The Buffalo Stampede defeated the Manchester Millrats in front of a good crowd at the Koessler center in Buffalo, 114-111, on a 3 point shot at the buzzer by Andy Robinson.
The Stampede were led by Mark Price with 22 points. Kevin Ross added 21 points and 13 rebounds. Andy Robinson chipped in with 19.
The Millrats were led by Anthony Anderson, who had a game high 31 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 8 assists. P.J. Young added 20 points for Manchester, who lost despite outrebounding Buffalo 55-52. The Stampede, who won their first home game this season, improve to 2-5, while the Millrats drop to 2-5.
The Buffalo Bandits can exhale now after earning their first win of the season tonight against the Minnesota Swarm 11-7.
The Bandits record coming into tonight’s game was less than exhilarating as the team’s desperation was beginning to show after losing four straight games. Coach Kilgour emphasized the need for teamwork and elevated play from all his players, and tonight they responded.
Mark Steenhuis would play his best game of the season, registering eight points on the night (1+7). With pressure mounting from the Swarm defense, Steenhuis was forced to make some tough plays during the game.
The University at Buffalo men’s basketball team snapped its three-game losing skid in a big way, by scoring a season-high 95 points in a 95-83 win over Northern Illinois at the Convocation Center on Saturday afternoon. Five Bulls scored in double-figures, led by Rodney Pierce who had 17 points, including the 1,000th of his UB career.
Buffalo (11-7, 4-3 MAC) shot a season-best 56 percent from the field, including 61 percent in the second half to pull away for the victory.
It was a tight contest for much of the first half with neither team leading by more than seven points. Dave Barnett was an early spark for the Bulls as he scored all of his eight points in the first stanza. The Bulls held a 47-42 lead at the break.
News continues to trickle in regarding Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey’s coaching staff. In this particular case, The Globe and Mail is reporting that George Cortez, offensive coordinator for the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, will join Gailey in Buffalo to coach quarterbacks.
His most prominent coaching gig was as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of California, where he tutored former NFL quarterbacks Kyle Boller and Aaron Rodgers under the direction of head coach Jeff Tedford. Cortez also gets some credit for turning Jeff Garcia into a CFL star and sparking his moderately successful NFL career. With over 30 years of coaching experience under his belt, Cortez has spent 17 years working in the CFL, including the last three after leaving California.
Cortez was a candidate for the head coaching job of the Toronto Argonauts, but will come to Buffalo to coach up the team’s most critical position instead. Given the current talent at the position and the underwhelming list of players the Bills might pursue to change things up, Cortez has his work cut out for him.
Senior guard Frank Turner and junior forward Elton Frazier combined to score nine of Canisius’ 11 points in overtime to help lift the Golden Griffins to a 73-70 overtime win over long-time rival Niagara in front of a sellout crowd in the Koessler Athletic Center Friday night. The win improves the Blue and Gold to 11-11 overall and 6-5 in the MAAC, while the Purple Eagles slipped to 11-12 overall and 4-7 in conference play.
Frazier finished the night with a game-high 20 points and a team-best 10 rebounds for his third career double-double, while Turner chipped in 18 points, five assists and four steals as Canisius posted just its second win over Niagara since the 2002-03 season.
There’s little question that this unit was disappointing in 2009; amidst enormous expectations, Buffalo’s entire passing offense fell flat on its face, busting out several teeth in the process. Did you know, however, that this group was more productive from a touchdown standpoint than any other combination of Bills receivers since 2004? Even the small numbers we saw this season were good by Bills standards.
Receiver isn’t a position being talked about as a big need area – we all know that quarterback, the offensive line and linebacker are the most frequent destinations for those discussions – but with two rather major unrestricted free agents on the list and a lot of unproven talent, the Bills might enter the ‘10 season quite thin at this position. It’ll need to be bolstered in some fashion, even if it’s just by adding some mid-to-low-range veteran free agents to compete with the young guys. Our analysis of Buffalo’s wide receiver position is after the jump.
The chances of Terrell Owens returning to the Buffalo Bills in 2010 are slim. The aging receiver had one of the worst years of his career in terms of production and though he behaved nobly during his one-year tenure, it’s not exactly government science that he’s expected to sign elsewhere come March.
By league rule there’s always the option of placing the franchise or transition tag on him, making it a near-lock he’d be back in the Bills’ fold. But we’re going to go on a limb and predict that’s not happening.
Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledgerpublished Friday the price tags that will accompany franchise and transition players. Owens would cost Buffalo $9.521 million if franchised or $8.651 million to transition.
