Pic of the Week Part TWO:

Our picture guy Kevin Elliot is having a field day

Pic of the Week: Could it Happen??

Maybe, but probably not

The acquisition of T-Mac is huge for the Knicks, who will now have 30 million dollars to spend this summer. Goodbye Jefferies, Hughes, and Hill… and good riddance

Special thanks to Kevin Elliot for making the picture

Buffalo Sabres Post-Olympics Outlook

The one person all Sabres fans need to be thanking right now.

 By Jarrod Constantino

Well so far so good for team USA and Ryan Miller.  After a very rough stretch before the NHL went onto the Olympics break Ryan Miller seems to be back on track as being one of the NHL’s best goalies.  As we look towards the last quarter of the NHL the Sabres are in one of those predicaments where they might need to go out and get a big name scorer.  Let’s face it.  This year the offense just hasn’t been there for a good protion of the season and a lot of that is because Vanek, Roy, and Connolly are just not socring goals.  Assists are nice but goals are where it’s at.  We’ve seen around this time for the last 3 years that they always seem to fall apart at the worst time possible.  They’ve already proven that by allowing a hot Ottawa Senator get the division lead by a point.  Although they have a very safe lead from the 8th place Montreal and 6th place Philadelphia we’ve seen in many other sports that no lead is safe.

So what do the Sabres need to do after the break?  Well first off Darcy Regier needs to man up and make a deal to bring in a top scorer top the team.  Although Vanek started heating up near the Olympic break he’s WAY below the success he’s had for the last several years.  It’s going to be very interesting to see what kind of a move the Sabres make, if any.  The fans have been screaming for Regier to make a deal for the past 3 months because teams like the Devils and others are just getting better and better.  If they don’t make a move within the next few weeks then you can expect a very quick exit from the playoffs.  This team is basically one or 2 players away from being very competitive but for right now they are playing like a team that just seems lazy and making terrible decisions on the ice.  I will say this…..there’s no way this is all Lindy Ruff’s fault.  People who are saying for the team to fire him are basically insane.  WIthout Ruff over the last 13 years the Sabres would be a train wreck like the Bills have been.  So firing Lindy Ruff would be by far the dumbest thing in Sabres history.  Let the man coach.

Any way like I said it will be very interesting to see what the Sabres do as the trade deadline approaches.  Will they make a move and listen to the fans….we’ll see.  Over the years with Regier at the helm as the GM that answer might be no….but hey things could change.  All I know is that Ryan Miller will be the ultimate key to the rest of the season.  We’ll keep you posted.

Bills Release 7 players

 

The almighty Bills boot!

By Jarrod Constantino

In the fantasitic world of Bills nation right now the Bills released 7 players including special teams aces John Wendling and Justin Jenkins. Others gone are 2008 fourth round pick TE Derek Fine, LB Ashlee Palmer, C Marvin Philip, DE Marcus Smith and DE Jermaine McGhee.  Nothing much else so far however Chan Gailey almost has his coaching staff in place.  Stay tuned to meet the coaches.

Missing Monahan: Yankees Trainer Out With Illness

By Brenden Monroe

For the past 47 years, anytime a Yankee player has gotten hurt there have been two people running out of the dugout.  One has been the manager, and the other has been trainer Gene Monahan.

Here’s an except from the report on Yankees.com:

The New York Post was the first to report Monahan’s illness on Saturday. The Yankees said that Monahan will remain in New York to receive extensive treatment, which will take place over the next several weeks.

“I miss not being around my professional family already, but I’m battling,” Monahan said. ”The New York Yankees have gone above and beyond in this most difficult time. I couldn’t do this alone, but with the support and love of my immediate family, my family within our organization and the dedication and expertise of many fine doctors, I look forward to resuming my role with the team this season.”

While the Yankees have announced that longtime assistant Steve Donahue will fill in for Monhan, there has not been any word on what Monahan is suffering from.

Pitchers and catchers will have their first workout on Thursday Feb 2.

From Smoking With Hank

Yanks Add a Bat

Thames could be the Yanks go-to pinch hitter this season

By Brenden Monroe

Marcus Thames has rejoined the Yanks, signing a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.  If the 33-year-old makes the opening day roster, he will make $900,000.

The outfielder/ first baseman has made more headlines with his bat than his glove during his career. The former Yankee prospect’s first major league at-bat got him a curtain call after hitting a homerun off of Randy Johnson on June 10, 2002.

Thames was a top prospect after hitting 31 homers for AA Norwich in 2001, but was traded to Texas for pinch hitting superstar Ruben Sierra in the middle of the 2003 season.  Thames has spent 2004-2009 in the Tigers Organization.

