. I know the Sabres will not go into debt, and do not intend of spending to the salary cap this year (maybe never).
But the fact is, for the THIRD consecutive year, they have either misjudged the free agent market or chosen not to participate. The first two years, they sat back and watched their roster get picked apart by the rest of the league (McKee, Grier, Briere, Drury, etc.). This year, they sit back and let other teams make moves, while they prepare to play with essentially the same lineup that failed to make the playoffs last year. Very disappointing.
Let us know what you think about the Sabres performance so far in free agency.

A Good Fit---Now What's Next?

2008-07-01T20:53:00.005-04:00

You had to wonder, after seven goaltenders were snapped up in the first five hours of free agency, whether anyone would be left for the Buffalo Sabres. But the Sabres got their man, finally, when they signed unrestricted free agent Patrick Lalime to a contract. It seems like a good fit- Lalime (above) played in 32 games for the Chicago Blackhawks last year, and played well. The Sabres need him to start about 20-games next season, just enough to keep Ryan Miller fresh down the stretch. Lalime is a seasoned veteran, with playoff experience and the right temperment to back up Miller.
So, now what? Buffalo remains in the market for a quality defensemen, and they've been flying off the free agent shelf for the last several hours. The seven-year, 56.8 million dollar deal signed by Brian Campbell has obviously raised the financial bar when it comes to signing defensemen. The Penguins Brooks Orpik remains available, but you wonder if the Sabres are ready to spend what it takes to bring him to Buffalo.
What do you think? Any other free agents out there who might fit in the Sabres "sensible" spending scheme? And what about the Lalime signing, do you like it? Let us know.

NHL Free Agent Frenzy

2008-07-01T10:50:00.029-04:00

Today at Noon, NHL free agency begins. We'll continually update this blog entry with all the news from the Sabres and the rest of the league. So keep checking back here for the latest news.

5:41pm TSN reports that former Sabres defenseman Brian Campbell has signed with the Blackhawks. Its an 8 year deal worth $56 million. That's $7 million a season. He'll be teammates with Patrick Kane. Word was that Soupy wanted to come back east close to his Ontario home. Chicago isn't that close, but $7 mill a season buys a lot of plane tickets.

5:33pm Our Sabres reporter, Robin Adams, says about the Lalime signing...."I think he's a giant upgrade over Thibault. He should provide solid play for the 20 games the Sabres are looking for their backup to play."

4:34pm A SABRES SIGNING. The team gets it backup goalie by signing Patrick Lalime. This report comes from Sportsnet in Canada. Its a two year deal worth $2 million. He's played with the Senators, Penguins, Blues and Blackhawks. Last season in Chicago, he played 32 games...16 wins...12 losses...2.82 GAA...1 shutout. When he came up with Pittsburgh, Lalime set an NHL rookie record by going unbeaten in his first 16 games. That was in the 1996-97 season.

4:28pm Another backup goalie candidate gone. Alex Auld, late of the Bruins, signs with the Senators. He could compete with Martin Gerber. Remember, Ray Emery is gone.

4:11pm Darcy Tucker signs with the Colorado Avalanche. 2 year deal worth $4.5 million. I'm not sad to see less of him.

3:54pm John Murphy is wondering when the Sabres will sign a backup goalie, as he watches all these guys go to other teams. Names still left: Marc Denis, David Aebischer, Patrick Lalime, Alex Auld.

3:45pm Goalie Cristobal Huet has signed with the Blackhawks, according to TSN. They also report that Corey Stillman is going to the Panthers.

3:27pm If you're surprised about the lack of big-name moves, remember last year Briere didn't sign until almost 4pm. Drury didn't sign until 8pm.

3:23pm The Penguins have reportedly made an offer to Jaromir Jagr. He started his career in Pittsburgh.

3:17pm A flurry of goalie signings. Former Sabres goalie Ty Conklin signs with the Red Wings to backup Chris Osgood. Goalie Olaf Kolzig signs with the Lightning. Goalie Jose Theodore signs with the Caps. Colorado signs goalie Andrew Raycroft.

