No Respect

Being an Oakland A’s fan living in Buffalo, NY is tough.  For the most part games start late at night, they are hardly on national television (for good reason), and there are hardly no fans of the team that live in this area to talk to.  Before the internet came around, I used to have to wait an extra day just to see a box score because the morning paper would just show the matchup with a (n) next to it, meaning the game ended after the newspaper deadline for the night.  Despite all of this, nothing had me more upset about being a fan of this team than what happened this morning.  It’s opening day for Oakland and Seattle fans everywhere.  An exciting time.  A big matchup of the projected bottom feeders in the AL West.  The two game series is being played in Japan, so attracting a nationally televised audience is difficult when you consider the time difference, and the teams playing in the game. 

This is the fourth time MLB has opened in Japan.  Back in 2000 the Mets and Cubs opened the season, in 2004 it was the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, and in 2008 it was the Red Sox and Athletics.  All three opening series were able to be viewed live on ESPN.  The key word in that last sentence was live.  This year, if you did not live in the Pacific Northwest and have access to the Seattle affiliate ROOT Sports, or subscribe to MLB.tv, you couldn’t see this game live.  MLB Network broadcasted the game on tape delay 3 hours after the game actually started.  Imagine that, MLB fans that woke up at 6:00am EST to watch the first game of the season was blacked out.  Major league baseball’s own television network, MLB Network, was showing a replay of a spring training game at 6:00am EST this morning.  I cannot believe that Major League Baseball did not work out a plan to show this game live to anybody who wanted to see it.  What is even worse, is that fans in Oakland had to wait until the tape delayed game was on to watch it as well.  So much for a ringing endorsement from Bud Selig and MLB to kick off the new year.  If you are not going to promote the game, if you are not going to show the game live, then why bother having the game at all?  I wonder what the outrage would have been if Yankees fans had this happen to them.  Can you imagine the outrage if the NFL’s first game of the season was tape delayed?   Dallas Braden, an injured starting pitcher for the Oakland A’s said it best last night on Twitter, “Guess a Cy Young winner (Felix Hernandez), Japanese UBER star (Ichiro) & the Cuban missile (Yoenis Cespedes) debut aren’t enough 4 the A’s and M’s on live TV huh? Thx for the love MLB.”  Thanks a lot Commish, great way to kick off the season. 

On the Diamond…

·         Big day today for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.  The Frank McCourt era has finally come to an end.  A new ownership group that includes Los Angeles legend Magic Johnson has purchased the club for an estimated $2.1 billion.  Yes, that’s billion.  The highest ever paid for a North American sports team.  Magic Johnson did not put up the highest share in this bid, but he will become the new face of the organization.  Great day for Dodgers fans everywhere.  Baseball is better when Los Angeles is relevant.

·         Chipper Jones has announced that he will retire at the end of this season.  A truly great career will come to an end.  Chipper was one of the main faces of the Atlanta Braves organization for almost 20 years.  He will go down in my opinion as one of the top 4 switch hitters of all time behind Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose, and Eddie Murray.  There may not be many more players that play for as long as Chipper did for only one organization.  He will start out the year on the D.L, but hopefully when he comes back in early May, he can play out the rest of his final year healthy.

·         A tough loss for the A’s this morning to Seattle.  The problem that will be going on all year will be the hitting.  I know that scoring runs is always tough against Felix Hernandez, but this team will have to play small ball to score some runs this year, and this morning a couple poor sacrifices and caught stealings hurt their chances.  A solid start to the season for Brandon McCarthy though.  Whoever trades for him in July will get a solid pitcher.  Yoenis Cespedes went 1-3 with a hard hit double, a HBP, and 2 strike outs.

·         49 year old Jamie Moyer pitched again today for the Colorado Rockies.  A rough day though.  His line was 4 innings, 7 hits, 3 walks, 3 runs and 4 K’s.  Hopefully this didn’t hurt his chances of making the roster.

On the Ice…

·         What a performance last night by the Buffalo Sabres in a 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals.  Truly dominant in every sense of the word.  The Sabres now hold a 2 point lead over Washington for the final spot in the playoffs with 5 games left in the season.  Ryan Miller was outstanding yet again in goal, and the Tyler Ennis, Drew Stafford, and Marcus Foligno line continued its hot streak with a couple more goals scored by Stafford.   Does Ryan Miller get a couple votes for MVP now the way he has played over the last 20-25 games?  Not saying he should win, but he should get some votes.  For how hot the Sabres have been, I’m sure the teams at the top of the conference are hoping they don’t have to play the Sabres in the first round.   

On the Gridiron…

·         Count me one of the people who do not think Bill Parcells is going to come out of retirement to coach the New Orleans Saints this coming season.  I don’t think he will make himself have to wait 5 more years to become eligible for the Hall of Fame again all to babysit a team for one season.  Better start looking elsewhere Sean Payton.

·         Any chance the 49ers asked Jerry Rice’s opinion before the team signed RB Brandon Jacobs today to a one year contract?  Rice was the one who called Jacobs “soft” prior to the 49ers/Giants playoff game this year.

·         I heard some rumors on ESPN’s Mike & Mike in the Morning that the NFL may change the “too many men on the field” rule this coming season.  During this year’s Super Bowl, the Giants were called for this penalty late in the game, and ended up costing the Patriots at least 10 seconds on their last drive of the game.  The proposed change will make the penalty a dead ball penalty, similar to that of a false start so no time can be wasted.

On the NCAA Hardwood…

·         For this week, I wish I lived in the great state of Kentucky.  I really wish I appreciated the hatred Louisville and Kentucky fans have for each other.  With these two teams meeting in the Final Four this weekend, the winner of this game will make their fans feel like they won the National Championship.  Kansas and Ohio State in the other game that has taken a back seat this week in the media due to the intense rivalry game between Kentucky/Louisville.   Just to show you how intense the Kentucky/Louisville rivalry is read this article that made its way around the Twitter world today… http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2012-03-28/kentucky-louisville-rivalry-fight-at-dialysis-clinic#ixzz1qR07dduC

·         Too bad Kendall Marshall couldn’t play this past week for North Carolina.  They would still be playing, and in my opinion, be the favorite to win the Tournament if he were still playing.

On the Links…

·         Tiger Woods finally broke through in a PGA event and won for the first time since his “marital transgressions” became public.  Golf is so much better when he is near the top or at the top of the leader board.   This past Sunday afternoon was great watching him run away from the group of players that started the round close to him.  You never got the sense Tiger was in trouble.  Great win for him.

·         I am very excited now for the Masters.  Tiger is now the favorite to win the tournament.  If Tiger and Rory McIlroy are at the top of the leader board on Easter Sunday for the back 9, the Masters might become the second most watch sporting event for the entire year (behind the Super Bowl).  It would be amazing for golf fans everywhere.  Let’s all hope it happens.  

On the Homefront…

·         The improbable run to the top of Nick Martino’s NCAA Bracket challenge is complete, and my wife has clinched 1^st place.  That’s right, someone who has no idea who Kendall Marshall is won.  I love it.

·         Another tough loss for the Youngsters this past weekend.  The Veterans have dominated for the past couple weeks and have taken a commanding 4-1 series lead in the Sunday afternoon basketball classic.  The Youngsters just do not have an answer to the big men that the Veterans have down low and the shooting percentage of the Youngsters of approximately 20% isn’t helping either.

·         Rumor has it that the “New Rez” has all of the lights installed on the one softball field that called for them to be installed.  I’m not sure how all of the other diamonds look, but the start of the Summer softball season is May 1^st for the defending Tuesday night champs and I hope all construction will be done by then.   I’m excited to see how many “all-stars” come back to the Falls to play on the new diamonds. 

That’s all I have for today.  I’m off to my final fantasy baseball draft.  Until next time...

MLB Season Preview

The upcoming baseball season starts this Wednesday with Oakland and Seattle playing each other in a 2 game series in Japan. Here is my take on the upcoming season in this all baseball blog post....

