Metro WNY Blogs, Buffalo Bills Blogs, Buffalo Sabres Blogs, Buffalo Bulls, Buffalo Bisons, College football, NFL, NHL, MLB, and more! - Sports News and Views

NFL Combine: Dan LeFevour foolish not to throw

nospam@example.com (Matthew Ondesko) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:38:13 -0500

by Charles Roberts, Sports Reporter

The NFL Combine has always been of particular interest to me. For the most part, I am a big fan of the drills the players are put through and think it presents an excellent opportunity for these guys to show what they’re really made of. Granted, the “Pro Day” has a very similar effect, but it’s not the same when you hold it in your own barn, at your own pace.

This leads me to one of the more shocking announcements out of this year’s Combine – that Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour opted (was guided) not to throw at anything other than stationary targets on Sunday. LeFevour had an excellent opportunity to bolster his draft stock by coming out and putting up a decent, at best, performance. Many scouts and draft gurus see him as being the fourth best prospect in this year’s class and what kills me is the three guys ahead of him – Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy were all held out of the passing drills as well. The difference with LeFevour though is he played in a far less-competitive conference which is why despite his gaudy collegiate numbers; he remains fourth in most of the rankings.

Credit LeFevour with running the fastest 40-yard dash time in the quarterback pool (4.67), beating out the likes of what I’m waiting to be announced as the “World’s Most Perfect Human Being,” Tim Tebow. Regardless, all this did was prove he’s an athletic guy with excellent speed for a quarterback – something we already knew.

The underbelly of the whole thing screams cocky agent got in the kid’s ear, which I totally understand in this day and age. But if the bottom line is money, why not step up and jettison yourself ahead of at least one of the three injured “big name” quarterbacks and perhaps land a late first-round pick, thus increasing your rookie contract? Instead it seems as though the LeFevour camp decided they didn’t want to hurt his current projections – which to me is playing not to lose, rather than to win.

It’s a shame that the kid from the small school with the big heart on the football field was advised to let his competitive spirit drown in the sea of money that is professional sports’ politics, rather than potentially siphon some of it into his own pocket the old fashioned way.

Olympics: Miller and Crosby cap epic game, "Owning the Podium", Steve Mesler

nospam@example.com (Matthew Ondesko) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:35:10 -0500

by Mike Haim

The cauldron has been extinguished and all the medals have been distributed. The city of Vancouver might even steadily be returning to a sense of normalcy after Sunday's closing of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Vancouver itself still has the Paralympic Games to look forward to (the event will be held between March 12 & 21), but it will take a long time for the area to get over the epic gold medal hockey game between the United States and Canada.

Sidney Crosby, who scored the winning goal in overtime, has become like a villain in some melodramatic cartoon around here, emerging as a true nemesis to goaltender Ryan Miller. All that's missing is one of those "Snidley Whiplash" moustaches.

Two years ago, Crosby solved Miller in a shootout in the NHL's first Winter Classic. Just a month ago, Sid the Kid netted a hat trick in an eight-minute span against the netminder. Then came Sunday, with Crosby somehow getting a pinpoint shot through from a tough angle after Miller tried to poke the puck away.

For the first two periods of the gold medal match, it seemed as if the game wasn't as high-octane as the one played between the same two teams the previous weekend. But once Canada - clinging to a 2-1 lead - rang two shots off goalposts in the first two minutes of the third period, the intensity of the game markedly ramped up.

Those close calls early in the final regulation period gave many viewers the impression that a U.S. comeback was all but assured, but it wasn't until 24.4 seconds remained - when Zach Parise jammed home the tying goal - that the prophecy was realized.

There's no question about the chasm which exists between the two nations when it comes to international hockey competitions. For Canada, a loss to the Americans would have been a national affront; the victory, giving the Great White North its Olympic-best 14th gold medal, pretty much validated the entire 17-day Olympiad. Here in the U.S., win or lose, the majority of the country would have marveled at the game's intensity and shrugged at the result a day later.

Even with that typical nonchalance, Americans now can be unanimous in recognizing Ryan Miller as a star goaltender. He was outstanding through the entire tournament, as evidenced by the fact that the U.S. team never trailed in any game until the final one. It was known going in: any chance the U.S.A. had of going deep hinged on Miller, but I'm not sure anyone anticipated the kind of performance he gave.

... ... ...

The Canadians were widely ridiculed for their "Own the Podium" manifesto, announced before the games. The goal was simple: win the most medals of any nation. After the first week, it became clear that those ambitions were too lofty.

The U.S. took the final medal race with 37, followed by Germany's 30 and Canada's 26. But in the end, Canada scored 14 gold medals, most of any nation (Germany finished second with 10, while the United States and Norway each had nine).

In a world where we are often reminded that nobody remembers who finishes second (much less third), perhaps the pundits were a little quick to judge. After all, Canada may not have owned the entire podium, but they sure did a nice job of reaching the top step.

... ... ...

While it would have been cool to see local products Patrick Kane and Brooks Orpik win a gold medal for hockey, it was nice to see some attention around town for bobsledder Steve Mesler.

Mesler, a 31-year old Buffalo native, won gold as the pusher for "Team Night Train," the U.S.A.'s #1 quartet. He achieved his dream in his third trip to the Olympics; he was an alternate in 2002 at Salt Lake City and in '06 at Torino was on Todd Hays' team that finished seventh.

Prior to embarking on his bobled quest, he was a decathlete at the University of Florida. He becomes the first Gator to ever win a medal at the Winter Olympics, and achieved further history as part of the first U.S. bobsled team since 1948 to earn gold.

... ... ...

twitter.com/mikehaim

Olympics: Joannie Rochette, hockey synchronicity, speed skating

nospam@example.com (Matthew Ondesko) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:23:52 -0500

By Mike Haim

Perhaps the most compelling story to emerge during the second week of the Vancouver Olympics was the perseverance of Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette.

The Quebec native’s mother, Therese, suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after arriving in Vancouver last weekend. The 24-year old skater decided to continue competing, with the short program looming only a couple of nights later on Tuesday and the decisive long program being held two nights after that.

The big question going into Tuesday was how Rochette would be able to keep her emotions in check and perform on the biggest stage of her career. My question as she came out for her performance was more comparative: would she succumb to the mental pressure like fellow Olympian Dan Jansen in 1988 (who fell in two different speed skating races after learning of his sister’s death) or overcome it like football star Brett Favre (who passed for 399 yards and four touchdowns the night after his father died)?

Rochette did the latter, thrilling the Vancouver crowd with a flawless routine and finally bursting into tears upon finishing. She ranked third going into Thursday’s finals, where she had a minor stumble but still retained her position to win the bronze medal.

“I just went out there and did what my mother would have wanted me to do,” Rochette told CTV after the medal ceremony. “I did this first of all for myself because my mother taught me to think of myself first. She always wanted me to be a strong person.”

After this week, Therese Rochette would indeed be proud.