2:26pm The Ottawa Sun reports that the Vancouver Canucks have offered Mats Sundin a 2 year, $20 million dollar offers. Wow.

2:16pm I didn't fall asleep. I did get some lunch. But there's been no news for the last hour. That prompted Robin Adams to ask "What is going on?" No news on the big names Hossa, Campbell or Orpik.

1:07pm: Sportsnet says goalie Curtis Joseph is returning to the Leafs. Its a one year deal to be the backup to Vesa Toskala.

1:04pm: This happened earlier today. The Oilers traded Raffi Torres to Columbus for Gilbert Brule.

12:50pm: Sportsnet in Canada says forward Radim Vrbata (above) is the first unrestriced free agent to sign. He leaves Phoenix to sign with Tampa. $9 million over 3 years.

12:11pm: Forward Pascal Dupuis re-signs with the Penguins, says the FAN 590 in Toronto.

12:09pm: TSN says the Hurricanes have traded Erik Cole (Oswego native) to the Oilers for D Joni Pitkanen.

12:08pm: TSN reports that the Red Wings have re-signed D Brad Stuart. 4 years, $3.75 average. That takes another veteran blueliner off the market.

10:51am: Its just about an hour until the doors swing open on the big box of NHL free agents.

Here's what you need to know about the Sabres. Their unrestricted free agents are:

D Dmitri Kalinin

D Nolan Pratt

G Jocelyn Thibault

C Michael Ryan

D Teppo Numminen

Restricted Free Agents:

RW Steve Bernier

LW Daniel Paille

LW Clarke MacArthur

Paul Guastad is now of the list after signing his 4 year, $9.2 million deal Monday night. Kalinin is gone, while Darcy Regier says there may be interest in bringing back Pratt and Numminen. Don't be surprised if someone in the league makes an offer to Paille.

As for free agent shopping, Regier hints at looking for a defenseman and a backup goalie.

NFL Discipline for Marshawn?

2008-06-28T19:53:00.005-04:00

Now that the legal end of the Marshwn Lynch hit and run is settled (barring a civil suit), what will the NFL do with the Bills starting running back? Commissioner Roger Goodell said on his visit to Chautauqua that the league will look into the situation once the legal dealings are over. It falls under the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy, which covers any player issues that are considered "conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the NFL."

I took a moment to read the policy, to see I could get any indication about whether Lynch would face a suspension or a fine.

Legally, Marshawn's guilty plea to a traffic violatin is not very serious. No charges were filed, and the victim is said to not be seriously hurt. But the NFL could weigh how Lynch handled the situation, and some of the other stories about his conduct that have come out in the past three weeks. Remember, they are not bound by law when determining personal conduct violations. The policy talks about "being held to a higher standard" and "conducting yourself in a responsible way."
With all of that said, the policy says first-time offenders will not face discipline unless the case "involves significant bodily harm." That did not happen in Marshawn's hit and run. Other discipline includes fines, suspensions or banishment from the league. There could also be a probationary period.

In my opinion, Lynch could face a fine, but probably no more than that. Based on reports and public records, this is his first legal trouble as an NFL player. So Bills fans should expect to have him available for the entire season.

If that's the case, does it make you happy or angry? Should he be punished, or has this case been blown out of proportion? Will this case effect the way you root for Lynch, or view him as a Bill? I'd love to hear you comments.

One Man's Trash?