AL East
NY Yankees
Tampa Bay
Toronto
Boston
Baltimore

The Yankees have the best combination of offense, defense, and pitching.  Say what you want about Michael Pineda and his lack of velocity this spring training, this team is good enough to overcome that.  The lineup is deep, pitching is solid, and the bullpen is one of the best in the AL even without Joba.  Tampa Bay will have the best rotation in the league which is what will keep them competitve and overcome the lack of scoring from their lineup.  I'm big on Toronto this year.  This team can score in bunches with Jose Bautista and the young Brett Lawrie leading the way.  Ricky Romero is my breakout star pitcher this year.  If this team can get consistent pitching from Brandon Morrow who is a strike out machine, this team can begin to scare many teams.  I'm predicting Boston to have a fall from grace this year.  Too many questions surround this team.  Who is going to be the 4th and 5th starter?  Who is going to be the shortstop?  Can Carl Crawford have a comeback season? Can Jacoby Ellsbury repeat last season's performance?  How will Bobby Valentine do in his first season in Boston?  This is way too many questions.  Not much can be said about Baltimore other than Matt Wieters turning into the top offensive catcher in the AL this year.

AL Central
Detroit
Cleveland
Kansas City
Minnesota
Chicago

Detroit has assembled a very impressive lineup.  With Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder anchoring the 3 and 4 spots in the lineup, this team should be fun to watch.  Having Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Doug Fister as your 1-3 in the starting rotation also helps.  Cleveland is a tricky team to predict.  I like their pitching with Ubaldo, Masterson, Tomlin, Lowe and Slowey, but it is their offense that I really like.  I also expect a nice bounce back year this year from Shin-Soo Choo.  Kansas City seems like they have the injury curse already.  They have lost two key players already with catcher Salvador Perez missing the first 3 months of the season and all-star closer Joakim Soria done for the year with Tommy John.  This offense can still put up big number though.  Eric Hosmer might be an all star this year and Billy Butler is as consistent as they come.  The pitching is what is going to hurt this team.  Not much can be said about Minnesota and Chicago other than I hope Mauer and Morneau stay healthy all year and I hope Adam Dunn has a nice bounce back season.

AL West
Los Angeles
Texas
Seattle
Oakland

I absolutely love the Angels roster.  Their rotation should challenge Tampa Bay's as the best in the league, Jordan Walden and Scott Downs anchor a solid bullpen, and the lineup is now led by a guy named Albert Pujols (he's pretty good).  If Kendrys Morales stays healthy, this team will have the best record in the AL.  The Rangers have put all their eggs in the Yu Darvish basket, and I don't think they are going to like what they paid for.  Signing him cost the team $111 million ($51 million posting fee and $60 million salary).  Only 4 other pitchers in baseball make more than $100 million.  CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Johan Santana, and Barry Zito.  I would say that teams are 2 for 4 when it comes to successfully paying that much for a starting pitcher (sorry Mets and Giants fans). After Darvish, Colby Lewis and Derek Holland are solid, but I don't know how Neftali Feliz will do in the rotation.  He will be on an innings limit and may need to be shut down late in the season.  Not much to say about both Seattle and Oakland other than the Yoenis Cespedes and Manny Ramirez show should be fun to watch in Oakland and every home run Jesus Montero hits will have Yankee fans cringing. 

NL East
Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals
Miami Marlins
Atlanta Braves
NY Mets

Toughest division in baseball by far.  The top 4 in this division can go in any order.  The Phillies have tons of pitching, but their offense is going to be their issue all year, even when Ryan Howard and Chase Utley come back.  Hunter Pence is going to have a monster season.  I love the Nationals pitching with Strasburg, Gio, Jordan Zimmerman, and Edwin Jackson.  If Jayson Werth can have a bounce back season, and Ryan Zimmerman can stay healthy, this team has a legit shot at winning division.  I can't wait to see Bryce Harper get the call up to the big leagues.  No team made bigger headlines than the Marlins this off-season.  A new stadium, a new manager in Ozzie Guillen, a revamped starting rotation with Mark Buehrle and Carlos Zambrano, a new closer in Heath Bell, and the addition of shortstop Jose Reyes has many people thinking playoffs.  Despite all of this, no player means more to his team in all of baseball than returning ace pitcher Josh Johnson.  Too bad he gets hurt often.  If healthy all year, this team can also compete for division crown.  The Braves are still relatively young, need another outfielder, need Jason Heyward to bounce back significantly, and need Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson to stay healthy.  Too many questions here.  The only thing to say about the Mets is when will David Wright get traded and what can we reasonably expect from Johan Santana?

NL Central
St Louis
Milwaukee
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Chicago
Houston

Even with the loss of Pujols and the injury to Chris Carpenter, I still think this team can win the division.  This division is not that strong, so I wouldn't be surprised if a 89 or 90 win team wins this division.  This lineup is still pretty deep, and the rotation is still solid with Adam Wainright and Jaime Garcia.  Carlos Beltran should help soften the blow of losing Pujols.  Milwaukee got lucky with Ryan Braun winning his appeal on the 50 game suspension, and the addition of Aramis Ramirez, like Beltran in St. Louis,  should help soften the blow of losing Prince Fielder.  I also really like their starting rotation with Gallardo, Greinke, Marcum, and Randy Wolf.  The media circus around Braun will hurt this team though.  The Reds have the best offensive player in the NL in Joey Votto, but it won't be enough to win the division. I'm not sold on Mat Latos and with Ryan Madson out for the season, the bullpen gets downgraded significantly. It's also not a good sign when your starting catcher and shortstop are rookies.  Sounds like they may be a year away.  Pittsburgh should continue to improve with their solid lineup, but the pitching is too weak and AJ Burnett is already out for the first two months of the season.  The Cubs are in rebuilding mode and the Astros will be the worst team in all of baseball.

NL West
Arizona
Dodgers
Giants
Rockies
Padres

Many people think last year was a fluke for Arizona.  I don't.  This team can hit, and the pitching should be better with the addition of Trevor Cahill.  Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson are also young studs that are going to be a scary 1-2 combination.  The Dodgers had a good year last year very quietly, and I expect continued improvement.  This team will soon have a new ownership group which I think will provide a boost for this organization.  Clayton Kershaw is arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball and Matt Kemp should of won the MVP last year.  That's a good starting point for this year for the Dodgers.  We all know the Giants can pitch, but their offense still doesn't scare anyone.  The Rockies don't have enough pitching, however I have heard good things about rookie Drew Pomeranz.  The offense still relies on Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki too much though.  The Padres continue to rebuild behind a young lineup and some young starting pitchers. 

Playoff Predictions

AL Wildcard - Tampa Bay over Texas
ALDS - Angels over Tampa Bay
ALDS - NY over Detroit
ALCS - Angels over NY

NL Wildcard - Nationals over Marlins
NLDS - Philadelphia over St. Louis
NLDS - Arizona over Nationals
NLCS - Philadelphia over Arizona

World Series - Angels over Philadelphia

Awards
AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera, 3B Detroit
AL Cy Young - Jered Weaver, SP Angels
AL Rookie - Matt Moore, SP Tampa Bay
AL Comeback Player - Kendrys Morales, 1B/DH Angels

NL MVP -  Justin Upton, OF Arizona
NL Cy Young - Clayton Kershaw, SP Los Angeles
NL Rookie - Dee Gordon, SS Los Angeles
NL Comeback Player - Adam Wainwright, SP St. Louis

5 Random Thoughts
- Ricky Romero will be a top 5 Cy Young candidate this year in the AL.
- Dee Gordon will have 75 stolen bases this year for the Dodgers.
- Coco Crisp being traded to the Atlanta Braves will be the first significant trade made this season.
- Roy Oswalt will sign with the St. Louis Cardinals in May.
- Ryan Zimmerman will be a top 5 MVP candidate this year in the NL.

That's all I have for the season preview.  I hope you enjoyed.  Until next time...

