The Buffalo News : Sports

Idon’t watch a lot of tennis, but Wimbledon always grabs my attention for two reasons: Roger Federer and the Williams sisters.

Toughness is defined by the ability to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking, to be strong and resilient, rugged and resolute.

Itook a great deal of pleasure writing this column. Having grown up a Los Angeles Lakers fan, it was with extreme joy that I watched them dispatch the Orlando Magic to capture another NBA championship.

Naaman Roosevelt played his final home game for the University at Buffalo Tuesday night and thankfully, fittingly, his grandest days were reprised.

Naaman Roosevelt played his final home game for the University at Buffalo Tuesday night and thankfully, fittingly, his grandest days were reprised.

They are 20 players from 14 countries, all of them familiar with poverty and upheaval, some having seen unspeakable horrors. Many spent time in refugee camps. Many are without a parent or two. Each of their stories is deserving of a chapter in a book, a tome that details Grover Cleveland's unfathomable ascent to the Section VI Class B boys soccer championship.

The News' NHL columnist ranks the league top to bottom.

The NHL Players Association is searching for a new executive director, which on the surface seems less entertaining than a table of accountants. Nothing against accountants, mind you, but people generally don't wedge themselves into arenas, spend $25 on parking and $10 for a beer to watch them work their calculators.

If you withstood the damp breeze and waited at the foot of Washington Street until the puck was dropped Friday night, you had a pretty good chance to talk the scalpers outside HSBC Arena into coughing up a couple of Sabres' tickets for little more than a few bucks and a song.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — George Wilson made the shift from wide receiver to defensive back after Dick Jauron took over the Bills. Jauron gave Wilson a viable position, a professional identity. He identified him as a leader. So it was especially difficult for Wilson to see his coach sent packing last week.

When the first text message of the day arrived from the Bills on Wednesday morning, I figured, "This is it. They're finally going to bring in Russ Brandon to talk about Dick Jauron getting fired."

A couple of weeks ago, during his belated Hall of Fame ring ceremony in the stadium that bears his name, Ralph Wilson told Bills fans that he was still committed to bringing a Super Bowl winner to Buffalo.

The NFL is a passing league. If you can't pass, you have no chance.

The News' NFL columnist ranks the league top to bottom.

A no-name defense has helped make the Cincinnati Bengals the surprise team of the NFL through the first half of the season.

NEW YORK — You can run down the list and see the difference. Start with Joe Nathan and Jonathan Papelbon. Move to Ryan Franklin and Huston Street. Then came Brian Fuentes and Jonathon Broxton. Throw in a smidge of Brad Lidge.

PHILADELPHIA — Back in April, former Buffalo Bisons star Ben Francisco became the answer to a trivia question when he scored the first run in the new Yankee Stadium. He told me after that game he didn't realize the significance until his phone was flooded with text messages when he came into the clubhouse.

While the big games continue on the field, there's a huge one playing out off the field as well. You've probably never heard the name Aroldis Chapman but by this time next year, you may know all about him.

This is what I'm thinking:

It's an annual event in collegiate women's sports — the pink game.

One of the reasons that I've never been a big fan of Fox play-by-play man Joe Buck is that he rarely says anything memorable after the final out in a World Series.

Give Dick Jauron credit for three things. One was that his team never really gave up playing for him (somehow). Two, he did have to contend with an exorbitant amount of injuries (no excuse, but reality none the less). Three, the defense held up semi-well at times (until it got worn down late).

History has been made. Incredibly, the Yankees have won their 27th major league championship. In this open free enterprise system, the Yankees' ignored the luxury tax like it never existed to buy a World Series ring.

Sometimes we get too caught up in all the football testosterone and forget what is really important in life. I am grateful I was reminded.