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for January 2010
 Speaking on NFL Network’s “Around the League,” Michael Lombardi reported late Thursday night that the Buffalo Bills are “very close to making a decision” in their head coaching search, and that they “have their guy in mind.”
The video segment is up at NFL.com. Here is Lombardi’s quote in its entirety:
You know, Buffalo has been quietly going underground, they’re doing their interviews, interviewed Leslie Frazier, they’re talking to a lot of people in the league, but somebody I spoke to in the organization tells me they’re very close to making a decision, they think they know which way they want to go, wouldn’t tell me which way they are gonna go, but I think they have their guy in mind.
Continue reading ‘Lombardi: Bills “have their guy in mind”’
 The Buffalo Stampede will play their first two home games of the season this weekend. The first home game will be Saturday January 9th at 7:30pm against the league champion Rochester Razorsharks. The next day Sunday January 10th they will face the Maryland Greenhawks at 2pm. The Maryland game will be the annual Kids Day game with a pre-game concert at 12:30pm by the Bello Voice Studio. The Kids will have a lot of activities which will include face painting, pictures with the players and the chance to dance with the Infinity Dancers.
This season proves to be an exiting one with many local players on the roster. They include Mark Price, Kevin Ross, Antoine Sims, Marcus Hall, Mike Norwood, Greg Gamble, Andy Robinson, Ricky Williams, Corey Herring and Charles Walker. Rounding out the roster will be Johnathan Battle, Derick Payne, Garrett Schmitt and Aaron Harrison. Come on out and cheer on your local players as they take on the PBL (Premier Basketball League).
All home games are played at the Canisius College Koessler Athletic Center which is located at 1833 Main St., Buffalo. Tickets are always available by calling (716) 603-9749 or at the box office at the arena the day of the game. Tickets start at just $7.00 so bring the family and see some great pro basketball and cheer on the Stampede.
 Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk.com is reporting – and confirming speculation – that current Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh is a “stealth” candidate for the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching job, as well as a prospective opening in Oakland.
That makes the second “stealth” candidate on Buffalo’s list, as it’s been reported by ESPN that the Bills had a “stealth” meeting with Bill Cowher last week.
Harbaugh, 46, has six years’ worth of head coaching experience in the college ranks, where he turned around the program at San Diego (29-6 record in three years) and has since done the same at Stanford in one of the nation’s power conferences, the Pac-10 (17-20 overall, but 8-5 in ‘09 with a close loss to national power Oklahoma in the Sun Bowl). Interest in Harbaugh has not cooled despite the fact that he received a three-year contract extension through 2014. He interviewed for the New York Jets’ opening a year ago, which eventually went to Rex Ryan.
Continue reading ‘PFT: Harbaugh a candidate for Bills job’
 Who the hell is Joe Logan?
For Buffalo Bills fans right now, it’s the million dollar question. The no-name from East Aurora has created quite the commotion in recent days that began innocent enough Monday morning when writing on his small East Aurorar.org website that the Buffalo Bills would fire their entire coaching staff and the team would meet with Bill Cowher on Tuesday.
Well, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, had it not been for the fact he reported it more than four hours before they actually happened. Pro Football Talk talked picked up the story and by the end of the day Logan became a man people wanted to know about.
I just spoke to him at length via telephone.
Continue reading ‘The Scoop on Joe Logan’
 Well, that didn’t take long.
The Buffalo Sabres stormed out of the gates Wednesday night against Tampa Bay, scoring three goals before the game was 2:12 old, delighting the hometown fans as they held on to defeat the Lightning, 5-3. It’s the Sabres first five-game winning streak of the season.
Before the announced sellout crowd could get safely nestled into their seats the Sabres struck for a goal. Tim Connolly won a draw back to Tyler Myers, who blasted the puck past Tampa goalie Mike Smith 23 seconds in.
Continue reading ‘Sabres strike Lightning early in fifth straight win’
 A team from — and called — South Buffalo recently earned a spot in the elite division in the third annual Labatt Blue Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament held on Lake Erie. South Buffalo defeated Inergex Icemen, 20 to 13, to win the Labatt Blue Winter Classic Outdoor Tournament on New Year’s Day, which subsequently advanced the team to the Labatt Blue Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament. The defeated Inergex Icemen won the Winter Classic and a trip to the Buffalo event last year. The Time Warner Classic Rink in East Aurora hosted the tournament both years.
Continue reading ‘South Buffalo Team Earns Spot in Labatt Blue Pond Hockey’
 **Update** It’s happening. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports tweeted the Bills are en route to Minnesota to interview Leslie Frazier.
