Sports and Leisure Magazine Blog

Greatest Quarterbacks in History, 10-6

2008-02-03T11:20:52Z

Ah yes, Super Bowl Sunday. It's an American holiday matched only by Christmas and Easter, as it gives us a reason not only to be with family and friends but to stuff our faces until we knock back the belt a few notches as well. If nothing else, it's a reason for us to watch dozens of new commercials each year, but no matter what the reason for celebrating the joyus day, it all comes down to football. Everyone has their favorite Super Bowl memory, be it Joe Montana leading the 49ers to a last-minute victory over the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII or the time that Don Beebe knocked the ball out of Leon Lett's hand, momentarily taking the embarrassment off of the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII, and while nobody's favorite moment can be debated, one thing can. Who is the greatest quarterback in NFL history? Many things must be taken into consideration while deciding such a list, there's always going to be the numbers freaks, who look solely at statistics when deciding who is the best ever, but others will look at who won the big game and how may times did they win it as their criteria, or maybe even who was their supporting cast? Luckily, some of us listen to all of those arguments and have put out a list, like mine, which will be debated and no doubt criticized. Here it is...

"Touchdown" Tom Ando's Greatest Quaterbacks in NFL History, Numbers 10-6

10. Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys 1969-1979, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1985

Staubach's numbers may not have been as stunning as the other gun-slingers on this list (22,700 yards and 153 touchdowns) but neither would theirs had they decided to serve their country before entering the NFL, which by the way would explain the 10th round selection in the 1964 NFL Draft. One number you can take into consideration however is his quarterback rating of 83.4, which was the highest in league history at the time of his retirement, a number that has since been passed and is currently held by Steve Young, who grew up idolizing Staubach and modeling his game after. As the stud quarterback at the Naval Acadamy, Staubach would bring home the Heisman during the 1963 season, the last Midshipmen to do so, not to mention the only quarterback on this list with such an honor. He would leave his mark on the game even more so as a Dallas Cowboy, leading "America's Team" to four Super Bowl berths and two victories (VI, XII). In fact, had it not been for the "Steel Curtain" of Pittsburgh's defense, Staubach may have been at the top of this list, but then again, how many tours of duty did Bradshaw serve in Vietnam?

9. Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins 1983-1999, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2005

With the tools he showcased during his collegiate career at Pittsburgh, it's near impossible to comprehend why the great Marino dropped until the 27th pick in the 1983 NFL Draft, not to mention the sixth among quarterbacks. The knock on Marino will forever be his inability to win the big game, making just one appearance and losing to Joe Montana and the 'Niners 38-16. The Pennsylvania native, who by the way shares the same middle name, Constantine, as the great Johnny Unitas, made a mockery of previous records, launching an (aerial) assault on them starting in his second season when he threw for 5,084 yards, a record that still stands, and 48 touchdowns, a record that stood until Peyton Manning broke it in 2004. In all, Marino would throw for 61,361 yards and 420 touchdowns (against 252 interceptions), all of which were records until 2007, when Brett Favre broke them. It's fair to say that other quarterbacks will follow Favre in surpassing Marino in the books, but number 13's strong arm and quick release may never be matched.

8. Brett Favre, Atlanta Falcons 1991, Green Bay Packers 1992-current

The numbers will jump out at you, 5,377 of 8,758 for 61,655 yards with 442 touchdowns and 288 interceptions. Heck they might even come over, smack you in the face and wake you up a bit, not to mention the fact that the league's ironman (253 consecutive starts) is also it's only three time MVP. Favre led the Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XXXI by defeating the New England Patriots 35-21 before losing the following year to John Elway's Denver Broncos. The only thing holding Favre from the Montana's and Brady's of the world is his knack of throwing costly interceptions at the wrong time.

7. Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers 1970-1983, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1989

The numbers won't jump out at you, 2,025 of 3,901 for 27,989 yards with 212 touchdowns and 210 interceptions, but it would be almost impossible to leave the "Blonde Bomber" off of the list. After overcoming both the pressure of being the first selection of the 1970 NFL draft and going to a franchise that earned said selection by suffering a dismal 1-13 season, Bradshaw became a legend by leading Steelers to eight AFC central division titles and four Super Bowl Championships (IX,X,XIII,XIV) becoming the first such signal caller to do so. It might be true that the Louisiana Tech alum, who also ran for 32 touchdowns in hios pro career, was surrounded by incredible talent on both sides of the ball (seven other Steelers from the 70's also were also enshrined in Canton), but at the end of the day, you're only as good as the man throwing the ball, and in Bradshaw's case, calling the plays.

6. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts 1998-current

If the NFL were ever to allow robots into the league, chances are they would look like Manning does on the field. His fine-tuned mechanics and businessman like approach to the game are such that have never been seen in the league, and hey, he even has a ring to shut up the critics, that coming from a 29-17 victory over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI, a game in which he was MVP. The former number one pick of the 1998 NFL Draft has numbers (currently at 41,626 yards and 306 touchdowns) that are downright disturbing, and will one day pass those of Dan Marino and Brett Favre. He hasn't missed a game and has been the starter for the Colts since day one, that's 160 games, but who's counting and the two time league MVP may be the only quarterback to ever have a children's hospital named after him (St. Vincent's in Indianapolis). Oh yeah, let's not forget hosting SNL and those great commercials, love that one with the mustache.