NFL Dominates Headlines Again

What a great news day for the NFL today.  Two big news stories broke on Twitter within one minute of each other.  The first story resulted in the New Orleans Saints having its punishment for the alleged “bounty program” become known.  Commissioner Roger Goodell came down hard on the Saints.  The NFL said the scheme involved 22 to 27 defensive players, targeting opponents including quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre, Cam Newton, and Kurt Warner.  "Knockouts" were worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000, with payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs.  The NFL suspended head coach Sean Payton without pay for next season (a loss of approximately $7.5 million for him) and indefinitely banned Gregg Williams.  According to the league, Payton ignored instructions from the NFL and Saints ownership to make sure bounties weren't being paid.  The suspensions for Payton and Williams become effective April 1^st.  Goodell also banned Saints GM Mickey Loomis for the first eight regular-season games next season and assistant coach Joe Vitt for the first six games. 

This will obviously have a negative impact on the team this coming season.  With the Super Bowl being in New Orleans this coming year, I’m sure the team was hoping to be able to play a home Super Bowl game for the first time in the league’s history.  That probably won’t happen now.  One other issue that I have yet to hear anybody talk about is what Drew Brees might do now.  He was already upset over having the franchise tag placed on him and has until July to sign the tag or agree to a long term deal.  He has already said that he doesn’t want to sign the franchise tag and if no agreement is reached on a long term deal, he might hold out.  Can Drew Brees become available on the trade market?  With what happened today, and his uncertain contract status, I wouldn’t be too surprised if this becomes a topic of conversation.

 The second significant story was the trade of Tim Tebow to the New York Jets.  The trade was later on hold due to a contract issue with Tebow, however tonight, Adam Schefter has reported that the trade is official.  Tebow and a 7^th rounder has been traded to the Jets for a 4^th and a 6^th round pick.  The Jets will pay half of a $5 million contract bonus owed to Tebow.  I don’t really understand this trade for the Jets.  I have no idea how Rex Ryan is going to use him.  Mark Sanchez is not very good, but Rex Ryan isn’t known for his offensive schemes either.  New offensive coordinator Tony Sparano has got his hands full now.  I know Rex likes to run the ball, so maybe they might run the ball 50 times a game and only throw 10-12 times.  Who knows.  I didn’t think there was any chance the Jets were serious when rumors started about Tebow to the Jets.  I figured he would end up back in Florida with either the Dolphins or the Jaguars.    Either way, this story is not going away any time soon.  The most talked about player this past year is going to the biggest market in the NFL. 

On the Gridiron…

·         Another good day today for the Buffalo Bills.  Today  a 4 year deal for $27 million was reached with DE Mark Anderson.   This provides more depth at the DE position and should improve the pass rush even more.  This is a guy who had 12 sacks one year for the Bears and had 10 sacks for the Patriots last year.   Great signing by Buffalo.  I don’t know who stole Ralph Wilson’s credit card, but whoever it is, I hope they sign some more players before Wilson finds out about it.  I can’t believe how much money they have spent this off-season.  I have to think the first round pick this year will be spent on either a linebacker or defensive backfield position.  

·         Good idea by the 49ers wasting no time in re-signing quarterback Alex Smith to a 3 year, $33 million deal.  He deserved it.  If not for a couple fumbles on separate punt returns, Alex Smith could have been a Super Bowl winning quarterback this past year. 

On the NCAA Hardwood…

·         Good news out of North Carolina today as point guard Kendall Marshall had his cast removed on his broken wrist.  His status remains uncertain for Friday night’s game, however this has got to be a good sign for him playing.

·         VCU Head Coach Shaka Smart rejected the University of Illinois head coaching position today.  Shocking that a mid-major coach would reject a head coaching job at a major university, but I’m glad he did it.  I think the VCU program is a much better program to be at right now than Illinois.  Today was a good day for mid-majors everywhere.

On the NBA Hardwood…

·         Don’t look now, but the NY Knicks are back in the playoff picture.  Since firing Mike D’Antoni, the Knicks are 5-0.  I’m still not sold on anything this team does until they get rid of Carmelo.  If they finish in the 7^th or 8^th spot in the East, they might get swept the same way they did last year as either the Heat or Bulls will be waiting for them.  Too bad Mike Woodson is making all the right moves for this team.  The more they win, the less I hear the Phil Jackson rumors.  I want to see Phil back on the court and I would love to see him in NY.

On the Ice….

·         Chalk up another shutout for Ryan Miller tonight.  The Sabres have officially caught the Washington Capitals and are in a tie for the 8^th and final playoff spot with 8 games remaining.  Cody Hodgson scored his first goal as a Sabre tonight, he actually scored twice tonight, and Jason Pominville added the other goal.  Hodgson now has 2 goals and 2 assists in his last two games.  Ryan Miller has improved to 11-1-3 in his last 15 games and has allowed 29 goals in that time.  Mark your calendars for this coming Tuesday.  Big game in Washington.

On the Diamond…

·         Terrible news for St. Louis Cardinal fans today.  Ace Chris Carpenter was sent back to St. Louis to have his bulging disc in his neck checked out.  The team is saying he will likely begin the year on the DL.  For a team that had to spend the entire 2011 season without its other ace Adam Wainright, they have to be really concerned about the news with Carpenter.  This injury could sideline him for a while.

·         The Baltimore Orioles have signed Dontrelle Willis after Willis was recently cut by the Phillies.  Glad to see him get another shot, but I don’t think this one will last.  I can’t remember a player that was so good one season, and just flat out terrible after that.

·         Johan Santana pitched again today.  He pitched very well going 6 innings, giving up 6 hits, one earned run, and striking out 6.  All good signs for the Mets.  Don’t count me as someone who thinks Johan can be reliable this season though.  I’m not expecting much out of him this season.

·         Stephen Strasburg was named the Nationals opening day starter today.  Not shocking news, but Davey Johnson had to make it official.  He is the only pitcher in baseball that turns a regular game into a must see event.  I love this guy.

·         Not a news story here, but I love seeing Manny Ramirez get caught up in the St. Patty’s day fever.  (https://twitter.com/#!/Rivercats/status/181104501770551296/photo/1)  If you don’t have a Twitter account, you may not be able to see this picture.  Shame on you if your not on Twitter in the first place.

On the Homefront…

·         This is a huge week in the DSC NBA Fantasy basketball league.  It’s the final regular season week before playoffs begin.  Three teams are fighting for the top two spots in the league and a first round bye.  Four other teams, including me, are fighting for the final two spots in the playoffs.  Should be an exciting finish on Sunday.

·         I would like to personally thank Tops Markets for having their gas promotion for bonus card members.  I was able to earn $0.70 off each gallon of gas yesterday.  I only spent $3.33 a gallon.  I felt like I was stealing gas.  I think the last time I spent that little on a gallon of gas was years ago, but I could be wrong.

·         Not sure if you caught this, but former owner of the Buffalo Sabres B. Thomas Golisano was finally able to sell his 20,000 square foot mansion in Westchester County today.   The house has been on the market since 2008.  Golisano apparently invested more than $6 million in this house and was only able to sell it for $1.35 million.  I’m sure some people within the NYS assembly are laughing over this, after the public way he quit on NYS, and moved his home address to Florida to avoid paying allegedly $13,000 a day in NYS income taxes. 

·         Big day and night for me this coming Saturday.  I have two fantasy baseball drafts.  Both are auction style drafts, which I highly recommend for those of you who have not taken part in one of them.   I also can’t wait for the BBQ Pulled Pork and Briskets that will be served at my second draft from a special Lockport restaurant.   

·         Confirmation was received that the new fences installed at the renovated Reservoir State Park softball diamonds are only 300 feet.  This may seem like a far distance to some, however when you consider the fact that the “Rez” is the only place in WNY that allows pretty much every type of illegal softball bat out there, the distance of 300 feet isn’t that difficult to reach.  Maybe Donnie Joyce has some tricks up his sleeve this year and will finally come to his senses and limit the types of bats we can use.  Its only 40 more days until the season begins!

That’s all I have today.  Until next time….

Great, more Tebow Talk...

