The Red Wings Lucky Octopus (AP Photo)

With the Red Wings back in the Stanley Cup Finals, I thought it was worth refreshing your memory on one of the great traditions in sports:  throwing the octopus on the ice before a game in Detroit.

Basically, it dates back to the 50’s when a team needed only 8 wins to hoist the Cup.  An octopus has eight tentacles. 

The Red Wings have a complete explanation of the tradition on their website.

This year, the Superior Fish Company enlarged the tradition.  They had a giant octopus flown in from Seattle.  It weighs 45 pounds and measures 65 inches spread out.  Fans have been flocking there to have their picture taken.

Alvin Bowen (NFL)

Because he missed all of last year with an knee injury, fans may have forgotten about linebacker Alvin Bowen.  The Bills fifth round draft pick, he injured his knee just a week into training camp.  But Bowen is back and healthy, and has not missed an OTA workout.

He plays a position that could give him plenty of chances to contribute.  Current starting outside linebacker Keith Ellison, a solid and smart player, never seems to have a strong hold on his starting spot.  The Bills backup linebackers are mostly special teams guys like Jon Corto and Blake Costanzo.  The 6-1, 222 pounder should have a very good chance to make the team as a backup and special teamer, and could challenge Ellison

I talked to Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell about Bowen this week.  He said Alvin’s got the mental skills right now, but he’s still in the process of regaining his movement.  Fewell says right now the coaches are trying to decide if Bowen can play the Will (weakside) position now manned by Kawika Mitchell, or the Sam (strongside) spot held by Ellison. 

I asked Fewell a hypothetical question based on last year, when the linebacker spot was shaken up by Angelo Crowell’s surgery and IR just three days before the opener.  I wanted to know that if healthy, would Bowen have figured into the mix when Ellison replaced Crowell.

“Yes, he would have been in that mix.  Yes, he might have been the person who got in there and made that transition,” said Fewell.

So keep an eye on #50 when training camp begins.

WeatherWatch 4 now has two new ways you can check the local weather when you’re not near your TV or computer.

The new WIVB.com mobile site can be viewed from your cell phone and offers the same forecast you get on News 4 and WIVB.com.  You can even watch video forecasts from Don Paul, Mary Beth Wrobel, Mike Cejka and Lindsay Schwarzwaelder right from your phone!  Just visit www.wivb.com from your phone’s web browser.

If you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch you can download a FREE special application that’s made just for you.  Search “wivb” in the iTunes App Store.

For instructions and links, you can visit this page on WIVB.com.  Or, send a text message with “wivb” (no quotes) to 4MYTV (46988) to get instructions sent to your cell phone or iPhone.

Here’s some pictures of what the iPhone app looks like:

Leave it to the NHL to do everything it can to insure the players will not be at their best, in the league’s showcase event.

I’m talking about the schedule the league has put together, for the Stanley Cup finals between the Red Wings and the Penguins.  The series starts Saturday night in Detroit.  That’s game one.  Game two?  Sunday night.  Back to back nights of intense playoff hockey for a couple of teams that have already survived three tough playoff rounds.

Even worse-game three is Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.  So if you’re keeping score at home, that’s three games in four nights for the two finalists in the league’s championship series.  That’s the kind of scheduling any NHL team would dread during the dog days of the regular season, let alone the best of seven series with the Cup on the line.

The reason, of course, is television.  In order to get its’ first two games on NBC TV, the league had to guarantee the network the games would be played on weekend nights, not during their precious weeknight prime time schedule.  Of course, the league is bending over backwards to satisfy a network “partner” that does not contribute to dime to NHL coffers.  It’s more evidence of just how lightly regarded NHL hockey is to American sports fans.

The complete disregard for the two teams in the finals and their players is shocking.  The NHL has chosen to pacify its’ network TV associates, rather than insure the two teams playing for the Cup will be able to play at a high level.  It’s another reason Gary Bettman should be replaced as Commissioner, as soon as possible.

What do you think of the Stanley Cup Finals schedule?