2008-06-25T17:01:00.003-04:00

With training camps just one month away, NFL teams are hustling to fill out their rosters. It strikes me there are some pretty accomplished players still out there, without a team, as camp approaches. Especially when you look at the quarterback ranks, it seems like some players who should be at or near the peak of their careers, are instead on the street right now, waiting for a call.
The best example is Daunte Culpepper (above), a veteran quarterback who has a strong resume. He's a free agent, with 90 NFL starts in his background and he's only 31-years old. You mean to tell me Daunte Culpepper can't help an NFL team get better at the QB position?
What about Byron Leftwitch? He's only 28-years old, and he's started 46 NFL games. Former Bills starter Kelly Holcomb is out on the street right now, with 24 starts in the league. Even Tim Rattay figures to get somebody's interest. He's only 31-years old and he has 18 starts in his NFL resume.
It's not just names that are out there, unsigned with one month to go until training camp. There are some proven performers. I know NFL teams like to wait until training camp to see where the injuries hit, before they commmit to veteran players. But why not take a flyer on a proven veteran; sign him to a one-year deal with back-loaded incentives, and grab up an accomplished players while he's still available?
What am I missing? Why do you think some of these proven NFL players are without teams right now?

Big League Prices

2008-06-24T20:21:00.003-04:00

I had a chance to catch some big league baseball last Saturday night in Washington, at the new Nationals Park in D.C. That gave me a chance to gag at the cost of major league baseball in the capital city.
I usually attend 2-3 MLB games every summer, but I was shocked at the price of the tickets in Washington. We were 15 rows from the field, left field side, about midway between third base and the wall. They were good seats, not great. The cost? $58 per ticket, plus a $5 handling charge. The handling charge made little sense, since the only handling going on was the guy in the box office handling the tickets before he handed them over to me.
$63 per seat, to be 15-rows from the field, on the left field side. Anyone else think that's outrageous? We'll leave out the fact that the Nationals put a dreadful product on the field, a team that might go .500 in the Triple-A International League. How do they justify charging $63 per ticket for mediocre seats?
It made me think back to Buffalo's ill-fated attempt to get a MLB team in the early 1990s. Would mediocre seats here cost $50-or-$60 per ticket? Would anyone buy them? I never used to agree with those who've suggested we're better off having failed in Buffalo's big league push 18-years ago. But based on where ticket prices are now, we are better off. What's more, I don't know anyone who'd regularly pay that much money 81 times per season.
What do you think? Are we that far behind economically in Buffalo that we cannot imagine paying that much for baseball tickets? And are we, in fact, better off without big league baseball?

Mike Williams Back with the Orange

2008-06-22T19:06:00.003-04:00

Riverside grad Mike Williams' career at Syracuse appeared to be over, when he was suspended from the team for academic problems. There were reports in Syracuse of cheating.

I caught up with Mike at the Gus Macker Basketball Tournament in downtown Buffalo, after his team had been eliminated from the top mens division. Mike told me that the situation has been resolved, and he will once again suit up for the Orange.
"They took it to (university) court, and the decision had been changed. I'm not sure. That's what my head coach (Greg Robinson) had been telling me. It looked like I'm there in August. They tell me to come to summer school July 6th, and in order to come to summer school I gotta be there."

Williams has emerged as the Orange's main offensive weapon. He had 60 catches and 10 touchdowns this past season. He is starting to attract the attention of NFL scouts. He could declare for the NFL Draft in 2009, after this upcoming season, his third with the Orange.

I asked Mike about the reports of cheating.

"It wasn't no cheating situation. Syracuse is a private school. When you take exams you got to do exactly what they say. It was the beginning of the exam and the notes was out. He said I was looking at my notes. That's what he said. That's what happened."

Mike says he was worried, and felt like he was letting everyone down.

We expect to have some comments from the University in the next few days. Please check back for their take on Mike Williams situation.

UPDATE: Officials from the athletic department in Syracuse will not confirm that Williams has been reinstated to the team. Sources in Syracuse tell us that Williams summer school classes will come at Onondaga Community College, not Syracuse University.

How Does Character Count in the NFL?

2008-06-18T20:09:00.005-04:00

With the Marshawn Lynch situation dominating the headlines the last two weeks, there's been plenty of talk about the Bills players and their "character." It got me thinking that character is wide-ranging word, and it needs some definition.