Check back next week for numbers 5-1.

"Touchdown" Tom Ando's National Top Ten, Week 3

2007-09-12T06:35:36Z

It really has nothing to do with USC, but there is a change atop this week's list.

1. LSU - After seeing LSU dismantle Virginia Tech 48-7, I would be shocked to ever see this team lose again this season. Big man Glenn Dorsey is a monster on the defensive line and the Tigers just may ride him to the BCS title game and beyond.

2. USC - It would be hard to top what LSU did for the Trojans to regain their top spot on this list, but they have a chance to prove themselves against a ranked opponent, on the road no less. Let's see how they fair against Nebraska on Saturday night.

3. Florida - Tebow & co. keep rolling againt Troy 59-31, but it's going to be a much different situation against Tennessee this week. Don't forget that they haven't left Gainseville yet this season.

4. Oklahoma - A 51-13 victory over Miami (FL) has to make you wonder if Sam Bradford is the perfect QB for Bob Stoops' team to make a title run.

5. West Virginia - 42 second half points made it look worse than it was, but the Mountaineers need to improve, because when it's a team other than Marshall, Slaton and White may not be able to turn it on just like that.

6. Texas - TCU is a tough team, that much is an argument for Longhorn fans, but the 34-13 victory over the Horned Frogs was much closer until things started going the 'Horns way in the fourth quarter. Where's the Colt McCoy from 2006, and will we see him again before it's too late? (October 6th against Oklahoma).

7. Louisville - This just in, Louisville can score points, and they did just that against Middle Tennessee State in a 58-42 victory. Running back Anthony Allen looked just as impressive as QB Brian Brohm, which says a lot as both players posted career highs. They need to be careful this weekend against QB Andre' Woodson and Kentucky on the road.

8. Wisconsin - 20-13 against UNLV? We all have bad days, so let's give the Badgers a pass on that one. That kind of effort won't do against Penn State in October however.

9. California - DeSean Jackson is the most electrifying player in the nation by a long shot, and QB Nate Longshore looks to be quite the fit for Jeff Tedford's offense. They need to show that they are a top team by putting Louisiana Tech away early.

10. Ohio State - The Buckeye's struggled against Akron, and they have an extremely tough task this week against the Huskies in Washington. This could be a big time letdown for Jim Tressel's squad making for a Penn State debut on this list.

Check back next Monday for "Touchdown" Tom Ando's National Top Ten heading into Week 4!

College Football Recap - Week 2

2007-09-11T06:55:45Z

For the first time in the history of college football, the Notre Dame Fightin' Irish and Michigan Wolverines have both started 0-2. The Wolverines follwed the biggest upset in the history of the game by having their pants pulled down in the big house for the second straight week. This time, the culpret was the Oregon Ducks, who pulled off the 39-7 victory on Saturday.

In the meantime, the Irish followed up their biggest home-opener loss in the team's storied history by falling to Penn State 31-10. The good news is that the highly coveted freshman Jimmy Clausen looked like he has his head on straight, now let's see if Charlie Weis can put a team around him. Oh, and speaking of freshman, this week's showdown between the two fallen powers will see Clausen matched up against Michigan's big QB recruit Ryan Mallett.

Across the country...

UB 42, Temple 7

This game was over quick. If the Bulls can pull off four or five of those victories against MAC teams, maybe Turner Gill and company can turn this team around afterall.

Louisville 58, Middle Tennessee State 42

If you read these weekly recaps long enough, you'll figure out how much I think of Cardinals QB Brian Brohm (401 yards and five touchdowns), but where's the defense? If they can let up 42 points to this team, imagine what's going to happen come November 8th in Morgantown.

West Virginia 48, Marshall 23

The Thundering Herd actually had the lead at halftime, but that didn't last long. It's amazing how quickly White & Slaton can turn it on when it matters, heck, the Mountaineers big time recruit Noel Devine even got in on the scoring in the second half.

Purdue 52, Eastern Illinois 6

It wasn't against the greatest program, but what an impressive win for the Boiler Makers. So many starters returned this season, and QB Curtis Painter (348 yards and six touchdowns) might be the most underrated player in the nation. If the team can pull off wins, and they should, in the next three games (Central Michigan, at Minnesota, Notre Dame) watch out for the big upset against Ohio State on October 6th.

Oklahoma 51, Miami (FL) 13

A couple of things from this game. First off, maybe Miami isn't ready to return to the big stage just yet, but Randy Shannon looks to have his team on the right track. Secondly, is it just me, or does Sooners QB Sam Bradford look like a stud? My goodness.

California 34, Nortern Colorado 28

The Golden Bears held off the fisty Rams for a slim victory, but let's face it, if the game ever came down to the wire, DeSean Jackson would have made a play.

Washington 24, Boise State 10

Everytime it looks like the Broncos are ready to show the country that they are for real, they go and do something like this. Kudos to Ty Willingham and the Huskies for "Raising the Woof" in this matchup, and what an encore from Jake Locker.

South Carolina 16, Georgia 12

Did anybody doubt that the old ball coach would have the Gamecocks knocking off big time SEC opponents this soon? Tough break for the Bulldogs though, who looked so good in week one.