WGRZ’s Adam Benigni is reporting that the Buffalo Bills are working to set up an interview with Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier regarding the team’s head coaching vacancy. Benigni’s report indicates that, per his source, an interview could be conducted as soon as Thursday.
Per league rules, Buffalo must seek permission from the Vikings to interview Frazier. As Minnesota is currently in the midst of a bye week heading into their home divisional playoff game, any interview with Frazier must take place prior to this weekend, as he will be unable to interview for coaching positions again until after the Vikings are eliminated from the playoffs.
Continue reading ‘Report: Bills trying to set up interview with Frazier’
 In the never-ending saga that is becoming Brian Billick, WGR 550’s Nick Mendola reports the Buffalo Bills have not contacted Billick and no interview has been set up with the team.
Mendola cites the radio station has spoken with Billick and he said he doesn’t know new Bills general manager Buddy Nix and never has worked with him, but as the report stated Billick said he “would be interested if the right partnership is here.”
Billick has been tied to the Bills in several recent reports, though it’s never been confirmed he’s had contact with the Bills. Now, Billick confirms himself that hasn’t happened.
If nothing else the organization has been successful at keeping any plans under wraps. The only thing we know is at this time nobody knows what the Bills are up to and any reports should be treated as little more than speculation.
 The Buffalo Sabres have been able to achieve a lot through the first half of the 2009-10 NHL season. One thing they haven’t accomplished is winning five straight games. They’ll try to change that tonight as the Sabres put their four-game winning streak on the line against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the HSBC Arena. Game time is scheduled for 7pm.
The blue and gold have been riding the unrelenting pads of Ryan Miller all season long and recently a pair of embattled forwards has stepped up the offense. Tim Connolly has points in six straight games and has nine during the streak, including the lone goal in Buffalo’s 1-0 shutout over Montreal on Sunday. Jochen Hecht has chipped in with five points in his last four games.
Continue reading ‘Sabres hope to earn Ruff big milestone tonight’
I’ve been quietly running a series of Buffalo Bills head coaching possibilities, making a case for each to become Buffalo’s next head honcho. I’ve already built arguments for Mike Martz and Brian Billick, though I’ll be honest—I don’t really want either, especially the former. No worries, Bills fans. Martz definitely won’t be the next coach. Billick on the other hand is a different story.
But the guy I’d really like to see in Buffalo is the man I’m making a defense for right now. Although he’s currently retired, if Buddy Nix can lure Marty Schottenheimer off the couch onto the sidelines, he’d be the ideal fit here in Western New York.
Before beginning let’s address Bill Cowher. He’s clearly the people’s choice and deservedly so. I’d probably dance a jig if Cowher came to Buffalo. Hell, I even launched a campaign on our website to erect a billboard on the thruway calling for Cowher’s services (with all proceeds going to charity, by the way).
Continue reading ‘The Case For Marty Schottenheimer’
The prestigious Niagara Frontier Wrestling Officials Association wrestling tournament will be held once again at Niagara County Community College on January 8th & 9th. This will be the 29th year of the tournament which is voluntarily run by the wrestling officials from the NFWOA. Thirty-two teams will compete at NCCC over the two days including five of the top ten ranked large schools and seven of the ranked western New York small schools. Among the ranked schools are number one Niagara Wheatfield and defending champion Lancaster.
Wrestling will begin at 1 pm on Friday January 8th and the Saturday session will begin at 10 am.
An interesting feature this year will be the match between NCCC and Mercyhurst North East held between the high school tournament consolation finals and the championship finals at approximately 5 pm. Coach Eric Knuutila’s Trailblazers are 3-3 on the season including competition against several four year scholarship teams.
In a report by WGRZ-TV sports anchor Ed Kilgore, Brian Billick has contacted Mike Tice about the possibility of joining him should he get the Buffalo Bills head coaching job. Tice is currently the assistant head coach/tight end coach with Jacksonville and coached with Billick in Minnesota when he was offensive coordinator in 1997-98.
Tice became head coach in Minnesota when Dennis Green was fired in 2001 and held that post until 2005, compiling a 32-33 record. He’s been an assistant with Jacksonville since 2006.
While this hardly means Billick is already a lock to be the next Buffalo head coach and claims the organization hasn’t contacted him yet, it’s serious indication that he’s ready to coach in the NFL again this year.
