Flynn now a Top 5 Pick? (AP Photo)

Jonny Flynn has been flying around the country working out for various NBA teams.  The Draft is next Thursday.  It seems like those workouts have raised the stock of the Niagara Falls native.  One web site, draftexpress.com, has Flynn going 10th to the Milwaukee Bucks.  ESPN Sportcenter, in a segment Tuesday, had Flynn going 4th overall to Sacramento.   Wednesday, SI.com’s mock draft has Flynn also going 4th overall to Sacramento.  Originally, when he declared for the draft, Flynn was pegged as a 10-20 pick.  It looks like coming out was the right decision.

Check this out.  Jonny’s already got an endorsement deal with Levi’s.  This video diary, from draftexpress.com, shows him at a Levi’s photo shoot.  Big time stuff for the kid from the Falls.

Bettman & NHL Win in Arizona (AP Photo)

Monday’s news that the Arizona judge has rejected Jim Balsillie’s bid to move the Phoenix Coyotes could be considered a win for Buffalo.  There were fears that a new team in Hamilton would cut-into the Sabres revenue and ticket base.  While true to some degree, I never thought that a team in Copps Coliseum would “kill” the NHL in Buffalo.  There would still be Canadian fans from Fort Erie and Niagara Falls  that would keep decided that Buffalo is an easier commute.  The ticket prices in Buffalo would likely be more affordable.  Some of those Canadian fans have been going to Sabres games for many years.  They would not likely just jump because a team is in Southern Ontario.  Yes, some Hamilton-area fans would drop Sabres tickets.  But there are millions and millions of hockey fans from Toronto to Oakville to Burlington to Missassauga to St. Catharines.  That’s what Balsillie is trying to draw upon, not the few who travel to Buffalo.

There would also be Sabres benefits to a team in Hamilton.  A rivalry would develop.  Hockey would be more in focus from Buffalo to Toronto.  Don’t forget, any team in Hamilton means a big territorial rights fee to Buffalo.  The Toronto Globe and Mail speculated that it could be $50 million dollars. 

There are enough hockey fans in WNY that I believe the available tickets would not go unsold. 

The metro Toronto area can easily support another team, and that shouldn’t have too much impact on the Sabres.  What do you think?

There was a huge crowd on and around Delaware Avenue yesterday for the 52nd Annual Allentown Art Festival. Certainly, the sunshine helped draw the crowd, but, understandably some vendors expressed concern before the festival opened about how the ongoing recession would affect sales. I talked to at least six artists, all festival veterans, who described their sales to me pretty much in one word: “Fantastic!”  And, I was surprised to learn that most of these vendors had better sales on Saturday with chilly temperatures and threatening skies, than on sunny, warm Sunday.

I do understand that with more than 400 vendors, a half dozen is a small sample.  News Four’s Lindsay Schwarzwaelder talked to a couple of artists who said they thought people were making smaller purchases this year.  For them, that’s true, and there’s no way to get a true handle on total sales, except by these personal anecdotes.  I can only say that I was heartened by what I saw and heard in Allentown yesterday.  Maybe, just maybe, there is a light at the end of the tunnel..and it’s shining on a painting purchased at the Allentown Art Festival!

Can you believe bunny dogs (carrots on a bun) were hot sellers?

Big dogs rule at Allentown... but we were captivated by a red toy poodle from Tonawanda named Lilly.

Buffalo firefighters provided their services to the Allentown crowd.

Wheatfield artist Jody Ziehm extended her winning streak. After a blue ribbon last year, she captured a red this year for her watercolor of Aretha Franklin at the Presidential Inauguration.

Not sure how sales went for the Original Flower Shower, but it sure attracted a crowd!

Photographer Mark Callen says his third Allentown outing is his best. Photos of Buffalo landmarks, including the Aud, were big sellers.

The End (for this artist after a long weekend in Allentown!)

Its routine in the NHL to look at the Stanley Cup Champion and wonder how other teams will copy their style.  What might the Sabres draw from Pittsburgh’s victory?  The Penguins are a young, superstar-driven team that may be hard for others to emulate.  First off, few other teams have superstar players like Crosby & Malkin.  Those two, along with goalie Marc-Andre Fluery, were the Pens dominant players.  Remember, the Penguins had to be really bad for a few years to be in position to use high picks on those guys.  So the blueprint may be stink really bad for about five years, get two #1 picks and two #2 picks, wait three years for them to mature, then win a Cup. 

Would you as a Sabres fan put up with the losing, even if the payoff was a Cup?

I did like how tough and gritty the Pens played, especially on defense.  I’d take Orpik, Gill and Scuderi anytime. 

Keep this in mind, amidst all the talk of how Pittsburgh is built for a long run on top.  The salary cap is already an issue, with $26 million tied up next year for Crosby, Malkin, Staal and Fleury.  They have $47 million tied up in 14 players.  They do have a new arena coming, and that will help them generate revenues.  But at some point, like we’ve seen with other teams, that many star players make it hard to built a complete team.  How the Pens handle that may be their ultimate legacy.

What about the Penguins would you like to see the Sabres adapt?