………

There’s been way too much comparison between this year’s version of the U.S. men’s hockey team and the gold-medal winning 1980 team.

To me, the only similarity is that both entered the tournament as underdogs. Beyond that, there are really no other common elements other than citizenship.

But there was an intriguing bit of synchronicity on Wednesday, when the U.S. team beat Switzerland by a 2-0 score and clinched the win with an empty net goal. Finland earned its way to a semi-final match with the Americans by beating Sweden by an identical 2-0 score which was also iced with an empty-netter.

What made the coincidence even more stunning was that 30 years ago on that same day, the U.S.A. team won its gold medal by beating – you guessed it - Finland. The final score in that 1980 game, however, was 4-2, and the game was won with all scoring coming against a goaltender.

Friday, the U.S.A. earned its way to this year’s goal medal game with a 6-1 trouncing of the Finns while Canada had to hold on for a 3-2 victory over a late-rallying Slovakian team.

………

One of the most peculiar sights these last few days occurred on the speed skating track Tuesday, when the world’s top racer at the 10,000 meter length, Sven Kramer of the Netherlands, was disqualified after he heeded his coach and botched a lane change.

Kramer has won three straight world championships and is the world record holder at 10,000 meters. He is the dominant figure from a country where speed skating is a national sport.

The error occurred with eight laps remaining. Coach Gerard Kemkers thought Kramer needed to make a lane change and emphatically waved his arms to express that idea. Kramer hesitated a bit then moved inside, but officials notified him of his mistake at the end of the race.

Kramer was understandably upset but a day later indicated that he would continue to work with Kemkers, under whom he had been undefeated in a four-year span.

………

www.twitter.com/mikehaim

Tiger Woods’ press conference & Ryan Miller enfuego

nospam@example.com (Matthew Ondesko) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:52:34 -0500

By Charles Roberts, Sports Reporter

-There was no way I wasn’t tuning in this past Friday at 11 a.m. to see Tiger Woods’ press conference…I mean captive speech. The reason I say there is no way I wasn’t tuning in, is one way or another – I knew I would see it, as television has a proclivity (perhaps, borderline obsession) with streaming this guy’s every move. Frankly, it was 15 minutes of my life that I wish I had back. Here’s a guy who leads a more pampered lifestyle than any of us, reading before a group of selected friends, family and media. What a joke.

I do honestly believe that Woods is sorry for his actions - perhaps even to an extent that none of us can fully understand. I have spent a good portion of my writing career around professional athletes. Being in and around their age and having seen a few of the guys I’ve interviewed out and about (so to speak), I know as well as any that these guys (professional athletes of any kind, really) have virtually an unlimited resource of readily available women. It comes with the territory. They’re young, tremendously wealthy, physically fit and famous.

What angers me about Woods is simply the fact that life in general has become so staged, so strategic and so insincere that we had to suffer through listening to him go through such obvious motions. And for what, so we can “accept him” again? Is there anyone out there that expected Woods to go up there and talk about how much fun he had? Of course not. You knew an apology with an occasional tear was forthcoming.

I understand that temptation is more than plentiful to a man of Woods’ magnitude. I also understand, again, that many athletes fall to said temptation. This is the society we have created for them, sadly. Like any business, the sports industry has a lot of classy folks and others that, well, are simply good at their job with otherwise poor decision making skills when it comes to life as a whole. Some play by the rules, others don’t. The main difference with sports is there are lights, cameras and millions of people tuning in, hoping the guy they enjoy cheering for is equally as cool and collected off the field. Unfortunately, this just isn’t always the case.

I only wish we could move on, get off Woods’ back, let him sort out his life with his wife on their own terms and finally, let him get back to doing what he does for a living – PLAYING GOLF.

-About a week before the first puck dropped for men’s hockey in the Olympic games, I wrote a pretty generalized piece, discussing the US team’s youth transformation and that their chances essentially boiled down to goaltender Ryan Miller’s ability to handle a heavy workload. I got a bit of negative feedback, with much of it being directed toward Miller. Well, if Miller himself happened to have come across some of the comments, he certainly took it to heart. Sporting his collegiate No. 39, he brought nothing short of his A-game on perhaps the winter game’s grandest stage to date. The lengthy net-minder fought off heavy traffic in front of the net, took quite a bit of physical abuse and most importantly – silenced 42 of the 45 whistling shots Canada fired at him.

I still see Team USA as being somewhat of an underdog, as they simply cannot afford to be out-shot the way they were on Sunday on a regular basis. And that’s not a slam on Miller. It’s not every day you beat a sure Hall-of-Famer like Martin Brodeur to the tune of four goals on a mere 22 shots. This was a huge win for the guys from south of the border, but they will certainly need to step up the tempo in both the offensive and defensive ends if their dreams of Olympic grandeur are to come true.

Olympics: Super Sunday, cauldron antics, curling

nospam@example.com (Matthew Ondesko) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:28:18 -0500

By Mike Haim

The anticipation built as the hours steadily ticked away Sunday afternoon, making the day feel eerily similar to a Super Bowl.

When it came to Olympic viewing, Sunday was the day to put bobsled, alpine skiing, speed skating, and curling on the back burner. Those events may have been on, but it was merely for noise. This day was all about hockey, despite NBC’s misguided decision to keep the main event – U.S.A.-Canada - off their main network in favor of ice dancing (or as they called it, “the hottest event of the Olympics”).

Watching Russia score a 4-2 victory over the Czech Republic in an afternoon affair was gripping enough, but it was merely a precursor to this continent’s most anticipated Olympic preliminary game.

The U.S.A.’s epic 5-3 upset of their northern neighbor had to be especially pride-inducing for Buffalo Sabres fans marveling at Ryan Miller’s 42-save performance. Regardless of the result, which may still have Canadians in a despondent state, the game was a classic and more than lived up to the anticipation established when the schedule was first released.

MSNBC, the “designated hitter” American cable network carrying the game, was a foolish hype machine afterwards, trying to compare the upset to the one scored by the 1980 U.S. team of amateurs against the Soviet empire. Granted, Canadians are quick to remind that they could field a second Olympic team better than that of most countries, but having a team of NHL all-stars beat another should not be totally unexpected.

The late-night game, Sweden’s 3-0 win over Finland in a rematch of the 2006 gold medal game, was the most lopsided, with Henrik Lundqvist notching the shutout while most viewers around here were safely tucked in bed.

All three contests were basically All-Star games with checking and genuine passion. Despite NBC’s lack of respect (especially galling for the network which carries NHL games), it was a day to behold.

………

My dad used to say that on soap operas, it would take two weeks to close a door. At these Olympic games, it might take that long before organizers finally get their cauldron soap opera resolved.

If they do, it’ll be just in time for the closing ceremonies this Sunday.

The Vancouver committee really dropped the ball when they decided to place the public flame on the city’s northern waterfront, beside the media center but tucked away from constant view.

Olympic cauldrons are by nature a beacon for the games, something that constantly reminds everyone in town that something special’s going on.

