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for July 2010
 Canisius College men’s basketball coach Tom Parrotta announced today that David Santiago (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) has officially committed to become a member of the Golden Griffins’ men’s basketball program. As a transfer from American University in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Santiago must sit out the 2010-11 season in accordance with NCAA transfer regulations. He will have three years of eligibility remaining starting in the 2011-12 campaign.
Santiago is a 6-foot-4, 180 pound shooting guard. He averaged 14 points, five rebounds and two assists per game last season in games against other member schools of the Inter University Athletic League of Puerto Rico.
“We are thrilled to have David join our program,” Parrotta said. “He is very athletic and he can really shoot the ball. What we really like is that he understands the game and he will have this year to get bigger and stronger. I feel that he will contribute greatly to our team when he is eligible to play.”
Continue reading ‘Santiago to Join Canisius Men’s Basketball Program’
 St. Bonaventure women’s basketball coach Jim Crowley announced on Thursday the hiring of former player Tiara Johnson as the Director of Basketball Operations for this upcoming season.
“We are thrilled to be able to keep Tiara involved in our program. Over the past three years she has been an incredible leader and teammate,” said Crowley. “She has a great passion for the game and for our program. She completes what I truly believe is a very special staff that will help our program rise to even higher levels.”
As the Director of Basketball Operations, Johnson will assist in the day-to-day operations of the team, including program organization, travel and video exchange.
Continue reading ‘Former Bonnie joins Women’s basketball staff’
 Despite mounting growing sentiment, especially among the media for Brian Brohm winning the Buffalo Bills starting quarterback job during training camp, I’m told by a pair of current players it will be Trent Edwards who enters camp as the number one guy, and the job will be his to lose.
“Anything can happen once camp opens, but it’s my understanding Trent will be the top guy in the rotation to begin the competition.” said a current player on the condition of anonymity.
Edwards, entering his fourth season with the team in the league, has been the opening day starter for the past two seasons. During that time he has struggled, particularly last year. He threw just six touchdowns and averaged 6.4 yards per pass attempt in eight games last year. He was injured and eventually benched in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick because interim head coach Perry Fewell concluded Fitzpatrick gave the team a better chance to win.
Continue reading ‘Expect Edwards To Get First Crack At Bills QB Job’
 The Buffalo Sabres announced today that the team has capped the number of season tickets for the 2010-2011 season at 14,825 and had a renewal rate of 98% from last year. In addition, there are currently over 1,600 members of the Blue and Gold Club which is comprised of individuals on a waiting list for season tickets. The team also unveiled their variable ticket pricing schedule and mini-pack prices for the 2010-2011 regular season.
“Our season ticket holders have been a crucial part of the business success of the Buffalo Sabres in recent years,” said Chief Operating Officer Dan DiPofi. “We are extremely grateful for their constant support and passion for our team. As the relationship between our fans and the organization continues to grow, we look forward to celebrating the 40th anniversary of Sabres hockey in Western New York with our community.”
Continue reading ‘Sabres Season Tickets at 98% Renewal Rate’
 The Niagara University men’s basketball program announced its 2010-11 non-conference schedule on Wednesday. The competition includes four games as part of the Legends Classic as well as the annual BracketBusters event. In all, the team will play 13 nonconference games with four to be played at the ‘Taps’ Gallagher Center.
The regular season gets underway Nov. 17 when Niagara hosts Milwaukee. Two days later, the Purple Eagles will play at Georgia Tech as part of the Legends Classic. A home game against Mount St. Mary’s on Nov. 22 will be followed by three more games under the Legends Classic umbrella. Those will take place in Detroit against Detroit, Bowling Green and Albany on Nov. 26-28, respectively.
Continue reading ‘Niagara Men’s Basketball Announces Non-Conference Schedule’
 ◊ Brain Galliford of Buffalo Rumblings writes about the comparison between Buffalo Bills rookie C.J. Spiller and Minnesota Vikings star Percy Harvin.
◊ The Bills are off to a quick start at the gate with two sellouts, though they are behind last year’s pace of season ticket sales, according to the Buffalo News.
◊ Lori Chase of Two Bills Drive reviews a news Bills book: Buffalo Bills Football Vault- The First 50 Seasons.
◊ Bills.com reports on one of the bigger questions entering training camp; will the Bills average 21 points per game. (We have a one-word answer for that, and it’s not yes).
Continue reading ‘The Daily Links – July 15, 2010′
 Desmond Howard, one of only four football players in history to win both the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, will be the keynote speaker at the annual UB Football Kickoff Luncheon on Wednesday, August 4 at the Millennium Hotel.
Tickets for the event are $50 per person or $500 for tables of eight and includes a post-luncheon meet and greet with Howard and UB head football coach Jeff Quinn as well as tickets to the Bulls’ home opener vs. Rhode Island.