Lynch's alleged crime on Chippewa has him now lumped together with James Hardy, Anthony Hargrove and Roscoe Parrish, all Bills who have had legal or league issues the past year. In most cases, they're being called players with bad character and there's a cry that the Bills are not longer concerned with the character of their players.

But what do we mean by character? If he was driving, did Lynch do a stupid thing? Of course. Is he a bad guy? Having covered him the past year, I don't think so. He's not a problem in the locker room. His teammates seem to like him. His coaches like him, and respect that he plays hard. Does one careless act make him a bad "character" guy?

Anthony Hargrove had problems with the law, and also failed two NFL drug tests. He was also one of the better-liked players in the room. He was always singing and joking with his teamates.

I don't know Hardy that well, but he has faced the media regarding some of his past issues. Word from his hometown of Ft. Wayne, IN is that he's a good guy who was raised in an enviroment of gangs, ghettos and a broken home. His coaches at Indiana had high praise for him. So is he a bad guy? Because he carries a gun, is he a character-risk? I would think that guns are prevalent in the enviroment where Hardy comes from.

I'm not sticking up for these guys. NFL players are held to a higher standard, and they should know how to live up to those standards. But these are also young men with lots of fame and money. Sometimes that can lead to bad decisions.

The Bills have no players like Chris Henry or Pacman Jones. Those are the current bad characters of the NFL. Every team has had some players in some form of trouble. That doesn't make it right, but it makes it part of the game.

I once had a coach tell me you can't win with a team full of scholar-athletes and Boy Scouts. Its an agressive game that demands agressive, on-the-edge people.

Teams want talented players they can count on. Sometimes that means taking risks. If those risks can't be counted on, they won't be on the team for very long. I don't believe the Bills have opened the door to every bad guy in the NFL. They do extensive homework, but they also sometimes fall in love with talent, and overlook the shortcomings.

How do you define character? Is it mean everything about a player? Does a mistake make a player a bad character? I welcome your comments.

More Scary Quotes from Toronto

2008-06-18T19:58:00.002-04:00

The entry below on the Bills in Toronto contains some quotes from Phil Lind, the Vice Chairman of Rogers Communications. There were more from the media event in Toronto. This time, Mr. Lind is even more definitive on the possibility (eventuality?) of the Bills splitting their home games between Buffalo and Toronto.

He told the National Post "I think over time there will be more, yes." The article was titled "Toronto may see more Bills games."

There are also quotes from Eric County Executive Chris Collins and former County Executive Joel Giambra. Collins seems willing to share the Bills with Toronto. Giambra speaks as if its a good idea.

"Its an hour-and-a-half away. Its not like you have to get in a plane to go there," says Giambra. Way to go Joel, way to up that popularity ranking.

If you can remove the emotion. does this make sense to you? Would you remain a Bills fan if it happened? Is it better and more tolerable than the Bills moving to say, Los Angeles?

I look forward to hearing your comments.

More NFL Reality

2008-06-17T22:43:00.003-04:00

A pair of news stories the past two days struck me as more examples of the NFL's new reality: Money rules all. Its a reality we're all dealing with in Buffalo, as we worry about the city's ability to keep the team.

Tuesday, the team had a media event in the Rogers Centre. Donte Whitner was there to unveil the new logo, interact with some young Canadien football players, and promote the upcoming games. The announcement came that 90% of the standard tickets for the next three Bills games up North are already sold. That leaves only VIP packages that range in price from $350 to $575 per ticket per game. Wow. Choke on those prices for second. The moving of 8 games to Toronto is a good thing for the current Bills, based on the influx of cash. But there's now no question that Toronto is interested and ready for the NFL. They can certainly afford even standard prices that are more than double those in Buffalo.

Plus, in a series of articles about the Bills and NFL in Canada, published in the National Post, Rogers Communications Vice-Chairman Phil Lind was asked about the possibiliyt of Buffalo & Toronto one day splitting the home schedule. His answer, said with a smile, "That's a very good suggestion."