To further insult the public, people couldn’t get within shouting distance of it, and once they did were met by fences covered with fabric. After some folks tore down the fabric, organizers moved the fence closer and even cut a slot into it to accommodate picture-taking.

Later, a plexiglass barrier was built so people could have clearer photos of themselves in front of the flame. Also, an elevated observation area was established across the street, and people are waiting in line longer for a viewing opportunity than to sample the city’s fabled Japadog street cuisine.

………

It seems like every time I stumble across an Olympic curling match, it’s in a late end with a close score. It has made for some gripping viewing.

I established an affinity for curling while a boy, watching matches on CBC every Saturday afternoon. So seeing this version of “chess meets shuffleboard on ice” hasn’t required a quick tutorial on the game’s rules.

There’s been a variety of amazing shots, including several where a rock has been fit through the tightest spot between an opponent’s blockers. It seems as if nobody has missed in the clutch.

On a more aesthetic note, the Norwegian men’s team has shown its character by wearing garish uniforms and among the women, Canadian skip Cheryl Bernard has become a veritable national celebrity while drawing the attention of a large number of male viewers who previously weren’t drawn to the sport.

………

www.twitter.com/mikehaim

How The Tiger Woods Story Could Change Sports Coverage Forever

nospam@example.com (Joe Pinzone) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:28:16 -0500

By Joe Pinzone

It was October 5th, 1995. I was a sophomore in high school and at around 1:15pm, our teacher decided to stop teaching. She decided to turn on the TV and we all began to watch the OJ Simpson verdict. This wasn't the only classroom that decided to change the lesson plan for the day. All the classrooms were filled with teachers and students whose eyes were glued to the television set. It's was definitely a surreal feeling. Pretty much all the guys were rooting for OJ, while the ladies wanted justice to prevail. It was definitely a diverse viewing party (Diverse being the key for this article).

Finally, around 2pm, the verdict was read. Not guilty. The guys all cheered and the girls gave all of us dirty looks. I can remember my teacher being so enraged that she yelled "s$#t" and walked out of the classroom while slamming the door shut. I didn't know then, but we had just witnessed a media phenomenon. More importantly we witnessed a changing of the guard in media coverage.

Prior to the OJ Case, the only time I can remember an athlete getting in as much hot water was when Mike Tyson was convicted of rape in 1992. Heck, the only coverage of the story consisted of Charlie Steiner sitting in a lobby outside of the courtroom discussing the case. I'm sure if that case took place today we would be seeing interviews with Dr. Phil.

The OJ case broke barriers. It became the poster child of what the media has become today. The monster ratings of the trial led to sports outlets covering athletes beyond the field. If an athlete is arrested for beating their spouse or bringing an illegal firearm to the club, it is going to make the top of Sportscenter. The key word in that statement is "arrested."

Flash forward to the Tiger Woods saga and it's as if athletes getting arrested has become passe. The media coverage surrounding the scandal has ranked between being overwhelming to down right pathetic. Do I really need to turn on ESPN and see a sexologist or psychologist? Sorry, but I don't think anyone that has the word "ologist" in their title should be seen on any sports program.

Then we get some some girl, who's known as a body language expert, say that Tiger isn't sincere because he didn't move his eyebrows. Seriously? That's what you went to college for? So you can tell me that someone is lying because their eyebrows aren't moving? What if Tiger's eyebrows were like Martin Scorsese's? Heck, Marty has the bushiest eyebrows I've ever seen. Those eyebrows could move a sailboat. What if Tiger plucked his eyebrows? Would it make it harder to see them move?

Then to top it off, I get Mike Tirico telling me that everyone will remember where they were sitting when Tiger Woods made his statement just like people did when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Huh? You're going to tell me that Armstrong walking on the moon is as big of an event as Tiger moonlighting with other women? Please.

Don't let all these ESPN reporters fool you with their kissing of Tiger's butt for making such a "tough" speech. That's all being said so that reporters can get the first exclusive interview with Tiger when he returns to golf. That's why ESPN has people from TMZ and sexologists chastising Tiger for his lack of conviction in his statement.

Look, I've already made it clear that I don't care what athletes do in the spare time. I especially don't care if it's something as stupid as cheating on your wife. Ask any legit sports fan and the majority will tell you the same. However, even though we don't care, we're still going to watch. Sports fans are the biggest marks out there.

There's a reason why ESPN broadcasts the NFL 24/7. It's because we will watch anything associated with football. It won't matter how minuscule the sports coverage is, because we just love to watch sports. Since sports fans are such marks ESPN really doesn't care how they get our attention. We are always going to watch sports no mater what they put in front of us. However, ESPN's coverage isn't just about getting ratings, it's about getting a diverse viewership.

That teacher, who ran out of my classroom when the OJ verdict was read wouldn't be caught dead watching anything from ESPN. Those girls who were giving the guys dirty looks for cheering wouldn't even know who OJ Simpson played for.

What makes the Tiger Woods saga must see TV is that it attracts a broader audience. Those soccer moms who read US Weekly in the grocery checkout line are going to tune in. When you get a diverse audience it means that different businesses will want to advertise on your channel. Now ESPN can get women's products like Olay or Pantene shampoo to pay for commercials.

It's still to early to know how well Tiger's statement did in the ratings. I'm sure they are going to be quite high. If Tiger's coverage brought in a boatload of new viewers does that mean ESPN is going to start covering other infidelities of athletes? Are we going to have Derek Jeter's nightlife scrutinized on ESPN with Jeremy Schaap wondering if he's fit to get married? Is ESPN going to air their version of TMZ for jocks? When does it all end?

Viewers and network heads love a good scandal. Since the OJ trial it usually ends up being three or four athletes a year that are involved in a major scandal (non-sports related). However, I'm willing to bet that more athletes have cheated on their wives than have been arrested for murder. The Tiger Woods saga may be just the tip of the iceberg as far as covering an athlete's personal affairs. Don't be surprised if down the road ESPN stars reporting more stories on sex, lies and videotape.

Read more of Joe at Joe in NYC

Olympics: ice problems, a gold medal night, Johnny Weir

nospam@example.com (Matthew Ondesko) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:47:07 -0500

by Mike Haim

Many people, when reaching for a tissue, still say they’re using a “Kleenex.” Some folks still think they go to a copier to make a “Xerox.” But if we learned anything this past week, every ice resurfacer is not necessarily a “Zamboni.”

Two consecutive days of the speed-skating competition were delayed when an Olympia resurfacing machine malfunctioned, leaving a mess of the Richmond Oval rink. (Olympia is an official “friend of the games” sponsor.)

Since speed-skating rinks require a special kind of machine, the call went out to bring in another one. The closest appropriate machine was one made by Zamboni but located in Calgary, over 400 miles away.

On Wednesday, fans kept busy by taking pictures of machines by Zamboni and Olympia driving side-by-side to perform a flawless scrape.