About two weeks back, I penned a piece in this space imploring Buffalo to re-discover the tight end position in its offense. That article was written shortly before Gailey was introduced as Buffalo’s head coach; needless to say, the fact that the Bills hired an offensive-minded head coach who professes to build schemes around the talents of his players brings a little optimism to the outlook of this position in Buffalo. That is, if Gailey can live up to his word. Oh, and find a quarterback. And an offensive line.
Buffalo does have some talent at this position, although what the new coaching staff expects in general out of the position could severely impact how it’s addressed this off-season. Regardless, things are looking up for one or two of Buffalo’s young tight ends, in particular a player entering his second season.
So after a CIA-style top secret approach to a head coach, it seems the Buffalo Bills are it again in finding a defensive coordinator. The organization has remained extremely secretive in its search, leaving fans and media alike in the dark with their procedure.
I’ve heard so many different things over the past week it’s hard to believe anything anymore. Last week I heard that Bill Bates remained their top choice. Then Monday I was told that “something was in the works for a D.C.”. Later Monday the same person told me the team plans to switch to a 3-4. Then Clancy Pendergast is let go by the Chiefs Thursday paving the way to come to Buffalo. Finally much to my astonishment, I was told that as of last night the Bills never contacted Pendergast about the job.
The University at Buffalo men’s basketball team dropped its third straight game with a 75-69 loss to Ball State at Alumni Arena on Thursday night. Buffalo ran into a red-hot shooting Cardinal team that shot 55 percent from the field, including 9-for-11 from beyond the arc.
It was a game that left UB fans scratching their heads. The Bulls forced a season-high 25 turnovers and committed only six – their lowest total in six seasons. In addition, Buffalo took 79 shots, the most by a UB team since the 2002-03 season and 39 more than the Cardinals. But it was Ball State who took advantage of their chances, converting 22 of their 40 field goal attempts.
Upon learning of Clancy Pendergast’s departure from the Kansas City Chiefs earlier, it was easy to connect the dots and assume he’d be on his way to join Chan Gailey as the Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator.
Well, not so fast.
I just learned minutes ago that as of this evening the organization has not contacted Pendergast about joining their staff. While that doesn’t automatically disqualify him from eventually being the choice, it makes it highly unlikely to happen.
I’ve been told since Monday that the Bills already “have something in the works for a defensive coordinator”. If that’s holds true, then it’s definitely not Pendergast.
This would contradict many rumors and speculation that Pendergast would be joining Gailey and put in charge of the defense.
Who exactly is their choice? Your guess at this time is as good as mine. I’ve been told it’s going to be a guy who will run a 3-4 defense. “Well, I got this much, Patrick: They’re going to a 3-4.” he said Monday.
Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News is in Mobile, Alabama this week covering the Senior Bowl. Buddy Nix as expected is down south scouting the talent. Gaughan spoke with Nix yesterday for a piece that revolved around his scouting history, but inside the article a pair of underlying revelations came to surface.
First, it seems very likely Tom Modrak is going nowhere. Gaughan wrote that Modrak has sat next to Nix at every practice and while Nix wouldn’t comment on his status directly, he told Gaughan “There’s just nothing to say. We’re going on like we were.”
While many people debate the level of Modrak’s responsibility on the plethora of poor early round draft picks over the past decade, no one can dispute he’s been here through both the Tom Donahoe and Marv Levy eras and to some degree has had his fingerprints, at the very least on most of the selections.
Positives:
McCoy has great size for the three technique position and demonstrates a great frame where he can really extend his arms with a lot of power and get into the offensive lineman first, thus controlling the battle.
McCoy is probably the most athletic defensive tackle in this class, possessing an amazingly quick first step that allows him to knife the gap and use his power to blow through and make a play in the backfield.
He may be having a miserable season in terms of team wins and losses, but former Niagara Falls high school star Jonny Flynn will get an opportunity to showcase his skills for the entire world to see.
The NBA’s third leading rookie scorer has been selected to all-star weekend to participate in the annual rookies vs. sophomores challenge. The game takes place in Dallas, Texas as part of All-Star weekend on February 12.
Flynn is averaging 14.1 points, 4.1 assists and 2.4 rebounds through 47 games this season. Flynn was held to 10 points and three assists in 21 minutes last night as his Minnesota Timberwolves lost to the Lebron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ryan Miller was spectacular Wednesday night as the Buffalo Sabres returned home for the first time in two weeks, making 35 saves to lead a tired Sabres squad to a 2-1 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Jochen Hecht and Jason Pominville both beat Devils netminder in the shootout while Miller turned away Zack Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner to seal the much-needed two points.
Adam Mair scored the regulation goal for Buffalo, who saw Toni Lydman, Steve Montador and Clarke MacArthur get scratched by head coach Lindy Ruff. Nathan Paetsch and Andrei Sekera were inserted into the lineup.