Monday, I saw this item about the new Giants-Jets Meadowlands Stadium under construction. MetLife has signed on to be one of five sponsors for the stadium, at a reported $10-15 million a year. That's for just one of five stadium sponsors. So that means, at least, the teams will split $50-75 million a year for sponsor rights. That's in addition to another $20 million from one of those companies for the actual stadium naming rights. The Bills likely couldn't get a stadium naming rights deal for as much as MetLife will play for one of the entrances. Just another example of the growing disparity in NFL revenues, and another reason why it will be difficult for Buffalo to compete.

Pay Peters

2008-06-11T20:44:00.003-04:00

It's official now, it's a contract dispute between Jason Peters and the Bills. As Paul Peck outlined below, the Bills Pro Bowl left tackle missed today's first mandatory minicamp session.
Although he hasn't made himself available for comment, it's widely believed Peters is looking for a new contract. To be honest, I can't blame him.
A couple of things to keep in mind:
1. Peters signed his current contract (5 years in length) just two years ago, but he was a RIGHT tackle then. Now, he's the team's starting LEFT tackle, acknowledged as the key man on the offensive line. Peters can easily argue that he not only accepted a position switch, but thrived at his new position, and has out performed the contract he signed in 2006.
2. Peters is the only Pro Bowl caliber performer on the offensive line. And he is a legitimate Pro Bowl performer. Remember, Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z named Peters to his All-Pro team in 2006, the season before he went to the Pro Bowl. He is without question the top player on the offensive line, but he's the third highest paid player on the line, behind Dockery and Walker.
3. The Bills re-negotiated Aaron Schobel's contract a few years ago under similar circumstances--he also was two years into a five-year deal. The precedent was set.

Keep in mind, NFL players often get guaranteed money, but their contracts are not guaranteed. The Bills theoretically could release Peters at any time during his five-year deal without recourse. It's the one-way nature of NFL contracts that leads to re-negotiation issues like this one.

Missing the mandatory minicamp is not that big a deal for Peters. I'm confident the Bills and Peters will find some common ground in the six weeks until training camp.

What's your opinion? Should Peters play under his current contract, or has he earned the right to tear it up and start over?

Hasek's Legacy

2008-06-11T20:24:00.003-04:00

This time, I believe Dominik Hasek will stay retired, unlike his premature announcements in 1999 and 2002. And now is the proper time, I think, to evaluate Hasek's place in Sabres history.
Hasek had his fans in Buffalo and his detractors. His quirky personality led many to believe that he was uninterested in winning here. But make no mistake about it, Hasek was as competitive a professional athlete as I've ever seen. He wanted to win, he wanted to excel, and he was prepared to put in countless hours to improve his game.
Which is not to say he wasn't a handful. His long simmering feud with Ted Nolan, his battles with the local media, and his sometimes obtuse, inscrutable comments made it difficult for many fans to embrace Hasek. But he deserves his due.
You'd be hard pressed to name a professional athlete in Buffalo sports history who accomplished as much on an individual scale, as Hasek did during his tenure with the Sabres. You know the story--six Vezina trophies; two Hart trophies as NHL MVP; spectacular highlight reel saves; and the knowledge that every time Hasek lined up between the pipes, the Sabres had a chance to win.
He not only is the Sabres greatest goaltender, I'd rank him as the franchise second all-time greatest player. Only Gilbert Perreault ranks higher in my estimation, and mostly because Perreault helped establish the franchise right from the start. I think Perreault and Hasek are on the top tier, ahead of all-time Sabres greats like Rick Martin, Danny Gare, Pat LaFontaine, Jim Schoenfeld, and others.
So get ready to see Hasek's Sabres jersey retired. I think he's earned it.

What are your thoughts on Hasek's place in Sabres history? Do you welcome his addition to the Sabres small roster of retired jersey numbers? The only numbers retired by the team are those of Tim Horon (2), Danny Gare (18), Pat LaFontaine
(16), Rick Martin (7), Gilbert Perreault (11), and Rene Robert (14).
Drop us a line and let us know what you think.

