It was interesting today to hear Bills Head Coach Dick Jauron talk about how “thankful” he is to stay on as coach.  Then again, in today’s NFL, it’s unusual for a coach to keep his job after three consecutive 7-9 campaigns.

News 4 Sports sat down with Jauron today for a one on one interview at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.  Among other things, the coach talked about coming back to coach for another season.

“I’m very excited to be back, thankful to Mr. Wilson for another opportunity,” he said.  “I love coaching this team, love living in Buffalo, I love the whole situation.”

Jauron also talked about Marshawn Lynch’s arrest in California last week on weapons possession charges, and about game management decisions that haunted the Bills last season.  We’ll blog more on that later on.

Here’s the entire one on one interview with Jauron, and of course, we’ll have updates on the combine on News 4 all day long.

Jauron talks about Lynch, job security from WIVB.com

Continental Flight 3407

The tragedy of Flight 3407 now envelopes this community and has become a sad chapter in Western New York history.  In the same way that so many local residents are finding that they knew someone on the doomed flight — those of us in the newsroom are discovering those links as well.  Some were classmates, some were friends, some were people we have interviewed over the years.  We share the grief.  We are wiping tears.  We are remembering, and praying, too.

Still, we understand that this is the time when we are called to be the best at what we do.  We gather information and we share it with the public.  Everyone has a right to know why a plane fell out of the sky Thursday night, killing 49 people aboard, one member of our community, and touching off an inferno that called out first responders by the dozens on an icy night to a close-knit suburban neighborhood.

There are so many sides of this tragedy to report, but two of the biggest areas that we are probing are: why did this happen and who are the people we lost.

Pilot Bob Miller interviewed on News 4

To explore why this happened we have been able to use the expertise of a man who has spent a lifetime in the skies and trains other pilots in this area.  Bob Miller, of Bob Miller Flight Training, has been our guest on several newscasts since the disaster to help explain the aerodynamics, conditions, and training that keep an airplane flying safely.   He is listening very closely to the NTSB briefings each day and sharing his insight about what this all means to an experienced pilot.

The second major aspect of our coverage is to learn about the 50 people who perished in the Clarence Center crash.  It is just as difficult as you can imagine.  No one wants to intrude on a family’s worst moments.  Some families, in fact, do not want anyone to know about their loss and the airline has not released the full list of passengers to respect these feelings.  But, many, many families in their grief have come forward with pictures and stories of their losses.  They want their friends and neighbors — and the community at large –  to know what a special and important person is suddenly gone.

Editing with videographer Frank Pacella

On Friday night, less than 24 hours after the crash, videographers Ron Gabalski and Frank Pacella worked with me on putting together a report on about a dozen victims.  We included pictures where possible and some information about why they were on the plane.  We were piecing together the earliest portrait of the sad mosaic that will tell the tale of what we have all lost in this tragedy — activists, artists, young people full of promise, parents full of love.

In the days ahead, we know we have a lot of work to do to appropriately cover the many aspects of this disaster. We take our responsibility to this community very seriously –even in times of heartbreaking loss that reaches right into the newsroom.

A Presidential holiday start to the week will offer WNY plenty of sunshine with cold, but tranquil conditions as high pressure settles in the from the upper Midwest.  A slight warming trend thereafter will allow temps to warm close to the freezing mark on Tuesday with still quiet, partly sunny conditions.  A complicated storm system develops on a windy Wednesday with a wintry mix of potentially slushy snow gradually changing to all snow late.  Wednesday may be the warmest day of the upcoming week with highs in the mid 30s, but another shot of Polar air will drop temps back into the 20s toward the end of the week.  Occasional snow showers with a noticeable wind chill will gradually wind down later Thursday.  There’s a brief break on Friday before another colder storm could  deliver widespread snow next weekend.

It was a tough call for the Buffalo Sabres, but I guess they made the right one when they decided to go ahead with tonight’s hockey game against San Jose.  With the community still reeling after Thursday night’s plane crash, I found myself wondering earlier today whether it was appropriate to play the game.

I was on hand in the press box between the first and second periods, when Sabres Managing Partner Larry Quinn answered questions about the decision to play.  Quinn says he took a call from NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly earlier Friday, asking if the team had any employees directly impacted by the crash, and whether they wanted to go ahead with the game.

Quinn says he took the pulse of the team, and a decision was made to play the game.  “We felt it was best for the community to play the game, ” said the Sabres Managing Partner.

