Sports	Busy Week Downtown by Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell

The Buffalo Bills may have been off this past Sunday, but in downtown Buffalo the sports scene was really hopping; here is a recap of the week’s events…

Sabres not hitting the panic button

Goaltender Ryan Miller’s freak thumb injury will keep him out of uniform until Christmas, so that puts Buffalo’s fortunes squarely on the shoulders of back-up Martin Biron. The once-streaking Sabres stumbled into November, losing three straight.

The always loquacious Biron fielded a bevy of questions prior to the Canadiens game last Friday, taking responsibility for his poor performance against Ottawa. “The first few minutes of the game are big—I have to keep my focus to give the team a chance to win and to stay in the game,” said Biron. For what it’s worth, Biron seemed excited at the opportunity to contribute. “One game doesn’t rattle my confidence. We have to regroup. I have to show more. I will do better.”

Coach Lindy Ruff also expressed confidence in his starter. “Marty’s work ethic has been strong. But he’s got to be ready to play and the mental part of the game is key for him.”

The team will need all the help they can get. In recent seasons, November has been a miserable month, and an effective Biron will be huge to keep the Sabres in the mix.

Hello Rapids:

ABA hoops makes a chaotic debut

An overflow crowd of 3,200 fans packed the Flickinger Center last Thursday to welcome the Buffalo Rapids to the local sports community. Head coach Rich Jacob and his boys gave the fans a show, losing a 108-107 thriller in a see-saw contest.

But the chaos off the court was a FEMA-like production. Fans were forced to wait outdoors in an endless line to go through one available metal detector and extensive wand and handbag search. Ushers and staff were few and far between, the game was delayed 40 minutes because so many patrons were stuck outside; media seating and basic amenities such as game notes were lacking.

Owner Gary Nice addressed the crowd before the game, apologizing for the miscues, saying that “the responsibility lies with me.” To Nice’s credit, he stood at the exit following the game, thanking fans individually for showing up.

The Rapids are home again this Monday vs. Harlem. Management did reply to our query, promising more doors will be open to make fan access to the game much easier and better. Here’s hoping for an improved game-night experience.

(photo: Andrew Kulyk)

Torey Lovullo era begins

at Dunn Tire Park

This week the Buffalo Bisons introduced Torey Lovullo (pictured left) as the 14th manager of the team’s modern era. Lovullo was a fan favorite here during his playing career and helped lead the Bisons to two championships in ’97 and ’98. Since joining the Cleveland Indians organization in a managerial capacity, Lovullo has enjoyed nothing but success, winning titles at the A and AA levels in his four-year coaching career.

Lovullo has a strong Buffalo connection with numerous relatives still living here. His father Sam Lovullo is a Buffalo native. Addressing the media, Lovullo said, “This job is such a good fit it’s almost scary.”

In addition, Lovullo repeatedly mentioned the strong winning traditions the team has enjoyed here in recent years. “I know the expectations are high with my coming here. But just as I grew and matured in my playing days, so too I have learned and grown as a manager.”

The Bisons open the 2006 home schedule on Friday, April 14 against Columbus.

Taro Sez...

• NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the National Press Club last Friday, giving a vote of confidence to the future of the Buffalo Sabres and paid high marks to owner Tom Golisano. With the new economic structure in place, Bettman is expecting the league’s 30 franchises to remain stable for the foreseeable future.

• Get your cheap tickets! Next Tuesday’s and Thursday’s games against New Jersey and Washington are “value games”, meaning ticket prices start at $17.

• How bad was that 10–4 loss to Ottawa? Well, it was a record setter and not in a good way. The loss was the first time in franchise history that the Sabres gave up 10 goals in a home game, and it had been seventeen years since two opposing players recorded a hat trick in the same game.