As much as the Zamboni company probably likes its name being synonymous with ice resurfacing machines, it reminded the public on its website that many reports about the malfunctioning Olympia unit used the wrong name.

………

Wednesday night proved to be a great night for even the least-patriotic American.

While I don’t put myself into the “flag-waving” category, I still found myself caught up in the accomplishments of downhill skier Lindsay Vonn, speed-skater Shani Davis, and snowboarder Shawn White.

None of the three fell into the category of surprise winners, and it was also no shock to see them handle their post-event interviews with telegenic ease. White and Vonn should have no problem building on their raft of endorsement deals, and Davis should see an increased amount of offers coming his way.

I still miss the days of unknown athletes becoming household names at the Olympics. But for a trio of experienced athletes who were expected to win their events, it seemed as if all of them treated the gold medal as anything but a given.

Vonn’s open displays of emotion following her win and during the medal ceremonies, without a hint of annoying “USA #1” blather, was most refreshing.

……...

I’m still scratching my head about the phenomenon known as Johnny Weir.

The U.S. figure skater finished sixth in the men’s competition, one rung lower than his placement at the 2006 Torino games.

The 25-year old is a game competitor, and I especially love the idea of him performing his turns in the opposite direction, tweaking the sport’s stodgy traditionalists.

But when it comes to flamboyance, something for which I have a high tolerance, I actually find his act rather creepy.

Over the years, many athletes have earned reputations as “characters” because of an outgoing personality and an ability to turn a good quip. Weir seems to go so far out of his way to be “different” that it often comes across as if every aspect of his life is choreographed for maximum shock value.

………

It’s come to be expected for Olympic teams to utilize increasingly advanced technologies to gain a competitive edge, but the U.S. Olympic Committee may have found one of the best yet.

The committee’s high-performance division brought two Slingbox units to Vancouver to relay feeds of television footage to athletes and coaches.

(For those unfamiliar, the Slingbox enables a subscriber to transfer a cable TV signal to a portable device, like a computer or iPhone.)

With the technology, skiers, lugers, and bobsledders can review their latest performance on a mobile device before making their next run. If the experiment proves to be successful, look for Slingbox to become an official partner to future U.S. Olympic teams.

………

You’ve got to hand it to Shaone Morrisonn, the Washington Capitals defenseman who happens to have two homes in the Vancouver area.

Aware of hotels being booked years in advance of the Olympics at exorbitant prices, Morrisonn found a Japanese family willing to rent his West Vancouver townhouse for three weeks at $1,100 per night.

That’s a nice side income for Morrisonn, who already earns nearly $2 million at the day job. He was planning on spending the NHL’s Olympic break at his other home in Kitsilano, which is across the Burrard Inlet from West Vancouver.

………

www.twitter.com/mikehaim

Olympics: Luge Tragedy, Opening Ceremonies, Going Green

nospam@example.com (Matthew Ondesko) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:30:44 -0500

By Mike Haim

It’s hard to imagine if any Olympic games – summer or winter – ever had to endure as rough a first day as Vancouver did when its games got underway last weekend.

The tragic death of Georgian slider Nodar Kumaritashvili during a practice run for the luge competition on Friday – before the opening ceremonies - turned joyful anticipation into mournful reflection of a simple fact: some sports are called “death-defying” for a reason.

The design of the Vancouver track made it perhaps the fastest in the world, but also the most dangerous. The world’s top slider, defending gold medalist Armin Zoeggler from Germany, wiped out earlier in the practice session.

In an effort to avoid another tragedy, the track was shortened for Saturday’s competition and the short wall, over which Kumaritashvili was catapulted, was heightened. In the end, though, it raises a question of whether the area should have been reinforced from the beginning. Now it’s too late to find out.

………

Since I was a kid, I’ve been drawn to the pomp and pageantry of Olympic opening ceremoniesopening ceremonies. Friday’s were no exception, and left me with several thoughts:

- I was impressed by 16-year old jazz vocalist Nikki Yanofsky’s rendition of ‘O Canada.’ I wouldn’t want to hear her “slowed-down then revved-up” version before an NHL game, but the elements of pop and jazz she added were perfect for this setting.

- The Parade of Nations, a geography fan’s treat, had several intriguing aspects. I loved seeing the 18 countries that had one athlete, including those from places that never get snow (like Cayman Islands, Ethiopia, and Ghana). I also got shivers watching the Georgian delegation honor their fallen athlete by marching with somber faces, black armbands, and a black ribbon attached to the flag. I didn’t like the fact that NBC had a small graphic detailing each country’s location in comparison to the United States. It would have made more sense to compare the geography to Vancouver, but there are probably still thousands (if not millions) of American viewers who still couldn’t locate Vancouver without using Google Earth (or for the older set, a trip to AAA).

- There were many occasions where I had to convince myself that the opening was being held indoors. The gentle falling of fake snow from the rafters, along with having spectators wear white, added a much-needed reminder that these are “winter” games, contrary to the rainy conditions which prevailed outside of B.C. Place.

- Rain was most evident during Wayne Gretzky’s trek to light the outdoor cauldron, the official receptacle which reminds everyone in Vancouver that the Olympics are underway. The indoor version of the cauldron lighting featured a hydraulic malfunction, a pretty significant glitch. I’ve always thought if something small goes wrong and nobody notices, it’s no big deal. Having only three-fourths of a cauldron appear at the most significant part of the ceremonies was pretty bad.

………

Organizers have tried to make the Vancouver games more environmentally conscious than any of its predecessors.

One example is at the Richmond Olympic Oval, where speed skating events are being held. The roof of the facility is made from salvaged wood which was damaged by a pine-beetle infestation. The venue also has a system where rainwater is collected and used to supplement toilet flushing and irrigation of nearby trees and landscaping.

Perhaps the neatest initiative, though, is using gold, silver, and copper from recycled electronics within the medals being awarded. And the podiums upon which the athletes will receive their medals are constructed from over 200 pieces of precision-cut lumber from British Columbia forests.

………

I don’t remember watching it during its debut in the 2006 games in Torino, but I really enjoyed the “snowboard cross” event at these games. While I’m reluctant to embrace events which became popular because of ESPN’s X-Games, there’s an interesting combination of speed, acrobatics, and strategy which makes these motocross-on-snowboard races really compelling.

It’s obvious that the addition of snowboarding to the Olympics has drawn a younger audience to an otherwise traditional event schedule. But if folks like me are flipping between Canadian and American coverage to see as much of it as possible, that’s a testament to the wisdom of Olympic organizers for heeding modern trends and setting them loose for a wider crowd to see.

………

www.twitter.com/mikehaim

Catipovic signs with Niagara

nospam@example.com (Matthew Ondesko) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:17:07 -0500

Bre Catipovic will be taking her talent to Niagara next season. Jeff Barnes/Metro Source.

by Matthew Ondesko, Associate Editor

She was a three-time first team selection to the All-Metro team and the 2008 Metro Player of the Year while playing soccer for the Thunder of Mt. St. Mary Academy.

