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(04/08/10 4:00am)
Some things in life come as a complete shock, while others are slightly more foreseeable. I didn't know, for example, that I was going to step in goose doo-doo on the way to campus Tuesday, but I definitely could have predicted that Ricky Martin was gay at least 10 years ago.
The last week has been crazy in the sports world. The baseball season kicked off, there were a couple of National Championships played, more football players ran into trouble with the law and Tiger Woods spoke to the media, to name just a few.
Amidst all of the mayhem, some events came as a surprise, while others were expected. Let's take a look as some of the big sports stories of the past week and group them as either Utterly Shocking or Completely Predictable.
Utterly Shocking
(04/08/10 4:00am)
The Mid-American Conference and the Western Athletic Conference have signed an agreement to participate in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl starting next season.
Both conferences have shown improvements during the last few seasons and will compete in a bowl game that has also gained some recognition as of late. Last year's game – played between the University of Idaho and Bowling Green State University on the day before New Year's Eve – received the best television rating in the history of the bowl.
Some three million viewers tuned into ESPN to watch Idaho edge out the Falcons, 43-42. The two teams combined for 85 points, 21 more than the game's average and the most in the bowl's 13-year tenure. The game is usually a high-scoring affair and is entertaining for fans that love visiting the blue turf of Boise State's Bronco Stadium.
"The TV rating further demonstrates that the Bowl appeals to fans throughout the country," said Kevin McDonald, executive director of the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl in a press release. "Viewers tune in each year with the expectation that they'll see a wild, entertaining game on the blue turf in Boise."
The MAC and the WAC have signed a four-year contract that will pit top teams from each conference against one another in the bowl game that is sponsored by Roady's Truck Stops.
Staff members from the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl and both conferences are excited about the newly inked contract.
"We are so excited to have this agreement with the MAC and the WAC. These two conferences are known for playing a brand of explosive offensive football and [have] a great tradition of winning teams that are really a lot of fun to watch," McDonald said. "Last year's match-up delivered one of the most exciting bowl games of the year. We believe the game will always have that kind of drama and excitement for our fans."
WAC commissioner Karl Benson recognized the successes that each conference has had as of late and anticipates that the bowl game will continue to be competitive.
"Over the past several years the WAC and MAC have demonstrated a very high level of national success on the football field, " Benson said. "Last season the two conferences were awarded nine bowl berths. We look forward to carrying that success over into Roady's Humanitarian Bowl."
The MAC is also pleased about its new opportunity to compete in a high-caliber bowl game.
"We are very happy to have in place this tremendous relationship with a long-established and very successful bowl game," said MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher. "Based on last year's match-up between the two conferences, I believe fans of the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl game can look forward to exhilarating and competitive contests in the future."
Buffalo won the International Bowl two seasons ago, but the game has ceased operations, leaving the MAC without one of their three bowl tie-ins. The MAC will send it's third bowl eligible selection to the Humanitarian Bowl with the first two teams competing in the Little Caesars Bowl and the GMAC Bowl.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
(04/01/10 4:00am)
Sacha Baron Cohen joked about abortion on "Da Ali G Show" back in 2003. He beat boxed an abortion remix, laughed at a virgin who practiced abstinence, asked a priest if he wore condoms during sex and compared trying out abortion with sampling the flame-broiled Whopper at Burger King.
Hilarity aside, abortion is no joking matter.
Growing up, we're taught to stick up for what we believe in. At what point, however, should societal norms supersede one's personal ideologies?
If you posed that question to Scott Roeder, he would tell you never.
On May 31, 2009, Roeder shot and killed physician George Tiller at a church in Wichita, Kan. during a Sunday morning service. Although this is clearly a reprehensible crime, Roeder saw it as a noble act.
"The entire motive was the defense of the unborn," Roeder said.
Tiller, who was the medical director at the Women's Health Care clinic in Wichita, was no stranger to controversy. He was one of the few physicians in America that performed late-term abortions and was the subject of much scrutiny throughout the years that he was in practice.
In fact, in 1993, anti-abortion activist Shelley Shannon shot Tiller five times, resulting in wounds in each arm, in an attempt to take his life. Irony aside – because yes, a pro-life advocate attempting murder is quite backwards – there is a serious issue here: people take their personal beliefs way too far.
This isn't the first incident of its kind. Anti-abortion violence against physicians has been fairly common in America ever since the Supreme Court made its Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973.
During a protest in 1993, Michael Griffin murdered Dr. David Gunn and is currently serving a life sentence in Florida. A year later, Reverend Paul Jennings Hill was put to death after he shot Dr. John Britton and his clinic escort, James Barrett, to death. A little more recently, and a lot closer to home, Dr. Barnett Slepian was killed in his home in Amherst, N.Y. by James Koop in 1998.
And the worst part about all of these cases is that none of the murderers felt remorse after their crime. In their eyes, they were doing society a favor.
Much of the anti-abortion violence stems from traditional religious views and there are even groups that openly support such vehement acts. Army of God is a Christian American terrorist organization that promotes violence to prevent abortions. They have vandalized, bombed and set fire to hundreds of clinics while trying to get their point across.
There is some sort of My-religion-is-the-right-religion hubris that has plagued the human race throughout history. People are raised with specific beliefs, but worst of all, they are also taught to stand up for what is "right." The problem, however, is that sometimes there is no "right."
