Bleacher Report - Articles by Britney Milazzo

Terrell Owens: Cereal Killer!

Britney Milazzo — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:10:47 -0400

From league fights to breaking records and staring in his own show on VH1, Terrell Owens doesn’t stop reigning the sports media.

Now T.O. has a new product to market: The extremely limited edition of T.O. Honey Nut Toasted Oats Cereal.

Starring on his own box cover, “T.O.’s” will only be sold at Tops supermarkets in western New York (Buffalo-Niagara region and the Greater Rochester area.) The cereal will hit the shelves at the end of July.

“Terrell’s signing with the Buffalo Bills has been a widely popular move locally, and we expected fans in western New York, central New York and northwest Pennsylvania will be eager to have a box of T.O.’s on their breakfast table,” said CEO of Tops supermarket, Frank Curci.

Some may call this the battle of the O’s against Owens’ cereal and the heart protecting Cheerios. A blogger on Yahoo sports, mark w, argued that despite the taste of the cereal would probably be good, “T.O. rips off Honey Nut Cheerios. Just like he assumes he is the greatest wide receiver ever, he cannot even have an original cereal made.”

Owens left Texas’ Star City on March 7, 2009 to head into Buffalo with a one-year, $6.5 million deal to start for the Bills as his fourth NFL team in 15-years.

In accepting the move, fans are convinced this is Buffalo’s year to make it big, since the early 90's in their four consecutive year Super Bowl appearances and no wins, but, will he be able to play in –5 degrees and eight additional inches of lake effect snow on Sundays?

Owens kept jersey No. 81, while James Hardy, sophomore wide receiver for the Bills and original wearer of No. 81, switched to No. 84.

What next for T.O.? The Bachelor on ABC…maybe?

If you’re not from WNY, buy your T.O. cereal at www.plbsports.com and wake up with T.O.!

Kodak Moment: Abby Wambach Scores 100th Goal at Home in Rochester

Britney Milazzo — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:20:52 -0400

ROCHESTER, N.Y.: It was at the 78-minute mark when Abby Wambach cornered the ball past the lower right side of Canadian goalkeeper, Karina LeBlanc, on Sunday's, 1-0, victory, against Canada in her hometown of Rochester, N.Y.

Wambach, forward for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, became a member of a club that only few have been a part of, by being the ninth women’s soccer player in the world to score 100 career goals.

This marks as her second game and first goal, since the fateful friendly against Brazil, a year and three days after breaking her left leg in the final game before heading to Beijing.

Forward Lauren Cheney, 21, who replaced Wambach on the Olympic roster last summer, headed into the game at the 63-minute and assisted the lone goal 15 minutes later.

"I can't really describe the emotion," Wambach said. "It's been a long year and to come home to score the 100th goal in Rochester couldn't be more of a picture perfect ending."

Nearly 10,000 fans watched this historic "Kodak Moment" at the stadium while Wambach also was made the second U.S. player to score her 100th goal in Rochester, after Mia Hamm capped the first moment in 1998.

She joins other U.S. 100 goalers Hamm (158), Kristine Lilly (129), Michelle Akers (105) and Tiffeny Milbrett (100).

The U.S. is expected to play Canada again on July 22 in Charleston, SC at 8 PM EDT.

Remembering Walter Cronkite: First Reporting in Sports

Britney Milazzo — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:44:01 -0400

The man, the myth, the legend…of news, Walter Cronkite, died at 92.

Cronkite is most known for his breaking hard news coverage of the Kennedy assassination (the first time Cronkite shed a tear on air) and reporting the announcement of the first man on the moon, but what you may not know is his start in sports.

After dropping out of college in 1935, he started a series of newspapers in the Great Plains reporting local sports coverage and dabbling around the speaker as a sports announcer for WKY (AM) in Oklahoma City and KCMO (AM) in Kansas City, Mo.

His broadcast name was Walter Wilcox. As Cronkite said, “Radio stations at the time did not want people to use their names for the fear of taking their listeners with them if they left.”

As his legend continues at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, he inspired all young journalists during his visits and speeches, and will continue to inspire the rest of the journalism world.

World's Imaging Centre Captures North America's Largest Sports Market

Britney Milazzo — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:57:39 -0400

Rochester, N.Y. isn’t exactly the first city that comes to mind when thinking about big market professional sports teams.

The closest city, to Rochester, with big market teams is 50-miles southwest in Buffalo, N.Y., home to the NHL Sabres and NFL Bills, and the next closest city is about 70-miles, across Lake Ontario, in Toronto.

Although, Rochester is home territory to the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills, Rochester has more professional sports teams, of its own, than any other single city in the country.

Their tie to the Sabres and Bills lie with Sabres’ owner and Rochester billionaire, Tom Golisano, and the Bills training camp is held at St. John Fisher College, home of the Cardinals, in Rochester.

Rochester was named as the top sports market in the country, by Street & Smith’s Sport Business Journal; the No. 10 “best golf city” in America, by Golf Magazine and the best sports town in the country, by Scarborough Research.

The city holds one of six franchises in the history of North American professional sports that have been played in the same city, uninterrupted since the 1800s. This team is the Triple-A baseball, Rochester Red Wings. The other five cities’ teams include the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Among North American cities with, at least, seven professional teams, Rochester was the only city whose teams all have cumulative winning, regular season records.

Rochester doesn’t limit itself to major sport teams, thought, but also extreme snow sports.

The area has 11 ski resorts that are open year-round and known for western New York and southern Ontario’s finest slopes.

One of North America’s most popular ski resorts is HiliMont, nestled in the heart of the Finger Lakes on top of western New York’s highest peaks. “By most measures, HoliMont is North America’s largest private ski area devoted to family skiing adventures,” the resort’s website said.

The nine lifts service, more than, 50 slopes, trails and halfpipes, and natural snow is guaranteed all year with an average of more than, 200 inches during the winter months.

There are 19 colleges and universities in Rochester that, mostly, compete at the Division II and III level.

Monroe Community College (MCC), which should compete in the NJCAA, is a dominant force in Division II athletics capturing several National Championships in men’s ice hockey and women’s soccer. MCC is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, much like Division I universities, Buffalo and Albany.

The Division I exceptions in Rochester is Hobart College that compete D-I in men’s lacrosse and RIT men’s hockey.

RIT hockey consistently ranks in NCAA polls’ Top 25, while walking away with two consecutive conference championships in the last three-years. Recently, senior, Steve Pinizzotto, was called up with the NHL Washington Capitals.

Despite ice hockey reigning as the dominant sport in Rochester, the city has deemed the titles of Baseball City, USA and Soccer Town, USA, instead.

Rapper and songwriter, Beneficial, raps:

“We got sports of all sorts

the Roc has it all,

whether it’s soccer, hockey, foot, base

or basketball.

You can check the record books for

the Royals and the Amerks,

and we got the Rhinos, Redwings and the Rattlers.”

According to the Rochester Sports Project, since 1877, 29 teams in eight professional sports have represented the city:

ICE HOCKEY

Rochester Americans “Amerks” (American Hockey League (AHL): 1935-present)

Also known as the Hornets (1936-1956) and were part of the original International Hockey League (IHL) in 1935-1936.

The Amerks are one of the oldest franchises in the AHL as they celebrated their 50^th consecutive season in 2005-2006. Their years of unbroken league membership ranks second to the Hershey Bears.

They play at the almost 12,000 seated Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial in downtown Rochester and have won six Calder Cups in their 16 championship appearances: 1957, 1960, 1965-1968, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2000.

In addition, the Amerks have won six regular season titles, 14 division champions and three conference champions.

The Americans were the farm team to both the NHL Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers, until last year, when the team halted their affiliation with the Sabres and stayed solely with the Panthers, while the Sabres took their team northeast to Portland, Maine’s AHL Pirates.

LACROSSE

Rochester Knighthawks “K-Hawks” (National Lacrosse League (NLL): 1995-present)

The K-Hawks are one of the leagues most successful franchises as they set a league record in 2006 for reaching the playoffs in each of their first 13 seasons and won two championships in 1997 and 2007.

Each season, the Knighthawks have ranked at the top of the league standings—their worst, coming in third place, next to the Boston Blazers and Philadelphia Wings in 1995.

Every year, since 1997, the ‘Hawks have managed to plug out player awards. In 1997, goaltender, Steve Dietrich was championship game MVP.

Other awards include John Grant, Jr. (2000 – Rookie of the Year), Pat O’Toole (2003 – Goaltender of the Year), Paul Day (2004 – Les Bartley Award), Andrew Turner (2005 – Defensive Player of the Year) and 2007 reigned supreme for the team in the league by awarding four players: John Grant, Jr. (Most Valuable Player and Champion’s Cup MVP), Ed Comeau (Les Bartley Award) and Steve Toll (Transition Player of the Year).

Rochester Rattlers (Major League Lacrosse (MLL): 2001-1008)

As part of the National Division in the Eastern Conference, they made the playoffs in 2001 and 2005, and in 2007 made history by being involved in the highest scoring game in MLL history in their overtime victory against the Denver Outlaws.

In 2008, the Rattlers won their first and only MLL championship in a 16-15 OT win against the Philadelphia Barrage.

Unfortunately, that same year, Rochester sold their franchise to their Canadian neighbours in Toronto.

Rochester Greywolves “The Pack” (Canadian-American League (CanAm): 2008-present)

Also known as the Rochester Iroquois from 1930-1970.

Coming back as a team, more than, 20-years later, in 2008, the Pack, previously named the Iroquois until the 1970s, became a part of the only Canadian box lacrosse league that contains teams in the United States. The CanAm League is comprised of teams, mostly, from western New York and Ontario.

The Greywolves, in their first year back since 1984, made a President’s Cup appearance, but ended with a record of 7-11 and hope for a winning season in 2009 as they see their first home opener of the year on May 1, at 8 p.m. at the ESL centre in Rochester against Buffalo.

The team serves as a talent pool for the Knighthawks.

Rochester Iroquois (North American Amateur Lacrosse Association: 1930-1984)

The Iroquois were an American box lacrosse team dating back to the 1930s as part of the North American Amateur Lacrosse Association. In 1970 the team switched leagues to CanAm and changed their name to the Greywolves.

Their franchise ended in 1984 when the team made it to the President’s Cup, but came back to Rochester more than 20-years later.

MEN’S SOCCER

Rochester Rhinos (United Soccer League First Division (USL): 1996-present)

Also known as the Raging Rhinos, in 13-year history, have never failed to make the playoffs and appeared in the championship game six times: 1996, 1998-2001 and 2006. They have been league champions three times: 1998, 2000 and 2001.

The team has also beat three Major League Soccer (MLS) teams en route to winning the U.S. Open Cup in 1999, becoming the only non-MLS team to win the cup.

From 1996-2004, the club was a league leader in attendance and named one of the top five minor league sport franchises by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal.

Their home field is at the, almost, 14,000-seated Rochester Rhinos Stadium at PAETEC Park in downtown Rochester.

Rochester Lancers (North American Soccer League (NASL): 1967-1980)

Part of the American Soccer League in 1967-1969.

After three-years competing in the American Soccer League, the Lancers were bumped up a level and won the league championship in their first year with the North American Soccer League.

A year later, in 1971, they won the division title and it wasn’t until five-years later that the team won their second division title.

The Lancers made it to the playoffs six times in their 13-year history and ended with a 135-146-13 record.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Western New York Football Club Pride (United Soccer League Women’s League (USL W-League): 2008-present)

Also known as Rochester Rhinos Women (2005-2008) and Rochester Ravens (1996-2005).

The team is the successor to the Rochester Rhinos Women and was originally founded as the Ravens in 1996, but was later sold and re-launched with a new name.

WNY FC rosters two of the worlds best soccer players with Adjoa Bayor (Ghana) and Natalie Martineau (Canada).

Bayor is the “skipper of the Black Queens,” also known as the Captain of the Ghana Women’s National Team. In April 2007, she was a member of the World All-Star’s team and won the African American Play of the Year award in 2003.

Rochester Rhinos Women (United Soccer League Women’s League (USL W-League): 2005-2008)

After switching owners from the Ravens in 2005, the Rhino’s Women saw their best year in 2004 when they ended third in the league and in 2007, despite coming in fourth place, they made it to the National Semifinals in the playoffs for the first time.