Continue reading ‘Report: Billick wants Tice on his staff’
 The New York Mets today announced the signing of six players to minor league contracts with invitations to major league spring training. The list includes 2008 International League Most Valuable Player and All-Time Toledo Mud Hens Home Run King INF Mike Hessman and 2009 Buffalo Bisons Most Valuable Player, OF Jesus Feliciano.
Two-time International League All-Star INF Mike Cervenak has also been signed by the Mets as well as INF Russ Adams, INF Andy Green and RHP R.A. Dickey.
Hessman, 31, has spent the last five seasons in Detroit’s organization, playing 29 games with the Tigers and 591 games with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. The Mud Hens’ All-Time Home Run King hit 140 homers in a Toledo uniform, more than twice as many as any other player in the team’s 113-year history (Erve Beck, 67, 1896-1900).
Continue reading ‘08 IL MVP Hessman joins Mets’
 T.O. Jackson (Bronx/Bronx Regional) had 25 points and 17 rebounds, but it was not enough as Buffalo State (1-5) dropped a 99-97 heartbreaker in double-overtime at Hobart (6-4) tonight in a non-conference battle.
Jake Simmons (Rochester/School of the Arts) scored 21 points for the Bengals shooting 8 of 23 from the field, but just 1 of 10 from 3-point range. Justin Mitchell (Buffalo/Bishop Timon) chipped in 14 points, and Antonio Samedi (St. Albans/Queens Vocational) added 10 points, nine rebounds and five blocks.
Continue reading ‘Buffalo State drops OT heartbreaker’
Jonny Flynn and the Minnesota Timberwolves have had a non-stop schedule since September. By quick tally, in just a few months of NBA play Flynn has played almost as many games as he did all season last year with Syracuse. So, it should come as no surprise everyone on the roster, especially Flynn was ready for a break.
Currently on a three-day break Flynn and the Timberwolves are regrouping and figuring out how to play more consistent basketball than they did over the holidays. Things started out well with wins against the New Jersey Nets on December 23rd and the Washington Wizards on the 26th. Against the Nets, Flynn saw over 35 minutes of action, scoring 22 points and committing 3 turnovers. Against the Wizards, Flynn saw considerably less time (only 24 minutes) and managed to score just eight points, though he didn’t have a single turnover. He added six assists for the night, making Kurt Rambis and his triangle offense very pleased.
Continue reading ‘Flynn’s roller coaster rookie season continues’
 John Clayton at ESPN is reporting that Buffalo Bills special teams coach Bobby April has exercised a clause in his contract that terminates his deal. He is now a coaching “free agent,” and teams hoping to interview him do not need to seek permission from the Bills to do so.
April leaves the Bills after six seasons as Buffalo’s special teams coordinator, including the last four as Assistant Head Coach. Under April’s tutelage, Buffalo’s special teams units have consistently been among the league’s top units, producing two No. 1 rankings and several star specialists, including kick returner Terrence McGee, punt returner Roscoe Parrish and punter Brian Moorman.
Continue reading ‘Bobby April Terminates Bills Contract’
 I guess since ProFootballTalk.com picked this up, it’s time to mention it here.
Joe Logan, reporting at EastAurora.org, wrote early Monday morning that former Pittsburgh head coach Bill Cowher was expected in Buffalo today, Tuesday, to meet with the Bills about their vacant head coaching position.
As Mike Florio notes, the report merits at least a closer look, given that Logan also reported that Buffalo’s entire coaching staff would be fired – about five hours before we got the word from Jay Glazer, if that time stamp is to be believed.
Continue reading ‘Cowher in Buffalo rumors again pick up steam’
Despite several reports that suggest otherwise, if the Buffalo Bills are really interested in interviewing Brian Billick to become their 17th head coach, they’re doing a fine job of being nonchalant about it. I spoke to a member of the Bills organization who told me Billick hasn’t been contacted by the club if he does it would be “news to me.”
That certainly doesn’t preclude Billick from coming to Buffalo. The club interviewed Perry Fewell Monday night and informed the entire coaching staff yesterday morning they wouldn’t be back next year unless the new coach wanted them, so Buddy Nix’s plate has been full. I’m told no candidates were contacted Monday as Nix took care of in-house business.
Nix is expected to start diving into interviews with prospects as early as today, and maybe he does contact Billick.
Continue reading ‘Tuesday Coaching Carousel’
 Though the 2009 season saw the Buffalo Bills finish with an incredibly disappointing 6-10 record – followed by a good old-fashioned house cleaning – there were bright spots amongst the darkness of the past four months. No single person in the Bills organization shone brighter in 2009 than running back Fred Jackson, who is quickly becoming a household name.
