Sports, Ink

Racewalking: Allen James at the national championships

   Allen James of Niagara County competed in his first 50-kilometer walk since the 1996 Olympic Games when he took part in the USATF national championship last weekend. He finished a very respectable third in the event. Allen sent along this description of the competition.

   Trust me, as a veteran of a few races this one was one of the best. My goal was to finish in the top four and walk a time around 4 hours, 27 minutes (about 5:20/k pace). Having averaged a whopping 47k per week, I wasn't sure about being able to finish 50k in one shot.

   The cast included 5 of the top 10 all-time US 20k walkers: John Nunn, 2004 US Olympian; Ray Sharp, one of the top walkers in the "80's; Steve Quirke; Jonathan Matthews, one of the top walkers in the "90's; and Dave McGovern, who has a record for most international teams by a race walker if there's one to have.

   The Race Plan: Having developed a comfort zone for 5:20, I decided I would go for 5:20 having no idea what would happen after 35k. I hoped to be in the top 4 with a time around 4:27, but I mostly just wanted to finish the race.

   The Race: Prior to the race, Ray, Steve and John had pretty much discussed going out at 5:20. Ray mentioned something about speeding up midway through the race and fading. John, struggling with an injury, did his best to keep it easy and go with the plan. However, a long rest stop may have taken its toll and tightened things up for John. With Jonathan rocketing to the front and adding to his lead every kilometer and Ray busting loose to chase Jonathan around 25k, Steve and I were the only remnants of the Peloton.

    Steve and I had obviously began to step up the pace while we enjoyed each other's company. While with the Peloton we were constantly talking about the growing gap with the leader. Now, as a simple chase group of two, we simply tried to manage our race plan and containment.

    Fully knowing I was way under my projected pace at this point, I knew I had to monitor our progressions. By 35K it was clear that Ray was fading quickly and the gap was no longer expanding.

   I've always known that the race starts at 40K. A recent experience in crashing the last 5K of a 20K reminded me of the caution of pushing too soon. The pace had changed to 5:14 to 15 per K. I was concerned about that but I know the two of us were very comfortable and relaxed. Ray was the perfect chum for two hungry sharks and there was an ever-building confidence and knowledge that Steve could reel in the next bait.

   The plan was now fully incubated, it was nearing time to go at 40K. I knew I could not hang at the pace Steve needed to go, but the nearly 3:30 gap that Jonathan had was still at 3 minutes and at 9K he needed to go. The plan was, hopefully, to "Rope a Dope."

   Steve took off. The gap for both of us was quickly dissolving.  My 2K splits down the stretch … 10:12 and I'm still thinking it's too early; 10:14 and, oh no, the wheels can still fall off; 10:07, Steve is hot on Jonathan's tail and my gap is under 1 minute.

   With only 4K to go, my body refused to continue the scorching pace. Much to Jonathan's credit, he was able to dig deep and not crash as hard as we anticipated. With 2K left he succumbed to Steve's onslaught, but made an incredible effort to close Steve's gap at the finish. I was quite content just being able to muster splits of 10:39 and 10:41, my goal pace to finish.

   My 50k time was 4:24:01, a 5:16.8/K total average.

   Congrats to Steve and his first 50K Championship. Major kudos to Jonathan for a herculean effort for his 53 year old body and the records he broke. I still can't believe I finished with such little mileage and 14 years since my last 50.

--- Budd Bailey

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.

I was excited about going back and playing against my former team in their gym for the first time. I didn't have anything personal against them, I just didn't want to lose. Entering the arena for the first time since 2006, I was filled with bittersweet memories of that season. We had a very talented team (two players were drafted in the NBA. Brandon Hunter by the Boston Celtics and Paul McPhearson by the Phoenix Suns), but due to injuries (I broke my hand) and obvious losses we finished in last place that year.