She set the all-time scoring mark at MSM.

Now, Breanna Catipovic will take her scoring ability to Niagara University as she recently signed her letter of intent.

It’s a culmination of four years of hard work and while other schools, like Canisius and the University at Buffalo, were trying to get recruit her services Catipovic felt Niagara was the perfect fit.

“It wasn’t really (a hard decision),” stated Catipovic. “I knew I wanted to go to Niagara. It just felt right when I went there. When I went to Canisius, I just didn’t get a feeling. When I went to Niagara I did.”

In recent years, Niagara has cornered the market on Buffalo talent – keeping a lot of the better soccer players in the area at home.

That local talent has produced of late as Niagara reached the finals of the MACC tournament – before falling to Loyola, 3-2.

“It’s nice that I am going to know some of the girls,” stated Catipovic. “But, it doesn’t make a difference.”

What will make a difference is her play. If you have never seen Catipovic in action – you’ve been missing something special.

Catipovic has been one of the more gifted players in Western New York girls’ soccer the past four years.

When Catipovic stepped on the pitch you knew something special was going to happen.

She could easily take over a game with her speed. It seemed the only team that could slow her down at times was rival Nichols, but even the Vikings had trouble.

She constantly endured double teams, but yet found away to score three or four goals a game.

Even though she was in high school, her game has always been tailored for college.

Some might have thought she was bored out there at time – but that was never the case.

“I was never bored,” she said. “It was just fun to play, whoever the competition was. Whether is was against harder competition or not so hard competition it was just fun.”

And while she was the one of the most dominating players in high school, she still knows the transition to college will be tough.

“I expect to have a tough time,” explained Catipovic. “I mean the competition is much greater than high school. I’m just trying to prepare for it.”

It’s not easy sometimes for high school stars to make the transition to college. The rigors of everyday life sometimes get in the way.

It takes a special person to become a dominant player in college.

Bre Catipovic has the chance to become that dominant player with her work ethic and love for the game.

Buffalo Bills & Sabres Thoughts: The Trade deadline & The Draft

nospam@example.com (Joe Pinzone) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:41:00 -0500

By: Joe Pinzone

Here we go with the Sabres brainwashing campaign against making trades. We all know that the Toronto Maple Leafs were wheeling and dealing this weekend with acquiring Dion Phaneuf and Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Look, obviously we have no clue who got the better of the deals, and the Maple Leafs would have to go on a hell of a run to even make the playoffs.

But the Sabres and their watch dogs are already on the prowl with saying that the Leafs gave up a ton for Phaneuf and Giguere. Look, I know that Giguere has struggled, but he was pretty good two years ago. But the biggest key to the Giguere deal is that he's an upgrade over Vesa Toskala. As for Phaneuf, he's only one of the best offensive defenseman in the NHL.

This isn't the first or last time that Sabres apologists have said "it's the end of the world" when it comes to trading. I keep hearing Kathy Bates character in the "Water Boy," where she says that "Foosball is de Devil" to Adam Sandler. Which is how I would compare the Sabres reactions to NHL teams trading during the regular season. I'm still waiting for someone to send me a multi-player deal from the last five years where a team was burned by giving up prospects for a star player. Sorry, but the Eric Lindros trade doesn't count anymore.

I've said this before, the Sabres need to make a deal for a playmaking center or defensmen. I know that most Sabres apologists are saying, "Bro, the Sabres are fine, man. They can beat anyone in the east." That may be true now, but don't think for one second that the Penguins or Capitals won't try to get better at the deadline.

================================================

Look, I hate the NFL Draft. I think it's the most over-hyped event in all of sports. I understand that the draft builds your team for the future, but having experts grade drafts even before a player walks out on the NFL field is a joke. I remember in 2002, when all the experts gave the Bills an A- for their draft. That was the draft where Mike Williams and Josh Reed were picked.

With that being said, I have to agree with the experts on their thoughts on Tim Tebow. I don't want to knock the guy before he ever puts on an NFL uniform, but I wouldn't want the guy. There's just way too many red flags about him.

When you hear these words: Slow release, bad footwork, lack of arm strength, and a project. It just doesn't really enhance my confidence. Now it's possible for him to cure all of these bad mechanics over the next couple of years. However, what scares me the most is how he's been exclusively in the shotgun for all of his years in college. That's a big red flag for me. You have to learn to see the field under center and hearing how he fumbled a number of snaps at Senior Bowl practice last week isn't a good thing. He also didn't help his stock with his performance at the Senior Bowl on Saturday either.

Look, I get that Tebow is probably the greatest college football player of all time. But so was Ty Detmer and Charlie Ward. I know he's a leader and a blue-collar (hate that word) type player that would probably captivate Bills fans. But he's not the guy that the Bills should develop for the future. Now if Tebow falls to the 4th or 5th round, I'm down for drafting him as a wildcat quarterback, like the Dolphins did for Pat White.

================================================

As far as my draft strategy for the Bills goes, I've always been a big fan of teams trading down. The Bills have a number of needs for their team and I think this is the time to try to stockpile picks. Heck, if Buddy Nix's resume is comprised of all these great draft picks he helped make in San Diego, then the team should give him as many picks as possible.

Fans have to realize that the Chargers were built not only through drafting, but though trading down. They traded the first overall pick in 2001 and 2004 to gain extra picks, which set the foundation for the team's competitiveness for years to come.

================================================

I'm still not sure what the Bills should do with their first pick. Part of me wants them to draft an offensive tackle, but I don't think they will because they traded Jason Peters last year after refusing to pay him. So why would they draft and pay for a unproven LT, when they already had Peters.

You could always draft a quarterback in the first round, but history has proven that you can find a stellar quarterback in the later rounds (Hell, "Double G" was jumping up and down for the Bills to draft Drew Brees in the second round), the big question is do the Bills have the scouts who can find that diamond in the rough?

As of today, I'm going to go with drafting a linebacker. Even if the Bills don't go to a 3-4 defense, they need to address their linebacking core. In the last 10 years, The Bills have only drafted one linebacker within the first two rounds. The Bills need a linebacker who can go east to west and can be adequate in pass coverage. I've already stated that I'm not a big fan of Poz, whose shortcomings have outweighed his pros. But maybe if Poz gets a little help, I may change my tune on him. Either way, the Bills have a ton of holes on their roster.

Read more of Joe at Joe in NYC

Buffalo Sports Report: Woodson's remarks about Bills & Sabres Connolly Point Streak

nospam@example.com (Joe Pinzone) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:35:37 -0500

By: Joe Pinzone

USA, USA, USA...MVP, MVP, MVP...Any chant will justify how well Ryan Miller has played this season. Just when I was thinking maybe Miller was slowing down, he puts in an outstanding effort against the Devils. He kept the Buffalo Sabres in the game and when he had to come up big in the shootout, he stoned walled the Devils. It's good to see him hopefully snap out of his shootout funk. Can you imagine where the Buffalo Sabres would be without the guy?