I view religion more as a societal invention to get people to behave a certain way and less as the definitive truth about the world, but there are some extremely pious people whose faith blinds them. Of course I am religiously tolerant and don't blame people for finding sanctity in the Bible, Torah and Qur'an (to name only a few), but strong ideologies – often times religious ones – can be very dangerous.
To be honest, I don't see the difference between anti-abortion violence and the atrocities of September 11th, the Mumbai attacks and even the countless cruelties that the Ku Klux Klan has committed. In all of these cases, personal views clouded peoples' ability to act rationally.
I'm not implying that we need to be a secular nation, but we do need to think before we act, even when we're positive that we're right. Personal ideologies can be extremely dangerous, especially when they lead to violent actions.
Some feel that Roeder's rage was justified because abortion is morally wrong. In fact, while in jail, Roeder received encouraging letters from people across the nation expressing their support for his actions.
Pro-life and pro-choice aside, isn't it scary when people can justify murder? A well-known physician was shot in the head during a church service in front of his family because he performed perfectly legal medical procedures.
It is definitely important to stand up for your beliefs, but it is more important to choose your battles wisely. Don't let the My-religion-is-the-right-religion hubris get the best of you, because we've seen where that can lead us.
E-mail: andrew.wiktor@ubspectrum.com
(04/01/10 4:00am)
Although we are fighting off 40-degree weather, Spring Training has basically come and gone. Bats have been swung, pitches have been thrown, rotations have been set and injuries have been recorded. And as April 4 approaches, teams are ready to take the diamond for another 162-game season. The editors at The Spectrum have compiled a brief list of teams to watch and ones that will flop and have set in stone their predictions. Enjoy.
Teams to Watch
American League
Texas Rangers: Coke scandals aside, the Rangers are the real deal. They missed the playoffs last year, but the Rangers have a young core of talented players and made a serious push at the end of last season. Although the AL West has been dominated by the Los Angeles Angels for the past five years, the 2010 playoff spot will be home to the Rangers. Scott Feldman is their No. 1 pitcher and went 17-8 last season. Look for him to have a breakout 20-win campaign and lead the Rangers' rotation to a trip to the postseason. He'll receive plenty of help from Rich Harden on the mound and Vladimir Guerrero in the outfield and at the plate. One word for the Rangers this season: dangerous.
-Wiktor
National League
Philadelphia Phillies: It's the easy choice, but it's also the right one. Look for the Phillies to repeat as National League champions. Their lineup is absolutely loaded from top to bottom and they are also one of the MLB's best defensive teams. Philadelphia's three, four, and five hitters, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Jayson Werth, respectively, all have slugging percentages over .500 at their batting positions. Though they lost left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee to the Seattle Mariners, they acquired six-time All-Star Roy Halladay, who dominated as a Toronto Blue Jay last season. Their lone question mark remains Brad Lidge, who should be making his yearly decision about whether to play brilliantly or horribly any day now. Expect another deep playoff run and many more Jimmy Rollins commercials.
-Hammill
Teams to Flop
American League
Boston Red Sox: Everyone is back on the "Baastin" bandwagon after the team seemingly bolstered its rotation in the off-season by adding John Lackey of the Anaheim Angels. While pitching may win championships, you do need some semblance of a line-up to compete. Don't get me wrong here, the Red Sox could be "wicked good," but I don't feel they did enough to combat the Yankees in the division. The Boston rotation is filled with guys that are familiar with the disabled list. Josh Beckett is the key for Boston to make it back to a World Series. If he returns to the dominating force he once was, opposing batters beware. He won 17 games last year and struck out 199 batters, but got knocked around by the Angels in the first round of the playoffs. The Sox hope that by adding Lackey, who also couldn't beat the Yankees in October, the combo will be enough to take out the hated Bronx Bombers. I don't see it happening.
-Parrino
National League
New York Mets: No hometown favoritism here: the Mets are just that bad. We all know how the last two seasons panned out, but I love bringing it up anyway. Injuries and late season collapses have plagued the squad from Queens and even a brand new multi-million dollar stadium won't help the blue and orange. Jose Reyes has already struggled with injuries this season, and although he looks like he may start the first game, it's only a matter of time until someone else goes down. Even with Carlos Beltran out, fans swear that this is their year. I can't deny that the team's offense can do damage, but that's only if they stay healthy. And as the past few seasons have shown, that's a big ‘if'.
-Wiktor
Predictions
American League
Cy Young
AW: Felix Hernandez. He went 19-5 last year with a 2.49 ERA and he's only 23. This Venezuelan has dirty stuff and will make batters looks silly all season long.
MP: C.C. Sabathia. He won 19 games a season ago and as he get more comfortable in the big apple I fully expect him to improve on that total. The Yankees got better in the outfield defensively and will provide a more solid backing for the pitching staff.
MVP
AW: Mark Teixeira. He was the heart and soul of the World Champs just a season ago and has found his home in New York.
MP: A-Rod The Bronx Bomber will return to icon status this year and continue where he left off last season when his team won the World Series. His numbers will look more like they have in past MVP years and his contributions will help the Yankees win the AL East.
National League
Cy Young
AW: Roy Halladay. He was a powerhouse on a struggling team last year, so just imagine the damage he'll do when all of his games will matter. Expect another stellar year.
MP: Roy Halladay. I think this award was won the day the Phillies executed the trade to bring the best pitcher in baseball to the Phillies. He gives the club the closest thing to a guaranteed victory every five days as there is in the league.
