Sports, Ink

Talkin' about practice (the remix)

Fun stuff, including an appearance by a certain new Buffalo Bill at the end ...

---Keith McShea

Jason's Journey

Jason Rowe, the former Traditional standout, begins his eighth season of playing professional basketball overseas. Rowe, who is the starting point guard for Banco di Sardegna Sassari in Italy, will keep us updated throughout the season with a blog for Sports, Ink.

Ciao Tutto,

Since the Christmas break we have turned into a different team. We are playing extremely well, winning six out of the last nine games. Of course all three of the losses came in dramatic fashion. Losing those games by a combined total of eight points. Against Pavia, I went 4-for-15. (Obviously not my best shooting night of my career). It was just one of those nights were I could not find the rim. Every shot I took felt good, but for whatever reason, I could not connect. I even had a chance to tie the game under a minute to go, but missed that shot too. The next game against Imola, I was pulled into the office by the coach and managament of our team a couple of days before. They just wanted to know the mentality of the team. At that time we had came off a tough lost on the road to Pavia. I told them that we were just one "great" game from showing our true colors. I asked them to relax and that I was brought there to do a job and I would not let them down. As a result, the next game against Imola we won by 27 points (108-81). It was by far our best game of the season, and it could not have come at a better time. As a result of our recent success we are now sitting alone in 5th place. The highest we have been all season. Only three games behind first place with 8 games to go. It will be difficult to reach the top but not impossible.

The 2-9 seeds square of in the playoffs while the No. 1 team automatically goes to the first division next season. Our next game is on the road against, my former team Livorno. It will be the first time I have been in that gym in two years (we finished in last place when I played there). I want to say thank you to the voters for placing me on the "All-time Western New York 90's team. It is an honor to be considered one of the best especially when there were so many great players to come out of that era including Mike Heary (thanks for the 62 LOL), Eric Eberz, Tim Winn, and Ryan Cochrane, who for me is one of the best points guards in that era. In eighth grade, my father sat me down and asked me one question, "What do you want accomplish in your high school career?" Without hesitation I said I wanted to win a state championship and get 1000 assists. So when I actually was able to accomplish those feats, I was more than satisfied with my high school career. More importantly, I was fortunate enough to have great teammates my entire career, a great coach (RIP Joe Cardinal), and total support from the city of Buffalo during my four years to make playing ball at Traditional that much more pleasurable. So again THANK YOU.

My all time WNY team:
Curtis Aiken
Ritchie Campbell
Christian Laettner,
Lester Rowe
Trevor Ruffin

I know its all 80's but I based my list on people I had a chance to see play (except my uncle, he was picked for obvious reasons LOL). I heard tons of stories about Ricky Williams, Bob Lanier and Dwight "White Sox" Williams, but I was too young to have seen them play. I've seen how intense it gets on this blog over who gets picked and who doesn't so please do not send anyone over here to address "MY" list (LOL). I know a few people here that are more than willing to protect me (LOL).

P.S. Another special thank you to people who have voted for me on the all time team too.

---Jason Rowe