==============================================

Now that Tim Connolly's point streak has come to an end, it's going to be interesting to see what happens next. We all know Connolly is as streaky as they come. History shows whenever he unloads on one of his point streaks, he always seems to crash down to earth afterwards. I'm curious to see how much of this point streak onslaught was a result of Connolly being upset that he wasn't on Team USA. Motivation seems to be the key to Connolly's game because when he believes in his shot and ability, he's the Sabres best offensive player. I can only hope he keeps some of it up because the Sabres need all the scoring they can get.

===============================================

Just when I put up the post that it wouldn't shock me if the Buffalo Bills didn't name a replacement for John Guy, Buddy Nix seemed to second the notion in TBN yesterday.

"I think we're in good shape right now," Nix said. "There is a chance that later on we might hire somebody, but we got some very qualified guys in there who have been doing it with John, and they know how. We'll continue like we're going." (Source: The Buffalo News)

So much for Ralph Wilson using that 10 million dollars he was going to spend on Cowher. Like I said before, the Buffalo Bills will always look for ways to save money. How does that soundbite from November sound now, when Ralph Wilson said "money is no object for me, and if you think I'm cheap, you're looking down the wrong street."

Well, I can tell you that it's not Wall Street you're looking down. Yeah, nothing like selling hope and when you get to the register to checkout, you run away and sneak out the back door.

Sorry, but I don't want Guy's understudies doing his job. Why? Because they LEARNED from John Guy. It also looks like Tom Modrak is staying put, which shouldn't shock anyone because he's the one that hired Buddy Nix in the first place. What exactly does Tom Modrak put on his resume? "Um, well...I orchestrated the drafting of Mike Williams, Josh Reed and JP Losman, but somehow was able to kiss Mr. Wilson's butt and make him think that it was all on Tom Donahoe. Then I drafted such greats as John McCargo, Donte Whitner and Aaron Maybin. Yeah...um..I guess I work hard." Only at One Bills Drive.

Of course if the Buffalo Bills sign Mike Vick everyone will forget about the team's inability to fix their front office problems.

=================================================

-We all know that at this time of year, Buffalo Bills fans start flashbacking to the Super Bowl years. Yes, it's an hard pill to swallow. I had a bit of a flashback myself yesterday when former Dallas Cowboys safety Darren Woodson spoke about his experiences from his super bowl week.

*“As much as everyone talked about how much experience the Bills had back then, they partied harder than any other team. That’s all we heard about the entire week in L.A"., the ( Dallas Cowboys) first Super Bowl.

*“They (Buffalo Bills players) were out Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Couple guys got into altercations in the clubs, older, veteran guys with the Bills.

*“Experience doesn’t mean that much, it’s all about leadership. There’s a reason they (Bills) lost four Super Bowls. They partied harder than any other team.” (*Source: Sports by Brooks)

Ah yes, the stories that we have all heard, from Darryl Talley fighting with Magic Johnson's bodyguard to Jim Kelly judging bikini contests.

I still think that the Bills should have won Super Bowl XXV, but were severely outcoached by Bill Parcells and were too young and immature for that stage. I could give you a laundry list of what went wrong in that Super Bowl, even before I get to Norwood's miss.

As for the other three Super Bowls, the Bills could have stayed at a Nun's convent and watched "Field of Dreams" and they still would have lost to the superior Redskins and Cowboys teams. Those teams were loaded and were physically and mentally sharper than the Bills.

Read more of Joe at Joe in NYC

Buffalo Sports Thoughts: Buffalo Bills & Buffalo Sabres

nospam@example.com (Joe Pinzone) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:51:23 -0500

By: Joe Pinzone

It's nothing like pillaging through the coaching staffs of the Kansas City Chiefs and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. What doesn't say winning tradition like being the Georgia Bulldogs b#tch and winning six games in the last two years. Yup, that's Chan Gailey's new coaching staff. The Buffalo Bills announced the hiring of five new coaches, four of them having ties to the great Kansas City Chiefs team of 2008, that happen to go 2-14.

Yeah, so much for the Bills scaling the NFL world, looking for the best guy for the job. But should it really surprise us that their assistant coaching search resembles their quest for a GM and coach? Actually, I shouldn't include the GM search because all the Buffalo Bills did was look down the hallway, instead of going outside of Buffalo.

I mean we all knew that Ralph Wilson talks about how envious he was of the late Lamar Hunt, but I didn't know he felt the same way about the coaching staff there. I'm also wondering how you can name your kid, Giff Smith.

---------------------------------------------------

-Look, I'm not asking for the Bills to go out and sign Jim Fassel or Jim Hasslett as your coordinators (Even though that would be fine in my book), but if you are going to promote assistant coaches, why not go to teams that have had success and promote their quarterbacks coach to OC or their D-line coach to defensive coordinator. To bring in the winning tradition of the Kansas City Chiefs horrific teams isn't exactly installing confidence in me.

---------------------------------------------------

Buffalo Sports Daily is reporting that it looks as if the Bills are going to be scrapping the 4-3 defense for a 3-4. I've made my thoughts clear on the move, people are acting as if the 3-4 represents this new wave defense that's never been seen before. Sorry, but when you read reports that the Bills personnel is least suited to run a 3-4 defense in the NFL, it kind of tells me that maybe they should stay put and just get a better scheme and find a legit linebacker or two.

In order to run a 3-4, you need to have a lot of depth at linebacker. Um, yeah....Keith Ellison, Chris Draft and John DiGiorgio aren't reminding me of the Steelers linebacking core. Not only do you have issues with your linebackers, but you would play your defensive tackles (who I think are the strongest part of your front seven) out of position. Allen Wilson said that Marcus Stroud was laughing his ass off when asked if he thought he could play nose tackle.

If the transition takes place, it will remind me of what happen in 2001 for the Bills. Greg Williams inherited a 3-4 defense that had finished 4th in the NFL, but was hell bent on inserting his 4-3 defense. The Bills cut a number of players like Sam Rogers, John Holecek and Henry Jones because they couldn't fit in the 4-3. The Bills defense tanked the first two years under Williams, until they were able to sign Spikes, Milloy and Adams to turn the defense around. You see, it's about finding players, not formations.

---------------------------------------------------

What's up with the Buffalo Bills and the local media's relationship? First, you get the Bills hiring Chan Gailey, which no one saw in the press coming until the day before he was hired. Then you get the John Guy firing announced before midnight. Then it takes you almost five days for the Bills to confirm the hiring of their offensive coordinator. It seems like the Bills are doing their best Oakland Raiders version of dealing with the press core by not announcing anything. It's not only a disservice to the press, but to Bills fans who want to know what the hell is going on with their team.