Abundant sunshine both Mon-Tue (though some clouds will build in spots Mon afternoon) with seasonable temperatures.  The approach of a low pressure system to the upper midwest with its warm front ahead of it will increase the risk of shwrs & tshwrs by later Wed into Wed evening.  Some leftover lighter showers appear slated for Thur.  There may be some limited sun on Friday, with a few shwrs & tstorms are likely to develop, with more widespread activity currently showing up for Saturday, and the chance of some leftover shwrs on a Partly/Mostly Cloudy Sunday.

AP Photo

For the third time in the last four years, a Western New Yorker has won the Stanley Cup.  Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik grew up in Amherst, where his parents still live.  He joins Kevyn Adams and Todd Marchant as local NHL players to reach the peak of their sport.  No word yet on whether Orpik will bring the Cup to WNY like Adams and Marchant did.  Brooks brother Andrew, is a Sabres prospect.

Buffalo fans had to have mixed feelings seeing Miro Satan get his hands on the Cup.  He was the fourth Penguin to skate with it, following Sidney Crosby, Bill Guerin and Sergei Gonchar.  Satan played 8 seasons with the Sabres.  His casual style of play didn’t always sit well with Buffalo fans.

Part-time Pittsburgh defenseman Philippe Boucher was originally a first round draft pick of the Sabres in 1991.  Injured Pens forward Mike Zigomanis was a Sabres draft pick in 1999, who’s rights were famously lost when the Sabres missed a deadline because of a fax machine malfunction.

How do you feel about seeing Satan and another WNYer win the Cup?

The fieldhouse is empty and the Buffalo Bills have scattered for the next month and a half.  After three days of mandatory attendance, and several weeks of voluntary attendance, Bills players and coaches get the summer off before they head to training camp. 

I haven’t been to all of the minicamp sessions, but I’ve been to enough.  And here are some thoughts and observations to chew on over the next six weeks:

-There’s no doubt that Terrell Owens has already raised the competitive level of the team.  You can see it in practice.  And I think the number one beneficiary of Owens’ competitiveness will be CB Terrence McGee.  Terrence has always been a hard worker and a solid defensive back, but his one-on-one battles with Owens in practice are epic.  I’m ready to predict right now that McGee will earn a Pro Bowl bid at CB this year, thanks in large part to battling it out with T-O in practice every day.

-The Bills need a backup quarterback.  I saw nothing at all from Ryan Fitzpatrick during the practices, and I’m worried.  Gibran Hamdan is a great teammates and a good resource for Trent Edwards, but I would hate to have to start him in a game if Edwards was hurt.  And let’s face it, Edwards has missed at least four starts in his first two years in the league due to injury.  If they’re serious about contending for a playoff spot, they need an experienced, capable backup quarterback by the time they go to camp.

-The Bills seem very deep in the WR corps.  With Steve Johnson catching everything thrown his way in camp, and Roscoe Parrish the NFL’s best punt return specialist, there will be some difficult decisions to make late this summer at the WR spot.  Locked in to the roster: Evans, Owens, and Reed.  Hardy’s recovery from his knee injury will be something to watch in training camp, and that complicates matters.  Parrish, Johnson, and Justin Jenkins figure to be locked in an intense battle for one or two roster spots during camp. 

-It’s no secret that the Offensive Line is the biggest question mark on the team.  Nothing less than the future of Trent Edwards, Dick Jauron, his staff, and maybe Terrell Owens hangs on their ability to jell quickly and become effective.  With Wood and Levitre at guard, the Bills are much more athletic and quick up front.  But can Langston Walker do enough in the running game to keep Marshawn Lynch picking up the first downs?  Can he handle the fast paced no-huddle?  The O-Line may be the key to Buffalo finally ending its’ playoff drought.

Just a couple of observations.  Let us know what issues you’ll be thinking about as training camp approaches.

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Mike Williams-Syracuse starting receiver

The Syracuse football team has just released its preseason depth chart, and it includes two WNYers.  Receiver Mike Williams, back on the team after a year off, is listed as a starter.  The Riverside HS grad was a starter for the Orange his first two seasons.  If he maintains his level of play from 2007, he could emerge as an NFL prospect. 

Depew’s Adam Rosner is listed as the starter at right guard.  He’s a 6-6, 303 pound senior. 

There are lots of changes for the Orange under new head coach Doug Marrone.  14 players left the team. 

Greg Paulus, the Syracuse native and former Duke basketball player, is listed as the third string quarterback.

As I write this, it’s one day and about sixteen hours to go for WIVB and WNLO to shut down our analog transmitters. But did you know that not everyone in this market will shut down at the same time?

If you’re keeping score:

WIVB-TV, WNLO and WKBW-TV are all shutting down analog service at 9:00AM Friday, June 12th.

WPXJ is expected to end analog operations at 9:00AM. At the same time, it will begin digital operations on UHF channel 23 (when WNLO analog vacates that channel).

WGRZ-TV is scheduled to cease analog programming at 1:00PM on Friday. However, they will maintain what is called a “Nighlight” service for two weeks after that. This service is a loop of informational programming that gives details on the DTV transition and tips on how to receive digital transmission on your set.

UPDATE: WNYO-TV will cease analog operations at 11:00AM Friday morning. They will then “Flash Cut” their current digital assignment from UHF channel 34 to UHF channel 49.

As you know, WNED-TV and WUTV have already ceased analog operations earlier this year.

We want to stress that you do a fresh channel scan sometime after these changes to ensure that your receiver finds any channel changes that may have occured.