Thank you Peyton Manning.  Thank you for allowing ESPN and all other major media outlets to begin an entirely new 24 hour a day watch on what Denver will now do with Tim Tebow.  Seriously, for all of the coverage they gave Peyton on what team he will sign with, I have a bad feeling that the coverage that will happen with where Tebow might be traded to will be significantly more. 

What is Peyton thinking going to Denver in the first place?  Did he forget that they play outdoors and in the snow?  I don't remember Peyton ever playing well in December and January outside in the elements.  Maybe it was the fact that Denver's defense is one of the best in the league.  Maybe it was Peyton idolizing John Elway.  Maybe it was the money that Denver was throwing around (reportedly 5 years, $95 million).  I think it is the fact that the AFC is a much weaker conference than the NFC and Peyton got sick of hearing all of the media talking about Eli being a better QB.  He needs to win another Super Bowl to be in everyone's conversation as one of the all time great quarterbacks.  Right now, I think he is, however only winning one Super Bowl is something that many will hold over him when talking about the truly elite QB's of all time.  Having his younger brother win 2 already, and possibly more, has hurt Peyton's legacy just a little bit. 

The 49ers have got to be scratching their heads over why he didn't sign with them.  Their defense is better than Denver's, the coach seems to be the type player's like to play with, they have better weapons than Denver, and similar to Denver, they have a very easy division.  For the 49ers sake, they better repair any damage they have done with Alex Smith.  If he decides to go elsewhere, the best available QB now is Vince Young.  Ouch.  Maybe this is a blessing in disguise for the 49ers.  At some point over the last two months, I think everyone forgot the fact that Peyton has had 3 surgeries in the last calendar year.  He may be feeling healthy now, but he also hasn't gotten sacked by a blind side rush by Mario Williams either.  I hope Peyton plays and is healthy and makes it through the season.  I like the guy a lot.  I love that he didn't have a one hour TV special to tell everyone where he was taking his talents to.  He left Indianapolis in the best possible way.  He is all class.  However, let's not forget that he is a 36 year old quarterback, coming off of multiple major surgeries on his neck.

On the Ice...

• Big win for the Sabres tonight.  Scoring 7 goals was very surprising.  Tyler Ennis is playing like a legit #1 center.  He has really stepped up his game at a very important time.  Maybe tonight's game will wake up some other players who have been struggling, particularly Cody Hodgson.  He finally got on the scoreboard as a member of the Sabres by picking up 2 assists.  Also, what more can be said about Marcus Foligno?  He is on fire! Two more goals tonight, giving him 5 goals over his last 5 games.
• Thank you Detroit Red Wings.  You have lost 4 times at home all season, and you decide to lose tonight against Washington.  With 9 games left, the Sabres are 2 points out of the final playoff spot.  Mark your calendars for Tuesday March 27th.  Sabres at Washington.

On the NCAA Hardwood...

• The NCAA Tournament has its Sweet 16.  Which one of you had MAC powerhouse Ohio in there?  I have not enjoyed this year's tournament as much as prior years.  Maybe it's the fact there has not been any last second shots that have been made.  Maybe it's the fact that St. Bonaventure got screwed by the refs at the end of the FSU game (http://bradriter.blogspot.com/2012/03/awful-non-call-mars-bona-loss-to-fsu.html), or maybe it's the fact that CBS Sports decided to not renew the contract of Gus Johnson after last year's tournament.  Nobody announces a game better than Gus Johnson.  He can make a 15 foot jump shot in the first five minutes of the game exciting.  I really have no idea why CBS let him go.  Go a head and Youtube Gus Johnson.  You will find all of his great game ending calls throughout the NCAA tournament.  All are great.
• North Carolina had some bad luck with starting point guard  Kendall Marshall, the ACC's all-time single-season assist leader with 351 this year, and the player who makes UNC's offense go, underwent what the school called "successful surgery" today to repair a broken bone in his right (non-shooting) wrist.  Whether or not he can pull a Willis Reed and play on Friday is up in the air.
• I have to give respect to Syracuse.  They looked great against Kansas St. on Saturday.  Their depth and amazing shooting in the 2nd half led them to a rather easy victory.  Scoop Jardine was on fire in the 2nd half.  Syracuse did get lucky when Kansas St.'s Jamar Samuels was ruled ineligible about 20 minutes before gametime due to him receiving improper benefits prior to the tournament.  He was their leading rebounder and 2nd leading scorer during the regular season.  Yes, Syracuse was without Fab Melo, but they had some practice time to get ready for him not being there.  Kansas St. had about 1 hour to figure out how to play without their key big man.

On the NBA Hardwood...

• Dwight Howard might be reconsidering his decision right now to stay in Orlando.  They only scored 59 points tonight in a loss to Chicago.

On the Diamond....

• Today was a great day for the ownership group of the New York Mets.  First,a  $162 million settlement was announced in a lawsuit that originally sought $1 billion in damages. Then, the team announced an infusion of $240 million from minority investors.  This allowed them to pay off immediate debts, including a $25 million emergency loan from Major League Baseball and a $40 million loan from Bank of America.  The uncertainty of the lawsuit was the main reason behind the $52 million reduction in payroll this year, and an almost certain last place finish in the NL East this year.  For those of you that do not know about the lawsuit against the Mets owners, here is a link with today's developments which explain the entire situation (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/york-mets-owners-agree-pay-bernie-madoff-victims-162-million-article-1.1046750). 
• Rough day today for the Kansas City Royals.  All star closer Joakim Soria looks like he is headed for Tommy John surgery.  That's a tough loss for a team that was finally looking like a team that was going to compete for a division title.  Good thing they signed Jonathan Broxton this past off-season.  He will most likely become the next closer.
• Chase Utley looks like he will be starting the season on the DL due to problems with both of his knees.  Its a shame this guy may not ever be healthy again and play at the all-star level that he was at for so many years.  Can the Phillies offense survive without him and Ryan Howard?  Good thing they have all that pitching.  They are going to need to win every game 2-1.
• Bryce Harper was sent down to AAA Syracuse by the Washington Nationals.  It's a good move by the Nationals.  Give Harper some more time in the minors and bring him up in June or July.  When you bring him up, you want to be sure that he is ready.  Don't forget, he is only 19 years old.  In 28 at-bats this spring training through Sunday, he had no homers, two walks, 11 strikeouts and hit .286.  He also really struggled against left-handers. 
• The countdown is on to the official start to regular season.  Nine more days until Oakland and Seattle start up the season in Japan on Wednesday March 28th.  Unfortunately, the game will only be seen on tape delay on MLB Network starting at 6:00am (the game starts at 3:00am east coast time). 

On the Homefront...

• Tough loss for the Youngsters yesterday, losing 60-42 to the Veterans.  This game was close at halftime, but the size down low by the Vets took over late and the Youngsters didn't have an answer.
• We are officially 43 days away from the start to the Tuesday Night Rez Softball season.  The past several days I have driven by high school baseball teams practicing outside and it has really gotten me excited for the upcoming softball season.  This weather has been amazing, hopefully it continues throughout the summer. 
• For the 29 other people in Nick Martino's NCAA bracket challenge, yes, that is my wife that is currently in 1st place. 

That's all I have for today.  Until next time...

Upset Friday...

Many people thought the first day of the NCAA tournament was disappointing due to the lack of upsets and close games.  Friday's action more than made up for it.  For the first time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams, two #15 seeded teams won on the same day. Also, a 13 seeded team pulled off an upset.  Let's start off with the more impressive upset, Norfolk State over Missouri.  Missouri was a team many picked for the final four, including me.  Norfolk looked legit though, Kyle O'Quinn dominated the paint for Norfolk and they also had the shooters to drain some big 3 pointers down the stretch.  Norfolk also dominated the boards in this game as well.  Missouri was doing their best, but Norfolk St. kept on coming back.  I was very impressed with their play.  Now onto Lehigh.  Not many people were high on Duke, including me.  Lehigh took advantage of the way Duke plays, as Duke struggled to make their jumpers.  I'm more high on Norfolk to win another game than Lehigh.  The final big upset yesterday was MAC Tournament winner Ohio defeating Michigan.  I thought Michigan was seeded a little bit high, should of been a 5 or 6, but Ohio played great.  UB fans everywhere are probably not too surprised to see this win.  Good for the MAC.  With South Florida upsetting Temple, Ohio gets to play 12th seeded South Florida.  Chances look pretty good that the MAC will have a team reach the Sweet Sixteen. 