Rochester Ravens (United Soccer League Women’s League (USL W-League): 1996-2005)

As part of the W-League, the Ravens started their first few years as a juggernaut in the league, playing host to the championship in 1997. In that summer, the team played the U.S. Women’s National Team in Rochester, losing, 8-0.

BASEBALL

Rochester Red Wings (International League (Triple-A): 1899-present)

Also known as the Rochester Bronchos (1899-1907), Rochester Hustlers (1908-1920), Rochester Colts (1921) and Rochester Tribe (1922-1928).

The Red Wings are the oldest and longest running minor league franchise in the history of professional sports.

In addition, sport historian, Douglas Brei, reported that the Wings are only one of two franchises in North America to have captured a league championship in every decade of the 20^th century.

Currently, the team is the Triple-A affiliate to the Minnesota Twins that produced players like Hall of Famer, Cal Ripkin, Jr. (Baltimore Orioles) and 2006 American League MVP, Justin Morneau (Minnesota Twins).

From 1929-1960, the Wings were the farm team for the MLB St. Louis Cardinals and in 1961 began the 42-year stint to the Baltimore Orioles.

On April 18, 1981, the Red Wings, along with the Pawtucket Red Sox made baseball history when they held the record for the longest professional baseball game, lasting a total of 33 innings and eight-hours, 25-minutes over the course of three days.

The team has captured 20 league championships: 1899, 1901, 1909-1911, 1928-1931, 1939, 1940, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1964, 1971, 1974, 1988, 1990, 1997.

Rochester Tribe (International League (IL Double-A): 1922-1928)

In their six-year career, the Tribe went 534-457, making two second place rankings in the league.

Fan favourites and Hall of Famers, Rabbit Maranville and Jocko Conlan (center field), spent the 1927 season with the Tribe. Rochester native and professional golfer, Walter Hagen, owned the team.

Rochester Colts (International League (IL): 1922)

In their only season in the league, the Colts, under management of IL Hall of Famer, George Stallings, ended with a record of 100-68 and were 20 games behind the Baltimore Orioles that were in the peak of their IL dynasty.

Rochester Hustlers (International League: 1908-1920)

The Hustlers ended their career with a losing record, 642-671. Their best record came in 1913 when hey finished 92-62 and lost by four-points in the league championship game to the Newark Indians.

The next year, the team finished in third place and after that, began their downfall after switching managers from, John Ganzel.

Rochester Bronchos (Eastern League American Association: 1899-1907)

The Bronchos first season was impressive as they ended up winning the league championship and ended their career with three titles: 1899, 1910 and 1911.

The team saw their worst season in 1903, when the finished last in the league with a 34-97 record, but jumped back up in the standings the next year.

Despite their career, so-so, record, the Bronchos finished with the third best ERA in the league and produced six of the top baseball player in the country with Bob Barr, Henry Blauvelt, Sandy Griffin, Jimmy Knowles, Harry Lyons and Ted Scheffler.

(In the NY-Penn league is Rochester suburb, Batavia baseball, which is included as part of Rochester sports history).

Batavia Muckdogs (New York-Penn Minor League (NY-Penn): 1939-present)

Cornell men’s hockey ended on Sunday with a, 4-1, defeat against the Bemidji State Beavers.

Freshman, Sean Collins, scored the lone goal for the Big Red (22-10-4) after a scoreless first period.

Bemidji State answered nearly two minutes later at the 10-minute mark of the second period as Ryan Adams clipped a rocket of a shot over the shoulder of goaltender, Ben Scrivens, from the corner.

The third period, reaked havoc on the Big Red as the Beavers scored three more goals.

BSU took the lead when Tyler Scofield ripped a wrist shot from the right wing that beat Scrivens over the blocker side just 4:05 in.

With the Big Red trailing, the Beavers were able to wear down the clock and Cornell was forced to pressure, but could not get another shot past Dalton for the rest of the game.

Evan Barlow was named to the all-tournament team as the lone Cornell representative.

Scrivens made 17 saves in goal for Cornell, which went scoreless in four power-play attempts. Bemidji State's, Matt Dalton, stopped 23 Cornell shots, as the Beavers were scoreless in five power-play chances.

New Hampshire-Boston: Frozen Four Hopes Slip Past Wildcats

Britney Milazzo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:28:47 -0400

Jason Lawrence scored a power-play goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation to lift No. 1-ranked and top-seeded Boston University to a 2-1 victory against 12th-ranked University of New Hampshire in Sunday’s Northeast Regional final of the NCAA men’s ice hockey championship at the Verizon Wireless Arena.

The score was tied, 1-1, at the start of the third period. UNH went on its third power play of the game at 5:40 and Mike Sislo wristed a shot from the left circle that caromed off the near post.

In the ninth minute, the Wildcats' Peter LeBlanc fired a shot from the right circle that was turned towards the slot by BU goaltender Kieran Millan.

Boston had a dangerous scoring bid with three minutes remaining in the first period when Brandon Yip collected a loose puck in the left circle and sent a one-timer on net that was caught by UNH goalie Brian Foster.

New Hampshire was whistled for a penalty at 19:14 and the Terriers capitalized to break the 1-1 tie at 19:45 in the second.

The Wildcats pushed the puck into the offensive zone at the start of the face-off, but Boston iced the puck with 3.5 seconds on the clock.

Boston skated to a 1-0 lead in the first period with a goal from Corey Trivino, but in the opening minute, UNH generated a two-on-one rush in which James van Riemsdyk carried the puck down the right wing and snapped a wrist shot from the circle wide of the far post.

BU responded with a scoring opportunity in the third minute when Foster surrendered a rebound on Luke Popko’s shot from deep on the right wing, but failed in the attempt.

In the fifth minute, BU maintained pressure by intercepting a clearing attempt at the blue line. Higgins then collected a loose puck in the slot, turned and fired a low shot by Foster’s stick.

Less than four minutes later, van Riemsdyk schemed a dangerous scoring chance on a wraparound at the left post. Millan yielded a rebound and Sislo pushed a shot on net that was covered by Millan.

The Terriers controlled possession on an offensive zone face-off and Vinny Saponari centered the puck from the left corner to the slot, where Foster knocked down Chris Connolly’s shot.

Trivino corralled the rebound and swept the puck into the open right side.

UNH created two more scoring opportunities in the closing minute of the first period, but didn’t drift past the line until that last six minutes of the second period with a goal from Butler past the right post.

Boston generated many scoring opportunities in the third period, but was denied until the last 45 seconds to go in its last power play of the night.

Saponari lifted a shot from the inner-left circle high of the cage, ending the game with a Boston victory, 2-1.

UNH’s Lawrence was named Most Outstanding Player of the Northeast Regional. He was joined on the All-Regional Team by teammates Millan, Nick Bonino, and Matt Gilroy. UNH’s Kapstad and LeBlanc were also selected to the team.

Millan finished with 27 saves, including 12 in the first period. Foster made 11 of his 21 saves in the first period.

Miami (OH)-UMD: Redhawks on Their Way to the Frozen Four

Britney Milazzo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:49:22 -0400

Frozen Four fantasies comes true for Miami Hockey as the Redhawks defeated Minnesota-Duluth, 2-1, in finals of the NCAA Western Regional games.

It's the first time any Miami athletic team in any sport has ever qualified for the semifinal round of a national championship tournament. The Redhawks will play in Washington D.C.'s Verizon Center on Thursday.

Two Justin Mercier goals in the second period helped Miami to capture the win.

The first period was scoreless, with from stellar goaltending by Miami's Cody Reichard.

UMD caught their first powerplay when Redhawks' Vincent LoVerde was penalized midway through the period, but Reichard came up with two big saves.

UMD outshot the Redhawks, 6-1 in the first peroid; the only shot coming from Miami with 3:40 left on the clock.

It appeared that UMD had tied the game at 10:41, but the Bulldog goal was waived off, because of interference.

Mercier tallied his second goal on a power play with a pass from Chris Wideman in the last four minutes to widen Miami's lead by two.

UMD had another shot when six penalties were called on the Redhawks, but came up short each time.

With an extra attacker in the last 2:05 to play when Duluth pulled its goalie, the Bulldogs cut the RedHawk margin to 2-1 with a goal by MacGregor.

UMD had its school-record six-game post-season winning streak snapped by Miami.

Miami has an all-time record of 4-6 in NCAA Tournament games. The Redhawks are 4-4 under Coach Enrico Blasi.

Miami's season record improved to 22-12-5. Minnesota-Duluth finished its 2008-09 campaign with a mark of 22-13-8.

Vermont-Air Force: Catamounts Seal the Deal with 3-2 Victory

Britney Milazzo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:27:39 -0400

Third seeded Vermont tops No. 4 Air Force, 3-2, in double overtime to advance to the 2009 Frozen Four in Washington, D.C., in Bridgeport, Conn., on Sunday.

Dan Lawson scored the game winner at 14:10 of double overtime when he took a feed from sophomore Wahsontiio Stacey and blasted a shot past the glove side of Air Force junior goaltender Andrew Volkening.

“I thought it went in,” Lawson said. “It looked good, but everyone else kept playing, so I did too. I came back to the bench and everybody was [like] ‘I think that went in’ and ‘I saw the net move’ and I was like alright, let’s get a review.”

Both teams and the more than 8,000 people crowd held their collective breath, waiting more than 12 minutes until official Marco Hunt emerged from the review booth and called it a goal.

The Falcons took a 1-0 at 3:46 of the second period when freshman Paul Weisgarber scored on a rebound during a four-on-two in transition.

Sophomore Sean Bertsch took a shot from the bottom of the right circle and Madore made the stop but the rebound squirted back to Weisgarber who buried the puck in an open net.

Air Force out shot Vermont 22-14 through the first 40 minutes and held a 1-0 lead going to the final period.

Vermont battled back to tie the game at 3:56 of the third period.

Taking a feed from junior Patrick Cullity, sophomore Josh Burrows snapped a quick wrist shot from the right point that went through traffic and beat Air Force goaltender, Andrew Volkening.

The goal ended Volkening’s scoreless streak at 262:04. He entered the game with three consecutive shutouts after stopping 43 shots in a 2-0 upset of top-seeded Michigan on Friday.

Vermont struck again midway through the third period to take a 2-1 lead.

Lawson took a pass from senior assistant captain Corey Carlson and sent a shot from the right point past Volkening.

Air Force battled back to tie the score 2-2 less than two minutes later.

Bertsch ripped a shot from between the circles that hit Madore’s shoulder then trickled into the goal at 11:18 to force overtime.

Less than a minute to go in the first 20-minute overtime, Volkening initially denied a blast from the left point by Vermont sophomore defenseman Kyle Medvec, but junior Viktor Stålberg jumped on the loose puck and looked to bury the rebound to give the Catamounts the victory.

On the video replay of this by the referees, the goal was denied as Falcons’ junior Brett Nylander dove in the crease and stopped the puck just before it crossed the goal line, to make a second OT run.

With 5:50 left in the game Lawson’s heroics earned him Most Outstanding Player honors for the East Regional as he scored the winning goal.

“This is a big moment for us,” Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon said. “It hasn’t really sunk in. I don’t think to any of us right now - but we’re certainly going to enjoy this night and as I will tell our team shortly when we’ve all calmed down from the emotion that we’re not going to participate, we’re going to win it. That’s what you go to a Frozen Four for.”

Freshman Rob Madore made a career high, 46 saves. Andrew Volkening had 32 saves for Air Force.

Vermont’s only other Frozen Four appearance came in 1996 when the Catamounts lost in the national semifinal at Riverfront Coliseum against Colorado College, 4-3, in double overtime in a game that went 89:31.

The Catamounts are 3-4 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.

Sources: End facts and quotes from www .uvm.edu/sports

Notre Dame-Bemidji State: Fighting Irish Fail to Come Up with Plays

Britney Milazzo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:38:43 -0400

Notre Dame found itself on the wrong end of the puck, as the Irish fell behind Bemidji State on a strange goal less than two minutes into the game on Saturday in the, 5-1, loss in the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinal at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The Irish (31-6-3) were making their third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship and fourth in program history, however, for the second time, Notre Dame was eliminated in its first game despite outshooting their opponents 34-14.

The first Bemidji goal wound up setting the tone for the entire evening.

The Beavers dumped the puck behind the Irish net, past goaltender Jordan Pearce.

The Beavers (19-15-1) hit off three of their seven first-period shots in the opening five minutes.

The Irish got an early power play chance at 4:52 when Bemidji's Chris Peluso was sent off for slashing junior right wing Ryan Thang, but had a failed attempt on their first shot.