MVP
AW: Ryan Howard. Coming off of a season where he hit 45 homers and drove in 141 RBIs, the lefty is looking to show the league he's as dominant as he was when he won the NL MVP in 2006. The middle of the Phillies' lineup is lethal and Howard is its driving force.
MP: Albert Pujols. Look for Pujols to lead the league in home runs this season as he adds another 50 or so to his total. Albert is one of those players that can single handedly put a team on his back late in the season.
World Series
AW: Yankees over Cardinals in 6 games.
MP: Yankees over Rockies in 7 games.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
(03/28/10 4:00am)
A lot of college students find themselves far away from their homes, families and religions, and many of our peers long for the homey feel of celebrating ancient traditions with loved ones. Luckily for Jewish students, there are two Chabad houses here at UB that provide a comforting atmosphere where those who are interested can explore their religious identity.
The Chabad house is a center that serves the needs of the Jewish population. Such houses are located all over the country and can be found in over 150 colleges and universities across the world.
Conveniently located on both North and South campus, the Chabad houses, run by rabbis Moshe Gurary and Avrohom Gurary, provide just what college students are looking for after a long week of classes: peace, a homey feel and a hot meal.
"The Chabad house's motto is that this is a home away from home where Jewish students who are away from home can still feel that homey environment," Moshe said. "It gives them an opportunity to celebrate their Jewish identity and culture through a very informal experience."
The Gurary brothers do not expect every Jewish student to celebrate his or her faith as formally as they do, but instead want to provide a safe haven where Jews of all secular backgrounds can feel at home.
And students such as Aleksandra Zak, a junior biological sciences major, love the welcoming environment provided each time they walk into the Chabad house.
"The Chabad house is a very warm environment, very accepting and it feels a bit like home away from home," Zak said. "It's just nice to go somewhere out of the stressful school environment and be able to enjoy the presence of friends … [The rabbis] always have a way of making each person feel welcome. They're extremely hospitable and are always trying to please everyone, whether it be cooking meals every Friday for 50 people or helping out in other things, such as dedicating time to every person at Chabad house."
The Friday meals that Zak is referring to are the Shabbat dinners that are held weekly at each Chabad house. A typical Shabbat evening consists of a brief religious service, followed by a full-course meal where friends can relax and reflect on their week.
Zak isn't the only one who appreciates the services provided by the Chabad house. Rachel Koenig, a freshman speech and hearing sciences major, discovered the Chabad house in September and loves attending Shabbat every week.
"The environment at the Chabad House is probably the most warm, inviting, and comfortable of anywhere else I've been on campus. Everybody warned me that the Chabad house was only for the most observant Jews, but everyone [at the Chabad house] could not be less judgmental; instead of differences being scrutinized, similarities are embraced," Koenig said. "The rabbi and his wife are so sweet and hospitable, and their children are adorable. There is also always good food and no one is ever turned away from the Chabad house."
Although most people think being Jewish is a requirement of visiting the Chabad house, this is actually not the case.
"It is not an exclusive thing and it is not geared towards a certain affiliation of Jewish people," Moshe said. "Some people believe this is made for religious people, but this is not the case at all. Most students who attend are from various secular backgrounds and many have no affiliation to the religion whatsoever."
Moshe has been involved with the Chabad house since 1999, but the original house opened up in 1971.
"We started off on South Campus on Main Street right across from the campus, and when North Campus was built, we added another location on North Forest Road, right next to the Ellicott foot bridge," Moshe said.
There is no cost to visit the Chabad house, however, the rabbis appreciate donations from alumni and students' parents. Many people don't realize that providing the student population with a Jewish haven is the Gurary brothers' full time occupation. They are always on call to solve crises, they advise students, answer questions, offer a variety of educational courses and help celebrate holidays as well.
One of the more celebrated holidays, Passover, begins tonight. To celebrate, the Chabad house on North Campus, located at 2450 North Forest Rd., will be hosting two Seders, one tonight and a second tomorrow night. They are scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. and are expected to last a little over two hours. There will be a brief service, followed by a full-course meal with all of the traditional food associated with Passover.
The Chabad house has a Web site, chabad.buffalo.edu, and there is also a listserv and Facebook group that prospective visitors can sign up for to receive notifications.
Although the Chabad house does not charge money to visitors, for the Seders, the rabbis suggest a $14 donation.
"[Passover] is one of the most celebrated holidays across the world by Jews. This year, Passover is in the middle of the week, so most students cannot afford to go home or have classes during that they can't miss, so we're hosting two public Seders," Moshe said. "We're trying to step into the shoes of these students' families and provide a home away from home."
E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com
(03/28/10 4:00am)
A lot of college students find themselves far away from their homes, families and religions, and many of our peers long for the homey feel of celebrating ancient traditions with loved ones. Luckily for Jewish students, there are two Chabad houses here at UB that provide a comforting atmosphere where those who are interested can explore their religious identity.
The Chabad house is a center that serves the needs of the Jewish population. Such houses are located all over the country and can be found in over 150 colleges and universities across the world.
Conveniently located on both North and South campus, the Chabad houses, run by rabbis Moshe Gurary and Avrohom Gurary, provide just what college students are looking for after a long week of classes: peace, a homey feel and a hot meal.
"The Chabad house's motto is that this is a home away from home where Jewish students who are away from home can still feel that homey environment," Moshe said. "It gives them an opportunity to celebrate their Jewish identity and culture through a very informal experience."