All in all, a great first two days of the tournament.  Games should only get more exciting. 

Around the Tourney...

• The least impressive team in the first two days of the tournament that is moving onto the next round has to be Syracuse.  This team looked terrible, almost losing to #16 seeded UNC-Asheville.  If not for a couple controversial calls that went Syracuse's way at the end, this game could have turned into the first time ever a #16 seed defeated a #1 seed.  I think Syracuse loses today against Kansas St. 
• I still can't get over the Bona/FSU game.  Bona played great for about 35 minutes, leading for most of the game.  They missed a couple open three pointers in the final minutes that hurt them, including one from their stud Andrew Nicholson.  However, they had their chance at the end.  Da'Quan Cook lost track of time and tried to get off a couple 2 point baskets in the final 5 seconds despite the fact that they were down by 3 points.  How does Andrew Nicholson not touch the ball in the final possession at all?  Too bad Bona didn't have a timeout to call to set things up.  It was a great game though.  Bona fans should be proud.  They represented the school well.  Reports were that more than 1,000 made the trip from the Buffalo/Olean area.  Too bad they have to come home after one game.  I can't wait to see Andrew Nicholson play in the NBA next year.
• My only complaint about the Bona/FSU game was the fact that there were several FSU fans at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Niagara Falls, NY for the Bona/FSU game.  Seriously, how does anybody in WNY like the FSU basketball team?  Every fan, in every bar throughout all of WNY should of been rooting for Bona.  Judging by the physical appearance of the FSU fans, I can guarantee you that they did not play basketball at FSU.  Also, if they went to school at FSU, then why did they come back to Niagara Falls?  Why didn't you stay in Florida?  I was very disappointed in this.  I have FSU winning a couple games in my bracket, but I was rooting hard for Bona.  There are sometimes "bracket guy" has to stop worrying about his $10 bet and root for a good story such as Bona. 
• The most impressive team in my opinion from the opening round games had to be Gonzaga.  This team looked dominant in their victory over West Virginia 77-54.  They next take on Ohio State, which should be a great game.  Gonzaga is balanced, and Robert Sacre reminds me of Tyson Chandler every time I see him play.  Ohio State better bring their A game.

On the NBA hardwood...

• The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and the biggest headline was a trade that was not made.  Dwight Howard has agreed to stay in Orlando for another season.  This is great news for Orlando.  If there is one position that Miami and Chicago both lack at, its the Center position.  Orlando has the most dominant Center in the game.  They just need to improve the pieces around him to have a legit shot at coming out of the East.  Hedo, Jason Richardson, and Jameer Nelson are not a good enough supporting cast to win the East. 
• The Lakers got their point guard in Ramon Sessions.  I thought they would do more at the deadline, but they couldnt trade for Michael Beasley and they didn't trade away either Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol.  I don't see this team coming out of the West, but they did improve on deadline day by improving the point guard position. 
• What is wrong with the Knicks?  Remember Linsanity?  I think Carmelo might be the most toxic player in all of professional sports.  No team will ever win a championship with this guy on the team with the way he currently plays.  He doesn't play defense, takes bad shots offensively, and complains when he doesn't get the ball. This team no longer looks like a "team" when he is on the court.  Firing D'Antoni has worked out in the first two games, however I don't think the Knicks have any chance to make any noise in the playoffs.

On the Diamond....

• Yankee fans everywhere rejoice.  Andy Pettitte is coming back! When I first saw the report, I thought it was a joke.  A year removed from baseball, who knows what kind of shape he is in or when he might be able to make a start.  Either way, this deepens an already deep starting rotation.  CC, Kuroda, Pineida, Nova, Hughes, Garcia, and now Pettitte has Girardi scratching his head over what to do with the starting rotation.  Who goes to the bullpen?
• Shame on me for not covering this earlier but Jaime Moyer is a great story.  The guy is 49 years old, and making a legit run at making the Colorado Rockies opening day roster as the #5 starter.  He has posted a 1.80 ERA in five innings pitched this spring training, walking zero and striking out three. Unfortunately he is going to miss a couple days due to a left leg injury suffered this past week.  Hopefully this doesn't hurt his chances at making the roster.  Great story.
• Another great story is the return of Johan Santana to the Mets starting rotation.  Santana, who was out of the majors last year while recovering from shoulder surgery, had not allowed a run in his first two exhibition starts. However yesterday was not a good day. The two-time Cy Young Award winner gave up five runs -- four earned -- on four hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings. He didn't have any strikeouts. The Mets are counting on this guy to be the opening day starter.  For their sake, let's hope he returns to his old form. 

On the Gridiron...

• What a great week for Bills fans.  Mario Williams is officially a Buffalo Bill, signing a 6 year contract, worth more than $96 million.  This is a game changer for the Bills organization.  Who knows where else the Bills might look to in free agency to improve the team, but the signing of Mario has already provided a boost in season tickets, as more than 1,000 season tickets have reportedly been sold since his signing.  Next up for Bills should be the signing of Mario Manningham.  Bring him in here Buffalo.  The Bills need another receiver and he would be a great addition.
• If the 49ers sign Peyton Manning, you might as well pencil the 49ers in the Super Bowl if they stay healthy.  I was waiting for them to finally become fully invested in Peyton, and reports yesterday were that they are making a final push.  About time!

On the Ice....

• The push for the playoffs for the Sabres is entering its final stages.  The Sabres have 11 games left, and are 3 points out of 8th.  Currently in 10th place, the Sabres can only afford to lose probably 2 more games in regulation to still have a shot at playoffs.  Big game tonight against Florida.  Need wins!
• If the Sabres do happen to make the playoffs as the 8th seed, and somehow defeat the Rangers in the first round, then currently, it will not be the Bruins as the next team to play.  The Ottawa Senators are the division leaders now, and are currently the #2 seed in the East.  Boston currently ranks #7.  Even the top seeded Rangers are trying to hold off the red hot Pittsburgh Penguins who have won 10 in a row and now have the best player in the game back in Sidney Crosby.  It's going to be an exciting finish to the end!

On the Homefront...

• Yesterday's NCAA games hurt my chances at winning any type of bets this year.  I might even lose my bet with my wife and have to buy her dinner this year, as she has only lost 2 teams in the Sweet Sixteen and no teams beyond that. 
• Great weather weekend in WNY this week.  Sunny skies and temps in the mid-60's.  I hope everyone can get out and do something. 
• Round 4 of Youngsters vs. Vets tomorrow.  Can't wait.
• Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Enjoy tonight and have fun at Buffalo parade tomorrow,  Weather should be great for it.

That's all I have today.  Until next time...

Busy Day!

Wow, what a day today was.  So many sports stories to talk about.  Like I said in my first blog post, this is the best time of the year.  Days like today are why Twitter might be the best thing that has happened to sports in the last 50 years.  Where to begin....

On the Gridiron....

