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for September 2009
 The University at Buffalo men’s soccer team captured their 300th all-time victory Friday as they defeated Robert Morris, 2-0. Despite playing a man down for over 53 minutes due to a red-card infraction, sophomore Lucas Bassan (Carrollton, TX/Hebron) scored the game-breaking goal as Mike Unwin (Basingstoke, England/Iowa CC) sealed the game with a goal in the final minute of play.
The Bulls and Colonials played to a scoreless first half with the Bulls holding a 7-6 shot advantage. In the 37th minute, the Bulls lost a key element to their defense off a red-card infraction. This forced the Bulls to face the Colonials a man down in the remaining 53 minutes.
Continue reading ‘Bulls Capture 300th All-Time Victory in Win Over Robert Morris’
 The Canisius College women’s soccer team won its MAAC opener on Friday night, defeating visiting Rider, 3-1. With the win, the Griffs remain unbeaten and improve to 7-0-1 on the season, while the Broncs drop to 4-5-1.
“I thought we came and played a great first half,” said Canisius head coach Jim Wendling. “We came out and attacked from the start. I thought we played pretty well in the second half as well. We had some quality shots but I have to give credit to their goalie as she made some good stops. This was a good team effort tonight and it is a good way to start our league schedule.”
Senior Sylvia Kowalski (Hamilton, Ontario), junior Kasey Makowski (Marlton, N.J.) and sophomore Kelly Reinwald (Stafford, Va.) each tallied a goal to lead the Canisius attack, which controlled the pace of the game throughout the contest.
Continue reading ‘Canisius Women’s Soccer Defeats Rider’
¶ Sean Payton and Drew Brees have the Saints offense on a roll in this Olean Times Herald report.
¶ Bills.com writes that Keith Ellison is tackling added responsibilities.
¶ Allen Wilson of the Buffalo News says Jabari Greer has fond memories of WNY.
¶ Sports Network provides this Buffalo Sabres season preview.
¶ Keith McShea of the Buffalo News was on hand for high school action as North Tonawanda pounded Lockport.
¶ Jamestown Post Journal reporter Jim Riggs writes about Jamestown knocking off Fredonia, 31-14
¶ In College football action, UB opens MAC play against Temple today.
 The Bulls open Mid-American Conference play in a highly anticipated game against the Temple Owls on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia.
“We are excited about this upcoming game,” said head coach Turner Gill. “I feel very good about where we are at and where we are going with this football team.”
The Bulls are 1-2 on the year and are coming off a heartbreaking 23-17 loss to Central Florida.
The Bulls were in the lead at the half by a score of 17-7, but with costly turnovers and a lack of offensive momentum, the first half lead wasn’t enough.
“We need to be able finish the ball game,” said Gill. “We need to execute better and stay focused on what needs to get done.”
Continue reading ‘College Football Preview: UB vs Temple’
 Western Michigan scored four unanswered goals in the second half, rallying from a 3-1 halftime deficit to defeat the Canisius College men’s soccer team on Friday afternoon, 5-3.
The Broncos found the back of the net first, connecting during the 18th minute of play when Tyler Rosenhagen tallied his first goal of the season. However, the Griffs responded with three-consecutive scores to take the lead.
McGreal got the Griffs on the scoreboard in the 27th minute, scoring his third goal of the season. The senior fired a long shot toward the goal and the ball bounced over the Bronco goalkeeper to knot the game at one.
Western Michigan came out firing in the second half, hoping for a comeback. Joel Del Toro and Danny Mortemore both scored their first goals of the season in the 52nd and 59th minutes, respectively, to knot the game at three.
Continue reading ‘Western Michigan Defeats Canisius Men’s Soccer’
 Drayton Florence is unstoppable at playing Madden online, at least that‘s what he says. Suiting up when the game really counts on Sundays? Not so much.
