Sabers are Marching through the Playoffs

Eastern Conference, Round 1

The Sabers, the number one seed took care of the Islanders in 5 games and now move on to round two to face the Rangers.

Stories from the round one series:

• Buffalo holds off Islanders' rally for series-clinching win
• Lapses leave Buffalo Sabres with room for improvement in playoffs
• Sabres feeling more comfortable with their No. 1 status
  

Now the Sabers move on to face the Rangers who swept their first round series with the Thrashers. The Rangers come into this series confident and ready, as proven by comments made before Game 1 by Ranger Sean Avery.

• Avery at center stage of Round 2
• Ruff: It's my job to keep team focused
  

Even after all the talk the Sabers came out ready and took game one by the score of 5 - 2.

Another "Good" Guy Calls it a Career

The former #1 overall NFL draft pick out of Washington State, Drew Bledsoe, has decided to retire from playing football.
The first thing ALL sports writers want to do when a guy retires is compare his career to that of others to see if he is worthy of the sport's Hall of Fame.
In my mind I believe Drew was more concerned about how he could use his status as a star NFL quarterback to help others.
Through the Drew Bledsoe Foundation, Drew tries improve the lives of children.
Sports will argue for days whether he belongs in the NFL Hall of Fame, but for me he belongs in the Character Hall of Fame as someone I would like my boys to look up to.
It is very few times we hear about the lives of guys like Drew Bledsoe and the good things they are doing. Too much is talked about the lives of others who are consistently breaking the law and/or doing other things to bring a negative look upon them and the sports world.
To see what Drew is about I invite you to view his personal website and a web site where he was elected to the Humanitarian Hall of Fame.
So when we hear about those sports stars out there not doing the right thing, lets remember there are guys out there like Drew Bledsoe doing the right thing.

Sabers Clinch Home Ice Through Playoffs

The Sabers are the kings of the ice.

Yes, the same team that started the season with a franchise-record 12 game winning streak, including an new NHL record 8 consecutive road wins to start a season.

The Sabers, and I will bet that the average hockey fan can not name a star player from their team, because they are a TEAM.

Three Buffalo Sabres were voted by fans to be starters at the 2007 NHL All-Star Game in Dallas: goalie Ryan Miller, forward Daniel Briere, and defenseman Brian Campbell. Briere won the All-Star MVP Award, tallying 1 goal and 4 assists. Lindy Ruff was the head coach for the Eastern Conference, who lost the game 12-9.

And of all team who do the Sabers get in the first round, The New York Islanders, coached by none other than Ted Nolan. Yes the same Ted Nolan who once coached the Sabers to the playoffs following the 1994-1995 season.

I predict this series to be good, however the Sabers have too much speed and offense, not to mention great defense for the Islanders.

Winningest College Football Coach Dies

On April 4, 2007 we lost a true American.

Eddie Robinson a great football coach, a great teacher, a great person and a proud American.

While coach at Grambling State University he was not only a coach but a father figure to each of his players. Robinson said he tried to coach each player as if he wanted him to marry his daughter.

Robinson said he tried to teach his players about opportunity.

In an interview on ESPN Radio, Doug Williams, a former player and now coach at Grambling, said that after practices coach Robinson would talk to his players about life and teaching them how to succeed in life.

Famous Eddie Robinson quotes:

• ON COACHING:
• "Leadership, like coaching, is fighting for the hearts and souls of men and getting them to believe in you.''
• "Coaching is a profession of love. You can't coach people unless you love them.''
• ON SUCCESS:
• "The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential ... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.''
• "People talk about the record I've compiled at Grambling, but the real record is the fact that for over 50 years I've had one job and one wife. I don't believe anybody can out-American me.''
• "Everything I've done, I think I dreamed of it first.''
• ON HIS PLAYERS:
• "I've learned more about what they meant to me and what they meant to the game. I never won a game - they did. You learn from every player because they're not the same.''
• "The football players are the most important people in the world to me. Without them, there would be no me.''
• "I firmly believe that football players and coaches are entertainers.''
• ON THE GRAMBLING BAND:
• "There's more than football at Grambling. We have a great show band. You can be killing us on the field, but people aren't going to leave until after the half.''
• ON HIS LEGENDARY STATUS:
• "I can't even spell it. Whatever it means, I hope I didn't let anyone down. What I've done since 1941 has been more for them than for me.''

Eddie Robinson was a great person and great American. I would hope that every generation learns about Eddie Robinson.

Find more information about Eddie Robinson's life and death at the following links:

• Built his players into men


• The picture of quiet dignity


• Eddie_Robinson (football coach)