Several Sabres players live near the crash site in Clarence, and they were clearly shaken by the crash and their proximity to the site.  But playing the game was probably the right move by the hockey club, with a greiving community looking for a reason to come together and possibly get relief from the shock and despair over the tragedy.

What do you think?  Was playing the Sabres-Sharks game the right thing to do?

The Niagara basketball team has done it again–another 20-win season for the Purple Eagles.  Head Coach Joe Mihalich has led his team to 20-wins in four of the last six years, and last season they won 19.

I had a chance to catch the Eagles Thursday night at the Koessler Center, the second time this year I’ve seen them in person. 

Over the years, Mihalich’s Eagles have developed a reputation as a high scoring offensive juggernaut, with Mihalich encouraging his players to run the floor and put up shots.  They’re doing some of that this year, but what they’re doing better than ever, is play defense.

The Eagles put on a suffocating defensive play at Canisius Thursday night.  They held the Griffs to 25-percent shooting from the field, on their home floor.  Niagara’s quicker, more athletic players handcuffed the Griffs.  Most impressive was the job Niagara junior guard Tyrone Lewis did on Canisius top player, Frank Turner.  He was 3-14 from the field, and finished with 10 points.

The Purple Eagles also got 8 steals in the game, which is below their season average.  They went into the Canisiuis game averaging 10-steals per game, good enough for 2nd in the nation.

It’s a reversal of form for the Niagara basketball program, this blanket defense they’ve shown in recent games.  And it should serve them well as they finish off the regular season, and get ready for the MAAC tournament. 

Niagara’s newfound defensive emphasis will be put to the test in two weeks, when they host first place Siena at the Gallagher Center.

Former Bills Guard Ruben Brown

On Monday, I had a chance to interview former Bills guard Ruben Brown.  He just officially announced his retirement, and we’ll air a story about that later this week.

With the Alex Rodriguez steroids story in the news, I asked Ruben about steroid use in the NFL.  He played 13 years, and went to 9 Pro Bowls.  His answers were very interesting.

On steroid use among NFL players:  “I don’t deny that guys in the NFL did and got away with it.  A lot of popular guys were using different types of drugs.  There’s a difference between baseball and NFL because the NFL jumped on the issue so far ahead of baseball as far as putting in place rules to try and stop it.”
 

On whether the NFL is clean now:  “Thre are guys using drugs that you can’t detect.  That’s always gonna happen.  No one’s ever gonna stop it.  My first year (1995) in the NFL, I  think half, almost everybody was on it.  It felt like that to me.” 

Brown believes less than 5% of current NFL players are using performance enhancing drugs.

Finally, I asked Ruben if he was every tempted to use steroids.  First is Ruben’s funny answer. Then, his serious one.  ”I was tempted, because I wanted to be sexy in a bathing suit.  I gotta say I was good enough I didn’t have to.”

Now that he’s retired, Ruben’s embarking on a media career.  He does a weekly Monday night radio show on WECK-AM 1230 in Buffalo. He almost always this honest, and that’s why he’s got a bright future outside of football.

What do you think about Ruben’s comments?

Roscoe Parrish Leads Bills Special Teams

For the third time in the last five years, the Bills special teams unit led the NFL.  That’s based on rankings compiled by the Dallas Morning News, and considered by coaches to be the barometer of special teams play.  The paper ranks the NFL teams in 22 categories of special teams, including returns, coverage and kicking.  The Bills compiled 254 points in their system, 14.5 ahead of the 2nd place Titans.  Led by special teams coordinator Bobby April, the Bills scored on a kickoff return, punt return and a fake field goal.  All of that came with massive turnover on the special teams, as the Bills rid themselves of veterans Coy Wire, Mario Haggan and Josh Stamer.  Blake Costanzo led the team with 26 special teams tackles.  John Wendling, George Wilson and Jon Corto were key players on the unit. Roscoe Parrish led the NFL in punt returns for the second straight season.

Visiting the Auto Show 2009

The February Auto Show is a signature event for the Niagara Frontier Automobile Dealers Association. It’s traditionally a time to roll out the shiny, new models and whet the appetites of potential buyers. Given the current economic climate, Auto Show 2009, which runs through Sunday at the Buffalo Convention Center, could be the most challenging for the NFADA in decades – but, you wouldn’t know it by looking around.