The Irish had a golden opportunity, as sophomore left wing Calle Ridderwall skated to the bottom of the right circle and whipped a tape-to-tape pass to freshman right wing Billy Maday, but the puck deflected off the right post.

The Irish came out in the second and got a pair of good chances six minutes in the period, when Cole and senior center Christian Hanson both got their sticks on the puck during a goalmouth scramble.

Seconds later, Regan was hooked by BSU's Ryan Adams, putting Notre Dame back on the power play, but again suffered another failed attempt.

Bemidji then got another goal just past the midway point of the second period.

Ben Kinne took a shot from up top that flew through a crowd and got by Pearce for a 3-0 lead.

Notre Dame kept up the pressure.

The teams then traded penalties late in the period, with Maday going off for interference (17:58) and then BSU's Cody Bostock getting whistled for holding with 1.7 seconds to go, giving the Irish a power play to start the third period.

With momentum seeming to turn towards Notre Dame, Bemidji came up with a backbreaking tally, as Scofield poked the puck out of the Irish offensive zone, 49 seconds into the third period for a 4-0 lead.

Irish defenseman Brett Blatchford came over the blue line, dropped a pass to sophomore right wing Ryan Guentzel, who passed a pass from the right circle to junior left wing Dan Kissel on the left side shot it past BSU goaltender.

It marked Kissel's sixth goal of the season.

Just a minute later, BSU's Matt Francis was set to the box on a holding penalty, putting the Irish on their fourth power play, but, again, Notre Dame wasn't able to capitalize and gave up a Beavers goal to finish that game 5-1 at the 17 minute mark.

Pearce finished with 14 saves in his final college game, while Dalton was credited with 34 saves in the Bemidji net.

With the win, the Beavers advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional final on Sunday night against third-seeded Cornell.

Boston-Ohio State: Terriers Continue To Make Bean Town Proud

Britney Milazzo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:17:53 -0400

No. 1 overall ranked and seeded Boston University men's ice hockey team heads on to the second round of the NCAA tournament after their 8-3 victory against fourth-ranked Ohio State in Manchester, N.H.

The Terriers scored the first six goals of the game and got at least one point from 11 different players to secure the victory. The Terriers will take on Hockey East mate New Hampshire in hopes of making it to the Frozen Four in Washington D.C.

The Terriers, who went 2-1-0 against UNH this season, last faced the Wildcats in a home-and-home series on Jan. 23-24, with BU coming away with 5-0 and 3-1 victories.

The Terriers (32-6-4) opened the scoring with two goals 50 seconds apart midway through the first, and added another before the opening stanza came to a close.

BU duplicated its first period output in the second to take a 6-0 lead before the Buckeyes scored two goals late in the middle.

The Buckeyes made it a three-point deficcit at 11:12 of the third period and pulled freshman goaltender Cal Heeter in favor of an extra attacker.

BU snapped a 0-for-22 skid on the power play when Nick Bonino wristed a shot from the right circle that beat Carlson high at 8:49 of the first to open the scoring.

Just 50 seconds later, sophomore Colby Cohen broke up a Buckeye pass, allowing Bonino to rush in from the left side and assist Jason Lawrence’s goal.

The Terriers took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission thanks to Cohen's first goal of the night at 13:16 of the first.

BU continued to put on the offensive in the second, as freshman Corey Trivino capped a give-and-go with Hobey Baker Finalist Matt Gilroy by potting his fifth goal of the season at 5:57 of the period.

Brandon Yip and Lawrence scored at 7:01 and 13:34, respectively, to allow the Terriers to take a commanding 6-0 lead.

Ohio State stepped back up as sophomore Hunter Bishop, senior Zach Pelletier, and freshman Matt Bartkowski scored consecutive goals to cut the deficit in half.

Freshman goaltender Kieran Millan recorded 22 saves for the Terriers to improve to 26-2-3 on the season. The Hockey East Rookie of the Year is now a combined 13-0-1 in road and neutral-site contests.

Buckeye sophomore Dustin Carlson made just nine saves on 15 shots before being replaced midway through the game by freshman Cal Heeter, who recorded 10 saves and allowed one goal.

Ohio State finishes the year with a record of 23-15-4.

Cornell-Northeastern: Big Red Makes Big Plays

Britney Milazzo — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:23:01 -0400

Cornell senior Evan Barlows scored a goal with less than 18 seconds remaining in the third period to give the Cornell men's hockey team a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over Northeastern in the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal on Saturday in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The game was marked as a battle of two of the nation's top NCAA goaltenders: Cornell's Ben Scrivens and Northeastern's Brad Thiessen.

Northeastern got on the board with 40 seconds remaing in the first period. Louis Liotti's shot from the center point caromed off a Cornell stick, and then off a Cornell player's leg, before trickling across for the first goal.

The Huskies were up by two when Cornell was caught in a defensive line change and Steve Silva broke free in the neutral zone. Silva broke in all alone on Scrivens with 10:39 to play in the second.

Barlow, Colin Greening, and Blake Gallagher each had a goal and an assist for the Big Red.

Gallagher put the Big Red on the board with a little more than two minutes to play before Greening's tally with just less than four minutes left in the third period tied the game at two.

Cornell carried the play in the third, out-shooting the Huskies 14-4, but could not get the tying goal.

A power play for the Big Red generated a chance for Cornell when Northeastern's Alex Tuckerman was called for checking from behind. Greening deflected a Barlow shot in the five-hole of Thiessen, knotting the score at two.

Cornell kept on the pressure, but couldn’t finish the game in regulation.

Barlow had another chance, and ripped a low shot past Thiessen with 17 seconds to play.

Northeastern coach Greg Cronin pulled Thiessen for the extra skater for the final seconds of regulation, but the Huskies could not get the puck past Scrivens.

Scrivens stopped 19 shots in the 3-2 victory, while Thiessen made 29 saves. Cornell finished the game 1-for-4 on the power play; the Huskies were held scoreless in eight power-play chances.

UNH-North Dakota: Wildcats' Goal with .1 Second Left Leads to OT Win

Britney Milazzo — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:50:20 -0400

There was no doubt that New Hampshire’s Peter LeBlanc was the hero of the game on Saturday in their 6-5 OT victory against the No. 2 North Dakota Fighting Sioux. LeBlanc scored two goals, including the goal in the first 45 seconds of OT for the win.

The Wildcats won their first NCAA tournament meeting with North Dakota to improve their record to 20-12-5 overall on the season.

UNH posts a 20-win campaign for the 13^th consecutive year—the second longest active streak in the nation—while Head Coach, Dick Umile, earned his 17^th 20 win season in 19 years of coaching at UNH.

With the game tied at three in the second period, UND went on top with 2:54 to play, and North Dakota’s Chris VandeVelde widened North Dakota’s advantage.

Despite the bad news of his family having to evacuate their Fargo, N.D. area home, due to the flood, it was a good night for VandeVelde, as he scored two back-to-back goals for North Dakota.

Trailing 5-4, with 5.7 seconds remaining in regulation and a face-off coming up in it's offensive zone, UNH pulled goaltender Brian Foster in favor of an extra attacker.

Sophomore forward Mike Sislo shot the puck around the boards to senior forward Jerry Pollastrone, who passed the puck in front of senior forward Thomas Fortney, who clocked it in the goal to tie the game with one-tenth of a second remaining in regulation.

In the extra period, Pollastrone passed the puck to LeBlanc, where he blasted a shot into the upper right-hand corner past North Dakota goalkeeper Brad Eidsness.

The Wildcats return to action Sunday, March 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena, when they take on either Boston University or Ohio State for the right to advance to their eighth Frozen Four in school history.

The Fighting Sioux fall to 24-15-4 on the season.

This was UNH’s fifth overtime game in tournament history, including it's third in regional play.

The last tournament overtime win for the Wildcats—who are now 3-2 in overtime games in the tournament—came in a 3-2 win against Harvard in the Northeast Regional semifinal at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass. in 2005.

That was the last time UNH advanced out of that round.

Princeton-UMD: Overtime Thriller Sends the Tigers Packing

Britney Milazzo — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:40:30 -0400

There have been greater comebacks in the 65-year history of University of Minnesota-Duluth hockey, but this one marks as the most astonishing one of all, UMD men’s hockey website said.

Minnesota-Duluth rallied to edge the Princeton men’s hockey team 5-4 in overtime on Friday night in the NCAA first round of the West Regional played at Minnesota’s Mariucci Arena. Senior Brett Wilson scored two goals for the Tigers.

The more than 7,000 fans in the crowd watched UMD make its sixth NCAA tournament appearance and score two goals inside the final 40 seconds of regulation to have a chance at extending their postseason journey.

Freshman left winger Mike Connolly sealed the victory with a power play goal past Princeton net minder, Zane Kalemba, at 13:39 of the first OT. The goal came off a pass from Justin Fontaine extended the Bulldogs’ playoff winning streak to a perfect 6-0-0.

Down 4-2 with 39.4 to go in the third period and skating 6-on-4, center Jack Connolly potted his 10th goal of the season near the right side of the goal to keep the Bulldogs’ chances afloat.

With .8 seconds left to play, UMD completed a miraculous turn of events to force overtime when sophomore defenseman Evan Oberg’s shot from inside the right face-off circle found the back of the Tiger net.

“There was a couple of guys laying down in front,” said Oberg, who now has seven goals on the season. “But I just tried to get the shot over the top of them.”

UMD jumped out to a 1-0 lead for the sixth consecutive game at 8:17 of the first period.

Senior left winger Andrew Carroll pounced on a rebound following a Travis Oleksuk wraparound attempt for his fifth goal of the year and first goal since Jan. 24.

Princeton answered with just more than five minutes left in the first with the man advantage.

Brett Wilson took advantage of a loose puck in front of the net to end junior goaltender Alex Stalock’s school-record scoreless streak at 147:45.

Princeton built up a lead with a strong start to the second period.

At 1:42, freshman Derrick Pallis scored from the point that was redirected by a UMD player past Bulldog netminder, Alex Stalock.

Junior Cam MacIntyre had the puck down low and his centering pass missed its target in front of the net, but got Pallis on the blue line, who netted his third goal of the season. Junior Dan Bartlett was credited with an assist.

Seven minutes later, Wilson, took a shot from the right at a rebound to put the Tigers upby two, but UMD came back in the next 29 seconds to issue a response.

En route to halting the Tigers three-goal outburst, freshman defensive Brady Lamb took a shot that hit traffic and fluttered into the net behind Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist, Kalemba.

Shorthanded at 9:21 in the third and in the process of fighting off UMD’s third power-play chance of the period, Princeton went ahead 4-2. Brandan Kushniruk, moving down the right side put one past Stalock that bounced off the inside of the left post into the goal.

UMD limited the Tigers to only five total shot attempts over the final 20 minutes of regulation.

Stalock, 2008-09 All-WCHA selections, made his 100th career appearance and finished with 27 saves while Kalemba had 30.

The Tigers finish the season at 22-12-1, while UMD moved to 22-12-8 and will face Miami tomorrow with Frozen Four berth hopes.

Sources: Quotes from goprincetontigers.com.

Denver-Miami (OH): Pioneers Out of the Crease, Out of the Tournament

Britney Milazzo — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:42:11 -0400

Making its 20th appearance in the NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament, seven-time champion Denver earned the No. 1 seed of the 2009 West Regional, but was upset by No. 4 Miami (Ohio) on Friday, 4-2, at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, Minn.

This was Denver and Miami’s second meeting in tournament history and seventh overall.

No. 4 Miami jumped to a 2-0 lead and never looked back.

Denver was outplayed from the start and finishes the 2008-09 season with a 23-12-5 record.

Joe Colborne and Tyler Bozak scored for Denver and sophomore netminder Marc Cheverie made 25 saves.

“We got off to a slow start and could never recover,” Denver head coach George Gwozdecky said. “We had trouble generating scoring chances and Miami did an excellent job in its coverage. Give Miami credit for a good game plan and the win. I’m proud of our team because we accomplished a lot of our goals, despite battling a lot of adversity and injuries.”

Miami’s, Justin Mercier, wristed a shot from the top of the slot by Cheverie at 7:28 and Alden Hirschfeld scored from the slot at 18:04. Miami outshot Denver, 10-7, and the Pioneers committed four penalties in the period.