---------------------------------------------------

John Clayton said on ESPN.com that it wouldn't shock him if the Bills decided to give Trent Edwards another crack at the starting job. Um, NO! Sorry, but when you teammates lose confidence in you and you can't complete a pass of more than two yards, then you're not a starter in this league. If you want to look for a reason why the Bills would give Edwards another chance, it starts with Ralph Wilson. Wilson, who by all accounts was behind the drafting of Edwards, is probably hell bent on proving that his archaic football mind is superior. Bottom Line: Edwards needs to get lost.

---------------------------------------------------

I can already hear the Sabres apologists say that if the team loses tonight against the Devils they are going to blame it on the jet leg. Sorry, but everyone has to fly in the NHL and if you're on a four game losing streak, you need to put the frequent flyer miles behind you and put your best effort forward. It's not like the Sabres are going to need their legs in this one, they are playing the Devils and their boring offensive style.

Read more of Joe at Joe in NYC

Buffalo NY Sports Casts Are Downright Pathetic

nospam@example.com (Joe Pinzone) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:08:38 -0500

By: Joe Pinzone

I've been in quite a few of the Buffalo News chats where reporters have taken issue with fans calling out the media for not asking tough questions. I do feel that the reporters at the News do a decent job in asking tough questions and writing columns that aren't kissing any of the sports teams' butts. However, I understand where a lot of the criticism comes from.

While I was home for Christmas, I made it a nightly occurrence to watch the local sportscast. Alan Pergament stole a little bit of my thunder in an article yesterday in the paper, but the local TV sportscasts are a complete disaster.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that you only have about 3-4 minutes to do sports and the downsizing of sportscasts in the country is very alarming, but you can make the most of your time.

For instance, Channel 4 and 7 both have half-hour shows on Sunday night dedicated to the Buffalo sports scene. If you're hoping to tune in to hear some hard hitting opinions of the Buffalo Bills or Buffalo Sabres organization, you may as well go to a bar or read my blog. Not only did any of these anchors not have an opinion about the Chan Gailey or Buddy Nix hiring on their shows, but they talked local sports for about 10 minutes and then went on to talk about the the remaining NFL playoffs.

Um, sorry, but I don't care what John Murphy or Jeff Russo think about the Jets chances in the playoffs. I'd rather hear what they have to think about Chan Gailey. If they're running out of material to talk about then bring in another media member or a player into the show.

Now if or when they decide to make an opinion about the Buffalo Bills, you can only take it with a grain of salt because of their stations ties with the Bills. To me, John Murphy doing play-by-play and Channel 7 being the "official station of the Bills" is nothing more than a conflict of interest.

As for Channel 2, I have to agree with Pergament on his claims that Ed Kilgore should have aired his opinion of the Buffalo Bills coaching news on TV. But honestly, what the hell was Ed going to say? His opinion about the Bills over the years have been more optimistic than people who think both political parties will agree on a health care plan. Sorry, but optimism went out the door with this franchise around 2006.

Bottom line is this, it's 2010 and journalism has changed. Yes, it's about being unbiased and stating the facts, but in a sports town that has no regional sports channel and ESPN thinking Buffalo is in Canada, the public wants to hear your takes.

What radio needs
You want to know what the greatest sports radio show in Buffalo was? No, it wasn't the actor's draft. It was WNSA's Sharp Shooters with Howard Simon, Jim Kelley and Mike Robiatille. What made the show so great was that you had the hot stove views from Kelley and the player's perspective from Mike Robiatille.

I just think that some of the former athletes who come on the radio just don't really have much to say. I'm sorry, but when Thurman Thomas or Jim Kelly go on WGR, they just spue out optimism and I can't take them seriously because of their ties with the Bills. Hell, I'm still waiting for Thurman Thomas to tell me what gift Bills' fans were suppose to get under their tree regarding the coaching search. Even Ruben Brown on Riter Radio, who seems like a great guy, but after listening, I feel like I haven't learned anything.

Now look, I'm very critical of ex-athletes on the radio or television, because they have those jobs because of what they did while playing, not for what they did in radio and TV. I think Thurman, Ruben and Jim are funny, but they just don't offer that much in astute observations. I'd love to have WGR mix Thurman with Jerry Sullivan and try and get the chemistry that Kelley and Robie had years ago.

WECK isn't whacked
I don't know what it is about The Buffalo News, but whenever their reporters get on the radio, it's always a must hear. I've already talked at lengths that Jerry Sullivan on WGR is my favorite programming (Unless he's talking about his strange love for Meryl Streep). But now WGR's rival, 1220 WECK, is tapping into the resources of The Buffalo News.

First you get Bucky Gleason, who I know isn't a big fan of many, but he's probably the most knowledgeable person on the news staff of both football and hockey (Sorry, Harrington). He's normally on Riter's Radio on Wednesday, with the time ranging from 15 minutes to an hour. It's a fun hour with Bucky being pretty candid about the state of affair in Buffalo Sports.

On the Saturdays, The Sports Insiders with Joe Major (WECK Sports Reporter), Rodney McKissic and Allen Wilson (Both from TBN) airs for two hours in the morning. Last weekend, the guys were talking candidly about how the Bills made a mockery of the Rooney rule by interviewing John Guy for the GM job and then canning him only three weeks later. The station is definitely worth a listen.

Read more of Joe at Joe in NYC

Bisons' Hot Stove: Bisons talk baseball, announce return of All-Star Game

nospam@example.com (Matthew Ondesko) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:08:25 -0500

By Mike Haim

There was no better way to cut through winter’s chill on Friday afternoon than to have baseball talk fill the air.

The Buffalo Bisons held their annual Hot Stove Luncheon at the Adam’s Mark Hotel, and the event featured a couple of nice throwbacks to the franchise’s glory days.

The marquee announcement, made by the team along with International League president Randy Mobley, was that the Triple-A All-Star Game would return to Buffalo’s Coca-Cola Field in 2012 for its 25th iteration. Buffalo broke ground by hosting the first such game in 1988, and Bisons general manager Mike Buczkowski captured the moment by stating, “We’re pleased to bring the game back to where it began.”

Featured speakers at the luncheon were New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya and minor league field coordinator Terry Collins, who also managed the Herd between 1989 and 1991 and remains the only skipper in minor league history to have his team draw over a million fans in three straight seasons (the Bisons actually topped the million milestone every year between 1988 and 1993).

Both Minaya and Collins addressed the disappointing 2009 season, during which the Bisons struggled to a 56-87 record while the parent club – which expected to contend for a playoff spot - finished 22 games below .500.

“I will not stand for going through the kind of season we had last year,” Collins said. “We’re going to play the games with some fun, with some passion, and the way the game should be played.”

“We are making a concentrated effort to make sure that we get you guys a winner here,” added Minaya. “We’re going to have a blend of young players and older players that are going to participate here. … We will do everything we can to give you the best team possible and the best baseball experience possible.”

The Mets are looking forward to having a pair of hot prospects in Buffalo: catcher Josh Thole, who batted .328 last year for Double-A Binghamton, and first baseman Ike Davis, who hit 13 homers in 55 games at Double-A after hitting seven in 59 games for Single-A St. Lucie.