• Lots of rumors and reports going on tonight about Mario Williams and Robert Meachem being signed by the Bills, most likely within the next 24 hours.  Breaking right now on Twitter (not sure if true) reports are Williams has signed for 7 years, worth $110 million with Bills.  WOW! Who would of thought the Bills would actually open up the penny jar and spend some money.  With Mario, the pass rush will improve significantly.  Add Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, and Chris Kelsay and that is one impressive front 4 that can give Tom Brady fits.  They just need to improve the LB's and DB's through the draft and they can be a legit contender this year.  I have to admit, when I first heard of the Mario Williams rumors on Rotoworld weeks ago and that the Bills were near the top of the list of teams he could go to, I blew it off.  At that time the franchise players were not yet announced, I thought the money would be too high, and the columnist from the Houston Chronicle that reported it was John McClain (#Diehard).  I will decide if I like the Robert Meachem signing once I see the contract.  I don't think he will be anywhere near as good as the money he will get.  I think having Drew Brees and a domed stadium helped him significantly.  He will make the WR's better though, with him, Stevie Johnson, David Nelson, and Donald Jones, that is a pretty solid top 4.  He has speed, but I think there might be better receivers out there.  Once again, it all depends on the contract.  What a great night it is to be a Buffalo Bills fan though.  If T.O got the key to the city when he signed, what does Mario Williams get?
• What are the Miami Dolphins thinking?  Trading Brandon Marshall for two 3rd rounders?  I don't understand.  When Reggie Bush is your #1 offensive threat, you have significant issues.  They don't even have a quarterback.  This might be the worst team in the league next year.  For the Bears, what a great trade.  The Cutler/Marshall tandom is back together.  Add Matt Forte to the mix, and the Bears might be an exciting team to watch next year.
• Very interesting to see Pierre Garcon sign in Washington.  I have no idea if Garcon was offered any contract from Indy, but I guess he prefers RGIII over Andrew Luck.  It looks like Washington is loading up for RGIII because they also added Josh Morgan and possibly Eddie Royal.  If he is to succeed, he needs weapons, and I like what they are doing.  At least Indy is giving Andrew Luck some help by reportedly signing Reggie Wayne to a deal.  He's going to need weapons if he is going to start from day 1 though.
• I'm not sure what to think about the 49ers signing Randy Moss.  It all depends if he is motivated.  I think he will work out for them though.  They need a deep threat to open things up for Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, but I don't know if a 35 year old receiver, one year out of football is the answer.  However, with this signing, the 49ers fans can at least say that they were able to see 4 of the top 5 WR's with the highest career receiving yards wear the red and gold (Jerry Rice, T.O, Isaac Bruce, and Moss)  Tim Brown is in 4th place and he was in Oakland.
• Jay Glazer is the best in the football biz.  Schefter is also very good, but it's nice to get away from ESPN once in a while.  Follow him on Twitter (@jayglazer).  He's great.  He was the first one to break the Brandon Marshall trade, first one to report on Marques Colston re-signing in N.O, and he was also the first one to break the Redskins trade with the Rams. 

On the Hardwood...

• Fab Melo....Come on?  Are you serious?  How do you let that happen?  In my opinion, this totally ruins any chances of Syracuse winning the title.  They may not even make it out of this weekend's games.  I don't even know how he can go back to Syracuse next year.  He better just declare for the NBA draft this season.  To become academically ineligible twice in the same season is unbelievable.  Also, did Syracuse know about this before the brackets were released?  There should be some sort of investigation into this to find out.  No way they are a #1 seed without him.
• I'm getting pumped for the NCAA Tournament.  I still have no idea who will be in the Final Four, but with the news breaking about Melo today, I will have to think again about who will win the title.  As of right now, I'm leaning towards North Carolina. 
• I still can't believe that St. Bonaventure is scheduled for 2:45 Friday afternoon.  That is possibly the worst time slot for people that have to work that day.  You can't take a late lunch, and you can't leave that early.  Looks like lots of sick calls into work that day around here in WNY. 
• The NBA trade deadline is scheduled for Thursday, but teams are not waiting.  Andrew Bogut has been traded to Golden St. for Monte Ellis.  There were other players involved, but these were the big two.  When I first heard about Mark Jackson's coaching philosophy around defense, I knew that Ellis/Curry connection wouldn't last in Golden St.  Good trade if Bogut stays healthy.
• Speaking of the NBA trade deadline, who was the smart one that thought having the trade deadline on the same day as the first day of the NCAA Tournament was a good idea?  I have no idea who is going to even pay attention to the deadline.  Terrible move by the NBA here.  Deadline should have been Wednesday.  It would be a shame if Dwight Howard gets traded and it gets lost in the middle of all the NCAA tournament news. 

On the Ice...

• Tough day for the Sabres today.  First, news broke that Tyler Myers has been suspended for the next 3 games for an illegal hit to Scott Gomez yesterday.  Let me say that again, Tyler Myers is going to miss the next 3 games at the most important time of the season.  If not for the Mario Williams signing today (allegedly), this would be top headlines in Buffalo.  Myers has been playing great lately.  He is a +11 since February 14th and has not played a game in which he had a minus rating since February 14th.  Losing him is going to hurt significantly.  The only good thing is that we should get to see Brayden McNabb get the call up to take his spot.  Just a guess here though.  Also, the Washington Capitals came from behind tonight to win 5-4 in OT over the Islanders.  Washington was down 4-1 at one point tonight.  Sabres are now 4 points back of 8th with 12 games remaining.  Buffalo actually needs to win 8th out right, because the Sabres lose all of the tie-breakers as of now.  Washington's next 4 games are all on the road in Winnipeg, Chicago, Detroit, and Philly.  Sounds like a tough road trip.  Now is the time for the Sabres to make their move.
• If Sabres get into 8th, let's hope Pittsburgh isn't #1 in the conference.  Sidney Crosby will make his return on Thursday night.  They have won 9 games in a row, and now with the best player in the game back, this team will be scary good come playoff time if Crosby can stay on the ice.

On the Diamond....

• It's been a long post today, lots of action in the sports world.  I will make the baseball post quick.  Manny Ramirez had his first hit of spring training today, a home run.  He was 0-8 to start out spring training.  Lots more on baseball in my next post.

On the Homefront...

• It was a great day outside today in WNY with sunny skies and temps in the high 50's, low 60's.  Thoughts of golf and softball ran through my head all day.  I drove by the remodeled Reservoir State Park on Sunday and noticed the progress made on the new softball diamonds.  I can't wait to start playing.  May 1st can't get here soon enough.  The "New Rez" is going to bring the "all-stars" back to the Falls.

That's all I have for today.  Until next time...

Hey Bud, Make a Decision!

In what is approaching it's 1,100th day, which is 15 months longer than the Mitchell Report and more than 770 days longer than the Warren Commission (President's investigation into assassination of JFK), MLB and Commissioner Bud Selig has still yet to rule on where the Oakland Athletics are allowed to build their new ballpark.  Ever since March 2009, a Commissioner appointed 3 member panel began to study where Oakland will be allowed to build it's new home park.  This past week, a war of words broke out between Oakland's owner Lew Wolff and the Giants ownership group.  The argument has to do with territorial rights for Santa Clara County, particulary the city of San Jose. 

The A's originally had plans in place to build a new ball park in Fremont, CA, which is on the border of Oakland's territory, however this mainly privately funded proposal by Cisco Systems Inc. fell through.  Now Oakland has it's sights set on San Jose.  The Giants claim that Santa Clara county make up 43% of their territory and is a significant revenue source for the team.  Late Oakland owner Walter Haas gave the Giants the rights to Santa Clara county, including San Jose, as a favor to former San Francisco owner Bob Lurie when his team was considering moving to Florida 20 years ago. The deal basically happened with a handshake and "without compensation," the A's wrote in their statement this week, which was subsequently approved by baseball's owners.  The A's say that "MLB-recorded minutes clearly indicate that the Giants were granted Santa Clara, subject to relocating to the city of Santa Clara."  The Giants responded with "The Giants' territorial rights were not granted 'subject to' moving to Santa Clara County."

No matter what side you believe more, a decision needs to be made soon.  The revenue sharing portion of the new CBA negotiated between the owners and players union this past year defines 15 major markets in MLB that will no longer be able to receive revenue sharing by the time the agreement expires at the end of the 2016 season. The San Francisco Bay Area is one of those markets and the A's are one of those teams, meaning that a decision on their pending move is essential to Oakland's future financial success.

Oakland is the only team in baseball that still plays in a football stadium.  In this day and age, that is unbelievable.  Their fan attendance is consistently at the bottom of the league, even when they were competing for division titles the way they did in the mid 2000's.  In 2011 Oakland was last in MLB with less than 1.5 million fans (approximately 18,500 per game).  Their payroll is also always near the bottom of the league.  The stadium is so bad, that free agents almost refuse to sign with Oakland just to avoid it.  Adrian Beltre in 2011 was reportedly offered more money and contract years by Oakland, however he signed with Texas to be able to play in a better ball park.  No player in his prime or entering in his prime wants to play in Oakland.  This could all change if they get a new ball park.  Lew Wolff has already said that the team's payroll can come close to $100 million if they get a new ball park.  What the Miami Marlins did this past off-season with the amount of spending is what Oakland will be able to do.