Peters Skips Mandatory Minicamp

2008-06-11T14:46:00.005-04:00

Bills Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jason Peters was a no-show on the first day of the team's mandatory minicamp. Head Coach Dick Jauron says Peters will be fined $8, 638, as per NFL rules. He also said he was suprised that Peters did not show.

It is clear that this is a contract-related decision by Peters. He has three years remaining on a contract that pays him $3 million a season. He is currently the third-highest paid Bills offensive lineman, behind Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker.

The going rate for Pro Bowl offensive lineman is $7-8 million a season. I believe the Bills set a precedent last year, when they rewared Aaron Schobel with a new contract after his Pro Bowl season. He also had 3 years remaining on his deal. But Aaron did not skip any mandatory workouts.

I wouldn't be concerned too much with Peters missing these three days. But if the stalemate extends into training camp, it will be a problem. I expect the Bills to meet Peters' wishes and redo his deal.

Should they? Are you mad at Peters for missing this minicamp? What is he worth? Can the Bills win without him? Post your comments.

Man Up Marshawn

2008-06-10T11:45:00.003-04:00

Here's the update, it has now been almost 1 1/2 weeks since the hit and run involving Marshawn Lynch's truck. Still holding to his silence, his lawyer tried yesterday to work out a deal with the District Attorney's office. Michael Caffery, Lynch's attorney met with members of the DA's staff for 5 minutes. According to Frank Clark, they wanted a precondition to his disclosing the information. The DA said that deal would not happen.

As this case continues to linger on and Marshawn continues to remain silent, his character starts to come into question. I mean, his truck actually hit a human being... yet he remains silent. I know it's his right, but how about doing the RIGHT thing.

Man Up Marshawn, and tell your side! Stop hiding behind your Bills helmet thinking this will all go away. What if it was someone in your family that was hit by someone else's vehicle? I'm sure you would want answers. If you weren't driving the truck, you know who was. Do the right thing.

Brady Bunch of Bad Reporting

2008-06-08T16:48:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure if you're interested, but here's a little Inside the Sportscast issue we dealt with on Saturday night. As we began to prepare the 11pm stories, I saw an Associated Press report about Tom Brady from Patriots minicamp. Heres's what it said:
New England Patriots quarterback Tom
Brady says he is slow and can't jump because of lingering effects of an ankle injury late last season.

Wow. I thought it was pretty important news, that would interest Bills fans. So we put the story in our lineup. About an hour later, I was on nfl.com when I clicked on the Tom Brady story and got a very different take on the condition of Brady's ankle.

New England Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady joked on Saturday about the lingering effects of his ankle injury from late last season.
“The ankle feels great and I’ve been able to do pretty much everything that I normally do," the NFL's Most Valuable Player told Patriots.com following the second day of the three-day mandatory minicamp.

Well it seems the Associated Press story either left out or misinterpreted the fact that Brady was joking about being slow and not able to jump. I not sure how the AP reporter missed that, but later in the night, the AP story was corrected. I chose not to run the story in our 11pm sports because there was no story. Brady is fine, feels good, and the ankle injury is no longer an issue.

I bring this up in case you saw the uncorrected version that ran in many papers and web sites, and thought that the Bills chances of winning the AFC East got better. Sorry. No luck on that.

(Photo of Tom Brady from the Boston Globe)