Don Postles and I went to opening night of the Auto Show last night. We were both pleasantly surprised at the turnout on one of the coldest nights of the winter. There’s no way to judge, of course, the numbers of people who might be considered serious buyers vs. serious lookers, but I was encouraged by the stories I heard. One salesman told me he had already booked a follow-up appointment with a person he’s fairly certain will buy. One father, with his wife and teenage sons at his side, told me he’s in the market for a car first and his wife is next. The salesmen for one carmaker based outside the United States told me they have seen little downturn in their business.

Hydrogen-powered Chevy Equinox

The NFADA chose a ‘Driving Green’ theme for the 2009 show months before the recession had such a strong grip. It looks to be the right theme for the times. NFADA Marketing Director Trey Barrett says the show is stocked with more hybrid and fuel efficient vehicles this year. With leaner bank accounts and higher gas prices, more and more buyers are seeking these models.

As for organizing the Auto Show, Barrett says the NFADA was careful to hold the line on ticket prices and space costs and asked show vendors to do the same. The NFADA also added a second outlet for discount tickets this year – with an eye toward keeping the Auto Show an affordable family event.

There are only two vehicles considered “concept cars” at the show this year – including the hydrogen-powered Chevy Equinox. It can cost thousands of dollars to transport a vehicle like this to shows around the country, plus the travel and lodging costs for the experts who accompany the concepts. The automakers are cutting back on these transportation costs, and that’s why you’ll see fewer on display.

Smart Car

The Smart Cars were drawing a lot of interest on the lower floor. The signage stresses the tiny car’s strong performance in crash tests and, of course, the comparatively tiny price tag. The sign says you can drive away in one of these for as little as $11,999. It was the least expensive car I could find at the Auto Show…although some salesmen told me there are a couple of cars that can be ordered now for under 10-thousand dollars.

At the other end of the financial spectrum, I learned the most expensive car at the Auto Show this year roars off the lot for 115-thousand dollars! It is the highest-end model of the Chevy Corvette. I expected it would be up on a podium, roped off from the crowd. But, you can step right up and get a little personal with this gem which is parked right out on the floor. The doors are locked, though, so you simply have to imagine yourself behind the wheel.

How will the NFADA judge whether Auto Show 2009 is a success? Is it the numbers of people who come through the doors of the Convention Center, the numbers of sales leads generated, or the opportunity to inform the public that there is credit available and dealers are standing strong and ready to do business? I suspect these will all be important barometers. But, Trey Barrett tells me the NFADA always looks at sales figures in the weeks and months immediately after the Auto Show. And, as you might expect, dealers are looking for a spike in sales. That’s the real measure of success.

Chevy Corvette

A seasonable chill will still be with us on Friday, but a downslope component to the gusty wind on Saturday should send Niagara Frontier temps well into the 40s.  Nature backslides on Sunday, with a cold front allowing temps to fall back thru the 30s, along with some AM light snow shwrs.  By Tuesday, temps will rebound again to the low 40s, with an increasing threat of at least a few rain showers by afternoon.  There is still great uncertainty about where we go from there.  More showers are likely on Wed and Thursday, with the operational GFS taking a vigorous low south of us on Thursday.  Normally, that would threaten snow, but no arctic air will be in place, so rain looks more likely.  The European holds a second deeper low back until Thur night, which would bring rain and eventually gusty winds.  So, there are still questions about the potential for significant rain to go with the warming, posing a hydro threat, and about whether winds will enter the picture late next week.  At this early point, I’m not satisfied I’ve got a handle on the scenario, so I’m going to hold back on mentioning anything about the winds.

Jonny Flynn

Thursday and Friday during News 4 at 5:30, we’ll focus on Paul Harris and Jonny Flynn, the two Niagara Falls natives playing for Syracuse.  Earlier in the week, I made a trip to the Carrier Dome for conversations with both players.  Its rare that two teammates from the same high school remain teammates at a Top 25 school like Syracuse.  Both remain close, and lean on each other on and off the court.

Flynn is emerging as one of the best point guards in the nation.  He can score, pass, and play defense.  Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told me Flynn is one of the best in the nation, and continues the Orange history of great guards like Sherman Douglas and Pearl Washington.  Flynn, always a great kid, talks and plays with confidence and determination.

Paul Harris

The story was different with Harris.  He has not met expections they had for him in the Falls, when there was talk of a jump right to the NBA.  Paul admits he has struggled with being a role player, after he was the star in high scoool.  Paul is also a frequent target of Boeheim’s “coaching.”  You can usually see it during every Orange game. 

Please join me for these reports, Thursday and Friday at 5:30.