Bill Loupee made it 3-0 for the Redhawks at 5:36 of the second period when he netted a rebound past Cheverie.

Denver finally got on the board at 17:29 on the power play when Colborne redirected a Patrick Wiercioch pass from the point.

The Pioneer’s momentum was short-lived when Andy Miele scooped up a loose rebound and scored with 33 seconds left in the second period. Miami out shot Denver, 12-3, in the period.

Gwozdecky pulled Cheverie at 14:20 for an extra attacker and it paid off when Bozak scored on the power play with a 6-on-4 advantage.

Cody Reichard finished the game with 16 saves. Denver went 2-for-5 on the power play, while Miami was 0-for-5.

Denver allowed the first goal in four of its last five games.

Bozak returned to the Denver lineup after missing 21 games with a knee injury in December.

Miami head coach Rico Blasi played for Denver head coach George Gwozdecky at Miami from 1990-1994 and served as an assistant coach under Gwozdecky at Denver from 1995-1999.

This postseason meeting is also the second between Gwozdecky and Blasi. DU defeated Miami, 3-2, at the NCAA West Regional in Colorado Springs on March 27, 2004.

The Pioneers were 4-2 all-time against the RedHawks in the series that started in 1986-87.

Denver defeated Miami, 3-2, in the lone meeting between the teams in the NCAA Tournament at the West Regional in 2004; Miami defeated Denver, 5-2, in the last meeting on Oct. 6, 2006—the game marked the opening of Steve Cady Arena on the Miami campus.

Vermont-Yale: Sneaky Wristers Goes 5-Hole for the Catamount's 4-1 Victory

Britney Milazzo — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:21:48 -0400

Vermont head coach Kelvin Sneddon admits there were quite a few people who were "disappointed" when his program decided to leap from the ECAC Hockey League to neighboring and rival conference Hockey East after the 2004-2005 season.

He fondly recalled, however, the support shown by the fans and administrator from two ECAC schools: One was St. Lawrence and the other was Yale.

Now, just a few years later, they played each other in the first round of the NCAA men’s ice hockey tournament on Friday for the first time since the 2004-2005 season, beating No. 2 Yale, 4-1.

Four goals from four different players helped lead the third-seeded Vermont past the Bulldogs. Junior assistant captain Peter Lenes started the scoring for the Catamounts, tallying the lone goal of the first period at the 15:28 mark on a slap shot from the left circle for his 15th goal of the season.

With 58 seconds left in the period, junior Colin Vock netted the second goal of the period off a feed from sophomore, Washsontiio Stacey, to put it past Richards from the right faceoff dot for his fifth goal of the season. Sophomore Dan Lawson was there for the assist.

Hobey Baker finalist Viktor Stalberg scored just 1:50 into the second period, going five-hole past Richards on a shot from in between the hash marks of the Bulldog zone for his 24th goal of the season with the assist from Brian Roloff. Senior assistant captain Corey Carlson scored the fourth and final goal in the third period lifting a wrist shot past Yale goalie Alec Richards.

Sophomore Kyle Medvec recorded his 10th assist of the year on the play, while goaltender Rob Madore had 26 saves.

Yale came into the game leading the series 27-24-4.

"We've had a great history and tradition with Vermont," said Wayne Dean, Yale's senior associate athletic director and a member of the NCAA hockey committee.

Michigan-Air Force: No. 3 Wolverines Upset in The NCAA First Round

Britney Milazzo — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:40:50 -0400

No. 15 ranked Air Force men’s ice hockey team shut out No. 3 University of Michigan in the NCAA East Regional semifinal on Friday, 2-0, in Bridgeport, Conn.

Despite out-shooting the Falcons by a 43-13 margin, Michigan was shut out for the fifth time this season and the first time in 71 games of NCAA Tournament play.

The Wolverines failed to convert seven power-play opportunities en route to the loss and had more shots on the man-advantage (16) than Air Force accumulated in the entire game (13).

Michigan went up 5-on-3 for 1:19 early in the opening period after Air Force received penalties at 3:32 and 4:13 for contact to the head and crosschecking, but Michigan could not muster a shot past Air Force net minder, Andrew Volkening, with their two-man advantage.

The Falcons, on the power play, earned three straight man-advantages, capitalizing on the last to take a 1-0 lead at 15:18 of the first period.

After receiving the puck from Jeff Hajner, Derrick Burnett skated to the middle of the right circle where he took a wrist shot that flew into the top left corner of the net for the go-ahead tally.

The score came on Air Force's third shot of the game.

At the first intermission, the Wolverines were out shooting the Falcons by a 16-3 margin.

AHA Player of the Year and Hobey Baker finalist, Jacques Lamoureux, put Air Force up by a pair at 7:02 in the second period.

Matt Fairchild made a cross-ice pass to Lamoureux just outside the crease and slid it past goaltender Bryan Hogan’s left side for the two-goal lead.

Neither team scored for the remainder of the frame.

At the second intermission, Michigan had 27 shots to Air Force's eight. The Wolverines were 0-for-6 on the power play.

At 2:08 in the third period, UMich gained another one man-advantage when Greg Flynn was whistled for interference. Michigan had three shots in the power play; none of which found a way between the pipes.

Michigan pulled Hogan from the net with 2:36 remaining in the contest, but could not generate the offense it needed for the comeback.

"Well everything happened that needed to happen for us tonight, said Air Force head coach Frank Serratore. "We had several bounces go our way; we found a way to get a lead. We were fortunate to get some bounces, we had an incredible game in goal from Volkening and we were fortunate to win a huge game."

"This was a disappointing loss for our team," said Michigan head coach Red Berenson. "We expected a tough game and got one. This was not an upset. This was a very tough Air Force team. They held on to the lead. Congratulations to them. Give their team a lot of credit. Their goalie played a tremendous game. We couldn't ask anymore of our team tonight."

The Wolverines finish the season 29-12.

The game marked Michigan’s national-best 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. In the 19-year run, Michigan has collected at least one win 15 times.

Sources: Quotes from goairforcefalcons.com

Syracuse-Oklahoma: First Meeting Since Fateful '03

Britney Milazzo — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:26:44 -0400

ESPN commentators predicted on Wednesday night that out of the three seeds left in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, Syracuse would be the one most likely to cut down the nets after the final game, but it will be no easy road to get there.

Their next roadblock comes on March 27, when they play Blake Griffin and the second-seeded Oklahoma Sooners.

This will be the first Syracuse-Oklahoma match up since the 2003 East Regional finals, when Syracuse was on the way to the National Championship.

The Sooners rely heavily on the scoring of Griffin, a 6'10" center who loves to bang inside and load up the highlight reels with power dunks. Syracuse leads Dancing teams in shot percentages, came into the tournament as the highest scoring team in the Big East Conference and is a threat on defense with Arinze Onuaku playing forward.

According to Lesley Visser of CBS Sports, 'Cuse coach, Jim Boeheim, has spent years polishing his trademark 2-3 zone defense. Other coaches use it as a change-up to their man-to-man, but Syracuse has used it as the primary option for more than 30-years.

When they wrought havoc against Memphis and Kansas this season, the Orange showed why their defense is so strong.

Against Kansas in November, Syracuse went man-to-man against the defending national champions. Trailing by 13-points in the second half, the Orange switched defenses, created three consecutive turnovers, and eventually won 89-81, in overtime.

In order to advance to the Elite Eight, however, Syracuse has to beat Oklahoma by containing Griffin.

The Orange have the talent to make things interesting with Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson, who have the bulk and athleticism, but there is no question that Blake is the best player in college basketball this season.

He had 28-points and 13 rebounds against Morgan State, shooting 11-for-12 from the field and in the second round against Michigan, Griffin had 33 and 17.

"We’ve played great teams, but we haven’t played against any player like Blake Griffin," Boeheim said in an interview with Post Standard reporters.

When the media asked SU’s Andy Rautins if the Syracuse team can defend Griffin, he said, "Sure. He’s probably the best player in the country right now, but we’re certainly going to try to defend him the best we can."

In a poll on www.blog.syracuse.com/orangebasketball, 78 percent of readers think the Orange will hold Griffin to scoring no more than 22-points.

The Syracuse-Oklahoma game is not just a big game for SU in that it's the gateway to the Elite Eight; it could also be Boeheim’s 800th win in 32-years with the team.

"It certainly will be big, but we’re just going to go in and treat is as another game," Rautins said. "We’re not just looking to get the coaches’ win, and I don’t think he’s thinking like that either, but if we do get the win, it sure would be special."

The Orange's star and arguably the best point guard left in the tournament, Jonny Flynn, agrees. "We want to win for him and keep him up there in the few elite coaches to win 800 or more."

According to Jake Curtis of the San Francisco Chronicle, Jonny Flynn ranks as the No. 2 point guard in the NCAA Tournament next to UNC’s Ty Lawson. Curtis writes,

"Always smiling, never tired and often flashy, Flynn could become the star of the tournament if the Orange beat Oklahoma."

It’s clear that Flynn can't be stopped once he gets into the key. Against Arizona State, he had a huge impact on Syracuse's offensive opportunities, finishing with 11-points and seven assists.

It’s obvious that Griffin is the guy that Syracuse needs to hold and Flynn may be the main man the Sooners need to keep an eye on.

What Bleacher Report Gives YOU!

Britney Milazzo — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:34:08 -0400

“Doing what you love is freedom. Loving what you do is happiness.”

Bleacher Report, Inc. explores the most significant news in sports, while providing their audience with articles that will provoke passion and thought, and can be displayed on both CBSSports.com and FoxSports.com. There will be articles that offer a comprehensive idea of the latest development in sport news, history and action.

They will distinguish this print/online media in three ways:

By respecting the sport as a distinct element with culture and society;
By respecting athletes as persons and individuals, and not viewing them simply as performers and entertainers;
By respecting the intelligence of the audience by avoiding clichés and repetition that have become the stereotypical standard.

They will write articles of individuals and of organizations, tackle the issues that affect everyone, but particularly impact athletes, athletics, and fans. They will constantly challenge themselves to tell the audience more than just the story, but why they are writing it and why the audience should care.

Reports will vary from breaking news to analysis of games and teams to investigations, and will utilize the vast editorial and production resources Bleacher Report offers, as well as news archives, league properties, and, when appropriate, privately held material, given from other media sources.

Articles will be designed to establish an issue that will be discussed further by senior writers, columnists, analysts, scribes, contributors, and members, in general. They will work to use as much information as they have obtained and know to be accurate.

They work together as a team of writers and editors and reinforce the theory that together individuals can produce greater amounts than the sum of their parts.

Bleacher Report will become recognized for how well they communicate with each other and for their receptiveness to ideas. Strong story ideas derive from opinions and a host of sources, primary among other sites.

Together, they have the opportunity to establish the sport media as a defining standard. They have the vision, resources, individuals, and skills to grab the audience.

Syracuse Runs Out of Gas, Flynn Walks Away As Big East Tournament MVP

Britney Milazzo — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 23:56:39 -0400

The Syracuse Orange (26-9) simply ran out of gas in the Big East Finals on Saturday night against the Louisville Cardinals, but for Louisville (28-5) will likely be a No. 1 seed heading into the NCAA tournament.

The Syracuse-UConn six overtime game will forever define the 2009 Big East Tournament and Syracuse’s one overtime win against the Mountaineers of West Virginia on Friday was just too much for the Orangemen.

Syracuse came into the finals with more than a game and a half more minutes of playing time than Louisville.

Earl Clark had 13-points and 10 rebounds to lead the No. 5 Cardinals to a 76-66 victory over No. 18 Syracuse, giving the regular-season champs their first Big East title.

“Louisville's pressure defense is tough on a team with plenty of rest,” an Associated Press writer said. “It was really troubling for a team that had played nearly an extra game of overtime in a four-day span.”

The win was the 10th straight for Louisville, which will be making its second straight NCAA appearance and 34th overall.

Syracuse was going for a sixth Big East title in its 14th championship.

Despite the Orange's loss, point guard, Jonny Flynn, took home the 2009 Big East Tournament MVP.

In the quarterfinals of the 2009 Big East Tournament on March 12 and 13th, Flynn led the Orange to a 127-117 win in six overtimes over the heavily favored UConn Huskies.

Flynn played 67 minutes on the floor that evening, leading the Orange by scoring 34-points, adding 11 assists and making all 16 of his free throw attempts.