Why I'm Rooting Against Big Brown

2008-06-06T23:05:00.002-04:00

I wish no ill will on Big Brown, and I know the significance of a Triple Crown Champion. But I just can't bring myself to root for Big Brown in tomorrow's Triple Crown. The reason? I don't want a piece of my own adolescence lost.
I have always been a fan of the great Secretariat (right). In fact, one of the greatest sports moments I've ever enjoyed, was watching Secretariat's final race at Woodbine, in October, 1973. Long time horse racing fans know Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973, the first horse to do so in 25-years. Big Red's victory in the Belmont Stakes was epic, 31-lengths, regarded by many as the greatest feat in horse racing history. And I was among the thousands at Woodbine in October, 1973 to see the horse's final race, in the Canadian International. Although not quite as dominant as Secretariat's run in the Belmont, Eddie Maple guided the horse to a 6-length win over Kennedy Road on a cold, damp day outside Toronto. I still have the two-dollar win ticket I purchased that day (uncashed) that says "Big Red" on the top.
I guess I'm afraid if Big Brown wins tomorrow, people may want to compare that great horse with the horse I consider to be the greatest of all time--Secretariat. I can't stand to see that happen. So I'm hoping another horse in tomorrow's field wins the Belmont.

What do you think? Will you be cheering for Big Brown tomorrow in the Belmont?

Jenn Stuczynski headed to Olympic Trials

2008-06-06T16:46:00.004-04:00

Fredonia's Jenn Stuczynski is gearing up for the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon in early July. She currently holds the American record, in which she broke again 2 weeks ago clearing 16 3/4 feet. She needs a top 3 finish in the trials so she can head to her first Olympic games this summer in China. Baring an injury, it's safe to assume Stuczynski will do just fine in the trials. The qualifying round is July 3rd, and the finals are on July 6th.

Greer's Not Giving Up

2008-06-05T23:00:00.003-04:00

Coaches always say it--"Competition brings out the best.." And in this case, it looks to be true. The Bills have been raving about the play of veteran cornerback Jabari Greer (left) in the three weeks of organized team activity so far.
I noticed it, too, while watching recent practices. After 13 starts last year, Greer seems poised and confident in his ability. And he remains one of the fastest players on the roster.
Some observers may have written Greer off as a starter, after the Bills used their first round draft pick on Leodis McKelvin. But Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell says not so fast.
"This made Jabari Greer compete even more," Fewell said today. "It's not like it's hands down, Leodis McKelvin is the guy. Jabari Greer has really stepped up his game."
The Bills also are keeping an eye on veteran Will James as a contributor at cornerback. If you're asking me, assuming everyone's healthy, McKelvin will probably be the opening day starter at corner opposite Terrence McGee. But look for Greer, James, and maybe even rookie Reggie Corner to get plenty of reps, and plenty of chances to bid for a starting spot, during training camp.

Look for Lakers in Five

2008-06-05T22:50:00.004-04:00

It's great to see these two old NBA rivals go at it for the title. And I remain amazed by this fact--of the 61 NBA titles awarded so far in history, half of them (30) have been won by either the Lakers or the Celtics.
Unfortunately, the glory days for each of these franchises came many years ago. Here's hoping the series is competitive and awakens some of the echoes of Heinsohn and Russell, West and Baylor.
But I'm not sure it will. I think the Lakers have two much firepower in this series, and they have the best player (by far) in Kobe Bryant. A year away from his trade demand, Kobe has strapped the franchise on his back and almost single-handedly led them through the postseason. Kobe has finally found the competitive fire that Michael Jordan had during his Hall of Fame career, and his intensity and focus is rubbing off on his Lakers teammates.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, their best player, Kevin Garnett, has been known to disappear in crunch time. For that reason, I look for the Lakers to win the NBA title in fairly short order--five games.

Marshawn Lynch's Silence

2008-06-04T16:32:00.002-04:00

It's been 4 days since the 2008 Porsche Cayenne that Marshawn Lynch owns struck a woman on Chippewa Street and left the scene of the accident. His vehicle has since been impounded. The woman that was hit suffered large bruises near her hip and needed 7 stitches. Even though she is o.k., it is very disturbing that Lynch has yet to speak to police. It leaves you to wonder if he was in fact behind the wheel, and if he wasn't.. why hasn't he come forward and said who was. He did not report his Cayenne stolen and witnesses have now come forward saying that they did in fact see Lynch in the Chippewa district that night. Since then, police have tried to reach out to Lynch, his attorney and his agent. Yet, he continues to remain silent. It makes you draw your own conclusions, right? The police are now saying that criminal charges will be laid soon against whoever was driving the SUV. The most serious charge would be leaving the scene of an accident — a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by a maximum of one year in jail. It is unlikely that Lynch, if he was driving would receive any jail time. The problem for Lynch is that no matter what the end result is, he has already severly tarnished his image in Buffalo. His silence speaks volumes!