Florence has been fighting a strained knee through much of the preseason and into the regular season. In fact he’s yet to see a snap since mid August. It’s certainly not what the Bills envisioned when they signed him a two-year, $6.6 million deal in March.
His inability to get on the field has left himself and many in the organization frustrated. But it hasn’t prevented him from playing football. Just not the way most Bills fans have been hoping for.
Florence has taken to twitter to find himself a combatant for Madden 2010. In fact, he is offering a ticket to any home game of the opponents choosing should they defeat him.
Continue reading ‘Drayton Florence Will Crush You.. Sort of’
 Join the Buffalo Sabres Alumni and their wives for the Sabres Alumni Fall Wine Festival featuring wineries and restaurants from Buffalo, Niagara on the Lake and beyond on Thursday, October 29th in the HSBC Arena pavilion from 6:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Sample some of the finest wines and food the Western New York and Southern Ontario regions have to offer while socializing with Sabres legends. The event will feature a silent auction and live music. All attendees are asked to dress in business attire for the evening.
All proceeds from the festival will benefit the Breast Center at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
Tickets are $60.00 each and can be purchased by visiting the HSBC Arena Box Office.
For more information, call (716) 845-8788. (Source: Sabres Alumni)
 The Portland Pirates — AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, will open training camp on Friday at Portland Ice Arena. There are currently 20 players listed on the roster, but Buffalo is expected to send down another wave of players after their weekend exhibition games.
Players currently with Buffalo that could be headed to Portland within days include Tim Kennedy, Nathan Gerbe and Marc-Andre Gragnani.
The Pirates are scheduled to hit the ice today include:
Continue reading ‘Portland Pirates 2009-2010 Training Camp Roster’
 Per this WBEN report, there is sad news in the Buffalo community to report. The father of the late Tim Russert has passed away. Timothy Joseph Russert died Thursday night of natural causes at the age of 85.
A family statement given to mediabistro.com says “While he was affectionately known to the world as ‘Big Russ,’ he carried no more important nor meaningful titles than those of father, grandfather, great-grandfather, patriot and friend,” reads a statement from his family. “We warmly thank all those who were inspired by his life and his lessons.”
The father of perhaps the nation’s most notable Bills fan in son Tim, he’d frequently show off Bills jerseys during his Meet the Press show and often end the telecast during NFL season with his famous “Go Bills”. He died of a heart attack in June 2008.
(Photo: bigrussandme.com)
 No matter how vehemently the most optimistic of Bills fans may try to deny, the New Orleans Saints are going to be a very difficult team to beat. Yes, they faced two newly christened starting quarterbacks (Kelvin Kolb, Matt Stafford) in their first two games. In part, that’s why they enjoyed the benefit of seven turnovers in those contests. But free gifts or not this is an offense that knows how to move the ball and score a lot of points. The effectiveness of the Saints’ aerial attack combined with a more forceful defense than last year’s version makes beating this team a thorny proposition.
I can guarantee there are more than five things that Buffalo needs to do to beat the Saints, but without stating the obvious (i.e. John Madden was not consulted), these five are most vital in this reporter’s eyes.
Continue reading ‘Five Ways to Silence The Saints’
¶ The New Orleans Times Picayune reports former Bills head coach Gregg Williams has no hard feelings towards his old team.
¶ Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune says Fred Jackson may be the biggest rags to riches story since Kurt Warner.
¶ “There’s two people inside Terrell Owens’ head in this USA Today report.
¶ Leo Roth of the Rochester D&C says Donte Whitner finds his sanctuary on the field.
¶ Buffalo News hockey writer John Vogl says the Sabres lines are set in pencil, not pen.
¶ This SabresProspects.com report details recent minor league performances.
¶ Sabres.com debuts a new Mair’s Office feature.
¶ Buffalo News columnist Bob DiCesare writes Temple lineman looms large heading into matchup with UB.
¶ The Tonawanda News previews a couple of the best high school football matchups this weekend.