The Gurary brothers do not expect every Jewish student to celebrate his or her faith as formally as they do, but instead want to provide a safe haven where Jews of all secular backgrounds can feel at home.
And students such as Aleksandra Zak, a junior biological sciences major, love the welcoming environment provided each time they walk into the Chabad house.
"The Chabad house is a very warm environment, very accepting and it feels a bit like home away from home," Zak said. "It's just nice to go somewhere out of the stressful school environment and be able to enjoy the presence of friends … [The rabbis] always have a way of making each person feel welcome. They're extremely hospitable and are always trying to please everyone, whether it be cooking meals every Friday for 50 people or helping out in other things, such as dedicating time to every person at Chabad house."
The Friday meals that Zak is referring to are the Shabbat dinners that are held weekly at each Chabad house. A typical Shabbat evening consists of a brief religious service, followed by a full-course meal where friends can relax and reflect on their week.
Zak isn't the only one who appreciates the services provided by the Chabad house. Rachel Koenig, a freshman speech and hearing sciences major, discovered the Chabad house in September and loves attending Shabbat every week.
"The environment at the Chabad House is probably the most warm, inviting, and comfortable of anywhere else I've been on campus. Everybody warned me that the Chabad house was only for the most observant Jews, but everyone [at the Chabad house] could not be less judgmental; instead of differences being scrutinized, similarities are embraced," Koenig said. "The rabbi and his wife are so sweet and hospitable, and their children are adorable. There is also always good food and no one is ever turned away from the Chabad house."
Although most people think being Jewish is a requirement of visiting the Chabad house, this is actually not the case.
"It is not an exclusive thing and it is not geared towards a certain affiliation of Jewish people," Moshe said. "Some people believe this is made for religious people, but this is not the case at all. Most students who attend are from various secular backgrounds and many have no affiliation to the religion whatsoever."
Moshe has been involved with the Chabad house since 1999, but the original house opened up in 1971.
"We started off on South Campus on Main Street right across from the campus, and when North Campus was built, we added another location on North Forest Road, right next to the Ellicott foot bridge," Moshe said.
There is no cost to visit the Chabad house, however, the rabbis appreciate donations from alumni and students' parents. Many people don't realize that providing the student population with a Jewish haven is the Gurary brothers' full time occupation. They are always on call to solve crises, they advise students, answer questions, offer a variety of educational courses and help celebrate holidays as well.
One of the more celebrated holidays, Passover, begins tonight. To celebrate, the Chabad house on North Campus, located at 2450 North Forest Rd., will be hosting two Seders, one tonight and a second tomorrow night. They are scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. and are expected to last a little over two hours. There will be a brief service, followed by a full-course meal with all of the traditional food associated with Passover.
The Chabad house has a Web site, chabad.buffalo.edu, and there is also a listserv and Facebook group that prospective visitors can sign up for to receive notifications.
Although the Chabad house does not charge money to visitors, for the Seders, the rabbis suggest a $14 donation.
"[Passover] is one of the most celebrated holidays across the world by Jews. This year, Passover is in the middle of the week, so most students cannot afford to go home or have classes during that they can't miss, so we're hosting two public Seders," Moshe said. "We're trying to step into the shoes of these students' families and provide a home away from home."
E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com
(03/21/10 4:00am)
It's that time of year again. Well, for some.
After selection Sunday, 65 colleges around the nation were buzzing about the Big Dance as beloved basketball teams throughout the country began making preparations to push towards an NCAA Championship.
As the harsh winter fades here in Buffalo, students were left to get drunk on St. Patrick's Day, trying to forget about the Bulls' abysmal MAC Tournament performance.
Tournament games started Thursday and instead of cheering on the Bulls, UB basketball fans were left following out-of-conference games that hold little significance to us.
But some have "made it interesting."
Brackets can be found all around colleges and universities, throughout professional offices across the country and are easily accessible on the Internet via Yahoo!, ESPN or CBS – just to name a few. Since Selection Sunday, I was invited to partake in five different bracket pools, not including the competition found in Wednesday's issue of The Spectrum or the numerous challenges that I received on Facebook.
I wouldn't, however, consider these pools gambling.
Much like buying squares on Super Bowl Sunday, filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket is more like a crapshoot. Spending $5, $10, or even $20 to make the six rounds of March Madness more interesting – especially to UB fans who have no real stake in the tourney – is perfectly understandable.
But there are students who can't fight the temptation of placing bets throughout the year. Today, college kids are only a few clicks away from choosing a parlay that could be the difference between eating the following week or filling up their car with gas in order to get to class.
ESPN airs sports show after sports show with countless analysts and experts spitting out interesting statistics that can help decide which team is a better pick that night. The Internet also helps keep us intimately connected to professional athletes. We're up to date on player injuries, off the field conduct, and conflicts within the locker room.
With all of the information so readily available, some savvy college sports fans have found an easy way to make a quick buck.
For some, it's almost too easy. They're able to take their love of sports and use knowledge and intuition to make educated predictions. With money on the line, watching out of town games becomes fun, but is it worth the risk?
I'm not talking about the chance of picking the wrong team – which can easily happen if you watched Ohio top Georgetown – and losing $40. In fact, I'm more concerned with the contrary – the risk of winning.
Once you've won that first bet, it's hard not to think about the next game you can wager on with the extra money you've just "earned". Before you know it, you're checking the spreads of every major game and doing research on athletes whom you've never even heard of.