Last year, he hit .252 with 13 home runs in 294 at bats and will provide a much needed right handed power source off the bench.

That is if he makes the team.

Thames may very well be competing for the final outfield spot on the roster with newly-acquired Jamie Hoffman.  Whoever shows the most promise will most certainly be heading up north at the beginning of April.

Thames hopes he’s heading to New York, not Scranton.

Pic Of the Week: Who Dat?

Congrats to the Saints for winning it all and giving losing teams all over hope of one day turning it around.

SWISHA Met Your Motha

By Brenden Monroe

Monday night marked the acting debut of Nick Swisher on an episode of CBS’s How I Met Your Mother.

The episode, entitled “The Perfect Week” had a baseball theme as the main character Barney tries to score with a different woman each night of the week.  There were baseball references galore including not mentioning “the perfect week” for fear of jinxing it as well as the sound score from the movie Major League.

Barney’s perfect week was almost ruined during his attempt at sealing the deal with girl number seven.  He was close to closing out the game when Swisher, playing himself, walked into the bar.

As, the show pointed out, you can’t compete with a New York Yankee. Just look at the list of women Yankees have dated over the years.

Better yet, go look at some pictures.

Goodbye Johnny Damon…We’ll miss you and your wife

This was my first time watching the show and it wasn’t bad. I liked the baseball references and the cameo by Jim Nantz, which was hilarious.  Swisher didn’t say much, but it’s fun seeing a player doing something other than playing baseball.

Derek Jeter and George Steinbrenner still have the edge with the acting chops, as both have hosted Saturday Night Live. Jeter, Bernie Williams, and Paul O’Neill, Danny Tartabull have all appeared on Seinfeld at one time or another as well.

Although it was cool seeing Swisher, if you’re like me, you can’t wait until you see him and the rest of the Yankees on the field in Florida starting spring training.

From Smoking With Hank

Weekly Dose of College Hoops: The up and coming…IONA GAELS?

It's all smiles in New Rochelle

By Sean Engel

They haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since the 2005-06 season, which may not seem long in terms of college basketball, but it certainly has felt a lot longer in New Rochelle. Since their final tournament appearance against the LSU Tigers much has happened in to the school of about 4,000 students; including their football program being dropped in 2008, and beloved former star and head basketball coach Jeff Ruland being fired after a 2-28 season in 2006-07.

Since then Iona has been floundering in the bottom of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) with seventh-place finishes in the first two years under third-year head coach Kevin Willard. But have had impressive season including a win over Creighton in the Old Spice Classic during this past November, before forcing Big 12 team Baylor to overtime in the second round of the tournament. The team also beat America East preseason favorite Boston University Terriers to kick off their season in early November, while sweeping preseason #2 Niagara Purple Eagles during conference play.

Overall the Gaels have turned it around with a 14-6 overall record and a 6-3 MAAC record going into this afternoon’s (January 24) contest against Fairfield (14-5/7-2). With a win at home against the Stags, the Gaels would pull into a tie for second place, while holding the tiebreaker in the first half of the conference schedule with their win over Fairfield.

The team is only graduating two seniors after this season, only one of which plays significant minutes which proves that Willard knows how to recruit good talent and can build a team that will last. One thing is for sure, only three seasons after year of futility in 2006-07 the Iona Gaels are back in the MAAC.

An Eagle Soaring to Buffalo? McNabb and Vick Rumors Take Flight!

Replace the Eagle wing with a Buffalo wing and you're good.

By Jarrod Constantino

Well things have gotten very interesting in Buffalo lately. I will say this quickly….I will give Chan Gailey one year to succeed here but he better put wins on the board.

Anyway back to the story at hand. There’s been a ton of hot rumors lately with Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick and according to many people on the media and league there’s increasing speculation that either McNabb or Vick could come to Buffalo. According to one radio station in San Diego the Bills and Rams have had “secret” meetings with the Eagles for McNabb and appear to be the two frontrunners.

ESPN’s John Clayton reported last week that the Eagles might be looking for just a 2nd round pick for NcNabb.

Honestly if this is true I have no idea what the Bills are doing not pulling the trigger.

The same goes with Michael Vick. Although Vick has more baggage and controversy with him I believe both would huge for the team and the city if we got them.

It’s going to be very interesting to see how these rumor play out over the next few weeks but there’s no hiding it anymore…..the Bills want Vick or McNabb. The next question will be is Ralph willing to pull the trigger.

My guess from what we’ve seen over these many years……not likely. However, even if we don’t get one of them we still have the opportunity to draft a very good QB in this year’s draft. Mel Kiper has Buffalo taking Jimmy Clausen with the 9th overall pick….but I see it differently.

I’ll get to that story after the Superbowl.