Flynn then played all 45 minutes of Syracuse's 74-69 overtime victory over the WVU Mountaineers in the Big East semifinals, scoring 15-points with 9 assists.

At the finals against Louisville, Flynn, just 10 minutes into the game, marked playing more minutes than any other player in tournament history.

Flynn was the first MVP from a losing team since Victor Page of Georgetown in 1996.

T.O.: “I'm Leaving America's Team for North America's Team”

Britney Milazzo — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:50:39 -0400

On March 7, wide receiver Terrell Owens agreed to a one-year, $6.5 million deal with the Buffalo Bills.

While his prior time with Dallas, Philadelphia and San Francisco all ended badly, Owens is a major upgrade for a Bills team that is known for their lack of offensive power.

“I know I’ll help this organization out and I’m looking forward to putting some points on the board,” Owens said at a press conference. “That’s what I’ve done everywhere I’ve been and its gonna continue. No matter what uniform I put on, I perform.”

Owens, 35, caught 69 passes for 1,052-yards and 10 touchdowns last season with Dallas, but the Cowboys were looking to improve the atmosphere in the locker room and decided they would be better off without him.

“I must move on and this is another new beginning for me,” Owens said. “So, I’m just looking forward to this opportunity.”

The Bills will be Owens' fourth stop. He started with San Francisco, bounced to Philadelphia—where he helped the Eagles get to a Super Bowl—and then to Dallas.

The Bills were in need of a receiver to take the pressure off Lee Evans and got one of the biggest names out there.

"We all know of his tremendous ability and look forward to what he will bring to our offense," Bills owner Ralph Wilson said. "This is a very exciting day for the Buffalo Bills."

Owens, a six-time Pro Bowler, is among the NFL's career leaders in catches, yards and touchdowns. In the last three-years, his 38 touchdowns are one more than Randy Moss and he's among the league's best in catches, yards, yards per catch and yards per game.

He's coming off his ninth 1,000-yard receiving season in the last 11-years.

"We got one of the premier playmakers in a playmakers' league," Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon said.

For the Bills, the signing is their biggest splash since acquiring quarterback Drew Bledsoe in a trade in 2002. Team officials flew to Miami, flew back to Buffalo with Owens and agent Drew Rosenhaus and signed the deal in the late afternoon at Bills headquarters.

"'Wow!' was my first reaction," Wide Reciever Lee Evans said. "I know we were looking at some different receivers out there. When the Cowboys cut him, I didn't know if we were going to make the move for him or not. We did and it worked out. I'm very excited for everybody."

The question now is how T.O. will deal with quarterback Trent Edwards, who is only entering his second full year as starter?

Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo all had dicey relationships with Owens.

Edwards isn't nearly as accomplished, as any of those players and the Bills' offense has been abysmal in recent years.

"I am really excited about the addition of Terrell Owens to our team," Edwards said. "We spoke earlier and both look forward to working hard this off-season. We share the common goal of winning football games. His ability and experience will add to our offense and the weapons we already have."

The Bills were 25th in the NFL in yards gained and failed to have a 300-yard passer.

Buffalo has ranked 25th or lower in each of the past six seasons in total offense.

“I will say this: It’s an opportunity I saw on how the Bills started this season out last year and they made some eyes open,” Owens said. “So, if I can be that extra added piece to the puzzle to get them to the playoffs and make something happen, then that’s what I’m here for.”

Head coach Dick Jauron has often complained about the Bills' lack of scoring punch, but this represents a serious change in philosophy for a team that in the past has tried to avoid taking on disruptive locker room personalities.

Owens isn't worried about his perceived selfishness in Dallas.

"That's all hearsay," Owens said. "If you look at all the comments coming from my teammates with the Cowboys the last three years, it's all been positive. Prior to that, I really don't want to get into it."

Owens becomes the Bills' fourth free agent addition this offseason.

Buffalo has also signed cornerback, Drayton Florence; backup quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick and former Panthers offensive lineman, Geoff Hangartner.

Sources: Press conference. Click here for video http://www.buffalobills.com/media-lounge/videos/terrell-owens-press-conference/fda2caed-5f92-4a0a-82d4-3a9c5cbe5a94

The Toronto Bills?

Britney Milazzo — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:09:16 -0400

The Buffalo Bills are one step closer to playing games in Toronto full time, as Toronto Argonauts co-owners, David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski, floated the idea of a CFL consortium in purchasing the team.

The Toronto series already started last season for Buffalo as the league has agreed to let the Buffalo Bills play two games a season in Toronto.

Empire State Development, the corporation that controls the subsidiary that administers the Bills' lease at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., gave the go-ahead last year for the team's proposed plan to play games in Toronto.

The plan calls for the Bills to play one preseason game and one regular season game a year at the Rogers Centre, home of the MLB Toronto Blue Jays. An estimated 15,000 Canadians already cross the border to attend Bills game at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

"Playing these games in Toronto will provide an opportunity for the Bills to expand their fan base," said Dan Gundersen, upstate chair at Empire State Development, in a statement. "This plan will help draw Canadian fans to Buffalo for the remaining season games and the long term economic impact on western New York will no doubt prove beneficial for many local businesses, as well as the Buffalo Bills."

Erie County, which has some control over the lease, has also signed off on the proposal, according to Business First.

The plan will face another hurdle, as NFL owners meet in Philadelphia and discuss the proposal.

It received the “go-ahead” and the Bills will play in Toronto in each of the next five years, the final years of the team's current lease at the stadium.

Owner, Ralph Wilson, 89, who has repeatedly said he will not leave his team to his heirs, currently owns the Bills. If the team is not sold before he dies, the Bills will be sold to the highest bidder.

Toronto-based businessmen, Ted Rogers and Larry Tanenbaum, announced their ideas to acquire an NFL team last year.

No. 18 Syracuse Defeats No. 3 UConn in 6-OT Epic

Britney Milazzo — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:48:44 -0400

The No. 18 Syracuse Orange (25-8) got another shot against the big, bad Huskies of, the now, No. 4 UConn team (27-4) at 9 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Big East Men’s Basketball Championship on Thursday, March 12 at Madison Square Garden.

The 127-117, 6-OT win against Connecticut gives Syracuse a shot of confidence for the NCAA Tournament next week.

Syracuse leads the all-time series against Connecticut, 49-35 and the Orange are 7-5 against the Huskies in Big East Tournament play.

The Orange advanced to the quarterfinal round with an 89-74 victory against Seton Hall on Wednesday.

The Huskies played in their first game of the tournament. As one of the top four seeds, Connecticut earned byes in the first two rounds.

The game was the latest clash between two of college basketball’s most successful coaches—Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun.

Boeheim is third on the Division I active coaching wins list with 795 career victories in his 32-years as head coach for the Orange. Calhoun is second. Both men were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.

Boeheim won his conference-record 44^th Big East Tournament game on Thursday. Syracuse tied the Big East Tournament record with 30 assists on its way to a 15-point victory against 11th-seeded Seton Hall, Wednesday.

According to suathletics.com, the performance was eight shy of the school record (38) set against Rutgers on Feb. 28, 1973. The last time the Orange recorded at least 30 assists was on Dec. 15, 2007 in a 125-75 win versus E. Tennessee State.

Against Seton Hall, sophomore, Jonny Flynn, dished out 11 shots and scored 19-points to notch his third double-double of the year.

Going into the Uconn game, the dynamic point guard had 208 assists on the season.

It’s the ninth time in school history an Orange player has passed out at least 200 assists and Flynn is the seventh different player to achieve the feat joining Sherman Douglas (3), Lazarus Sims (1), Dwayne Washington (1), Allen Griffin (1), Jason Hart (1) and Gerry McNamara (1).

Flynn is currently tied with Hart for seventh on the Orange’s single-season assists’ chart.

Junior, Eric Devendorf, sparked the Orange in the second half Wednesday.

He scored 19-points, all of which came after the intermission, to tie Flynn for team-high scoring honors. He connected on five three-pointers in the contest. Senior forward, Kristof Ongenaet, netted 12-points off the bench and contributed a career-best seven assists in the win.

Five Orange players scored in double figures.

Syracuse generated a good portion of its offense in transition as it outscored the Pirates, 28-6, in fast break points.

Before Thursday, Syracuse went 43-24 all-time in the Big East Tournament.

Its 43 tournament wins ranks second in the league behind Georgetown’s 45.

The only other time, before this year, Syracuse was the tournament’s sixth seed was in 1981 and the Orange fared well, winning its first tournament championship with an 83-80 triple-overtime victory against Villanova in the Carrier Dome.

Overall, the Orange has won the tournament crown five times, including back-to-back championships in 2005 and 2006.

The Huskies are ranked third in this week’s Associated Press Poll and fourth in the ESPN/USA Today Poll after ascending to the top of the national rankings earlier this season. Connecticut is a six-time Big East Tournament Champion, winning the title in 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2004.

The Huskies are 28-23 overall in 50 Big East Tournament contests.

The Huskies feature Big East co-Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Hasheem Thabeet.

At 7’3”, the junior center enters postseason play averaging a double-double with 13.6-points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game while adding a league-leading 4.5 blocked shots per contest and 4.2 blocks against Syracuse.

Senior forward and All-Big East Third Team honoree, Jeff Adrien, accents Thabeet.

Prior to Thursday’s game against Syracuse, Adrien averaged a team-best 13.7-points per game in the regular season and was second on the team in rebounding. He recorded 11 double-doubles.

The Connecticut backcourt is led by senior All-League Second-Team selection, A.J. Price.

Price contributed an average of 13.3-points per game in the regular season and led the team in three-point shooting percentage, making 42.4 percent of his shots from long range.

Price was particularly effective against the Orange when the two teams met earlier this season.

He scored a game-high 17-points to lead the Huskies to a 63-49 win at Gampel Pavilion on Feb.11.

The Huskies have won the last two series meetings, including the already mentioned win back in February; however, the Orange has gotten the better of Connecticut recently in the conference championship.

Syracuse defeated the Huskies, 78-65, in the opening round of the 2007 tournament and 86-84 in overtime in the 2006 Big East Championship quarterfinals on its way to the title, and the highest scoring against them in Tournament play winning 127-117.

While Syracuse leads the Big East in scoring at 82.1-points per game, the Orange was held to a season-low, 49-points in its loss to Connecticut on Feb. 11 and Connecticut, however, led the Big East in scoring defense, allowing just 62.1-points per game.

In SU's last two games, the Niagara Falls, N.Y. duo, Jonny Flynn and Paul Harris, has run the court.

Flynn averaged 21.5-points and 8.5 assists and after his 19-point, 11 assist performance on Wednesday against Seton Hall, coach Bobby Gonzalez called Flynn, "almost unguardable.''

He went 16 for 16 at the free throw line helping the Orange to their 6-OT victory on Thursday.

Eric Devendorf's buzzer-beater in regulation left his hands too late to count, but after five overtimes of hanging on, the then ranked, No. 20 Syracuse team dominated the sixth extra session to beat No.3 Connecticut, 127-117, in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament.

Syracuse (25-8) never led in the extra frames until the sixth overtime, which the Orange began with eight consecutive points.

Andy Rautins, who had a three near end of the third overtime to send the game to a fourth, began the run with a three. Paul Harris followed with five consecutive points, including a three-point play with just more than two minutes to go for a 118-110 lead and Syracuse held on from there.

It was the longest game in Big East Tournament history, but did not match the longest college basketball game in NCAA history. Bradley and Cincinnati engaged in a seven-overtime affair in December 1981.

Jonny Flynn had a team-high 34-points, Harris ended with 29-points and 22 rebounds, while Rautins had 20-points for the Orange.

Devendorf had 22-points, but was one of four Syracuse players to foul out, exiting in the fifth overtime.

A.J. Price had 33-points for UConn (27-4) before fouling out in the sixth overtime, while Stanley Robinson scored 28-points. Hasheem Thabeet ended with 19-points for the Huskies, but fouled out in the fourth overtime.

The Orange will face a West Virginia team who knocked off No. 2 Pitt, 74-60 on Thursday, in Friday’s semifinals at 9 p.m. EST.

Sources: suathletics.com statistics

The Good, the Bad, the Funny, and...the Funnier Sports Quotes

Britney Milazzo — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:12:18 -0400

Many famous athletes are known for how they play the game. Others are known for what they say.

Take Michael Jordan and Sean Avery, for example.

Jordan is inspirational. His play is a reason why athletes want to be great and why amateurs want to make it big.

Avery?