Instead of innocently following sports like you did when you were a kid, you're now staring at the television anxiously tapping your foot on the floor because the game that was supposed to be a blowout is unfavorably unfolding (cough Northern Iowa v. Kansas).
The money Mom and Dad sent for groceries was riding on the outcome of yesterday's Syracuse Gonzaga game. Do college kids participate in Fantasy leagues because they want to know what it feels like to manage a professional team or is it an excuse to stay on top of the ever-changing statistics?
Whether you're winning or losing, sports betting can become a nasty habit. If you make a few good picks and win some easy money, it can become difficult to stop gambling. Once you're down, you find yourself trying to get out of the hole by finding the next big winner.
And as we're stuck watching the national tournament with no team to support, it's easy to try to find a cheap thrill to make the games more interesting.
Unfortunately, that cheap thrill can turn into an expensive debt.
E-mail: andrew.wiktor@ubspectrum.com
(03/21/10 4:00am)
Only one Mid-American Conference men's basketball team made it to the NCAA Tournament this season. Recently, however, there have been rumors that the conference is looking to spice things up, hoping to have two teams get bids in the future.
Andy Katz of ESPN reported that Temple University and Western Kentucky may become the 13th and 14th teams of the MAC. Temple is currently in the Atlantic 10 Conference and Western Kentucky competes in the Sun Belt Conference. Both teams are historically successful basketball programs.
Still, the addition of these teams remains hearsay at this point.
"The topic of expansion is one that the conference and its member institutions and affiliate members will continue to discuss internally," said Ken Mather, assistant commissioner of media and public relations for the MAC. "Any other comment on expansion, number of sports, divisional alignment, etc. would be pure speculation at this point."
According to Mather, there are signs that the two teams are interested in the conference, which has 12 members for all sports. Temple is currently an affiliate member for football only.
Temple joined the MAC in 2007. Since then, the Owls have brought excitement to the conference: the team tied for first place in the MAC East in '09, and many remember the Bulls' last-second Hail Mary that won Buffalo the game on Sept. 13, 2008 against Temple.
The addition of these two teams would create the largest conference in college football and could also help resolve some scheduling conflicts. Currently, the MAC has an uneven amount of teams (13), making scheduling difficult and team distribution between the two divisions uneven.
Aside from making the football conference larger, the addition would add depth and skill to the basketball league, too. WKU has been to two of the last three NCAA Tournaments, and Temple is coming off its third-straight Atlantic 10 Tournament championship. The Owls won 29 games this season and were rewarded with a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
If Temple and WKU joined the MAC, this would make the MAC men's basketball regular season more competitive and would also open the doors for Buffalo to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
Officals from Temple and WKU did not return phone calls to The Spectrum.
Stay with The Spectrum for updates on the possible expansion of the MAC.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
(03/05/10 5:00am)
Anybody who tells you that winning isn't everything is a loser.
(03/03/10 5:00am)
Rain postponed the Cowgirl Classic last Friday, but when the softball team took the field the following morning for a triple-header, it took two games until the sun shined on the Bulls.
(03/01/10 5:00am)
Senior guard Rodney Pierce started the game out with a traveling violation, but after 40 minutes of basketball, he walked out of Alumni Arena with the game-winning shot.
(02/26/10 5:00am)
Sherrod Lott, a junior defensive back on the football team, was arrested on Feb. 14 at 8:30 p.m. for numerous crimes. Due to the nature of the crimes, details are still unavailable.
'It was a domestic related situation,' said Amherst Assistant Police Chief Timothy Green. 'But we really can't say anything more because of privacy terms.'
There were several charges brought against Lott, who made bail and awaits a trial. He was arrested for unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, criminal trespass in the second degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, endangering the welfare of a child and harassment in the second degree.
The APD confirmed the arrest and disclosed the charges, but would not reveal specifics about the crime.
Lott finished the 2009 season with 53 tackles (33 solos), half a sack, four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. It is unclear what repercussions he will face if and when he returns to the team.
Stay with The Spectrum for coverage on the Lott arrest.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
(02/24/10 5:00am)
To the Cheerleaders and the UB community,
On Friday, some of you may have picked up The Spectrum and read a column titled 'Dear Athletics.' Those who didn't see the print version may have heard about the piece from friends and read it online. Others may have read a letter to the editor that ran in Monday's edition, criticizing the opinion while expressing the inaccuracy of the published comments.
Since coming to Buffalo in 2007, I've been frustrated with the athletics program. Though I knew I wasn't attending a big name sports school, I thought we'd have more spirit than I experienced. Last Saturday, I was home watching the men's basketball game against Kent State, and realized many flaws with our athletics program, which I decided to critique in an opinion article.
But who am I to talk? After all, I was sitting at home.
Sure, at least I was watching the game, but I was a bus ride away from Alumni Arena and didn't make the trip to support my school. At the time, I thought an opinion piece could possibly effect some change – and maybe it could have. Instead, I completely ruined that possibility by inappropriately attacking the cheerleaders.
I was disappointed with our student body's lack of support for athletics, and I took a cheap shot at the one group of people who exhibit more school spirit than anyone else here at UB. It was foolish, it was inaccurate, it was mean and I am extremely sorry for my comments.
Though I never realized how strong my words could be, I saw their power following the aftermath of Friday's publication. I owe the community an apology for my terrible choice of words, but more importantly, I beg for the cheerleaders' forgiveness.