We got off to a early lead in the first half and even started to take total control early in the second half. During one stretch I hit back-to-back three pointers. After the second three, I turned to some of our fans who were sitting in the crowd and yelled in celebration. The Living crowd did not take too kindly to that because they thought I was taunting them and I can honestly say that was not my intent. It was a big shot during a crucial moment of the game and my emotions got the best of me. For the rest of the game every time I touched the ball I was calling plays through thousands of boos, a few middle fingers and whistles (when the crowd whistles its a sign of disrespect). It actually didn't bother me because it made the game that more like a playoff game. But, like our previous matches this season, it could not end without some sort of drama. We lost our lead (at one point it was 16) and with three seconds to go. Jermaine Boyette of Livorno hit the decisive game winning free throws. Our desperation half court shot came up short and another heart breaking loss for us. Livorno 89. Sassari 87 (I had 19 points, seven rebounds).

Getting to the locker room became more of a challenge then the actual game. As some fans took it upon themselves to start a fight with some of out management, including spitting on their children and even yelling the "N" word to me and a few of my other teammates. It was total chaos and confusion for me, these are the same fans I played for only two years ago and they never acted like this when I played for them. I guess I found out what they really thought of me. A fan came up to me after the game and asked me why I taunted the crowd. She said that I had played there before so why would I do such a thing? I told her it was a misunderstanding, and I wouldn't have a reason to taunt the crowd because I did play there. And even if I did, does that justify what happened afterward? She didn't answer. I think people really don't understand how much self discipline it takes to be the "bigger man" or "act professional" when they are faced with ignorant people.

This is not the first incident with fans for me this season. After one game a woman waited for me in front of our team bus after the game just to say "F my house (in Italian)" She calmly walked away and got in her car. I stood there for a few seconds in amazement. I was replaying the game in my mind trying to think of when I could have possibly offended her and came up with nothing. So I thanked her for her kindness and got on the bus. I wanted to celebrate with my team on the victory. I think that is was bothered her, we won in her house! (LOL).

The next game was against the first place team Varese. It was a big game for us because we had been playing well and it was a good test to see how we measure up against the best team in the league. This night I did the unthinkable, going 0-for-11 and scoring zero points. I've had bad shooting games (1-for-10 in France , with two points), but never this bad. For whatever reason someone put a lid on the rim every time I took a shot (LOL). At one point I looked up in the sky and asked what was I doing to deserve this (LOL). We lost that game by seven. I kept saying to myself that if I scored half of my average (which would have been nine). Maybe the outcome of the game would've change. Looking to redeem myself for the next game, I stayed after practice the next day, getting extra shots up so I could find my rhythm. I had to answer to the media all week long about the game. They wanted to know what happened and why?. I'm not one for excuses so I just said it was a bad night at the office. Right now, we are in sixth place. Fighting for a playoff position. Our next game is on the road against Casale. A team that has only lost three games in 2 years at home.

---Jason Rowe

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

Rewinding the week

Thank God it's Friday ...

... and thank God the National League Championship Series is over, so we get a temporary reprieve from the Fox pregame show and things like Jeanne Zelasko's circa-1980 red leather jacket. She and Kevin Kennedy have been useless in the minutes before and after games for years.

In other Zelasko news (thanks, google), check out her apology to Tampa Bay Rays fans after calling the team the "Tampa Rays" several times this season (check out the comments below the story -- lest you forget that a city named St. Petersburg and a certain Bay are part of the region).

Fox will be back next week, but help is on the way -- thanks to, of all things, political campaign ads. If there's a Game Six, Obama bumps Zelasko in the pregame. Now that's a game-changer.

• • •

Greatest new commercial featuring football players: LaDainian Tomlinson and Troy Polamalu going from the womb to the NFL.

Great shots, a great beat and a pretty great message (except for little-kid Polamalu stomping the living room table, I suppose). The ad is a bit bigger at Nike's site.

Most awful new commercial featuring a football player: Brian Urlacher playing down to stereotypes for Old Spice.

• • •

Most bizarre sports-related sight following Wednesday night's presidential debate: During Greta Van Susteren's post-debate show, I could have sworn I saw Mr. Met walking around in the background. Turns out that I did.