Veteran free agents who could very well end up here include third baseman Mike Hessman, catcher (and former Bison) Chris Coste, and second baseman Russ Adams.

The Bisons begin their season on April 8 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and open at home on April 14 against Pawtucket.

………

The presence of Collins was a real treat for anyone who remembers the now 60-year old as the 2nd-winningest manager in modern Bisons history. “This is home to me,” said the former skipper, who went on to manage in the majors with Houston and Anaheim before taking a managerial job in Japan. “This is where my career took off.”

………

After the luncheon, Mobley openly discussed how Buffalo became a candidate to host a second Triple-A All-Star Game.

“Initially I floated a trial balloon (to Bisons management) to see how it would be received,” he said. “I hit them kind of cold with it, but they had a little time to think about it.”

Mobley also marveled at the irony that when Buffalo hosted the Triple-A All-Stars in 1988, the game was held at a ballpark which was the first to feature a “throwback” design, but is now the second-oldest facility in the International League.

“It’s mind-boggling,” he said. “You go into this ballpark now and ask somebody to guess how old it is, nobody would guess it was 25 years old. … The same things that really drove the decision in ’88 are still in play now. You have a great organization, fans who have been very supportive and a great ballpark. Those three things are still in place today.”

Buffalo Bills & Buffalo Sabres News, Notes & Opinions

nospam@example.com (Joe Pinzone) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:56:45 -0500

By: Joe Pinzone

Whenever it comes to blogging, I always want to be able to give the reader options when it comes to the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. I usually will give my opinion and then in the same breath give you different scenarios on the sports scene. Yesterday, I mentioned that I'd rather the Buffalo Bills look for an offensive coordinator as the head coach.

But fans should realize that it shouldn't be just a black or white when it comes to what you will get with head coaches with an offensive or defensive mind. Mike Tomlin was a defensive coordinator in Minnesota, yet his offenses in Pittsburgh were better than any of Bill Cowher's offenses. Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick were defensive minds, but have had some pretty decent offenses as head coaches. Brian Billick was a offensive genius with the Vikings, yet his defenses were the ones that stole the show in Baltimore. I could go on.

The Bills biggest criteria for finding their next head coach should be A) Be good teachers. B) Bring in good assistants. C) Don't put up with Ralph Wilson's nickel and dime treatment of the team.

..................................................................

One has to wonder how much will money come into the Bills search for their next head coach. I know some (Yours truly) felt that the Bills may have done the courting of Cowher and Mike Shanahan just to say they at least went for it. It still befuddles me that they haven't contacted other Super Bowl winning coaches (Brian Billick).

It's not going to come cheap for the Bills to promote a promising coordinator to a head coaching job. Jason Garrett for instance makes 2.5 million dollars as an assistant for the Cowboys. That's almost what Dick Jauron made on his second contract with the Bills. So I'm sure he's going to want a little bit of a raise. Don't forget, Ralph will be paying 6 million dollars the next two years for Jauron's terminated contract.

I don't want to sound like a cynic or jackass, but if Ralph is inclined to low ball a coach for salary, he may pick Leslie Fraizer. Think about it. Fraizer has been the token "Rooney rule" interview for the last two years. Fraizer may feel desperate and think that this would be his only shot to be a head coach in the NFL and would be willing to take less money.

Look, I don't want to get hate mail, Fraizer is a legit candidate and should be a head coach. But we all know that Wilson for the last 10 years has been extremely cheap when it comes to hiring coaches. Wilson may view Fraizer and other candidates in the same way and let money be a deciding factor.

I know, I'm getting ahead of myself, but I'll just say this, if Fraizer gets hired and makes less money than another coordinator getting a head coaching job, it will be black eye for the NFL and the Bills organization.

..................................................................

Is it just me or do Sabres fans and the hockey media really hate the NFL? First, we get Mike Schopp saying how much he despises the NFL product and that hockey is better. Then we get members of the Buffalo News stating the same thing, with Bucky Gleason giving a game recap of Brittany Murphy dying, instead of a Bills/Patriots game story.

Look, if you want to say that you like hockey more than the NFL, ah salute. But don't tell me that the NFL is terrible. Go watch the Packers vs Cardinals game. The stars of the NFL always shine more than the NHL stars. It's just the nature of the sport.

I've said it before, I think a lot of the local media members who take shots at the NFL are sick of covering such a bad franchise like the Bills.

But I'm going to take it a step further, I think hockey apologists' disdain towards the NFL and love towards the less watched NHL is equivalent to that click that we all went to high school with. The ones who'd denounce listening to commercial music and would shove underground music in your face. The ones who would say you were a bandwagon fan for cheering on Michael Jordan. The ones that would cheer for the Seattle Seahawks just to be different from the overload of Bills fans.

I also think hockey fans hatred towards the NFL stems from the majority of the USA not giving a crap about the NHL, which goes back to my music click metaphor.

I'll be frank, I sometimes laugh when people talk about the city of Buffalo being such a hotbed for young hockey players. That may be all true, but I wouldn't throw out the notion that it's such a hotbed because not that many kids play hockey in the central and southern states of the USA. Just saying.

I always thought that Bills fans always wanted the Sabres to play well, but I don't think the feeling is mutual. It may have to do with the Bills coaching front is bigger news than the Sabres first place start. Jealousy is an ugly thing. Don't worry hockey purists, I still love you

..................................................................

How pathetic is the CBS' NFL Today show? I'm not talking about the stupid jokes they tell or Dan Marino swearing. I'm talking about how Charlie Cassidy, your so called NFL insider, doesn't even speak about Bill Cowher wanting to coach or not. I don't care if Cowher works for you. You have to have some journalistic integrity to ask him or report it.

I know, he said he wouldn't comment on jobs till the season ends. But you could have asked him about the billboard in Buffalo or the rumors about him wanting to coach in Carolina.
..................................................................

Just to get back to Jason Garret. I really like the way he designs the Cowboys offensive plays. If you saw the game against the Eagles on Saturday, you would've noticed the misdirection running plays and the screen passes that Dallas was running.

Watching the execution of the plays was like entering the world of color in the Wizard of Oz in comparison to the black and white approach the Bills offense has run over the last 5 years.

..................................................................

By Jeff Barnes

I know, I haven't written about the Sabres in a while, but I was very impressed with their latest winning streak. You can learn a lot from a team when they are down by a couple of goals in a game. The Sabres didn't give up against the Thrashers, Penguins & Colorado.

The most important thing to me about the winning streak was that it wasn't all about Ryan Miller. It was about having guys like Connolly and Stafford step up. I've also been very impressed with the Sabres defenseman becoming active in the offensive zone.

And what can you say about Tyler Myers that hasn't been said. We all knew that he was suppose to be the second coming on defense, but did you think he was going to be this good on the offensive front?

I still think the Sabres have to look into finding a play-making center. CNN.SI said it best, the Sabres are a number one center away from being a favorite. I concur.

Read more of Joe at Joe in NYC