None of you, the cheerleaders, have ever done anything wrong to me and for me to publish a column that took an unwarranted and inaccurate jab at you was entirely wrong. For that, I am extremely sorry and I hope that you can accept my apology.
Though I made a huge mistake, I have learned a few things from my error.
First of all, there is support for UB Athletics. The cheerleaders work extremely hard every game to try to get the students more involved, the pep band learns new songs to rally the crowd, the Dazzlers practice countless routines to keep the fans entertained, and True Blue stands behind their athletics no matter what.
Secondly, the Athletics Department tries extremely hard to get the student population involved, but this is by no means an easy task. I assure the entire staff that I never intended to debase your efforts and I respect the hard work that you all put in day in and day out. In truth, I was more disappointed with the students – myself included – for not attending every sporting event.
Lastly, I realized that The Spectrum can bring about change. Though my cruel comments overshadowed my article's purpose, my words were heard across campus, and that means that the student body does read what we write.
I promise that I didn't write the article for shock value and I wasn't trying to get my name spread around campus. I wrote the piece because I genuinely care about our school spirit and think we would all have a lot more fun at UB if we went crazy for our Bulls every time they took the field, stepped on the court, dove into the pool, or raced around the track.
Yes, I regret my inaccurate and hurtful slander, and I would take it back if it were that simple. But there are no 're-dos' in life. I wrote the article and I take full responsibility. The best I can do now is apologize to those who I have hurt and learn from my mistake. Once again, I am extremely sorry for offending those that I did and I assure you all I won't make the same mistake twice.
Sincerely,
(02/19/10 5:00am)
Opponent: Saint Peter's Peacocks
Record: 15-11, 10-6 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Peacocks have now recorded 10 MAAC wins for the first time since the 2004-05 season. They have also guaranteed themselves at least a .500 record, which will mark their first winning season since 2005-06. They currently sit in 4th place in the MAAC.
Last meeting: Dec. 30, 1993. They faced off in the Pepsi Marist Classic, where Buffalo won, 68-61. St. Peter's is scheduled to visit Buffalo next season.
Venue: Yanitelli Center in Jersey City, NJ. The crowd capacity is 3,200.
St. Peter's last game: 69-61 win vs. Loyola. They went on a 19-4 run to rally from being down nine in the second half. Junior guard Nick Leon scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Peacocks to victory.
Buffalo's four-game wining streak: During their current streak, the Bulls are outscoring their opponents by 13 points, averaging 71 points per game while only allowing 58. Rodney Pierce is scoring close to 19 ppg in this stretch and as a team, they've dished out 15.25 assists per game.
St. Peter's key players: Wesley Jenkins is averaging 14.2 points per game and Ryan Bacon has been huge on the boards for the Peacocks, pulling in a team-high nine rebounds per game. Leon, who hails from Brooklyn, NY, is a steady point guard who can put up big points, as seen in their last matchup.
This game is extremely important for both teams because it is an ESPN Bracket Buster matchup. Although Buffalo will most likely need to win the MAC championship in order to reach the NCAA tournament, a victory against the Peacocks can help its seeding if it is to make it to the Big Dance.
Last Saturday, the Bulls played outstanding basketball on national television as they knocked off the Kent State Golden Flashes, 70-55. While beating the No. 1 team in the MAC was important, Buffalo still has a lot of work to do. It has two tough in-conference matchups on the road (Akron and Miami [OH]) and is likely to be met by hostile crowds.
A victory on Saturday will extend the Bulls' win streak to five games and give them momentum to finish out the regular season. Buffalo, however, has been inconsistent on the defensive end and will need big stops if it plans to shut down the Peacocks. In the past few games, the Bulls' defense has illustrated that they are committed to locking up their opponents and expect to carry their hard work into the weekend's matchup.
Despite the importance of the game, Buffalo is looking to improve as it faces an opponent that it isn't familiar with.
'Our number one approach to [our matchup against St. Peter's] is that it's an opportunity to get better,' said head coach Reggie Witherspoon. 'It's against someone we haven't played, so it will show us where we stand.'
It's late in the season and Buffalo has grown accustomed to facing opponents within the MAC. Although it may not know exactly what to expect, Witherspoon is confident that his team will respond to the adversity and have a good showing in New Jersey.
'At this time of year, we're [used to] playing [teams] that we've already played once,' Witherspoon said. 'It's an opportunity to get back on the road and we've had some success on the road, so we're looking forward to it.'
Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on 1230 WECK.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
(02/19/10 5:00am)
To the people high up at UB who probably aren't reading this,
I hear that our school wants to be kind of a big deal.
The UB 2020 initiative is supposed to modernize our campus by building state of the art facilities with the goal of reaching academic excellence, beautifying our campus and stimulating the Buffalo-Niagara area.
But if our school really plans on making strides toward becoming the best state school in New York, we must make some drastic athletic changes first.
Why? Because great schools have great sports.
When a college basketball team is ranked, people want to go to games, they want to learn school chants and they want to win big on television. Here at Buffalo, no one attends sporting events, we don't have any signature songs and national attention is a foreign concept.
The two major sports here at Buffalo – men's basketball and football – share the same major flaws: crappy venues, poor advertising, sporadic fan bases and the inability to win consistently.
It starts with our horribly designed venues, which leave our fans detached from the games.