Howard will serve as the keynote speaker for the luncheon that starts at 11:30 am. The all-time Michigan great, who is currently an ESPN analyst who is featured on the network’s immensely popular College Gameday show, won the Heisman Trophy in 1991 and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXI for the Green Bay Packers. During his college career at the University of Michigan, Howard set or tied five NCAA and 12 Michigan records. He also led the Big Ten Conference in scoring with 138 points during the 1991 season on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and earning first-team All-American honors. Howard captured 85% of the first place votes in balloting for the Heisman, the largest margin in the history of the trophy at that time.
Continue reading ‘Desmond Howard To Highlight UB Kickoff Luncheon’
 Recently, we spent a little time talking about Buffalo Bills safety Jon Corto – an Orchard Park native – and his unique role as perhaps the only non-kicking-game (meaning non-K, non-P, non-LS) pure specialist on the team. There are plenty of players on Buffalo’s roster that will need to prove themselves as specialists to make the team, but Corto stands alone as the one guy known entirely for his work in that area.
This formula works both ways. Not only does the ability to play special teams help certain young players, but the complete lack of proficiency (or opportunity, or youth, or all of the above) in that area can hurt someone’s attempt to make the roster, as well. Since Buffalo’s roster is so young, there aren’t many players that fall into this category, but they certainly exist on this roster.
Continue reading ‘How Special Teams Will Affect Four Veteran Bills’
 Coming off its best finish in 10 years and the club’s first postseason appearance, the St. Bonaventure men’s soccer team unveiled its 2010 schedule on Tuesday.
Under the direction of sixth-year head coach Mel Mahler, the Bonnies begin by facing a nine-game non-conference schedule to prepare for Atlantic 10 action. St. Bonaventure will play four out of the five teams that advanced to the 2009 A-10 Championship.
“Coming off a successful 2009 season, I believe this year’s schedule will provide us the challenges we need to continue to grow as a program,” said Mahler. “In order to build upon last year’s success we need to understand that we must win games in the non-conference portion of our schedule.”
Continue reading ‘Bona Men’s Soccer announces 2010 schedule’
 University at Buffalo catcher Tom Murphy homered in the first inning to lead the East to an 11-2 victory over the West in the New York Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game at Glens Falls on Monday.
Murphy, who finished 1-for-2, earned the Bob Bellizzi Big Stick Award as the game’s offensive MVP.
A member of the Oneonta Outlaws, Murphy has started 25 games and is hitting .281 with three home runs and 17 RBIs. He has added seven doubles and sports a .469 slugging percentage.
The Outlaws are 18-13 and are a half game out of first place in the NYCBL East Division. UB pitcher Mike Klaus also plays for Oneonta.
 Oh, the horror. The horror of ESPN, the NBA and three free agents that decided to captivate the viewing audience. You know, for a long time I’ve been saying that the NHL needs to market their players like the NBA does…um, yeah, after watching THAT fiasco, I’d like to strike that from the record. Trust me, I’m a NBA guy, but this is the sort of garbage that makes the NBA seem like small time in Buffalo. No one in Buffalo likes a pro athlete that is an egomaniac and tries to force his brand upon thee.
Anyways, I’m sure we have all read the fallout from this. I mean, choose a topic:
Continue reading ‘How the LeBron James fiasco affects Buffalo’
 Niagara men’s hockey alum Tyler Gotto (’10) has become the latest Purple Eagle to join the professional ranks, signing a contract to play with the Toledo Walleye of the East Coast Hockey League. The Walleye are the ECHL affiliate of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Redwings.
“Tyler has been a role model on and off the ice during his career at Niagara,” head coach Dave Burkholder said. “He is an outstanding player and even better person. I wish him well as he starts his well-deserved pro career.”
The six foot tall blueliner from Calgary, Alberta had a solid career at Niagara, accumulating 18 goals, 62 assists and 80 points in 141 games. Gotto earned a plethora of College Hockey America accolades, including being named to the 2007 CHA All-Rookie Team and three consecutive All-CHA Second Team honors (2008-10). Gotto went out with a bang, as during his senior year he set a career-high in goals (11), points (25) and power-play goals (3).
Continue reading ‘Tyler Gotto Inks Pro Deal With Toledo’
 St. Bonaventure men’s basketball senior-to-be Ogo Adegboye was named by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) to the NABC Honors Court as announced on Monday.
The court recognizes those collegiate basketball student-athletes who excelled in academics during the 2009-10 season. The NABC Honors Court recognizes the talents and gifts that these men possess off the court, and the hard work they exhibit in the classroom. In order to be named to the Honors Court, an athlete must meet a high standard of academic criteria.