Not so much.

A tyrant in the NHL, Avery's best known for his sharp tongue and crude remarks, but whether it's play or say, we remember both for what they offer.

Today, I dedicate this to the sports figures who make us want to become better...and those who make us laugh.

Here are the good, the bad, the funny and the funnier of sports quotes:

The Good

“The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat to the point of exhaustion, when no one else is watching.”—Anson Dorrance (UNC Tar Heels women’s soccer coach)

“We set standards that we expect our student-athletes to adhere to both on and off the court. We will not tolerate anything less.”—Bruce Pearl (Tennessee Volunteers men’s basketball coach)

"You miss 100% of the shots you never take."—Wayne Gretzky (NHL)

“When you put on that jersey, you represent yourself and your team, and the name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back.”— Herb Brooks (1980 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey coach)

"Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom."—General George Patton

"Like many athletes, I played in college for the chance to play in the pros. In the years since I retired, I’ve come to realize that the education I got in college was for life. I will have it forever and for that I am incredibly grateful."—Pat Toomay (NFL)

“Show me a guy who’s afraid to look bad, and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time.”—Lou Brock (MLB)

The Bad

“You’re the reason the league doesn’t have a national television deal. You’re a terrible announcer and you were a terrible player.”—Sean Avery (NHL, New York Rangers) to former player and commentator Brian Hayward

“Fifty percent of life in the NBA is sex. The other 50 percent is money.”—Dennis Rodman (NBA)

“There is nothing like having great VIP seats to an NHL game between two teams that should be in the AHL.”—Mike Tallari on his experience watching the Los Angeles Kings vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

“If you believe that Anna Kournikova claims that she is a virgin, then I’ll never question a call in my life.”—John McEnroe (Tennis, current analyst)

“F***ing Frenchman did a good job; he just skated away.”—Shane Doan (NHL, Phoenix Coyotes) to Michel Cormier

“I only talk to the people I like; I only like the people in my inner circle and you’re not one of them.”—Terrell Owens (NFL, Buffalo Bills) to an anonymous press reporter

The Funny

“I’ve never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body.”—Winston Bennett (Forward, Kentucky Wildcats basketball)

“We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees.”—Jason Kidd (NBA), upon his drafting to the Dallas Mavericks

“I’ve won at every level, except college and pro.”—Shaquille O’Neal (NBA, Phoenix Suns), on his lack of championships

“Half this game is 90 percent mental.”—Danny Ozark (Former Philadelphia Phillies manager)

“There is one word in America that says it all and that word is, ‘you never know’.” —Joaquin Andujar (MLB)

“Hockey is a sport for white men. Basketball is a sport for black men. Golf is a sport for white men dressed like black pimps.”—Tiger Woods (Golf)

“Sure there have been injuries and deaths in boxing, but none of them serious.”— Alan Minter (former boxer)

“…A fascinating duel between three men.”—David Coleman (BBC commentator), talking about the hammer throw competition

The Funnier

"I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards. Whichever comes first."—George Rogers (NFL RB), when asked about the upcoming season

“Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field.”—Metro Radio analyst (Football)

"The game was closer than the score indicated."—Dizzy Dean (former MLB pitcher and broadcaster), after a 1-0 game

“The doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing.”—Dizzy Dean, explaining how he felt after being hit on the head by a ball in the 1934 World Series

“If you'd offered me a 69 at the start this morning, I’d have been all over you.”—Sam Torrance (Golfer)

“I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father.”—Greg Norman (Golfer)

“This is a really a lovely horse. I once rode her mother.”—Ted Walsh (Horse Racing commentator)

Flight Change Saves AHL Referee and His Family

Britney Milazzo — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 03:47:46 -0500

An American Hockey League official and his family had tickets for Continental Airline Flight 3407 that crashed in Buffalo on Feb. 12.

Jeff Smith, AHL's senior referee, drove right past Buffalo-Niagara International Airport on Feb. 20 and saw planes either sitting on the runway or descending from the sky.

Then he drove past Clarence Centre, N.Y., on the New York State Thruway, I-90, as he made his way to Rochester, where he refereed that night’s AHL game between the Amerks and Hershey Bears.

As he passed each landmark, he wondered, "Why am I still here?"

Why did fate, luck, an angel—whatever the case—intervene and keep him and his family off Continental Flight 3407 eight days earlier?

Smith, 39, is still asking why he, wife Kathleen, and sons Paddon, 7, and Tanner, 4, are the lucky ones, and why 50 others perished when the plane crashed onto a house in Clarence Centre, a suburb of Buffalo, shortly after 10 p.m. on Feb. 12.

"Why would they protect me and not 50 others?" Smith asked when reached by phone from his native Port Elgin, Ontario, cottage, where he was spending a weeklong working vacation with his family.

"I actually feel quite uncomfortable,” he said. “If it was a miracle for me, why not a miracle for the other 50 people?"

He knows he may never learn the answer, no matter how many times he stares at the boarding passes—seats 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B.

"We still have them," Smith said. "I don't know what we'll do with them."

The Smiths never used those boarding passes, because a Continental gate agent was sympathetic to his children.

Smith's family was coming along "so the kids could enjoy winter" while he officiated AHL games in Rochester; Toronto, and Hamilton, Ontario.

The Smith family was booked on the Continental flight from their home near Palm Beach, Fla., to Newark, N.J., and then to Buffalo.

They were in the gate area in Palm Beach, boarding passes in hand and their luggage was already checked onto the plane.

"We did everything we could to get on that flight," Smith said.

Both flights were scheduled to buck strong winds and when the gate agent, Jackie Papa, saw Smith's two kids, she told him he should consider an alternate route. The turbulence, she said, would be far too unsettling.

"If it was any other week, if my kids were not with me, I'd have been on that flight," Smith said. "I'd have said, 'What's a little turbulence?' It's probably the first flight I didn't get on in a thousand flights that I was supposed to be on."

The day of Feb. 12 was already chaotic for the airlines. The strong winds in the Great Lakes region of western New York were causing delays and passengers were restless.

While Smith has yet to speak with Papa—they'd been playing phone tag—he heard she had decided to be nice to him, because he had understood about the weather-related flight backups.

Smith can surely relate to the customer unrest she was dealing with at the counter. As a referee, his calls on the ice can anger players and coaches, so a voice of reason and diplomacy is key.

He took Papa's advice and flew U.S. Airways through Charlotte, N.C. and then to Buffalo, instead.

They learned of the Flight 3407 disaster, moments after arriving in the Buffalo-Niagara terminal and realized how lucky they were.

"It was just a fortunate chain of events," Smith said.

He's quite sure his entire family knew they were on the flight manifest, based on the plethora of questions he faced when he phoned Continental around 1 a.m. just to make sure they knew he wasn't on board.

"You don't necessarily think about it all the time, but it's amazing how many little things make you think about it," he said.

On Sunday there was a knock at his cottage door in Canada—a Continental baggage employee was delivering their luggage, which had been taken off Continental Flight 3407, but didn't get transferred to their U.S. Airways flight in enough time.

"He didn't really explain anything," Smith said. "But it still had the Flight 3407 bag tags."

On Monday his family flew back to Florida. "Ironically they’re on the same Continental flights," he said.

His oldest son, Paddon, is in first grade. A condition of missing school to go on a winter getaway was to write a daily journal.

Last Friday, he drew a picture of a crashed plane.

"Above it said, 'My plane crashed today, dad said.' Underneath it said, 'I wasn't on it'."

A week later Jeff Smith can't fully explain why, either.

"I look at the flight manifest," he said. "And realize there could have been 53 names.

Sources: Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Kevin Oklobzija

How to Become an NCAA Division I Student-Athlete

Britney Milazzo — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:56:04 -0500

Discipline. Maturity. Self-mastery.

Those three qualities define a college student-athlete. However gifted, they must cultivate those qualities in order to realize their potential.

Being a standout on the field, on the court, or on the ice is a small part of what being an NCAA Division I Student Athlete is all about.

There are ways to achieve the goal of becoming an NCAA Division I Student Athlete though, and here are a few of them:

Attitude is everything

One of the most important aspects a coach looks for in a player is to make sure they are coachable.

Be ready to learn more about the game in a physical and mental way. You cannot be a know-it-all.

Remember that getting to the top doesn’t happen overnight and takes a lot of hard work:

Want to win every game, but if you lose, know that you have to lose in order to appreciate the victories;

Be more willing to lose all of your games and learn, than to win them all and get nothing out of it.

Have a good relationship with your current coach, because your coach is your connection to getting into college as an athlete. He or she is the person who will help make your dreams come true.

With this good attitude and positive relationship, on and off the field, it will help make a future college coach remember who you are and help in his or her decision to recruit you.

This positive attitude will also decrease your risk of getting cut or kicked off the team in the future.

Play with 120 percent effort

Your current coach will be recording and videotaping games of you playing. Be consistently great.

College coaches want to watch a team player, not just a sprinter or someone who never runs out of energy.

Be the player who plays with passion and love, not just talent and the player who makes sacrifices for his or her team.

Be a champion, even if you lose: the vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat to the point of exhaustion, when no one else is watching.

Awards or honors?

What makes you, as an athlete, stand out?

Awards will help. College coaches look to see if you are a top athlete in your town, county, state and/or country.

These will help you get noticed by a majority of college coaches and this will be the extra points on your athletic experience to get scholarships.

Have you ever been named as the team captain?

Did you ever get the MVP award?

Were you ever a scholar athlete?

Maintain good grades

A college or university coach wants to see what you are made of off the field and in the classroom, so remember that you are a student before you are an athlete.

You need to keep up your grades in order to partake in any NCAA sport.

The minimum grade point average is a 2.3, but under some circumstances the athletic department will make coaches and the athletic/academic advisers require a higher GPA for the student-athlete.

It doesn’t matter if you are the best player on the team, it can still be detrimental if your grades are not up to the standard.

Research the schools you want to represent

There are almost 300 NCAA Division I schools. Some programs are at the very top of the charts, while others are not as renowned, so pick the level you want to play for.

You also have to keep in mind that the “big schools” give their programs more funding. As an example, most university athletic departments fly their athletes to away games, while other schools take buses.

Take a visit, meet the team:

It is a good thing to know what region of the country you want to be in, so check out schools where you would want to live for the next four-years or more; choose a college you want to represent, not just play for.

Keep your options open:

If you do not get into the first college of your choice, remember, like I said before, there are more than 300 Division I school to choose from and at least one of them want you.

When you achieve your goal, you’ll realize that it won’t be about getting a scholarship, making it famous or being on TV—it’s about representing yourself, your team and your school.

Buffalo Sabres Pay Tribute to Continental Airlines Flight 3407 Crash Victims

Britney Milazzo — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:41:13 -0500

The Buffalo Sabres played the San Jose Sharks as scheduled Friday night, turning down an offer from the NHL to postpone the game a day after 50 people were killed when Continental Airlines flight 3407 crashed just outside of Buffalo Thursday night.

Sabres managing partner, Larry Quinn, declined NHL deputy commissioner, Bill Daly's offer to postpone the game after consulting with staff and players.

"[Daly] first asked me if any team members, team personnel or family were involved," Quinn said. "I told him I didn't know, but I was pretty sure there weren't. Then I had a conversation with [General Manager, Darcy Regier] to take the pulse of the team and see what he thought. We thought it was best that we play the game.

He explained to Bill that the plane crash was in an area where a few Buffalo players live and once they made sure that nobody was directly affected on the team, the league felt it was best for the community to play the game.

With the HD video board above center ice set to black, the sellout crowd of 19,690 was stunningly quiet as the Sabres paid tribute to those killed in the crash, prior to the National Anthem.

The game was played, but hockey—and much of everything else—took a back seat in Buffalo after Continental Airlines Commuter, Flight 3407, crashed into a home in Clarence, N.Y., a small suburb of Buffalo.

The crash, in which all 49 people on board the flight bound from Newark, N.J. were killed instantly, dominated headlines, radio talk shows and was broadcast nonstop on television stations.

"I think that people want to be with other people at times like this," Quinn said. "I think it does have a nice community purpose to it."

Some Sabres players live within several hundred yards of the crash—Regier and coach, Lindy Ruff, both live about two miles away.

Defenseman, Teppo Numminen said he heard something wrong with the plane during its approach to Buffalo-Niagara International Airport just before it crashed.