 One of Marv Levy’s first moves as GM of the Bills in 2006 was to find a quarterback in free agency equipped to compete with a young JP Losman and veteran Kelly Holcomb. Levy came up with Craig Nall. Even gave him a $1.3-million signing bonus.
In what turned out to be one in a long line of dreadful Levy team mouthpeice GM moves, Nall was out of the league within three years.
The plate of humiliation fed by not sticking in the NFL is nothing compared to what he was served up today. Now, Nall can’t even stick on an UFL roster.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Nall was cut by the Florida Tuskers. The final nail came when Florida inked Brooks Bollinger to a deal. Yes… that Brooks Bollinger.
Continue reading ‘Craig Nall Can’t Keep a Job’
 When the Buffalo Bills selected Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson with their fourth-round pick (No. 121 overall) this past April, many draft experts applauded the selection. Nelson, at one point projected to go as soon as the second round, presented the Bills – a team that hasn’t had a legitimate tight end threat in years – with a tremendous value selection that could contribute immediately, and more importantly, who wouldn’t need to start right away.
That time has quickly come to an end. Starting tight end Derek Schouman has been put on season-ending Injured Reserve, and although second-year man Derek Fine is a very capable blocker, he’s still vastly unproven as a receiver. On a Bills team full of receiving talent, however, it is crucial that their rookie tight end – who is currently dealing with an injury himself, by the way – pick up the slack at tight end.
Continue reading ‘With Schouman Out, Bills’ Nelson Must Step Up’
 I read a comment today that said something along the lines that Buffalo Bills players are never good fantasy starts.
It was at least partially tongue-in-cheek, but truth is, that’s been the case more often than not in recent years.
However, this is the year that changes.
Fred Jackson has been a windfall to his fantasy teams so far. He has one more week with the Bills’ backfield all to himself, and you can’t ask for much more than what he’s done with that golden opportunity. He’s accounted for over 44 percent of the Bills’ total yards from scrimmage. He’s fifth among all running backs in standard fantasy scoring, and that’s not counting PPR numbers.
But will it continue this week against New Orleans? The Saints have yielded few yards on the ground, largely because opponents have to pass all day to try to keep up (a futile endeavor so far).
Continue reading ‘Fantasy Football: Jackson Will Still Get Lots of Action’
 Before a single puck has even been dropped in Portland Pirates training camp, they’re already dealing with injuries on the blueline as Matt Generous is expected to be out for at least a month with a cut to his right ankle that resulted in a sliced tendon.
The Cheshire, Connecticut native was expected to see more of a prominent role on the Pirates this season, but while practicing in Sabres camp, he suffered a cut above his right ankle that sliced the tendon about 20% through and will need to be in a walking cast for about four weeks.
Generous, who played for St. Lawrence University, signed last season with the Buffalo Sabres and spent the end of the year in Portland. In eight games, Generous scored a single goal with 13 penalty minutes.
Continue reading ‘Injury bug bites Portland; and look who’s coming to town’
 I’ve written “Drew Brees is coming to town” so often (and so ominously) over the past few days that I feel a little bit as if Brees will show up at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday – when his New Orleans Saints take on our Buffalo Bills – donning hood and toting scythe rather than wearing Saints colors. It’s true – the Saints’ offense, orchestrated by Brees, is excellent, and they present a tremendous challenge for Buffalo’s No. 28-ranked defense this week.
Under Dick Jauron, Buffalo has played high-octane offenses at home early in the season before. The most recent example came in Week 7 of 2008, when the 3-3 San Diego Chargers visited a 4-1 Bills team fresh off of its bye week. Though they were struggling as a team at the time, the Chargers’ offense had been dominant to that point in the season. Buffalo handled them well in beating the Chargers 23-14 – a win that would be their last for quite some time.
Though the situations aren’t precisely the same – this Saints team is a much more dangerous foe than that Chargers team – many of the principles the Bills game planned and employed in victory translate well to a potential victory over New Orleans as well.