Jackson, who will turn 29 in February, set career highs in rushing attempts (237), yards (1,062), receptions (46), reception yards (371) and total touchdowns (5) this season, his third in the NFL. His story is moving toward local legend status: Jackson is a Division III product out of Coe College that cut his teeth with the Sioux City Bandits, an indoor football team. His climb to NFL prominence has been fascinating to behold.
Continue reading ‘Putting Fred Jackson’s season in perspective’
 Four Canisius scorers posted double figures, led by junior forward Greg Logins and his season-high 20, as the Golden Griffins defeated Iona 77-65 Monday night in the Koessler Athletic Center. The win improves Canisius to 7-8 overall and 2-2 in league play, while the Gaels slipped to 9-6 on the year and 1-3 in conference action.
Canisius, which was without second-leading scorer Julius Coles because of an illness, shot a blistering 48.8 percent from the field and a season-best 47.8 percent from behind the arc in the victory and ended the night with a 38-26 advantage on the boards. Logins scored his 20 points after he went 7-for-12 from the field, 2-for-6 from 3-point range and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe, while senior Frank Turner chipped in 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals in his 100th career start as a Griff. Turner’s seven assists were a game-high and also allowed him to move past former Griff Brian Dux for second on the school’s career assist list.
Continue reading ‘Balanced attack leads to Griffs win’
 Paced by four double-digit scorers, the Niagara men’s basketball team (10-6, 3-1 MAAC) defeated MAAC foe Fairfield (10-4, 3-1 MAAC) by a score of 77-68 at the ‘Taps’ Gallagher Center on Monday night. Senior Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) led the Purple Eagles with 22 points while fellow senior Bilal Benn (Philadelphia, Pa.) tallied his seventh double-double on the season, with 15 points and 13 boards.
“I don’t know you would call this a must-win, but it definitely was a must to get the feeling that we had last year back,” Niagara head coach Joe Mihalich said. “I think we did that tonight. This was a great win for us.”
Continue reading ‘Lewis’ 22 leads NU over Fairfield’
Jeff Dickerson, ESPN.com blogger writes that Perry Fewell, free to pursue other jobs assuming he doesn’t land the Bills head coaching gig, is being linked to the defensive coordinator position with the Chicago Bears.
Fewell has had a relationship with current Chicago head coach Lovie Smith since 2003, When Smith was the St. Louis Rams’ defensive coordinator and Fewell served as his secondary coach.
If Fewell, as expected doesn’t get the Bills job it’s not likely he’d return to accept what could be considered a team demotion to defensive coordinator by the new coach. The Bears continue to run the cover two defense that Fewell likes running.
Pisa Tinoisamoa is a current Bears and former Rams linebacker. He told Dickerson that “Fewell was a pretty good coach with the defensive backs whenever we were in team meetings”
Fewell coached with Smith in Chicago in 2005 before moving on to Buffalo with Dick Jauron.
According to published reports, three more candidates are emerging on the Buffalo Bills interview list, and none of them have previous head coaching experience. Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, Arizona assistant head coach Russ Grimm and Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier are all slated to get interviews from Buddy Nix, according to various reports.
McDermott is in his first year as Eagles defensive coordinator but has been with the team in a coaching capacity since 1998. He was mentored under the late Jim Johnson and employs an aggressive style of defense. He’s just 35-years old, but I’m told he’s going to become a hot coaching prospect.
Grimm was a finalist for the Pittsburgh Steelers job when Bill Cowher retired in 2007, but lost out to Mike Tomlin. He then went with fellow finalist Ken Wisenhunt to Arizona after Wisenhunt became the head coach there. He is the assistant head coach/offensive line coach and has helped oversee a powerful Cardinals offense. I’m hearing if the Bills decide to go the first-time head coaching route Grimm could emerge as the leading candidate.
Continue reading ‘Add three more to Bills coaching mix’
Paul Hamilton, outstanding beat reporter for WGR 550, just filed a report stating that perhaps Brian Billick is already on his way to the Buffalo Bills.
Hamilton said in his report that onne league source told him that Brian Billick is already assembling a staff to come to Buffalo. There are two ways this could be going. Is he putting together a staff because the Bills have hired him as head coach or is he putting together a staff so he’s ready if the Bills want to hire him as head coach?
As we all know, not long ago on NFL Network Billick, an analyst asked why anyone would want the Buffalo Bills coaching job. Perhaps something significant has changed.
Meanwhile, we published a story yesterday making a case for Billick as Bills coach.
Stay tuned as the news and rumors are sure to pick up.
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