"I heard a little poof afterwards and I was thinking, ‘That doesn't sound good'," Numminen said. "So, I looked out my window and saw the red sky and I knew something was wrong."

"Despite all the ups and downs we find in Buffalo, it's a very close-knit community," Quinn said. "I'm sure in a much bigger community they would feel the same way, but I don't think they'd be sitting around talking about a plane crash 500 yards from their players' houses. So it's very close to us."

For more crash infomation, click this link: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=buffcrash.

Jason "J-Mac" McElwain: Autism, Basketball and Life Without Limits

Britney Milazzo — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:47:16 -0500

Autism: n. A developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social interaction, by a limited range of activities and interests, and often by the presence of repetitive behaviors.

Jason “J-Mac” McElwain defies what it means to be autistic.

Jason McElwain’s cell phone rings. “Hey Brit. Long time, no see,” he says in his super low voice. His tone sounds a little angry about something.

“Hey Jay,” I say back. “What are you up to?”

“Walking to work, God damn work…like usual.”

I laugh. “Wegmans or the Y?” I ask.

“Wegs. Today was supposed to be my day off, but they called me in anyways, like they don’t think I have a life or something.”

“Bummer,” I reply back.

McElwain, also known as “J-Mac,” is 20-years-old; he’s tall, about 6’1”; has blond hair and blue eyes, and "is the best basketball player to come out of Rochester since Johnny Wallace in 1993,” says Thad Brown, sports broadcaster for CBS affiliate, WROC-TV 8, in Rochester, N.Y.

McElwain is also autistic.

A severe form of the disorder grabbed McElwain’s life at birth, though was not diagnosed until age 3.

According to WebMD, the severity of symptoms vary greatly between individuals and are usually noticed within the child’s first three years. Although autism is present at birth, signs of the disorder can be difficult to identify or diagnose during infancy. Parents often become concerned when their toddler does not like to be held; does not seem interested in playing certain games, such as peek-a-boo; and does not begin to talk.

“Jason didn’t start to talk till he was five,” says Debbie McElwain, Jason’s mother. “We knew something was wrong years before that, though.”

According to WebMD, parents may be confused about their child's hearing abilities. It often seems that a child with autism does not hear, yet at other times, he or she may appear to hear a distant background noise, such as the whistle of a train.

At first, doctors assumed McElwain was slightly deaf, because he failed to respond to some sounds, but then found he had learning and social disabilities and diagnosed McElwain with autism.

Some medical researchers say half of individuals with autism do not develop enough natural speech to meet their daily communication needs starting at a young age. But, according to research done at the Galisano Children's Hospital, a branch of Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester and partnered with the University of Rochester Medical Centre, about one third of people with autism usually form the ability to speak and interact with others later in their lives.

McElwain’s symptoms have been getting better every year since he was born.

McElwain’s older brother, Josh, explains how McElwain never spoke when he was younger and now is giving speeches about autism around the country. “His motor skills have improved drastically and he’s gaining more knowledge in general,” Josh says.

Josh is a good role model and mentor for his little brother.

“Jason’s a good kid. He’s fun and he’s smart. He just has a 14-year-old brain trapped in a 20-year-old body,” Josh says. “He knows a lot, but he is still very immature, so I like to be a good role model for him and put him in his place when he’s being a little immature. I know slowly, but surely, he learns and each year I see his autism becoming less severe than the previous year.”

A genetic mutation

Having autism, however, is not a disability for McElwain. “I see it as a genetic mutation. Some people have green eyes, 'cause of a genetic mutation when they were born. I have autism,” McElwain says. Then he explains how and where he learned that having green eyes was a genetic mutation.

“So, I didn’t talk when I was little and now I have a learning problem,” he admits. “So, what? That doesn’t keep me from going to school and things.”

McElwain was always a grade or two or three behind his year, mentally, and although, he couldn’t find strong success with his nose stuck in a textbook, McElwain looked to playing sports, instead—mainly basketball.

“I’d shoot baskets to let off steam if my mom was getting mad at me for doing something wrong, again or other stuff,” McElwain says.

McElwain says he was the odd kid in town. “… Not just, ‘cause I was autistic, but ‘cause I wasn’t one of the kids to play hockey or lacrosse,” McElwain says. “I like basketball, ‘cause it’s the different sport like I am different next to everyone else.”

For four years in high school, McElwain tried out for the basketball team, but constantly got cut. “I knew I was an awesome player, but I wasn’t sure if anyone else thought that, and I didn’t know how I’d be on the court as a team with the rest of the guys,” McElwain says as he continues to elaborate how good he really is at basketball.

“I could sink ‘em from the three-point line, from half-court, with one hand and one hand behind my back… with my eyes closed. So, instead of giving me a jersey, Coach Johnson made me team manager. I took stats, helped with drills, and got the guys ready to go before game time.”

Life-changing experiences

Feb. 15, 2006, was the day that McElwain’s life changed forever.

McElwain was a senior at Athena High School and it was senior game day for the Trojans men’s basketball team. One win against cross-town rival, Spencerport, a suburb of Rochester, would bring the mighty Trojans a section-V title. Section-V was the athletic conference for the eastern half of western New York State. Coach Jim Johnson officially put McElwain’s name on the roster that day.

With a heavy Trojans lead in the fourth quarter, McElwain, wearing No. 52, ran the court the last four minutes of the basketball game—the only minutes he would ever see in an Athena jersey. McElwain scored 20-points in less than four minutes to help secure a Trojans, 79-43, victory.

“I missed my first shot, ‘cause I was nervous, but then sank ‘em like no one’s business,” McElwain says. McElwain made six, three-point shots from close to half-court and a two-pointer from just inside the three-point line. The sellout crowd at the Athena gymnasium went wild chanting, “J-Mac, J-Mac, J-Mac…”

McElwain’s story was heard around the country.

He went on Oprah, Larry King Live, the Today Show, Good Morning America, Cold Pizza on ESPN and a variety of other different talk shows. President George W. Bush came to Rochester, while professional athletes like Peyton Manning and Magic Johnson came to see the autistic boy who made a miracle happen.

“Peyton was my favorite person to see before I met Jessica Simpson at the ESPY Awards,” McElwain says before explaining how rude Oprah was to him and Josh. “Oh, and meeting the President was cool, too. He kissed my mom right on the lips on National T.V.” He couldn’t stop laughing about that situation. “She definitely didn’t expect that,” he says.

In the summer of 2006, McElwain, accompanied by this parents, Dave and Debbie; older brother, Josh and the 2005-2006 Athena men’s basketball team, flew to Los Angeles for the ESPY Awards to see McElwain win the Best Moment in Sports, ESPY Award. “That was the best day of my life,” McElwain says. “I got to meet my idols and I even got a hug from Jessica Simpson.”

History is still in the making

Two years later, on Feb. 5, 2008, a book titled, The Game of my Life, by Daniel Paisner, was released about McElwain and the game that changed his life forever.

In addition to all this, 25 film companies, including The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., had plans to make a movie based on McElwain’s life and his basketball game, but in April 2008, Columbia Pictures bought the rights to make the movie.

Two-time Academy Award-winning screenwriter Alvin Sargent is writing the script.

“I can thank Coach Johnson for giving me the opportunity to show everyone what I was really made of,” McElwain says. “If anyone, besides my family, I’d have to thank the neighborhood kids and families I grew up with, ‘cause they were my real support since I was born and I thanked them in my ESPY Award speech.”

McElwain talks…a lot

McElwain occasionally attends conferences and speaks on behalf of autism awareness events. McElwain was just recently in Tulsa, Okla., speaking about dreams coming true.

“I also go to Spokane [Wash.] once or twice a year,” McElwain says. “There they have a lot of autism events for the Autism Society of Spokane and an autism center and they are usually at Gonzaga [University], too, when I talk to college students. It’s cool, ‘cause I get to meet up with the basketball team and I meet other people who are autistic at the other conferences.” McElwain also talks about how autism affects his life and the loved ones in his life, but encourages others with autism that they are “not alone.”

In February 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report that concluded the prevalence of autism had risen to one in every 150 American children and almost one in 94 boys.

Autism is not yet known to have a cause or a cure, but that doesn’t necessarily mean limiting a person with autism from going to school and having a career. In fact, according to the Autism Spectrum Disorders Health Center, at least 33 percent of people with autism go on to live lives independently. McElwain hopes to be in that 33 percent.

School is cool

With his success, more job and schooling opportunities opened for McElwain. He ended up walking the stage with his graduating class in late June 2006, but did not receive his diploma. Just recently, McElwain passed all his General Educational Development tests (GED) at Monroe Community College, part of the State University of New York system (SUNY) in Rochester.

McElwain was hesitant to continue with his GED, because he knows what a struggle school was for him. “I guess I try to encourage him and keep him on the right track. I always tried to show him how important school was,” Josh says. “When he was contemplating discontinuing his GED program, I encouraged him to get tutored and I helped him with his studies.”

“I got my GED this summer and I want to start taking a class at Roberts [Wesleyan College], while I help coach the men’s basketball team there during the season,” McElwain says. “I don’t help out a lot, ‘cause of other thing I have to do like working and stuff, but I help when I can, ‘cause I love basketball.”

Hangin’ with the pros

In the 2006-2007 basketball season, McElwain managed the Monroe Community College Division II basketball squad, then went on to manage and help coach the Rochester Razorsharks, a professional basketball team in the American Basketball Association league in their 2007-2008 season. McElwain helped coach the team to their second league championship last year.

When school is out and basketball season is done, McElwain is an equipment manager during preseason with the Indianapolis Colts.

In 2006 Peyton Manning formally invited McElwain and a friend to help out during the 2006 preseason. McElwain chose Steve Kerr, fellow Athena basketball player and current junior at North Carolina State University. Last summer was McElwain’s third year with the team. “It’s my favorite job I have,” McElwain says. “For almost a month I get paid to hang out and help some of my favorite athletes like Peyton. They are really neat and help me get in shape.”

If it works, it works

Aside from working with the Colts, McElwain has three jobs back in Rochester.

McElwain works full time at Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., in the bakery department as the Bakery Adviser. “I bake bread, pies, and other bakery goods and make sure we are making and trying to sell our quota for the day,” McElwain says.

“They never would have given me the chance to work before all this happened,” McElwain says. “They didn’t even interview me, they just offered me a job, so I took it, so I can make money and don’t always have to ask my parents for everything.”

Wegmans is a national grocery store chain. “Wegmans likes to have a diverse staff and give as much opportunity to the disabled as possible,” says Ted Madama, former store manager of Wegmans No. 64 in Rochester.

Occasionally, McElwain works as a busboy for Red Fedele’s Restaurant The Brook House in Rochester and on the weekends, the Northwest YMCA hired McElwain to coach kids’ recreational sport teams. “I work with the 8- to12-year-old basketball camps at the Y,” McElwain says. “I like it there, ‘cause I get to have fun and when the weather breaks about 40 [degrees] we get to shoot hoops outside and run around. I like to teach basketball to them.”

“Jason’s a great asset to our Northwest team,” says YMCA Camp Director, Dan Trax. “He gets along well with everyone and the kids love working with him. With Jason on our staff, our sports camps have grown in size.”

McElwain is a good marketing tool for both Wegmans and the Northwest YMCA, and now, because of McElwain’s “hometown hero” status, everyone is lining up to meet him. “At work or if I’m out to eat with my family, people come up to me and ask for my autograph,” McElwain says. “...And everyone wants to be my friend.”

Medical mystery

Autism remains a great mystery in medicine. It is estimated that autism will be diagnosed in more than 25 thousand children this year, and scientists and doctors still know very little about the neurological disorder. Diagnosis relies solely on behavioral observation and screening.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, three distinctive behaviors characterize autism: lack of social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. Although there is no known cause or cure for autism, it is treatable. Children do not “outgrow” autism, but studies show that early diagnosis can lead to significantly improved outcomes. With the right services and supports, people with autism can live full, healthy and meaningful lives, like McElwain.

CNN.com took a look at two individuals living with autism. Jeff Donohoo, 36, is an adult living with autism. “Jeff has a social problem, not a mental problem,” his mother says. But having autism doesn’t stop Jeff from working. This is his 16^th year working at the cafeteria of Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn. Jeff’s supervisor, Ollie Forté says he’s dependable and on time.

Twenty one-year-old Dan Hackett has an Autism Spectrum Disorder called Asperger's Syndrome. Despite his disability and learning disorder, he is still able to attend college at Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh.