Ever been to a UB basketball game? Probably not, but if you have, you most likely realized that our student section is roughly 10 feet away from the court. Aside from the fact that True Blue barely has any members, the games would be more exciting – both for the fans and the players – if our screaming section was hovering over the court. It would intensify the noise, intimidate the opponents and energize our squad.
The only drawback to moving the bleachers closer to the floor is that the 200-pound cheerleaders probably won't have enough space to flop their bellies around. As shallow as it sounds, hotter cheerleaders actually make a difference. They should be enhancing the game, not blocking fans from watching the action.
Also, our gym floor should read 'BUFFALO' on one baseline and 'BULLS' on the other. Get rid of the small MAC logo. It isn't aesthetically pleasing and it already says what conference we're in on the main hardwood. It's a small change, but it makes a big difference.
Our football stadium, believe it or not, is worse. The track that separates the fans from the game actually kills the football environment. Much like in basketball, we should be on top of the players, screaming drunken slurs that the opposing team can actually hear. Though UB Stadium is relatively new (1993), it remains the worst venue in the MAC simply because of the track.
Half of the reason why our fan base is nearly non-existent is because there is seldom enough advertising leading up to the games. During the football season, it was cool to step over floor ads outside of Capen, the Union and Alumni Arena that announced the upcoming matchup.
These ads should be scattered all around campus before every basketball and football game. On top of that, more giveaways would attract more fans. Of course this can be expensive, but you can't put a price on school spirit.
If more students attended games, I genuinely believe our teams would perform better. This would not only entice better high school athletes to apply to UB, but it would also incline advertisers to pay for their logo to hang in Alumni Arena.
I'm willing to wager that there are two major reasons why people choose not to attend our school. One is the horrific weather and the other is the second-tier athletics. The former is uncontrollable, but the latter is completely in our hands.
Mix better athletics with the UB 2020 initiative and there is no limit to where this university can go. Ignore the problem of school spirit and no matter how many millions of dollars you spend on infrastructure, you'll still have the same old UB.
Signed,
Andrew Wiktor
E-mail: andrew.wiktor@ubspectrum.com
(02/17/10 5:00am)
Rookie Challenge
On Friday night, DeJuan Blair of the San Antonio Spurs led the NBA Rookie team to victory over the Sophomores at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Blair recorded the first 20-20 game in the history of the Rookie Challenge with 22 points and 23 rebounds in the 140-128 win.
The Sophomores had won eight of the last 10 Rookie Challenge games and held a seven-game winning streak before Blair and Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans came along. Evans earned game MVP after scoring 26 points. Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder was the leading scorer for the Sophomore team with 40 points. Westbrook's 40-point performance came just one year after his Thunder teammate, Kevin Durant, set the Rookie Challenge record with 46 points.
Although the game is supposed to be carefree, Sophomore head coach Patrick Ewing – an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic – was not pleased with his team's effort.
"We got our butts kicked in every aspect of the game," Ewing said in a press release. "I know it's an All-Star Game, but we didn't play with enough pride in my eyes. They outplayed us, they outhustled us, they outscrapped us."
At halftime, the NBA held its first ever Slam Dunk Dunk-In contest. The competition was between Toronto Raptors' rookie guard DeMar DeRozan and Los Angeles Clippers' sophomore guard Eric Gordon. DeRozan, who had never lost a dunk contest before, received 61 percent of the fan votes to secure his spot in the contest on Saturday night.
Skills Competition
Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns beat out Westbrook, Deron Williams and Brandon Jennings to take home the skills competition title. Proving that he's still got it, the 36-year-old took down guys who are all his juniors by more than ten years.
Both Nash and Williams had won the competition before. Nash was a winner in 2005 and Williams, who set the Skills Competition record last year, was the defending champion. They each advanced to the finals and put on a show for the fans. Nash went first and ran through the course in 29.9 seconds. The much-anticipated Williams started off on a roll. After nailing his first two passes and the jump shot, Williams was on pace to top Nash's time, but the final pass gave him trouble and as the time ticked on, his hopes of repeating dwindled. He finished the course in 37.9 seconds and Nash was crowned champion.
"I tried my best without my warm-up," Nash said in a press release. "I missed the run-through because I was a little disjointed from the trip ... I was kind of hoping for the best."
Three-point Contest
After trailing in the first round, Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce came back to take the crown in the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors led after round one, but in the final round Pierce posted 20 points while Curry earned 17, and Denver Nugget Chauncey Billups finished with 14.
Pierce came back with a vengeance after he performed terribly in 2002, scoring only eight points.
"I worked on it, I really took pride in it. In '02 I stunk it up. I wanted to come in here and put on a show," Pierce said in a press release. "I had to work on getting the technique down and knowing what side to pull the ball from, stuff like that. I knew if I got hot, I could win it."
Slam-Dunk Contest
Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks nabbed his third-consecutive title in the Slam-Dunk Contest on Saturday night. The 5-foot 9-inch highflyer narrowly captured the title over Toronto Raptors' 6-foot 7-inch rookie DeMar DeRozan.
Though the dunks weren't too impressive, there were a few that stood out. On DeRozan's second dunk in the first round, Sonny Weems of the Raptors tossed the ball off the side of the backboard and DeRozan caught the ally-oop and glided in, throwing down a tomahawk dunk that made the crowd erupt and earned him a perfect score of 50.
Robinson won the contest on a 360-degree dunk that he threw down after catching his own pass off the backboard. He narrowly won the contest by receiving 51 percent of the fan votes and became the first player in NBA history to win three years in a row.