Continue reading ‘Bills Have Contained High-Profile Offenses Before’
 The Erie Community men’s golf team claimed their second-straight golf tournament on September 23 in their own Invitational, held at Harvest Hill golf course.
The Kats tied for the top spot with Daemen College at 320 but won based on the NCAA tie-breaker which includes the fifth player.
The Kats were led by Jim Merriman (South Wales/East Aurora) who claimed medalist honors for the second-straight tournament with a five-over 77. Kyle Harman (Orchard Park/Orchard Park) was second on the team with an 80.
Continue reading ‘Erie golf team wins second-straight tournament’
¶ Sal Maiorana of the Rochester D&C says there is nowhere for Bills tackle Jonathan Scott to go but up.
¶ New Orleans Saints corner Jabari Greer is well acquainted with the Bills in this Baton Rouge Advocate report.
¶ Sean Fitz-Gerald of the National Post says Terrell Owens fits in as Buffalo’s secret weapon.
¶ New Orleans head coach Sean Payton is wary of the upstart Bills in this Saints.com feature.
¶ Jochen Hecht’s new attitude takes wing for the Sabres, according to John Vogl of the Buffalo News.
¶ Matt Speilman of The Post-Journal takes a peak into what the Sabres final roster will be.
¶ Passion radiates from UB tight end Jesse Rack in this Buffalo News commentary by Bob DiCesare.
 Terrell Owens is mad … or at least I think he is.
He’s not mad at you. To my knowledge, he’s not mad at me either. Other than ESPN, I don’t think he’s generally mad at the media. He’s certainly not irate at his teammates or the fans. In fact, he regularly describes the Buffalo fans as “fantastic.”
But something is altered when it comes to Terrell Owens. Until now, I’ve only heard and seen his legendary interviews from afar. Throughout his career, he’s been a living, breathing quote machine. On Wednesday, I got a chance to see Owens up close as he conducted his team-required weekly press conference.
I wasn’t expecting him to do sit-ups at the podium, throw Trent Edwards under the bus or take a shot at Marques Colston ahead of his visit here with the Saints. But I expected something, anything out of him to engender excitement and perhaps some juicy column material.
Instead we got a very restrained Terrell. Hell, Edwards’ press conference was more lively. Even Dick Jauron’s media gathering rivaled the energy of Owens on the stand.
It seems so far this experience in Buffalo has done something that publicists Kita and Mo failed to do on his TV show; turn T.O. into merely Terrell.
Continue reading ‘Who Turned Off The T.O. ?’
 Buffalo Sabre Ryan Miller is expected to be one of the elder statesmen of Team USA’s 2010 Olympic hockey squad, turning 30 next July.
The goalie is going into his seventh NHL season and has been one the league’s best the last three years. He is likely to man the nets alongside fellow Michigan native Tim Thomas, who won the Vezina Trophy last year as the NHL’s top netminder with the Boston Bruins.
That tandem could be USA’s greatest asset.
“That’s going to be the position we probably stack up best,” General Manager Brian Burke said. “A Vezina winner (Thomas), and then if Ryan Miller played in a bigger market, he’d be a household name in the United States. He’s a real accomplished goaltender.”
Even though Buffalo and Boston are division rivals, Miller said he’s gotten to know Thomas fairly well through the NHL Player’s Association, and he looks forward to the opportunity to be teammates.
Continue reading ‘Ryan Miller Excited About Upcoming Olympic Challenge’
 Two words began running through a majority of Buffalo Bills fans heads even before Brad Butler made it to the sideline this past Sunday, “Jon Runyan.” It didn’t take an Andrew Cappuccino diagnosis to know Butler was through for the year. Runyan may arguably be the biggest free agent out there, both in literal and figurative senses. Ironically, he also happens to exclusively play right tackle. In fact, he’s done that 192 consecutive times in his career. He’s also viewed as one of the toughest and most intelligent offensive linemen in the National Football League; a component the Bills could use.