Hawaii 45, Louisiana Tech 44 (OT)

The good news for Warriors fans is that Colt Brennan threw for 548 yards and four touchdowns. The bad news is that they didn't put away this team early.

South Florida 26, Auburn 23

What a huge win for the Big East, and likewise, what a huge dissapointment for the SEC. A lot of experts picked South Florida to be a much improved team this year, but not many saw this game going their way.

Iowa 35, Syracuse 0

The Orange are blue after dropping their second straight contest in a route. Let's see if they can buck the trend against Illinois.

Stay Tuned for my updated "Touchdown" Tom's National Top Ten List!

"Touchdown" Tom Ando's National Top Ten, Week 2

2007-09-12T06:07:28Z

OK, OK, I was wrong. If you picked up August's issue of Sports & Leisure Magazine, you'll know that I picked Michigan to challenge USC for the National Championship this season. So much for that. After dropping their opener to Appalachian State, the Wolverines are long gone from my Top Ten, and Lloyd Carr may be on his way out the door come January.

1. USC - Ho Hum, just another victory for the Trojans. Don't expect the production to be dropping off any time soon either.

2. Florida - Tim Tebow is all that he was hyped up to be and this could be a long season for the rest of the SEC if Urban's crew can keep rolling.

3. West Virginia - Pat White and Steve Slaton may be the deadliest combination in all of sports. Don't be surprised if they combine for 3,500 yards on the ground this year.

4 Louisville - Brian Brohm is showing why he is going to be the top pick come April. True, it was against Murray State, but at least they beat the teams that they should, right Michigan?

5. LSU - Great defense will take the Tigers a long way this season, but can they make it through Florida for the SEC crown?

6. Texas - 'Horns had trouble hookin' Arkansas State, but in the end, they pulled off the win and beat the team that they should have, right Michigan?

7. Wisconsin - Tyler Donovan looked sharp, proving coaches made the right choice behind center.

8. Ohio State - Five years was worth the wait for Boeckman. True, it was against Youngstown State, but, never mind, I think we all know where that was going.

9. Virginia Tech - Hokie fans better hope that Eastern Carolina was just that good, or this season could be a long season, and look out, here comes LSU.

10. California - Big time win over Tennessee, and how about DeSean Jackson's return skills? Can anyone say Reggie Bush? Now it's just a question of whether or not the Golden Bears can avoid upsets during the season if they plan on crashing the BCS party.

Check back next Monday for "Touchdown" Tom Ando's National Top Ten heading into Week 3!

College Football Recap - Week 1

2007-09-11T06:14:34Z

Growing up, you would have the dream of going to school and suddenly realizing, whoops, you forgot your pants and your entire class is staring in disbelief. The embarrassment was overwhelming to a great extent before you woke up and thanked the good Lord above that it was only a nightmare. This weekend, in front of a much larger audience, the University of Michigan Wolverines showed up to class without their pants on, and we are all staring in disbelief, only everytime they wake up, their pants will still be gone.

Of course, the ridiculous aforementioned metaphor speaks of the single greatest upset in college football history, which occurred Saturday when the Appalachian State Mountaineers beat the Wolverines 34-32, in the Big House of all places. Some experts, including this one, predicted the Michigan faithful would be yelling "Go Blue" come January's BCS title game, but Lloyd Carr's group may never recover after this defeat.

Across the country...

Rutgers 38, UB 3

I understand the point that Turner Gill is trying to get the Bulls on the map, but at what point is saving face more important? We'll find out what the Bulls are really made of this week as they head to Temple. The only team that the beat in last year's 1-11 campaign.

Hawaii 63, Northern Colorado 6

Warriors QB Colt Brennan picked up right where he left off in his assault on the NCAA record books. All Brennan did was throw for 416 yards and six touchdowns as he hopes to capture a Heisman en route to a first round pick in April's NFL draft. By the way, he only played in the first half.

California 45, Tennessee 31

If you thought the Golden Bears had forgotten about last year's opening week loss to the Vol's you were sadly mistaken. The Pac-10 can now rest a little easier having dismantled a highly ranked SEC opponent, but I'm sure you'll hear southern football fans tell you the result would be different had Erik Ainge not broken his pinky. Get real.

Georgia Tech 33, Notre Dame 3

If you are an Irish fan, and you thought this year wasn't going to be rough, you were wrong. Charlie Weis might not want to say it, but this team is rebuilding for sure, and this weekend's loss to the Yellow Jackets was more than enough proof, but give Tech credit, Chan Gailey has put together a solid team. Next up for the Irish? Penn State on the road. Ouch.

Colorado 31, Colorado State 28 (OT)

The Rocky Mountain Showdown was one hell of a battle this year, and Colorado coach Dan Hawkins can let out a monster sigh of relief as he is one win away from last year's total of two. One big thing to take note of in this game was the debut of Hawkins' son Cody, who is a proven winner. He never lost a game as a starter in high school and pulled off a solid outing by completing 18 of 31 pass attempts for 201 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Stay Tuned for my updated "Touchdown" Tom's National Top Ten List!

Good-bye Hector Luna, we hardly knew ya.

2007-07-28T16:38:17Z

Good-bye Hector Luna, we hardly knew ya. And the reason we hardly knew you was because you never spoke with the Buffalo media.
When the news of the Cleveland Indians designating Hector Luna for assignment (translation, demoting his a$$) was announced on July 28 it was met with smirks and a few 'about times' by most of the Dunn Tire Park regular media and team workers.