When asked if he would return next year, Robinson quickly declined.
"No, no, no, no, no. I don't think I can bear that anymore. I'm just happy with this third one," Robinson said in a press release. "This is the last one."
All-Star Game
A world-record setting 108,713 fans packed Cowboys Stadium to see the East defeat the West in a game that came down to the final buzzer. Toronto Raptor Chris Bosh sunk a pair of free-throws to give the East a two-point lead with five seconds remaining. The West took a timeout to set up the final play. A 3-point attempt by Carmelo Anthony fell short, securing a 141-139 win for the East.
Despite trailing much of the first half, the East dominated the third quarter to take a 118-109 lead going into the fourth.
Dwyane Wade took MVP with 28 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and five steals. LeBron James and Chris Bosh backed up Wade with 25 and 23 points respectively.
Dallas now holds special meaning for Wade for two reasons. In 2006, Wade earned MVP honors in the NBA Finals when the Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks.
"I've had a little luck in Dallas. Of course, 2006 is very, very memorable, something I dreamed of doing for a long time, winning the NBA championship and I was lucky enough and blessed enough to win the MVP there," Wade said in a press release. "To come and do it again is special."
Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki led the scoring for the West. Anthony recorded a team high 27 points while Nowitzki added 22 points.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
(02/12/10 5:00am)
Here is a glance at a few key sports to check out over the coming weeks. We've highlighted major athletes to watch and included the dates, so you know what you're watching and when to watch it.
(02/10/10 5:00am)
Money talks.
(02/08/10 5:00am)
Alumni Arena opened its doors for the Harlem Globetrotters Friday night, and families from throughout the Buffalo-Niagara region flooded its gates. They piled into the stands to watch the zany, often theatrical and always-hilarious athletes put on an unforgettable show.
The audience knew it was in for a treat from the start. Before the players even set foot on the floor, an emcee got the crowd involved in a shouting match. One side of the stands screamed, 'Globe' while the other section replied with 'Trotters.'
By the time the two teams – The Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals – were ready for warm-ups, Alumni Arena had reached full capacity with over 6,000 fans in attendance. It was a lively crowd consisting of mostly families from around the area.
Many parents had seen the Globetrotters when they were younger and wanted to share the show with their children. Troy Mezzio, a 39-year-old father from Cheektowaga, decided to bring his family after seeing an advertisement.
'We heard about the event through a television advertisement,' Mezzio said. 'I grew up with the Globetrotters when I was a kid. We used to watch them on television all of the time, and seeing them live for the first time was great.'
His children loved the show, too. His daughter Michelle, 11, loved all of the slam-dunks and his son Daniel, 7, enjoyed all of the props that they used.
Whether the Generals' head coach was hypnotizing one of the Globetrotters with his spiraled umbrella, the players were giving the ref an eye exam where he read the letters 'I-M-A-F-O-O-L,' or the athletes were chasing each other around with buckets of water and splashing fans in the front row, the entire night was action packed and full of laughs.
Before the game, the Globetrotters honored Bulls great Jim Horn (1951-55), who is the second leading all-time scorer here at Buffalo. After his college days, Horn joined the Harlem Globetrotters and played with them for a number of years.
Playing for the Washington Generals was another former Bull, Brian Addison. Addison came in as a transfer from Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY and played at Buffalo for two seasons.
The Harlem Globetrotters had an 83-game winning streak on the line and were trailing late in the third quarter. Thanks to some fantastic dunks and lackluster defense by the Generals, the Trotters battled back and came away with a 75-72 victory.
After the game, the players stuck around to sign autographs, further pleasing the fans that already had an exciting night.
'I remember going when I was a kid,' said Sandy Stock, 36, of Clarence. 'I figured that my daughters would really enjoy it so I got some tickets and [the Globetrotters] didn't disappoint. I enjoyed all of it and my kids thought it was a really fun show.'
Other parents had also seen the Globetrotters when they were younger and wanted to share the experience with their family.
'I saw [the Globetrotters] when I was a little girl,' said Dawn Watson, 40, of Niagara Falls. 'I don't remember where I saw them, but it was somewhere in Buffalo and it was definitely a lot of fun.'
Chances are that Watson and Stock saw the Globetrotters at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, or as most used to refer to it, The Aud. The arena was knocked down in 1996, but it held a maximum capacity of 18,000 people and sported many major league events.
The parents weren't the only ones who had a good time.
'[The performance] was amazing,' said Spencer Watson, 14, of Niagara Falls ON. 'I've never seen anything like it before and I had a great time. Their ball handling was incredible, especially Scooter's.'
Many fans came down from Canada to see the show and, according to Dawn Watson, it took more time to find a parking space than to get across the border.
'Getting into America was the easy part,' Watson said. 'It was the parking that was horrible. We were looking for a half-an-hour to find a parking spot.'
There weren't too many college students at the event, most likely because it is more of a family outing. Despite the traffic getting onto campus, the fans were all smiles by the end of the night.
The Globetrotters grabbed the audience's attention early, and kept fans entertained throughout the night. Whether they were running their infamous three-man weave, dancing to Michael Jackson, or playing football on the basketball court, there was never a dull moment.
E-mail: andrew.wiktor@ubspectrum.com
(02/05/10 5:00am)
When thinking about Super Bowl XLIV, many questions come to my mind: How drunk will I be before kickoff? Should I get barbeque wings or mild medium from Duffs? Will there finally be any good commercials this year?