Tim Connolly was held pointless, ending a 16-game point scoring streak, the second longest in team history.
Buffalo is 8-0-3 in their last 11 home games and pulled within one point of the Devils for second place in the Eastern Conference.
After a string of taxing Monsignor Martin Association match ups over the past few weeks, Bishop Timon was almost set up for a letdown against independent small school Tapestry Charter. It became clear early as the first-year varsity program pounced on the Tigers for an early eight point lead and were up 15-9 after the first quarter.
Then David Scarcello personally made sure an upset would not be in the making.
The junior swingman exploded in the second frame, hitting shots all over the gym as he put up 19 points, including five three pointers in the second quarter alone as Timon turned the early deficit into a 13 point lead before halftime.
Join Sal Capaccio as he discusses the latest Buffalo Bills news, including the addition of five new coaches and retention of two others. What’s next? Listen in live tonight to see what Sal has to say, and as always you’re invited to call into the show as well.
Join our friends at WNYMedia.net, Gooses Roost and Buffalo Blog for tonight’s live blog as the Buffalo Sabres finally return to the HSBC Arena for a match up with the New Jersey Devils. Follow the game and chime in with your comments and questions.
It took roughly a week, but the Buffalo Bills have officially announced the first five hires of Chan Gailey’s tenure as head coach. Two coaches that spent the 2009 season in Buffalo have also been retained.
Curtis Modkins is the new offensive coordinator and running backs coach. He comes to Buffalo via Arizona, where he spent the 2009 season working with Cardinals running backs. Modkins has coached with Gailey in three separate locations – Dallas, Georgia Tech and Kansas City. He replaces Alex Van Pelt and Eric Studesville.
Bob Bicknell is the new tight ends coach, coming over from Kansas City. He coached tight ends there this past season, and was the offensive line coach under Gailey and Herman Edwards in 2008. He replaces Charlie Coiner.
Joe D’Alessandris is the new offensive line coach. If you’re sensing a pattern here, D’Alessandris, too, comes over from Kansas City, where he was fired earlier in January. He, too worked with Gailey. He replaces Sean Kugler.
Kevin Patullo is the new offensive quality control coach. Yep – he worked with Kansas City, too, in the same capacity. He replaces Nathaniel Hackett.
Giff Smith has been hired as a defensive assistant. Note the lack of the words “outside,” “linebackers” and “coach” there. As we know from yesterday’s report, Smith worked with Gailey at Georgia Tech as a recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach.
George Catavolos has been retained as the team’s secondary coach, and Bob Sanders will stay on the staff as well as a defensive assistant, though it does not appear that he has been given an official title.
As mentioned yesterday, I’m reporting that the Buffalo Bills want to retain defensive backs coach George Catavolos to their 2010 coaching staff. A source tells me new head coach Chan Gailey asked Catavolos to return and he will accept the position.
“He’s the reason why Buddy Nix and the Bills put out a statement denying the entire coaching staff was fired, but instead were free to pursue other jobs,” the source said.
Catavolos helped coach the Buffalo defense to 28 interceptions last season, second most in the NFL behind only Green Bay (30). The job was even more impressive considering major secondary injuries to Leodis McKelvin, Donte Whitner and Bryan Scott.
One of the most respected secondary coaches in the NFL, the 64-year old Catavolos is largely credited with the development of rookie Jairus Byrd, who finished tied for the second in the league with nine interceptions last season.
Buddy Nix likes running backs. Or, at least, the team he last worked for before he came to Buffalo (San Diego) really likes running backs. During Nix’s tenure out west, the Chargers drafted running backs particularly well. That’s not to say that they drafted a lot of running backs; they nabbed just three in the eight years that Nix spent there. You might recognize those three names, however: LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Turner and Darren Sproles were all scouted by Nix.
Chan Gailey likes running backs, too. He’s worked with some of the greatest in league history, including Emmitt Smith and Jerome Bettis. Most recently, Gailey was part of a Kansas City organization that spent a third-round pick on Jamaal Charles, who exploded onto the scene with a 1,417-yard, 8-TD season in 2009 (albeit in Todd Haley’s offense, and not Gailey’s).
Two heavyweights of the small school class squared off Tuesday night as fourth-ranked Lackawanna played host to third-ranked Grover Cleveland. After the teams traded plenty of punches in the second half, it was Grover’s Ricky Alejandro who finally threw the knockout punch.
The senior guard scored 13 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter as the Presidents knocked out a 12-point deficit and went on to a hard fought 82-79 victory.
“We’re taught never to give up,” Alejandro said. “The game’s never over. We’re a team and some people don’t know what a team is.”
I spoke to an insider this evening with privileged knowledge of the Bills organization that much to my astonishment, tells me the Buffalo Bills are going forward with plans to switch to a 3-4 defense in 2010.