Luna was a bust, pure and simple. He hit just .251 and had a team-worst 21 errors in 83 games.
But he was also a tough cat to figure out. The local media didn't hound him when he struggled, and believe me, he had glorious moments of ineptitude. And we were more than ready to give him his due when he played well. Each interview request was met with a no.

OK, granted no player has to speak with reporters and we all do our best to make sure we show respect to players privacy. So this isn't complaining it's simply pointing out a fact.
And yes, the fact he didn't have great command of english was a factor we understood, but he could have always had a teammate translate.
Luna had a poor spring training and the buzz was he was in a snit about having to start the year in Triple-A. OK guy then how about using the media to your advantage and show everyone that you're ready to work hard and do whatever is needed to return to the Majors.
He didn't.
So, see ya later Hector.

The best news of Luna being set adrift was the hope that 21-year old diamond stud Asrubal Cabrera would finally get bumped up to Triple-A.
Cabrera, who came to the Cleveland baseball family through a June 30, 2006 trade with Seattle, has been hitting at a .300 clip all year and has widely been regarded as one of the best players in the Eastern League this season.

Cabrera hit just .263 last season with Buffalo but he did record an impressive 50 hits in the 52 games he played in. On the downside "Cabby" made 14 errors in that same span.

Though he has 15 errors this year reports are that his defense is far better than the 15 flubs indicate and his over all game has improved.

As tempting as it might be to bring Cabrera up and see what he can do Bisons manager Torey Lovullo stated the Indians plan from the start was not to rush Cabrera. They wanted to give him a full season in Double-A and they appear ready to stick to that plan which isn't a bad idea at all. The feeling around the Indians camp is the Mariners may have rushed him along too quickly. Cabrera played 63 games in Single-A in 2004 then another 51 in 2005 before leap-frogging Double-A and getting promoted to Triple-A Tacoma.

Under GM Mark Shapiro the Indians have done a tremendous job of slowly but surely bringing its talent along and not pushing guys into situations they may not be ready to handle.
As much as we would all enjoy watching Cabrera play it really is best for him to get another month or so of seasoning with Akron.
It'll be worth the wait.

updated trade talk

2007-07-25T23:34:00Z

This just in. Chances are looking very good that if a deal with Washington goes down Bisons third baseman Andy Marte could very well be the center piece of Cleveland's offer for Chad Cordero.
Makes sense.
The Indians are happy with Casey Blake, and even though Marte hasn't lived up to expectations he's young (23-years old). Which makes him an attractive commodity fot a Washington team that's looking to get younger and build for the future.

...

Questions answered

2007-07-25T22:45:00Z

Buffalo Bisons manager Torey Lovullo was once again facing a question about the person he'd been hearing about all week-pitcher Aaron Laffey. And once again he gave the same answer. But was that answer the truth or just another dose of the company line?

The rumor lines between Buffalo and Cleveland have been buzzing ever since Laffey was removed from the July 22 game against Syracuse after throwing just 48 pitches over 2.2 innings. Laffey had regularly been at a 90-plus pitch count. As most Bisons and Indians fans know by now Lovullo took the ball from Laffey that afternoon and patted him on the back. When Laffeygot to the Herd dugout he was greeted with high-fives from his teammates. It had all the ear-markings of a player who was just called up to the big leagues.

That's where the mystery begins.
Cleveland PR insisted that Laffey was not called up and that he was on a pitch count because he had thrown his warm up pitches prior to his originally scheduled start the day before and he would be needed on short rest to throw again on Thursday the 26th.

Shale we count the holes in that answer? Suspicion arose because Laffey in fact did NOT throw warm up Saturday because the Dunn Tire Park grounds crew was all over the infield area trying to repair the damage that was done when an irrigation pipe burst over night and flooded the field.
No on field warms ups (other than a few guys doing soft toss) took place. Both teams did BP in the inside cages. That's it.

When the media arrived in the Bisons clubhouse after the July 22 game we were told Laffey was packed up and gone. He was actually found in the team weight room, saying good-bye to teammates. Laffey spoke, but was non committal about what he was told what the immediate future held for him.

Rumors abound that the Indians are in the process of finalizing a deal that would open a roster spot for Laffey sometime this week. In fact, the belief among Buffalo and Cleveland beat writers is that a deal was expected to be done early this week which is why Laffey was pulled on Sunday. To keep him fresh for probably duty with the Tribe this week.
But all week long Indians brass-from manager Eric Wedge to director of player development Ross Atkins-have insisted Laffey was not called up. Are they splitting hairs? Yes, he hasn't been called up, yet.
Technically he is still on the Bisons roster but physically he seems to be in limbo between Buffalo and Cleveland. Waiting and wondering about his future.
Odds are actually good that Laffey will throw in Buffalo Thursday-the only thing to prevent it is if a deal is done before noon Thursday.

Scouts have been crawling all over Dunn Tire Park this home stand. The most notable one has been from the Washington Senators, who are shopping closer Chad Cordero. A deal with Washington makes sense as the Indians are definitely looking to upgrade the closer's job which is currently held by the effective yet shaky Joe Borowski.