According to an article done by CNN, Dan said he had a hard time organizing his time and managing assignments, so he joined a college group for students with mental disabilities called, Achieving in Higher Education with Autism/Developmental Disabilities group. AHEADD, helped Dan increase his grade point average to a 3.6 while majoring in political science.

Although, McElwain defies what it means to be autistic, what does he think the hardest thing about living with autism is? “Waking up everyday knowing I am still different from the rest of my peers.”

Live from Phoenix, It's the Buffalo Sabres

Britney Milazzo — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:49:24 -0500

Blue and white Buffalo Sabres' jerseys flooded the crowd at Jobing.Com Arena in Glendale, Ariz. on Saturday night as the Sabres triumphed in the desert with a 2-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes.

There is nothing like a Buffalo Sabres game in western New York: the energy and intensity; tailgating outside during a raging blizzard, in five below zero temperatures; riots in the street regardless of the game's end result and hundreds of thousands of Sabres fans rooting for their team.

Then you have a Buffalo Sabres game in Phoenix. Buffalo fans are still the typical Buffalo fans: loud and clearly out-cheering their opponents with quick comebacks and foul tongues.

There was no sell-out crowd, this time. No Molsons, Labatts or crazy Canucks walking over the Niagara Falls' Rainbow Bridge, with the hip hair style of a fine Canadian mullet and a western New Yorker yelling, “I see a Stanley Cup, eh!”

Nope, not in Phoenix.

There was hardly any traffic, barely a line to wait in, a near empty parking lot and by God, no Canadian brew. Hell, not even a Genny!

A Sabres game in Buffalo will sell-out a year ahead of time. A Sabres game in Phoenix will be begging for fans.

Until last night’s game, due to Sabre fan loyalty, Jobing.com arena saw a record crowd for the year at near to 15 thousand. The majority of the crowd cheered for Buffalo.

“Let’s go Buff-a-lo,” the fans in the arena chanted.

Goaltender, Ryan Miller, was phenomenal between the pipes as he helped the Buffalo Sabres finish a grueling month on a high note.

Miller made 28 saves for his fourth shutout of the season.

Center, Tim Connolly, scored his fourth goal in three games and left wing Daniel Paille scored for Buffalo.

The Sabres won for the fifth time in seven games and finished 9-4 in January, despite playing all, but three games on the road.

The climax of the game happened in the first period with 10 penalties and a fight between Buffalo's right wing, Patrick Kaletta and Phoenix left winger, Daniel Carcillo.

Then, at 17:16 in the first period, Buffalo's, Nathan Paetsch and Phoenix's, Carcillo were penalized a total of 12-minutes each for unsportsmanlike conduct, roughing and misconduct when another fight broke out.

(Check out more penalty statistics at http://sports.cbs5.com/nhl/boxscore.asp?gamecode=2009013124&home=24&vis=2)

Miller was rarely tested and made his best save on Shane Doan’s short-handed chance in the second period.

Phoenix lost its third straight since the All-Star break last week—the last two by shutout—and slipped behind Anaheim into a four-way tie for seventh place in the Western Conference.

The Coyotes have not scored in their last 142:36.

The Sabres scored twice in just more than four minutes in the second period.

Phoenix's, Ilya Bryzgalov, appeared to stop Thomas Vanek’s shot from the right side at 4:21 in the second period, but the puck trickled into the crease behind the goalie’s back. Connolly swept in from the left and chipped the puck in from just in front of the goal line.

Connolly has seven goals and two assists in his last six games, and nine goals in 16 games this season.

Paille made it 2-0 at 8:44 when he took a pass from Derek Roy, who had a fantastic game, at the right of the net and one-timed a shot into the upper left corner. Paille’s goal was his first since Dec. 22.

That was enough offense for Miller, who stopped 15 shots in the first period and 13 more the rest of the day for his first shutout since Dec. 19 against Los Angeles.

The Coyotes were zero-for-seven on the power play and are zero-for-13 in their last two games.

Buffalo had lost three straight to Phoenix dating from Jan. 18, 2003.

Phoenix right-winger, Peter Mueller, missed his second straight game, because of a concussion. Buffalo center, Adam Mair, was scratched for the second straight game with a leg injury.

Before the game, the Coyotes recalled center, Joel Perrault, from San Antonio of the American Hockey League. Perrault, who has appeared in 80 career games with Phoenix and St. Louis, has eight goals and 21 assists in 20 games for the AHL Rampage.

The Sabres look to defeat the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 2 in Los Angeles.

On Thin Ice: Controversy Behind the 2009 NHL All-Star Game Location

Britney Milazzo — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:19:10 -0500

You lace up the skates, put on the gloves, strap on the helmet and skate onto the ice like nothing else matters.

Your world is absolutely perfect for the next couple of hours.

This is hockey; the world’s fastest game is known to some as the greatest game in the world, played by the best group of athletes on earth—the soul of the universe.

However, to most in the desert, “hockey” is a six-letter, foreign word.

“All I know about the sport is that Canadians like hockey and the Phoenix Coyotes aren’t that good,” said Madison Miller, an Arizona State University student and Phoenix native.

One would think the Coyotes would be a top team in the NHL having legendary hockey player, Wayne Gretzky as the head coach.

Yet, the team has recently had some unfortunate seasons, and has not lived up to Gretzky’s reputation.

More bad luck came to the franchise when the Jobing.com Arena, which was initially supposed to host the 2009 NHL All-Star Game, was passed over for that honor.

Having the All-Star Game hosted there, would have possibly increased the popularity of the sport in the Valley Area.

However, controversy arose over the Phoenix arena being chosen to host the game, and the NHL became increasingly reluctant to keep the game scheduled to take place in Glendale.

“Phoenix, in general, is just not a city that should host an ice hockey game, of all athletic events,” Phoenix native Brent Baker said. “It’s hot all year; we don’t get snow; people don’t play ‘pond hockey,’ here. I’m not even sure if we have ice.”

Most Valley natives agree.

“The last time I went to a Coyotes game, there was only a few thousand people, and I found myself sitting in the midst of a group of Canadians and a few kids from western New York, not people originally from Phoenix,” Baker said. “Even the girl that sold me suds said she moved to the Valley Area four-year ago from Winnipeg [Manitoba].”

The Montreal Canadiens’ arena, Bell Centre, was eventually rewarded the 2009 NHL All-Star Game, instead.

Some hockey fans feel the game would be more suitable in Montreal, because “Montreal is a hockey loving city,” 26-year-old, Mark Cesari, of Montreal said.

Some say hosting the game in Glendale would have increased the popularity of the sport in the Desert; others say it would just be a waste to have it there. Opinions vary and Canada walked away with the win, this year.

Nevertheless, the entire operations crew working for the arena did their best to persuade the NHL to keep the All-Star game in Glendale.

“If the game did work out for us this year, it would have attracted people from the Valley, in result that they would attend a few Coyotes games…we think,” Jobing.com Arena Event Manager, Kyle Olson, said. “We’re always thinking about ways to keep the money flowing in.”

According to the Associated Press, published reports have indicated that hosting the game would have brought a $20 million economic infusion to the Valley.

“Even since Glendale didn’t get to host the game this year, we were already promised by the league to have the NHL All-Star game in the next few years,” Olson said. “Our next chance is in 2012.”

Either way, the NHL All-Star game still went on with an Eastern victory.

While Phoenix didn’t get the honor of hosting the 2009 NHL All-Star Game, the sport still remains.

So, here’s to face-offs, overtime, living on the road, breakaways, black eyes, big hits, pickups, letdowns, camaraderies, adrenaline rushes, miracles, broken sticks, broken bones and broken hearts, and the greatest game in the world—hockey!

Christine Nieva: The Face of Two Nations

Britney Milazzo — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:13:48 -0500

Being a dual citizen has placed several roadblocks in front of Christine Nieva’s future; the most significant having to do with soccer or as she calls it in her first language of Spanish, “futbol.”

It was especially tough for Christine Nieva when the Arizona State University women’s soccer team faced the Mexican National Team in October 2006.

“At the time, my ASU and Mexican coaches sat me down together and asked me who I wanted to play with,” Nieva said. “I picked ASU, just to see what it was like to play against Mexico, instead of with them. It wasn’t as tough of a decision as picking Mexico over the U.S.," but being a part of two different sides of something stumped her again.

Born in Dallas on Oct. 18, 1986, Nieva was given dual citizenship to the U.S. and Mexico, because her parents were Mexican citizens.

Growing up in Mesquite, Texas, a predominantly Mexican suburb of Dallas, there was no doubt that she was brought up with Mexican traditions.

“It wasn’t until kindergarten that I began to really speak English,” Nieva said.

Now, Nieva is a 22-year-old college student and former ASU athlete; she currently plays soccer for the University of Houston and has been a world leader in international soccer for the past five-years.

Leading her high school and club teams to State and National titles, Nieva knew she was going to pursue her dream of playing soccer in her future. “In high school, I was a four-year varsity letterman and went Region III Champions in 2002 and 2003,” Nieva said.

When Nieva started playing soccer at 6-years-old, her dream was to play for the U.S. As she got older and began to understand how important her heritage was, she gradually changed her mind.

She’s already played against some of the most famous soccer players in the world—including Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain—but wouldn’t she rather have played with them?

“No,” Nieva said. “I had my chance to, but I followed my heart.”

At 16, Nieva traveled around the States for training camps with the U.S. Junior National Team. By her junior year in high school, the full Mexican National Team had swept her off her feet.

“It was a hard decision, having to choose who I essentially wanted to play with, for the rest of my soccer career: the U.S. or Mexico?” Nieva said. “It was arguably the hardest decision of my life.”

Nieva’s Mexican roots swayed her decision.

“When I was younger, I had the opportunity to play with the U.S. Women’s Youth Team, but I felt that representing where my family is from was something really special to me and still is,” Nieva said. “I’m not only playing for Mexico, I’m serving my country with the talent I have. I’m representing the country I call my own.”

Christine Nieva’s family was supportive through her decision no matter what team she chose. “They didn’t persuade me to play for Mexico,” Nieva said. “I decided that on my own.”

For months, she mulled her decision, considering the pros and cons of being a part of the Mexican National Team. “Everyone I know plays for the U.S.,” Nieva says. “I wanted to have the chance to put on the Mexican jersey. I wanted to represent Mexico.”The Mexican program could give Nieva access to top athletic facilities and a coaching staff that understood her, as well as a stronger sense of national pride.

“It was also that instant connection and acceptance of the players that helped me make a decision,” Nieva said.

Christine knew that with her talent and leadership abilities, she could bring something new to the team and help Mexico earn more respect from the rest of the world.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t qualify for the Beijing Olympics. Mexico hasn’t made it to the Olympics in several years,” Nieva said. “I’m hoping that with more experience I get on this team, I can bring something new and be an asset in winning more games.”

Nieva is one of the youngest members on the roster.

“I feel that I bring a lot of energy [to the team],” Nieva said. “Being young makes me work harder. I know that I have to prove myself to the veterans.”

Nieva learns by example from the more experienced players.

“Monica Vergara is the most inspiring person to play with,” Nieva said, as she explains who she wants her on-the-field game to mimic. “Not only is she a vocal leader, but she leads by example and that is what I love about her the most.”

Nieva still has skills to improve on, but according to SoccerBuzz.com, she is already one of the best women’s soccer players to have played the game.

“I owe my talent, dedication, and hard work to those other teams and coaches I’ve played for in the past,” Nieva said.

Nieva’s talent comes from experience playing, not only at the national level, but also in the college. She came to Arizona State University in 2005 on a full scholarship for soccer, before transferring to the University of Houston two-years later.

“The transfer for me was tough, but it was something that had to be done, so it was an easier transition for me to compete with Mexico during [the] season,” Nieva said.

“There have been times where my national team has interfered with college soccer,” Nieva said. “This past spring was tough. I made the decision to take the whole spring semester off of school completely to train in Mexico for four months to prepare for the Olympic qualifying games.”

“I think it’s a lot harder [playing with Mexico], because when we train, I have to fly down to Mexico,” Nieva said. “It becomes a hassle when I have to miss school and make up all my work.”

Even though it would have been easier to play with the U.S., Nieva thought representing the country she felt the most part of was more important to her than convenience.

“At the end it was about where I wanted to be in my future and my heart was with Mexico,” Nieva said.

To Nieva, soccer is more than just a game, but a way of life and to Christine, Mexico is her life, too.