If plans fall through in San Jose, I have several ideas.  The city of San Antonio is the 7th highest population among all U.S cities according to the 2010 U.S census.  Why not there?  Having a rivalry between the Rangers, Astros, and San Antonio would be great for MLB.  Charlotte is another city ranked in the top 20.  Oklahoma City is a growing sport market that would be a perfect spot for a new team.  Then there is my dream scenario, Buffalo, NY. 

No matter what, something needs to be done.  Three years for this committee to decide is too long, and the Commissioner needs to make a decision soon. 

On the Diamond...

• Yoenis Cespedes had a great first spring training game for Oakland.  He went 2-2 including a walk.  One of those two hits was a no doubt home run to left field.
• Good news for St. Louis Cardinal fans as the injury to ace Chris Carpenter is not as bad as originally feared.  It sounds like he should be back in about a week.

On the Ice...

• The Sabres are currently 4 points out of 8th with 13 games left.  The Capitals are currently in 8th place.  If the Sabres finish in 8th, don't count on their first round matchup being with the Rangers.  The Penguins are red hot, winning 9 games in a row and are currently 2 points back of 1st overall in the conference.

On the Court...

• Today was a great day for WNY Big 4 basketball with St. Bonaventure winning the A-10 title.  With the win, the country will now be able to see Andrew Nicholson, the A-10 player of the year.  I have no doubt this guy is a first round NBA draft pick.  Bonaventure, in my opinion got robbed getting a 14 seed and having to play Florida St., the ACC tournament winner in the 1st round. 
• With the addition of 4 teams this year to the tournament, the MAAC conference was able to get 2 teams in as Iona joins tournament winner Loyola, MD.  I have a good feeling Iona might surprise some people and could possibly win a game or two.
• There will be more of the NCAA tournament in the next blog post in a couple days.

On the Gridiron...

• Peyton Manning will be the biggest news story in the NFL until he signs.  I personally think he will sign with Miami or Arizona.  For some reason, I feel like Baltimore might be a dark horse here, and I have no idea why the 49ers are not making a stronger push for him.

On the Links...

• Very exciting WGC golf tournament this weekend.  Justin Rose won, however Rory McIlroy had another great tournament and finished 3rd.  The more I watch Rory play, the more I like him.  I normally don't like any golfer outside the U.S because my hatred for the Euro's during the Ryder Cup is strong, but Rory is a tough guy to hate. We should all get used to seeing his name at the top of the leaderboard every week.
• Tiger got hurt today and had to leave after 12 holes.  Let's hope it's nothing serious and that he will be able to play in the Masters in a few weeks.

On the Homefront...

• Tough loss today for the Youngsters in the 3rd matchup of the Youngsters vs Veterans basketball rivalry.  With no subs around for either team, the 2 hour marathon game up to 60 was a sloppy one.  Let's hope the Youngsters can come back strong next week and even up the season series.
• I haven't watched it yet, but I need to go see "Act of Valor".  I have heard many good reviews on it, and it seems like a movie every guy needs to watch.

That's all I have for now, until next time....

What's in a Name?

What is it with professional athletes and their names?  The NFL has, or had, Chad Ocho Cinco, however now he apparently wants to be called by his original name, Chad Johnson.  The NBA has by far the best name, Metta World Peace, formerally known as Ron Artest.  Speaking of Metta World Peace, he has by far the best post game interview of all time... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZcauN0GDd8

Those two athletes changed their name voluntarily.  Major league baseball this offseason has seen three players change their names, however, they are changing their names back to their original names.  First, there was the Miami Marlins former closer Leo Nunez, who was arrested in late September 2011.  His real name, Juan Carlos Oviedo was released, and his real age, which was one year older than what the Marlins thought it was (he is really 29, not 28 years old).  Then there is the artist formerally known as Fausto Carmona.  As if this guy hasn't ruined the Cleveland Indian organization enough.  Carmona went to renew his visa in January 2012 in advance of the upcoming season and was arrested for using a false identity.  Apparently his real name is Roberto Hernandez Heredia, and he is 3 years older than what the Indians thought he was (he is now 31 years old).  Fantasy baseball alert, both of these players have been placed on the restricted list by both of their teams and do not count against their 25 or 40 man roster.  They can remain on the list for up to 2 years.

Then there was the voluntary name change by Mike Stanton, the young, powerful outfielder of the Miami Marlins.  He now prefers to be called by his real name, Giancarlo Stanton.  He did say that he doesn't mind if people still refer to him as Mike, however he prefers his real name.  Giancarlo is one of the rising stars in the league, and in my opinion has the potential to be an all-star as early as this season. 

This problem within major league baseball is one that many are aware of, as latino players have been known to change their names and some even change their ages to make them more attractive to major league scouts.  There are now tighter security measures when it comes to receiving U.S worker visas, however, nothing is perfect and I'm sure there are still several players in MLB that are playing under fake names and ages.  The question is, who are they?

On the Diamond....

• Does Ike Davis have the disease known as valley fever?  Yesterday, docters said yes, today, the organization says he doesn't.  For the Mets sake, let's hope he doesn't.  Back in 2009, Conor Jackson, who at the time played for the Diamondbacks, lost nearly the entire season due to the disease.  He described the disease as "mono on steroids".  Davis is expected to play a significant role on the Mets, and if he has a good season, they may finish as high as 4th place in the NL East.
• Stephen Strasburg made his debut today and had a decent outing, striking out 3 in 2 and 2/3's innings.  He did give up 3 hits and 2 earned runs, one of which was a HR.  This guy is slowing becomming my favorite pitcher in the game.  Expect many blog posts about him.

On the Ice....

• All it took for the Buffalo Sabres offense to step up was them getting called out in this blog.  Last night, the Sabres put a 5 spot up on the western conference #1 seed Vancouver Canucks.  It was nice to see scoring from the secondary guys, Ville Leino and Brad Boyes.  Ryan Miller was solid yet again, and will apparently be playing in every game the rest of the season.
• A 1-0 loss tonight by the Washington Capitals to the Flyers has the Sabres 2 points out of 8th and with a game in hand on the Winnipeg Jets.  Next up for the Sabres, a Monday night tilt against the none other than the Winnipeg Jets.  This game should be intense (understatement of the night).  HUGE matchup!

On the Court...

• If you haven't looked at Deron Williams stat line from today (3/4/2012) please do so ASAP.  Incredible. 
• Rajon Rondo also had himself an awesome game today, putting up a triple double (18 points, 17 rebounds, 20 assists) in a win against the Knicks.  Why do the Celtics want to trade this guy?  The entire offense runs through him.
• Niagara University had their season come to an end yesterday with a loss to #2 seeded Loyola 86-73.  It was a developmental season for this team, and Joe Mihalich will look back on it as a necessary one in order to move the program forward to bigger and better things next year.
• As I expected, Canisius has fired head basketball coach Tom Parrotta today after NU defeated them Friday night 80-70.  Get your resumes ready.
• This is a great week in college basketball as selection Sunday will be next Sunday March 11th.  Kentucky and Syracuse are locks for #1 seeds in the NCAA tournament. Was UNC's blowout win over Duke enough to get them a #1 seed as well?  We will all find out next Sunday.

On the Gridiron...

• The news of Gregg Williams and his "bounty" system is of no surprise to me.  Name me one defensive unit that is not trying to legally take out the other team's best players.  If players were trying to intentionally hurt another team's players, then I have a huge problem.  If they were trying to legally take out another player, then what is the problem?  Should they just play touch football?  Doesn't the NFL highlight the plays of someone getting knocked out going over the middle?  Show me one NFL Films highlight reel, and I guarantee you, within 5 minutes, you will see a huge hit by a defensive player.
• If nothing happens to Sean Payton in this Gregg Williams investigation, then I have a huge problem.  If Joe Paterno gets fired at Penn St for not doing enough, then Sean Payton should get punishment from the league for not doing enough to stop this. 