“Well, I got this much, Patrick: They’re going to a 3-4.” he said.
Who that coordinator turns out to be I don’t yet know, though I reported this morning my belief that a guy had already been selected, and the 3-4 switch adds credence to it.
Still, I’m utterly surprised the Bills would proceed with the switch. I’m in agreement with Gregg Rosenthal of NBC Sports, who said a few days ago “we can’t think of a roster in the NFL less suited to play a 3-4 than Buffalo.”
Jeff Parker is a big, tough guy. That’s what made him a perfect fit for the University at Buffalo.
In 2004, Parker came to the Amherst campus and immediately, he fit in on campus. He found a balance, symmetry between his friends, his schoolwork and his sport – wrestling.
For Parker, it was the perfect fit. After a year in which he had to pick up the pieces of his wrestling career, he found a home at Buffalo, along with a couple of his best friends to this day, Mike Ragusa and Mike Shannon.
Parker, at 25, has already had plenty of unpleasant conversations in his life. There are two, though, that really stick out. The first came on his first day of college in 2003. The second came this summer.
The Buffalo Stampede defeated the Manchester Millrats in front of a good crowd at the Koessler center in Buffalo, 114-111, on a 3 point shot at the buzzer by Andy Robinson.
The Buffalo Bandits can exhale now after earning their first win of the season tonight against the Minnesota Swarm 11-7.
The University at Buffalo men’s basketball team snapped its three-game losing skid in a big way, by scoring a season-high 95 points in a 95-83 win over Northern Illinois at the Convocation Center on Saturday afternoon. Five Bulls scored in double-figures, led by Rodney Pierce who had 17 points, including the 1,000th of his UB career.
Senior guard Frank Turner and junior forward Elton Frazier combined to score nine of Canisius’ 11 points in overtime to help lift the Golden Griffins to a 73-70 overtime win over long-time rival Niagara in front of a sellout crowd in the Koessler Athletic Center Friday night. The win improves the Blue and Gold to 11-11 overall and 6-5 in the MAAC, while the Purple Eagles slipped to 11-12 overall and 4-7 in conference play.
There’s little question that this unit was disappointing in 2009; amidst enormous expectations, Buffalo’s entire passing offense fell flat on its face, busting out several teeth in the process. Did you know, however, that this group was more productive from a touchdown standpoint than any other combination of Bills receivers since 2004? Even the small numbers we saw this season were good by Bills standards.
The chances of Terrell Owens returning to the Buffalo Bills in 2010 are slim. The aging receiver had one of the worst years of his career in terms of production and though he behaved nobly during his one-year tenure, it’s not exactly government science that he’s expected to sign elsewhere come March.
About two weeks back, I penned a piece in this space imploring Buffalo to 
So after a CIA-style top secret approach to a head coach, it seems the Buffalo Bills are it again in finding a defensive coordinator. The organization has remained extremely secretive in its search, leaving fans and media alike in the dark with their procedure.
The University at Buffalo men’s basketball team dropped its third straight game with a 75-69 loss to Ball State at Alumni Arena on Thursday night. Buffalo ran into a red-hot shooting Cardinal team that shot 55 percent from the field, including 9-for-11 from beyond the arc.
Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News is in Mobile, Alabama this week covering the Senior Bowl. Buddy Nix as expected is down south scouting the talent. 
Gerald McCoy
He may be having a miserable season in terms of team wins and losses, but former Niagara Falls high school star Jonny Flynn will get an opportunity to showcase his skills for the entire world to see.
Ryan Miller was spectacular Wednesday night as the Buffalo Sabres returned home for the first time in two weeks, making 35 saves to lead a tired Sabres squad to a 2-1 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils.
After a string of taxing Monsignor Martin Association match ups over the past few weeks, Bishop Timon was almost set up for a letdown against independent small school Tapestry Charter. It became clear early as the first-year varsity program pounced on the Tigers for an early eight point lead and were up 15-9 after the first quarter.
Buddy Nix likes running backs. Or, at least, the team he last worked for before he came to Buffalo (San Diego) really likes running backs. During Nix’s tenure out west, the Chargers drafted running backs particularly well. That’s not to say that they drafted a lot of running backs; they nabbed just three in the eight years that Nix spent there. You might recognize those three names, however: LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Turner and Darren Sproles were all scouted by Nix.
Two heavyweights of the small school class squared off Tuesday night as fourth-ranked Lackawanna played host to third-ranked Grover Cleveland. After the teams traded plenty of punches in the second half, it was Grover’s Ricky Alejandro who finally threw the knockout punch.
Jeff Parker is a big, tough guy. That’s what made him a perfect fit for the University at Buffalo.