A native of London, Adegboye averaged 6.6 points, 2.4 assists and 1.7 rebounds over 31 games in his first season in the Brown and White in 2009-10. Adegboye ranked seventh in the Atlantic 10 with a positive 2.0 assist/turnover ratio, while finishing second on the club with 30 three-pointers. A true point guard, Adegboye committed just 10 turnovers over the last 11 games, while passing out 35 assists.
Continue reading ‘Bona’s Adegboye named to NABC Honors Court’
 According to a report by Rodney McKissic of the Buffalo News, the UB Bulls are gaining a football transfer. Cornerback Romel Dismuke is transferring to the University at Buffalo from Cincinnati, sources told the newspaper.
From McKissic’s story:
“Dismuke is believed to be the first player from a Bowl Championship Series school to transfer to UB. Dismuke is scheduled to arrive on campus today. He will be elibigle for the 2011 season. Dismuke redshirted last year, his true freshman season, at Cincinnati and will have three seasons of eligibility remaining.”
This is clearly another step in the right direction for the UB football program and for first-year head coach Jeff Quinn, who’s beginning to show the school and its football fans the aggressiveness of his recruiting.
 One week after teammate Jason Beattie participated in the Philadelphia Flyers Prospect Camp, Niagara men’s hockey forward Bryan Haczyk will participate in the 2010 New Jersey Devils Prospect Camp.
The Nutley, N.J. native is coming off of a career-year, where he set new career-highs in goals (9), assists (13) and points (22). The two-time CHA All-Academic Team honoree is Niagara’s leading scorer amongst returning student-athletes for the 2010-11 season.
Beattie and Haczyk are following in the footsteps of several Purple Eagle alumni that have attended NHL development camps, including Egor Mironov (2009 – Toronto), Juliano Pagliero (2008 – Ottawa), Ted Cook (Buffalo), Kyle Rogers (2008 – Toronto), Scott Langdon (2008 – Toronto), Matt Caruana (Anaheim – 2008) and Sean Bentivoglio (2007 & 2008 – New York Islanders).
The Purple Eagles begin play in the Atlantic Hockey Association in the fall.
 The New York Mets announced that Jesus Feliciano has been optioned to the Bisons. Feliciano is expected to return to the Herd after this week’s All-Star Break.
Feliciano was promoted to New York on June 7 and hit .291 (16-55) with four doubles, two RBI and seven runs scored in 23 games with the Mets. He collected his first major league hit on June 13 in Baltimore.
Prior to joining the Mets, the 31-year old was the best hitter in the International League over the first two months of the season. His .385 (72-187) batting average through 53 games was 57 points higher than any other batter in the league. He also led the IL in hits (72).
Continue reading ‘Mets Option Feliciano Back to Bisons’
 Former Buffalo Bills special teams coach Bobby April is widely regarded as one of the very best at his particular craft. An NFL coach since 1991, April spent six seasons with the Bills, including his last four with the added title of assistant head coach. Responsible for putting together teams that perennially ranked near the top of the NFL in most statistical categories, April will continue his stellar coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010.
April was afforded a lot of influence in Buffalo. Special teams drills made up a large portion of training camp practices, which caught the eye of Bills fans (along with April’s megaphone and fiery on-field personality). What’s more, April typically was allowed to keep one – but usually more than one – player on the roster that was dedicated purely to the pursuit of special teams. Players like Coy Wire, Sam Aiken, Ryan Neufeld, Josh Stamer, Justin Jenkins and John Wendling rarely saw the field save for special teams play – and all excelled in that particular area.
Continue reading ‘With April Gone, Bills’ Corto Faces Uphill Climb’
 Canisius College defenseman Carl Hudson has signed a contract with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. Hudson, who played with the Golden Griffins from 2006 to 2010, graduated from Canisius with 11 school records to his name and is the first Griff in the program’s history to sign an NHL contract.
“I’m still soaking it all in but it feels really good and I’m very excited to start my pro career with Florida,” Hudson said. “It’s also great for Canisius and the hockey program. I hope this will help the players who are there now and the new recruits coming in to get more recognition. Going to school at Canisius and having the opportunity to play with all the great players over my four years helped me out a great deal and I owe a lot to them.”
A second-team All-Atlantic Hockey honoree in 2009-10, Hudson set school records by a defensemen with 34 points, 14 goals and 20 assists. The Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario native ranked first nationally among blueliners with 0.40 goals per game and third with 0.97 points per game. Hudson also netted 11 power-play goals during his senior campaign, which ranked sixth in the country.
Continue reading ‘Canisius’ Hudson Signs with NHL’s Florida Panthers’
 Canisius College head men’s basketball coach Tom Parrotta was recently inducted into the Archbishop Stepinac High School Hardwood Club at the group’s third annual dinner and award ceremony in White Plains, N.Y. Induction into the Stepinac Hardwood Club is the equivalent of being named to the school’s Sports Hall of Fame and is only open to graduates of the Crusaders basketball program.