On the Homefront...

• A big victory today for the Youngsters in the 2nd matchup of the weekly Youngsters vs Veterans Basketball Series. A convincing 60-48 victory was due to a balanced scoring effort by all members of the Youngsters, particulary Dave Zona, Anthony Vilardo, and Jim Hutchinson.  The 3 point ball was a big advantage for the Youngsters today.  The series is now tied at 1.  Hopefully the soreness we will all feel tomorrow will not be as bad as last week.  I know personally, that any soreness I feel is a lot easier to deal with knowing we earned the W this week.

Until next time...

MLB Postseason is Changing….For the Better

MLB announced today the addition of one wild card team for each league, expanding the total amount of playoff teams from 8 to 10.  The two wild card teams from each league will play a single elimination game for the right to move on to the Division Series.  In my opinion, this is great for baseball.  This change makes the regular season mean significantly more than it ever has since the wild card format began in 1995.  Teams can no longer settle for the wild card berth and then enter into the playoffs on similar ground as teams that won their division title.  In my opinion, you cannot have a team that wins their division, regardless if their division is significantly better or worse than another, be on the same level playing field as a wild card team.  The following scenarios have occurred since the wild card has been in place:

·        5 Wild Card winners have won the World Series

·        10 wild card teams have made it to World Series

·        The 2002 Angels vs Giants World Series was the only World Series in which both teams were Wild Card teams

I am all for having a Wild Card team make and win the World Series.  I am just glad that now, finally, if they do make it to the World Series, they would have had to do more than the teams that won their own divisions.  This decision is only going to enhance the divisional rivalries during the regular season.  This is also going to make the final weeks of the regular season that much more exciting as there will now be more teams involved in trying to get into the playoffs, and more teams trying to actually win their division, not settle for a Wild Card berth. 

The only problem that this may cause is that the trade deadline may not be as exciting as in the past because more teams will still consider themselves in the hunt for the 2^nd wild card spot.  I’m willing to give up the excitement of trade deadline day to add to the excitement of the playoff chase. 

I can’t wait for October baseball, it’s going to be exciting.

On the Diamond….

·       I’ve been waiting a long time for this one.  The Oakland A’s kicked off their spring training schedule today with a game against the Seattle Mariners.  Opening day is only 27 days away when these same two teams play a two game series in Japan on March 28^th and 29^th. 

·       Yoenis Cespedes finally arrived in A’s camp today.  I’m excited to see this guy play.  I still have no idea why Oakland signed him, but it has at least brought a little excitement into this team. 

·       Grady Sizemore had surgery and is out 8-12 weeks. Big shocker there.  When was the last time this guy was healthy?  2008?

·       Yadier Molina signed a 5 year, $75 million contract with St. Louis yesterday.  Good signing by them.  The best defensive catcher in the game.  Four gold-gloves, three all-star games, and two World Series rings.  Can’t complain about his production. 

On the Ice…..

·       Ryan Miller has been on fire lately for the Buffalo Sabres, picking up his 4^th shutout since February 1^st in a 1-0 win last night over San Jose.  He has given up 2 goals or less in 9 of his last 13 starts and has given up 3 goals in the other 4 games he started.  The Sabres are 8-3-3 since in that time, and have climbed from last place in the East to within striking distance of the playoffs.  Miller’s great play has also come at a time when his defensemen are also playing at their best.  With Myers, Ehrhoff, Regehr, Leopold, Weber, and Sekera playing good minutes in front of him, the Sabres haven’t needed to score many goals to win games.  How much longer Miller and his defensive help can continue to play at this level is a question.  However, considering the Sabres have scored more than two goals in only 7 of the 26 games played since January 1^st, I doubt the offense will come any time soon.

·       Where has Thomas Vanek been lately?  He only has 4 goals and 4 assists since January 1^st.  Does playing with Derek Roy make Vanek worse?  I think so.  Lindy may need to shuffle the lines to get him back on track.

·       The arrival of Cory Hodgson has made the Hodgson/Ennis/Stafford line the most exciting one to watch.  It has only been two games, but this line has been by far the best one of the four.  

·       It’s going to be fun to watch the Sabres play the Canucks on Saturday night.  I’m calling my shot, Kaleta and Kassian are going to fight each other (or probably do what they always do and just jaw at each other and skate away).

·       My guess, Enroth will get the start against Vancouver.  It’s time for Miller to get a break.  Plus, it looked like Miller got shaken up a little bit at the end of the San Jose game when Kaleta was pushed into him.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Miller’s knee or ankle is sore today and Lindy gives him a night off tomorrow.  Miller needs to be well rested for a big game Monday night against Winnipeg.

On the Court….

·       The Miami Heat won again last night over Portland and have now won 9 games in a row, all by more than 12 points and with 7 of them coming on the road.  Can the Heat and Bulls play a 15 game series beginning now to see who will come out of the Eastern Conference?  Does anyone else really stand a chance?

·       I can’t believe I am typing this, but Lamar Odom has officially been sent to the NBA D-League today by the Dallas Mavericks.  I have no idea how a player can look so good on one team, and so terrible on another, but Lamar Odom to the D-League?  Wow.  Trade him back to the Lakers and get something for him.  I’m sure somewhere out there, Kris Humphries is chuckling.

·       Big 4 basketball is starting to take center stage locally.  Tonight at 9:30, NU and Canisius play each other in the 1^st round of the MAAC Tournament.   MAAC Rookie of the Year Juan’ya Green and fellow freshmen stud Antoine Mason should hopefully lead NU to a win.  I have high hopes for this NU team for the next 3 years if they can keep this young group of freshmen and sophomores together.  Joe Mihalich did another great job by bringing these guys to Niagara.   With a loss tonight, head coach Tom Perrotta will probably have coached his last game for Canisius.  He’s been awful.  To read more about Juan'ya Green, see this link...

       http://www.purpleeagles.com/news/2012/3/1/MBB_0301124109.aspx

·       If you want to look for a team locally that can make it to the NCAA Tournament, look at both St. Bonaventure and UB.  Both teams have a good shot at winning their conference regular season title with victories this weekend.  Bonaventure has a legit NBA prospect in Andrew Nicholson.  If he stays out of foul trouble, he can flat out dominate games.  Now I bleed NU purple and white, but if one of these two teams make it to the NCAA tournament, I will have to root for them and will probably be picking them to win at least one game.

On the Gridiron….

·       The combine is wrapping up this week.  Is there a more useless measure of how good a player is going to be in the NFL than measuring players on how high they can jump?

·       The Bills need to sign Stevie Johnson ASAP.  Here’s an idea, how about the Bills keep some of the guys that actually produce and then build up other areas of your team through the draft?  I don’t want to waste another high draft pick on a WR when a perfectly good one is already here.   Johnson can be a very good player, and fills a position of need.  Why let him go?  Hey Ralph, open up your penny jar and pay the guy!

·       Is anybody else sick of hearing everyone talk about Peyton Manning?  I know I am.

On the Home Front…..

·       Birthday wishes go out this Saturday March 3^rd to both my sister and my father-in-law.  Happy birthday!

·       If you want to read a couple articles relating to the importance I think sports has today, please read the following

• http://www.foxsportsflorida.com/02/06/12/Rays-Fuld-shows-heart-as-his-legend-grow/msn_landing.html?blockID=660890
• http://www.foxsportsohio.com/03/01/12/Basketball-helps-healing-at-Chardon/msn_landingalt.html?blockID=678034&feedID=8889

·       This Sunday at 1:00, the Youngsters look to bounce back from a 60-52 defeat at the hands of the Veterans in the friendly, yet competitive series of basketball games played between the finest athletes the City of Niagara Falls has ever seen.  Last week’s opening matchup was ugly, with all players shaking off their rust.  Can this week’s game be less than the 2 1/2 hours that last week’s embarrassment was?  We’ll soon find out.