The most prominent rumor has Cordero coming to Cleveland with one or more of the following-outfielders Ben Francisco, Franklin Gutierrez and pitcher Cliff Lee going to D.C. in return.
If a deal gets done, a roster spot opens and Aaron Laffey is getting mail at Jacobs Field.

After the Bisons 5-3 loss to Charlotte on Wednesday July 25 I asked Lovullo if Laffey was still scheduled to go Thursday Lovullo said a "Yes" that didn't exactly smack of certainty. It was more like I'm tired of this question.
One way or another we'll get an answer soon.

Cummings comes back to haunt Wings

2007-07-25T21:38:00Z

Syracuse starter and former Red Wings pitcher Jeremy Cummings on Wednesday thoroughly dominated the team he quit earlier this season, allowing just three hits and one run over eight innings to pitch the Chiefs to an 8-1 win over Rochester.

Cummings allowed one hit through seven innings before giving up a double to Garrett Jones and an RBI single to Chris Heintz in the eighth.

“We didn’t hit the ball hard until the eighth inning,” Wings manager Stan Cliburn said.

Cummings started the season pitching for the Wings, but earlier this month, unhappy with not being promoted to Minnesota, he exercised a release clause in his Wings contract and left the team. He was immediately picked by Toronto and assigned to Syracuse.

Cliburn said Cummings’ performance for the Wings was erratic this season, but the Rochester manager said that when Cummings found his groove and his offense gave him a lead, he was very tough to hit. That’s what happened tonight.

“That’s how he was for us, up and down,” Cliburn said. “Tonight he was on.”

The Chiefs roughed up Rochester starter Dave Gassner, who gave up 10 hits and four runs in five innings to earn the loss and drop his record to 3-12 on the season. His ERA stands at 5.74.

The Wings, meanwhile, were impotent at the plate, posting only three hits all night.

Wednesday’s game was also marked by the promotion of third baseman Brian Buscher to Minnesota. Since being called up from New Britain to Rochester June 21, Buscher hit .313 with six home runs and 20 RBIs with the Wings.

Cliburn said Buscher’s promotion to the Twins was the highlight of the evening for the manager on a night when Rochester highlights for few. Cliburn said he always enjoys giving players the news that they’re going to the Show.

“That’s what being a minor-league manager is all about,” Cliburn said.

The manager said he had been keeping tabs on Buscher since spring training, where he first noticed the third baseman’s potential — potential that was borne out during Buscher’s time in Rochester.

“He came here and did everything I thought he would do, and look where he is now,” Cliburn said.

Buscher said he was speechless when Cliburn delivered the good news.

“I’m overwhelmed with joy,” he said. “I’m also a bit nervous about it. I don’t know what to say. I’m just excited.”

Buscher said he was a little surprised by the promotion, but he added that players always have to be ready when the call comes.

“You never know,” he said. “You’re always a call away. I got my call tonight, and I’ll make the best of it.”

To make room on their roster, the Twins sent outfielder Darnell McDonald to Rochester.

Tonight’s loss snapped a three-game Rochester winning streak. With the defeat, the Wings fall to 56-49. They have two more home games against Syracuse before embarking on a two-game series at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Wings unveil Morrie Silver Memorial

2007-07-25T17:51:00Z

In a brief ceremony in front of the main gates of Frontier Field Wednesday afternoon, local baseball dignitaries, Red Wings officials and government representatives joined about 200 onlookers in unveiling a memorial statue of Morrie Silver, whose stock drive in 1956 saved baseball in Rochester.

“You can’t talk about baseball legends without including Morrie Silver,” said Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks.

When the St. Louis Cardinals announced in 1956 that they would sell the Rochester Red Wings — the least profitable of the Major League team’s top-level farm clubs — Silver spearheaded a stock drive to raise the $500,000 needed to purchase the Wings.

Silver handed the Cardinals a half-million-dollar check in February 1957, and Rochester Community Baseball was born. Since then, the Red Wings have been one of the few publicly-owned baseball teams in the country.

Silver went on to serve as the team’s president and general manager.

Current Wings general manager Dan Mason said that by organizing the stock drive, Silver “preserved the opportunity for millions of fans to enjoy a game at the ballpark” in Rochester.

The crowd also listened to Rochester’s Mr. Baseball, Joe Altobelli, who has served as a player, manager, general manager and now a radio commentator for the team. Altobelli said Silver “was an inspiration for me.”

“Morrie was the guy who started (community baseball),” Altobelli said. “He was the guy who was ‘community’ in community baseball.”

Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver, who managed the Red Wings in the 1960s before winning a World Series title with the Baltimore Orioles, said Silver was a crucial catalyst in his managerial career.

“I wouldn’t have gotten to the Majors without Morrie,” said Weaver, who added that Silver was “the kindest, most generous, most giving person that was ever put on this earth.”

Weaver said that because of the efforts of Silver and those who came after him, “there’ll be baseball in Rochester forever.”

The final person to speak was Naomi Silver, current Rochester Community Baseball chairman of the board and daughter of Morrie Silver. Naomi said her father possessed two key traits — warmth and insightful intelligence — that drove him to serve the community.

Silver thanked the team’s fans by saying that “first and foremost, my dad did it for you.”

She also thanked the thousands of shareholders who still own a part of the Red Wings, calling them “the army of heroes who allowed us to be here today.”

She then called her family up to the podium to unveil the life-size statue of her father and a small child who symbolizes the future of the team and the community.