Kennedy signs with Sabres

2008-06-03T12:10:00.002-04:00

South Buffalo's Tim Kennedy has decided to leave Michigan State 1 year early to sign with the Sabres. On Saturday, he inked a 2 year deal that will allow him to attend the teams training camp this fall. He said his goal is to play for the Sabres, but he realizes that there is some heavy competition at forward and he may have to spend some time with their A.H.L. affiliate. Kennedy, a criminal justice major, will continue to work towards getting his degree despite leaving college early. He said he'll take a couple credits this summer, and then take online courses during the fall while he is playing.

Sabres Ticket Revenue

2008-06-02T21:06:00.002-04:00

It's been a couple of months since we had a chance to interview Sabres Owner Tom Golisano in Rochester about the team, and the future of hockey in Buffalo. One point he made that resonated was his insistence that the Sabres not lose money. He said it's not imperative that he make money on the hockey franchise, but he would not tolerate a money-losing proposition.
That came to mind today, when I looked over a list of NHL ticket revnue published by the Toronto Star.
Here's the link:

http://www3.thestar.com/static/PDF/080530_nhl_tickets_revenue.pdf

The fact is, despite all their success on the ice and at the box office in recent years, the Sabres still just barely make the top two-thirds of the league, when it comes to ticket revenue. They take in $750,000 per game, less than half of what the Maple Leafs and Canadiens earn per game. This, of course, is due to ticket prices in Buffalo remaining very low, compared to other NHL markets.
The important point is that the Sabres do operate on a very tight budget. They can sell out the season and still earn less than $31-million dollars for the season from ticket revenue. That leaves them short of the $35-million or so they spent on salaries last year. Of course they get more revenue from merchandising, radio and TV rights, etc. but ticket revenue is the primary source of income for NHL teams.
It's no wonder Golisano and the Sabres downplay expectations of the team becoming big-money players when the free agent market opens in July.

Scott Norwood for Wall of Fame?

2008-06-02T13:55:00.002-04:00

At Jim Kelly's annual golf tournament, there was a lot of talk about Bruce Smith's impending induction onto the Bills Wall of Fame. But Darryl Talley says there needs to be some consideration for honoring Scott Norwood. The team's kicker from 1985-91 ranks among the team's best in all kicking and scoring categories.

"Everybody seems to have forgotten Scott," said the standout linebacker, "if you look back on the early days, we won a lot of games with special teams and him kicking field goals. There's somewhere up there for Scott to be, but nobody wants to acknowledge it. Because he missed a kick? I missed some tackles in that game (Super Bowl XXV), Bruce missed some, Thurman dropped balls, Jim threw interceptions, whatever. Nobody seems to realize that here's a guy who contributed to our team. Here's a guy who made a major contribution to what this organization is about. It just irks me that people forgot."

Much like everything Talley did, he made these comments with passion and intensity.

Do you agree? Is Scott Norwood worthy of the Bills Wall of Fame? Have the feelings about him and the missed kick changed over the years? Please post your comments.

Mixed Martial Arts on CBS

2008-05-31T17:42:00.004-04:00

Mixed martial arts makes its network TV debut on Saturday. It airs on CBS from 9-11pm. I'll admit that I don't know much about the sport. I do know its popular, some say now more than boxing. What is the appeal? Is it just for the young male demographic, or is it more widespread?

Give me some feedback on the sport, and why you like it. Based on what we hear, we'll make a decision whether to show it on our sportscast. Does Kimbo Slice (left) deserve some of our valuable time? Let me hear from you, MMA fans.