As useful as Runyan might be to the Bills his best days are clearly behind him. He’s 35-years old and coming off microfracture surgery in his knee. He has suffered the wear and tear of 13 NFL seasons. The Bills brought him in for a workout on September 11 as prospective insurance in case of an injury to Butler or rookie Demetrius Bell. The fact that he has not been signed yet says a lot about the Bills lack of faith in him.
The Bills, instead, have elected to go the project route by signing Jamon Meredith from the Green Bay Packers practice squad. This means Jonathan Scott will occupy the starting right tackle spot for the rest of the season. Kirk Chambers was inactive the first two weeks, but will now be the backup at both tackle positions.
Continue reading ‘Meredith Brings Potential, Athleticism And Maturity Issues to Bills’
 It was the biggest, and most unfortunate, news to hit the Chicago Blackhawks in weeks.
“Adam Burish went into the boards on Sunday night in Minnesota and injured his right knee. When a player like him leaves the ice it is always concerning and unfortunately he suffered an ACL tear. He will undergo a reconstruction as soon as possible and we anticipate a complete recovery. His return will take approximately six months,” reads a statement from Chicago Blackhawks Head Team Physician Dr. Michael Terry.
“I went into the boards goofy. It was one of those goofy plays, I was helpless,” said Burish to a very large crowd of reporters after the team’s practice on Tuesday. Fellow forward and South Buffalo resident Patrick Kane, certainly no stranger to recent heightened publicity, spoke about his fallen teammate:
Continue reading ‘Kane Chronicles: Reaction to Major Team Injury (9/23)’
 Our debut golf post here at Buffalo Sports Daily isn’t a happy one.
Regrettably, it looks like PGA Senior Tour and former Buffalo native Jim Thorpe is in big trouble with the law.
According to this AP report, Thorpe has pleaded guilty to failing to pay more than $2 million in income taxes. The report goes on to state he was charged in February with seven counts of failing to pay federal taxes on income earned in 2002-04.
Thorpe lived in Buffalo for 20 years before moving away in 1996. He won three times on the PGA tour and 13 times on the Senior tour, including The Tradition major in 2002.
Thorpe never won a major on the PGA Tour but did have a three top ten finishes; placing T-4th at the 1984 U.S. Open and T-9th three years later. He also finished T-7th in the 1986 PGA Championship.
¶ Buffalo News reporter Mike Harrington says Sabres defensemen Henrik Tallinder is fighting for his job.
¶ Paul Hamilton of WGR-550 reports that Derek Roy still has habits that get to his coach.
¶ The Olean Times Herald says Alex Van Pelt may be the change the Buffalo Bills needed.
¶ Fred Jackson is taking a back seat to nobody, writes Paul Jannace of the Wellsville Daily Reporter.
¶ Buffalo Rumblings takes a look back at the offensive line Sunday with Notes from the Bills O-Line.
¶ Bob DiCesare of the Buffalo News pens a column chronicling how Donna Pumphrey has traveled a tough road with her UB star son.
¶ North Tonawanda defeated Grand Island in boys volleyball, in this Tonawanda News high school roundup.
 Portland, ME – Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have assigned 14 players to the Portland Pirates of the American League. In addition, defenseman Ryan Stokes and goaltender Glenn Fisher have both been released from their training camp tryouts. The moves leave the Sabres with 33 players remaining in camp: 19 forwards, 11 defensemen and three goaltenders.
Heading to Portland are: forwards Paul Byron, Tyler Ennis, Brad Larsen, Maxime Legault, Mark McCutcheon, Kyle Rank, Travis Turnbull and Derek Whitmore; defensemen T.J. Brennan, Matt Generous, Mike Kostka, Dennis Persson and Drew Schiestel; and goaltender J.P. Lamoureux.
Big names still with Buffalo are Jhonas Enroth, Tim Kennedy and Nathan Gerbe.
Continue reading ‘Sabres Send 14 Players to Portland’
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