“My dad would be so honored today,” she said, “but he would also be gratified because his hopes for the long-term success have lived on.”

The statue was created by local artist Dejan Pejovic, a native of Yugoslavia who immigrated to the United States in 1957. Pejovic studied in London, Rome and Toronto before settling in Rochester. The Morrie Silver Memorial is his third public commission in the Rochester area.

Brooks called the statue “a constant reminder of baseball’s biggest fan and the community’s greatest cheerleader.”

PBL official: Slow growth, but smart growth

2007-07-25T16:41:00Z

The official launch of the nascent Premier Basketball League has been pushed back to allow for the addition of new teams and the league's first player combine next month, said former RazorSharks President and current PBL Vice President Steve Rossi.

League officials, including former RazorSharks owner and PBL co-founder Orest Hrywnak, were hoping to launch the league Aug. 1 with a big ceremony. However, with the addition of a Dallas franchise this week and the pending negotiations with up to four more new teams, the launch date has been delayed.

Rossi also noted that the league will hold its first national player combine in D.C. on Aug. 11; officials want to hold off on the launch until the combine is under their belt.

The league now has six committed teams — Rochester, Maryland, Wilmington, Reading, Minnesota and Dallas — and Rossi said two more are in a holding pattern pending legal negotiations. Two more franchises on top of that are being evaluated for their financial stability.

Rossi said he's hoping to have at least 10 teams secured, and hopefully 12, by the time the league starts play in January. The key, he said, is making sure each team and the league itself are finacially secure.

"Our model has been slow growth, but smart growth," he said. "It's quite a process to make sure the finances for each team are set."

League officials are planning on having at least one more player combine — this one in Chicago — before holding the league's first lottery draft, which is targeted for Oct. 1.

PBL adds another team

2007-07-24T23:26:00Z

The Premier Basketball League announced Tuesday that a franchise in Dallas has been added to the newly-created organization.

The Dallas ownership group is led by renowned sports-marketing executive Erin Patton, whose resume includes creating Nike's Michael Jordan brand and the low-cost Starbury line of shoes offered by Stephon Marbury. Patton also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business.

"We are excited to bring an affordable, accessible brand of professional basketball as an alternative entertainment option for families in the Metroplex," Patton said in a press release. "I'm pleased to partner with the PBL to put the game back where it started — in the hands of everyday fans."

The PBL, which hopes to become North America's preeminent minor-league basketball organization, was co-founded by former Rochester RazorSharks owner Orest Hrywnak and boasts former RazorSharks President Steve Rossi as its Vice President of League Operations. Rossi remains based in Rochester. The RazorSharks, along with the Maryland Nighthawks, are one of the PBL's founding teams.

The PBL is scheduled to begin its inaugural season in January with a minimum 24-game schedule and a championship weekend slated for April. The league will host a national players tryout combine in Washington on Aug. 11.

Could it get any worse for Wings?

2007-07-19T22:49:00Z

Not only is staff ace Nick Blackburn on the DL, and not only have the Red Wings blown three-run leads and lost to Syracuse two two of the last three nights, and not only are they losing to the Chiefs again tonight — starter Ryan Mullins, fresh from Double-A, got shelled for nine runs in the first three innings — but I just got word that outfielder Darnell McDonald has been called up by the Twins.

McDonald, a speedy hitter whose recent arrival in Rochester bolstered a week offense, was hitting .306 with 24 doubles, 54 RBIs and 20 stolen bases at the Triple-A level this year. His presence could have had a steadying effect on an inconsistent, erratic lineup. Now that hope is gone.

Could it possible get any worse?

What does Latona REALLy want?

2007-07-19T22:51:06Z

Yesterday I left a message with the Sabres' media-relations director and sent an e-mail to the Panthers' media guy in an effort to find out what the Amerks' parent teams think about this new lawsuit filed by Randall Latona against Steve Donner. Naturally, I've haven't heard back from either of them.

But I've been thinking about this whole situation ... Latona has filed two lawsuits now, one asking the court to remove Donner from the management of the Rhinos and Knighthawks, the other asking for more than $3.1 million from Donner and the two teams.

OK, the first lawsuit ... what if the court DOES remove Donner from a position of power. Then what? Who runs the teams?

That's a question that hasn't really been directly addressed by anyone, at least not that I'm aware of. What are Latona's ultimate, long-term goals here? Does he want to want to buy out Donner's share? Does he want to replace Donner and assume control of the teams' day-to-day operations? What if that's NOT what he wants to do? Here's what Latona asks for in his first lawsuit:

"That Rochester Amerks, Inc. and Rochester Knighthawks, LLC be directed to call immediate meetings of the owners and shareholders to elect a replacement director and manager of each entity to replace defendant Donner, and thereupon that the directors and managing owners of such entities immediately appoint a new chief executive officer to act as their replacement for Donner."

OK, now the second lawsuit ... Latona wants Donner and the teams to pony up $3 million-plus. But by all accounts, neither Donner nor the teams have anywhere near that amount of cash on hand. In fact, Donner has admitted that the teams are losing money. And in fact, because of that, he's had the cohones to ask the city for a better lease deal and more loans.