Parrotta graduated from Stepinac High School in 1984 before taking his basketball talents to Fordham University. The Yonkers, N.Y. native is entering his fifth-year at the helm of the Canisius men’s basketball program and recently signed a contract extension that will keep him on the Golden Griffins’ bench through the 2012-13 season.
“When you have fond memories of a place like Stepinac and they bestow an honor like this on you, it is very touching. It is a good warm feeling,” Parrotta told the White Plains Times.
Continue reading ‘Tom Parrotta Inducted into Stepinac Hardwood Club’
 St. Bonaventure associate athletic director Steve Campbell announced the hiring of Brett Mucheck as the head men’s golf coach on Friday.
“We are very pleased to have Brett join our staff as his experiences in the golf profession will serve the program and the student-athletes exceptionally well,” said Campbell. “Coach Mucheck is an outstanding motivator and his experience will challenge our current student-athletes to reach greater heights. Brett’s infectious demeanor and excellent communication skills will have an impact on his ability to recruit players who can be successful at St. Bonaventure both academically and athletically.”
Continue reading ‘Bonaventure announces Brett Mucheck as golf coach’
 The Sabres made a small splash in free agency Wednesday, signing veteran center Rob Niedermayer, who last played for the New Jersey Devils as well as re-upping backup netminder Patrick Lalime.
Although Niedermayer is going to be 36 years old, he fills two holes in the Sabres lineup at an affordable 1.15 million dollars.
First off, Niedermayer is a capable center, and the Sabres haven’t had four top nine pivots in far too long, a fact that killed them against the Bruins.
Continue reading ‘Thoughts on Niedermayer And Lalime’
 Former UB infielder Mike Folli has taken another step in becoming the first UB player to play in the Major Leagues since reinstatement as he was called up to the Memphis RedBirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Folli has hit .455 since his call up on July 2.
Folli has spent most of the last two seasons with the Springfield Cardinals, but was called up last Friday. After going 0-for-3 in his first three pinch hitting attempts, Folli has made some noise the last two games as he joined the starting lineup. In his first start, Folli played short stop and hit eighth against the Round Rock Express, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. Folli went 2-for-4 in the start including his first run scored.
Folli had his best game of his young Triple-A career on Wednesday night as he batted seventh and played third base. Folli went 3-for-4 with double and two runs batted in, the only two runs scored by Memphis on the night against the Express. Following a second inning single, Folli drove in his first run with single in the fourth inning and then drove in his second run with a double in ninth, his first extra base hit.
Continue reading ‘Mike Folli Promoted To Triple-A Memphis RedBirds’
 Starting pitcher Ramon Ortiz was in cruise control for the first five innings of his start against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. Unfortunately he hit a speed bump in the sixth inning and saw his quality start unravel when the Bisons lost 10-7 at Coca-Cola Field tonight.
The Bisons started off the game at the plate swinging for the fences. Second baseman Justin Turner led off the game with his third home run of the season and became the first Bison since Jason Pridie did it back on April 18th to hit a leadoff home run. First baseman Mike Jacobs followed Turner’s suit by also hitting a home run in the first when he swatted his 14th home run of the season to deep right field.
Jacobs has found his home run swing as of late as he has been hitting the cover off the ball in the past few games. Over the last five games Jacobs is hitting .315 with seven RBI and five home runs.
Continue reading ‘Bisons Lose To S.B. Yankees, 10-7′
 The Buffalo Sabres today announced their 2010 preseason schedule. The team will play six games, including two at HSBC Arena. Start times and ticket information for each home game will be announced at a later date.
The Sabres will begin their preseason slate at home on Saturday, September 25 when their cross-border rivals from Toronto visit HSBC Arena. The same teams will also square off two days later at the Air Canada Centre on September 27. For the second time in three years, Buffalo was selected to participate in the NHL’s Kraft Hockeyville game. This year, the contest against the Ottawa Senators will be held in Dundas, Ontario on Tuesday, September 28. The Sabres will then travel to Montreal to play the Canadiens on September 30, before concluding with a pair of games against the Philadelphia Flyers — October 1 at Philadelphia, and October 3 in Buffalo.
Continue reading ‘Sabres Announce 2010 Preseason Schedule’
 Wednesday was a busy day for the Buffalo Sabres on the free agent market.
Nothing of note in regards to a signing for the Pirates as of yet, but Sabres GM Darcy Regier said today they are still proactive on the market for veterans who can play with Portland, but not committed to necessarily bringing back any of the veterans who played with the Pirates last season.
“We will sign veterans, whether or not it’s the same guys is still too early to tell.”
Regier touched on numerous issues during his encounter with the media including the signings of Rob Niedermayer and goaltender Patrick Lalime.
Both Niedermayer and Lalime were signed to one-year deals.
Continue reading ‘Darcy Regier Touches on Variety of Topics’
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