Judy Clare, Cathy Weiss, Judy Weidemann of AAUW announce the Jacquie Walker Scholarship

The 55th Scholarship Book Sale of the Buffalo branch of the American Association of University Women opened today in the Office Depot Plaza at Sheridan and Eggert in the Town of Tonawanda.  This group of active local women has been working for MONTHS to categorize, organize, and neatly display more than 100-thousand used books for sale at prices as low as 50 cents. The sale runs through Sunday (May 31st) and by the time the doors close at 5 p.m., the AAUW hopes to have sold every book and raised tens of thousands of dollars for scholarships. The college scholarships are given each year to local female students who have demonstrated success beyond their studies.

I have been pleased to work with the AAUW in recent years on their book sale. They do ALL the heavy lifting, and I have been named Honorary Chair.  But, this year the honor is greater than ever. This year the group is giving a $5,000 scholarship in my name!

At my request, the scholarship will be given to a woman who is already in college and who believes in serving her community. The AAUW Jacquie Walker Scholarship will be awarded in September and the deadline to apply is August 1st.

You may download an application from WIVB.COM. You’ll also find more information about the other AAUW scholarships through a link on the AAUW Buffalo web site.

I urge you to apply. As the mother of two college students, I know how important this helping hand can be. Isn’t it great that it is made possible by Western New Yorkers who all share the joy of reading!

Thousands of books on sale - May 27-31, 2009

For information on the Spirit of Buffalo, a privately owned Great Lakes Schooner, visit www.spiritofbuffalo.com

A comprehensive listing of Erie Canal Harbor summer programming events and activities is now available at www.eriecanalharbor.com

I know that Terrell Owens is colorful, controversial, and a favorite of ESPN.  But the latest attempt to paint him as a malcontent and trouble maker I think has gone too far.

Monday, ESPN Sportscenter included a news item about Owens Twitter message to a fan, who sent the Bills WR A message saying he was not happy  Owens was no longer with the Cowboys.  TO’s response:

Frank Reich & Peyton Manning

Its unusual to hear Peyton Manning say anything remotely controversial.  But Monday, he voiced his displeasure with the changes on the Colts coaching staff.  Indirectly, some of those barbs were thrown at two former Bills now coaching with Indy.

After a Colts workout, Manning told the Indy Star that he didn’t like how longtime assistants Tom Moore and Howard Mudd left and were replaced.  The two offensive assistants who have been with the Colts since Manning arrived, left amidst a pension issue with the NFL.

“I can’t tell you what’s going on,” Manning said, ”I will say I don’t think it’s been the most properly communicated scenario around here.”

Manning went on about the changes.

“I’m not sure everybody’s on the same page in this building. I’m just trying to focus on playing quarterback well.”

Mudd, the team’s offensive line coach, was replaced by former Bills TE Pete Metzelaars.  When Tony Dungy left and QB coach Jim Caldwell wa promoted to head coach, former Bills QB Frank Reich was hired as the new QB coach.

Manning doesn’t name either man, but its clear he’s talking about the new group of coaches he has to work with.

“It’s not normal not having a full coaching staff,” Manning said. “I know we hired a couple of guys to come in, but these guys are learning. They’re not offering a lot of coaching out there, I can assure you of that.”

It seems like Peyton doesn’t need a lot of coaching, but maybe that’s not the reality.   It think these comments are mostly directed at managment for not keeping him informed, but its clear that Manning won’t give Reich and Metzelaars a lot of on-the-job training time.   

As showers spread slowly north Tuesday afternoon, they will tend to weaken somewhat.  All in all, rainfall coverage over the next few days will be uneven.  There will be a better chance for more widespread lt to moderate rain overnight tonight, and then precip will again be more cellular in nature–with maybe a few tshowers Wed and Thur afternoon.  We will also be “muggifying” to some extent by Wed-Thur.  Obviously, what rainfall we get is badly needed to bring shallow soil moisture up to par.  A somewhat cooler airmass will arrive on Friday, though there could still be a few showers.  Weekend fcst confidence is less than I’d like at this point for Saturday, but most evidence points toward cool temperatures  to develop–can’t rule out a few Saturday shwrs.