And Latona asserted in his first lawsuit that Donner actually OWES hundreds of thousands of dollars to everyone and his brother. So if Donner has no money, and the teams have no money, and if Latona wins his second lawsuit, where in the hell does that $3.1 million come from? How does Donner get that kind of money?

As far as I can tell, there's only one answer to that — he sells his share of the teams.

But to whom? To Latona? To Tom Golisano? To Frank DuRoss? To a complete stranger?

And would it come to that? Will these cases even go to court? In his coverage of the second lawsuit last week, the D&C's Kevin Oklobzija quoted Joe Zdarsky, Latona's attorney, thusly: "The parties have been engaged in various discussions. I don't want to say anything that would interfere with those discussions."

So Donner and Latona, probably through their attorneys (by the way, who IS Donner's attorney? Who is the teams' attorney?), have been negotiating.

In my mind, the result of those negotiations — and, indeed, the ultimate resolution to this whole nasty situation — come down to one question: What does Randall Latona really want? Does he want control of the teams? Or does he just want his money? Or does he want both?

The answer to that question, I fear, will determine the entire future of the Amerks and the Knighthawks.

Of course, perhaps the negotiations won't get anywhere, and perhaps this WILL go to court, and perhaps Latona is completely wrong and full of crap, and perhaps he'll lose. We'll have to see. But who IS Randall Latona? And what about Walter Turek? I'll address those questions in an upcoming post.

Rattlers, by the numbers

2007-07-17T16:52:00Z

Looking at the current Major League Lacrosse stat sheet, the Rochester Rattlers have no equal offensively.

The Rattlers have the league's overall leading scorer, John Grant Jr., who's tallied 47 points on 33 goals (which also leads the league by eight goals and includes a pair of two-pointers) and 12 assists (which is tied for 11th in the league).

On top of that, Jeff Zywicki is tied for 10th in points with 17 goals and 14 assists (which ties him for sixth in assists). Second-year man Joe Walters, after a monster game on Saturday, is now tied for 16th in points with 26 on 17 goals (two two-pointers) and seven assists.

The Rattlers also have MLL's highest-scoring defender, Brodie Merrill, who has 12 points on four goals and eight assists (the next-highest defender, Philadelphia's Kyle Sweeney, has just six points). Merrill leads the league in assists (he's actually the only defender with more than one), and he's tied for second in goals with former Rattler Greg Gurenlian (Sweeney has a league-leading five goals).

More proof that Merrill remains a stud: he leads the league in ground balls with a whopping 71. No one else has more than 62.

Rochester rookie forward Alex Smith also looks good — he's tied for fourth in ground balls with 50 (in only six games, too), and he's eighth in faceoffs with 106 out of 198 (54 percent).

Want more Rattler firepower? The team leads the league with 21 power-play goals (New Jersey is second with only 14) and a PPG percentage of .477. (However, the Rattlers are only sixth in penalty-kill percentage at .708 and eighth-worst in power-play goals allowed with 14).

But perhaps the most encouraging development is the marked improvement of Rochester goalie Mike Levin. After two excellent outings, he's now fourth in the league in goals against average at 13.23, and he's risen to seventh in save percentage at .526.

Rhinos could have goalkeeper quandary

2007-07-17T16:21:00Z

The Rhinos might soon have to make some tough decisions about their goalkeepers

That's because, within a few weeks, they could have four active goalkeepers. Right now they have two healthy GKs — first-year Rhino and former MLS'er Chase Harrison, who has started most of the year in place of injured team captain Scott Vallow, and recently-obtained Nuno Santos, who has started the last two games. (Santos suffered a concussion in Rochester's game against Atlanta last Saturday, but he should be ready to go against Seattle this Saturday).

However, Vallow hopes to return from a biceps injury by Aug. 1, while another backup, Hector Zapata, has been battling a bum hamstring and is week-to-week at this point.

When Santos was brought in a couple weeks ago, team officials said he would compete with Vallow for the starting job. Assuming both of them remain with the team, will the Rhinos keep both Harrison and Zapata, or will the team let one of them — or perhaps both — go?

Given the numerous injury problems the various Rhinos goalkeepers have suffered this year, it might not be a bad idea to keep three on the roster for the rest of the season. But, if that turns out to be the case, which one is the odd man out?

Two pitchers promoted to Rochester

2007-07-16T22:04:43Z

To fill the roster holes left by the injuries to starter Nick Blackburn and others, two pitchers have been promoted from Double-A New Britain to join the Red Wings' pitching staff.

Left-handed pitchers Ryan Mullins and Jay Sawatski jumped from the Rock Cats to Rochester today. Mullins went 1-2 with a 3.51 ERA in eight starts for New Britain, while Sawatski posted a 4-3 record with a 4.50 ERA in 31 games (three starts) for the Rock Cats.

On Monday, the Wings dropped their second game in a row, this one a 5-3 loss at Syracuse that followed a 16-3 drubbing at home by Indianapolis. Rochester remains 2.5 games behind Buffalo (which also lost Monday) in the IL North. However, the Wings are now 1.5 games behind Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, which won today, for the wild-card spot.

Wings put ace on DL

2007-07-16T15:02:00Z

The Red Wings put their staff ace, right-hander Nick Blackburn, on the disabled list today with a strained right forearm. The move once again forces the Wings and their parent club, the Twins, to scramble to fill out Rochester’s depleted pitching corps.

Despite a rough outing Saturday against Indianapolis, Blackburn carries a 6-1 record and an ERA of 2.09. Wings officials say Blackburn will miss one, possibly two starts.

At this point, the team isn’t sure who will replace Blackburn in the rotation or from where that replacement, or replacements, will come. The Twins will evaluate the current crop of pitchers at Double-A New Britain, but sources say they’ll also look for free agents or trades.

The Wings begin an eight-day, 10-game road trip against Syracuse and Ottawa with a game against the Chiefs today. The Wings are 50-43 and are one of four teams in the hunt for the International League’s wild card bid to the playoffs. The Wings are also chasing first-place Buffalo in the IL North division.

Walters comes alive to lead Rattlers over Long Island

2007-07-14T22:35:00Z

Just about everyone on the Rochester Rattlers knew second-year player and Irondequoit native Joe Walters was a sleeping offensive giant. He just needed a little nudge to develop into the scorer his coaches and teammates knew he could be.

He must have gotten that nudge tonight.

Walters scored six goals — including a two-pointer — and added two assists to lead the Rattlers over the Long Island Lizards, 17-10, at rain-soaked PAETEC Park. Said Walters' teammate Pat Dutton: "He woke up."

Walters, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2006 Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft, had been steady throughout the 2006 season and the first half of this season, averaging a goal or two a game, but he hadn't developed into the dominant, dynamic offensive threat the Rattlers hoped they were getting with that top pick.

He was further challenged this year by a shift to midfielder after playing as an attackman his entire life. But Rochester coach B.J. O'Hara said it was only a matter of time before Walters showed what he's capable of.

"Joe’s been steady for us all along," O'Hara said after tonight's game. "As a midfielder you don’t get as many touches (as an attackman), and it’s really tough to get into the rhythm of the game. But I think Joe’s really found his comfort level. We’re going to expect that kind of night from him every week."

For his part, Walters discussed tonight's exhibit as simply part of the team's overall winning performance.

"It was a team effort," he said. "The defense was playing awesome, (and goalie) Mike Levin was outstanding. (We were) pushing the transition, finding the open man.

"We were all playing unselfish. When we need a goal, we can get a goal. It’s just a matter of getting in a flow."

The Rattlers were in dire need of a goal or two at the start of the fourth quarter. After posting an 11-6 lead midway through the third quarter, Rochester allowed the Lizards to creep back into the game and headed into the final period with a slim 12-10 lead.

That's when Walters stepped up, scoring his fourth goal at the 4:06 point in the fourth. Rochester midfielders A.J. Shannon and Casey Powell each scored a goal to further extend the lead before Walters scored two more times to put the final nails in the Lizards' coffin.

Powell's goal was especially impressive. With his back to the goal, he scooped up a ground ball and with one motion flinged it over his head and past Long Island goalie Nick Murtha.

Also having a big night, as usual, was Rochester attackman John Grant, who scored four goals to bring his Rattlers career total to 123, which ties him with Ryan Powell for first in the team's career goal list.

For the second straight game, Levin also produced a stellar performance, stopping 25 of 35 shots and holding the increasingly desperate Lizards at bay in the fourth quarter.

"Mike Levin had another great night," O'Hara said. "If Mike doesn’t have a night like that, we might be scrambling there at the end. He gave us a little bit of breathing room."

The Rattlers have now reeled off six wins in a row — including a 13-7 road win over the same Long Island team nine days ago — and are now tied with Philadelphia for first place in the MLL's Eastern Conference at 6-2. Rochester travels to Boston on Thursday to face the 4-5 Cannons.

Rhinos women fall to Ottawa

2007-07-14T15:33:00Z

The Rochester Rhinos women battled hard without their top scorer, but two direct-kick goals from Ottawa’s Leah Robinson proved to be the difference in the Rhinos’ 3-1 loss to the Fury Saturday afternoon.

On both of her goals — one in the 45th minute, the other in the 75th — Robinson lofted perfectly placed shots just out of reach of Rochester goalkeeper Joy McKenzie.

“They were nice shots,” said McKenzie, who nevertheless almost deflected the first one.

Rochester forward Jacquie Lacek agreed.

“We did all we could defensively to stop them, but they were great shots on (Robinson’s) part,” Lacek said.

Still, the Rhinos played well against the undefeated Fury, which leads the USL W-League’s Northern Division.

“We had an excellent first half,” Lacek said. “We moved the ball and held possession well.”

Added McKenzie: “We dictated a lot of the play. Ottawa is a very good team, but we kept up with them.”

The Rhinos played without their leading scorer, forward Gretchen Miller, who was out of town on a family vacation. Lacek said Brittany Kinmond, Marci Pasenello and Tiffany Ebner bolstered the Rochester attack in Miller’s absence.

“They stepped in and filled that role,” she said.

In fact, Ebner scored Rochester’s lone goal in the 62nd minute. The Rhinos entered halftime trailing 2-0, but Ebner’s score pulled them within one and shifted the momentum to the Rhinos’ favor.

However, Robinson’s second goal effectively ended Rochester’s hopes of a comeback.

With the loss, the Rhinos fall to 3-6-0, totaling nine points. They travel to Toronto to face the Lynx on Wednesday before hosting Hamilton Friday. They finish out the regular season with four matches in nine days before hosting the W-League championships over the first weekend in August.