• • •

Before Game Three of the NLCS, Mary Hart of Entertainment Tonight, ahem, "fame," introduced the Dodger lineup. I'm like, "this is so L.A." But Hart actually was a fan: She was quite visible sitting behind the plate in the bottom corner of my HDTV, yelling and cheering inning after inning. Then she did something very shocking for an L.A. fan: she stayed for the entire game.

• • •

Nice job by TBS, catching Stephen King reading a book in his box seat as Boston fans were bumming during the Red Sox's Game Four loss. Just when I think I'm Mr. Smarty Pants by freezing the screen with my DVR and googling the words I could make out from the cover, Skip Caray spoils my fun by telling everyone that the title is a you-can't-make-this-up "When Will There Be Good News?" (Does the book say the last three innings of Game Five?)

Better job TBS: In the postgame "Inside MLB," the guys had fun with the editing machines, having King reading the latest by noted author (and co-host) Cal Ripken.

• • •

More fun from Inside MLB: As I wrote last week, the show has had some fun with Dennis Eckersley and a certain home run he gave up to Kirk Gibson 10 years ago. In the "Ernie's Neat-O Stat of the Night" after Game Four, they did it again. At least I found a video clip this time (thanks soxanddawgs.com).

• • •

During Josh Brown's game-winning, 49-yard field goal for the Rams against the Redskins at FedEx Field, did anyone notice on replays that the two video screens on each side of the uprights were trying to distract him?

(Check it out at the end of the highlight, which I'd suggest playing with the sound down. Sorry Rich Eisen, you jumped the shark when you jumped off the worldwide leader mothership). The video screen on the left was zooming in-and-out, Wayne's-World style, and the one on the left was a rotating red spiral that came right out of a fun house. Is this legal?

• • •

Speaking of the Rams-Redskins game, it accounted for two of Chris Berman's best lines of ESPN's Blitz:

* After Richie Incognito's mouthing off nearly cost the Rams the game: "When your name is Richie Incognito, you're not supposed to be noticed! You're supposed to be quiet!"

* On the long interception return for a touchdown by the Rams' Oshiomogho Atogwe, Berman filled in some new syllables for a familiar call: "And he ... could ... go ... At ... og ... we!"

• • •

I knew Berman was going to enjoy doing the final play of the Cowboys-Cardinals highlight since Arizona's Sean Morey had the game-winning punt block. I knew this because, while working for the Ithaca Journal, I was in Providence, R.I., covering an Ivy League football game in 1997 when Morey went completely nuts (ok, three touchdowns and 221 receiving yards) for Brown University in a 37-12 rout of visiting Cornell (coached by former University at Buffalo coach Jim Hofher).

Sure enough, proud Brown grad Berman said "Sean Morey," and then set up Blitz-mate Tom Jackson with his familiar leading question "from?" "BROWN UNIVERSITY!" hollered Jackson. Fun stuff.

• • •

From the there's-always-a-Buffalo-connection department:

* When a Redskin was shouting it out on the sideline with Rams coach Jim Haslett, nobody-circles-the-wagons Berman said: "If you remember Jim Haslett as a linebacker for Buffalo, he's not backing down."

* Late in the Chargers' rout of New England during Sunday Night Football, NBC put up the graphic that noted it was the Patriots' largest deficit since their 31-0 loss in the 2003 season opener to Buffalo.

• • •

Late during Sunday Night Football, it seems like the subject matter and verbiage can loosen up a bit.

Al Michaels spoke about the Charger fans' frustration with the officials, especially in the wake of the the Ed Hochuli-gate at Denver, because fans were booing calls late in a game that was already settled.

"They felt like they got screwed," Michaels said. "And this is their way to vent ... and it's partially [because of] the other way you spell boos."

• • •

Someone should get a Web site going to create a database of which NFL players choose not to say their college during the individual introductions on Sunday Night Football, and why.

Ellis Hobbs, who was actually born in Niagara Falls (who knew?), did not say his college alma mater, which is Iowa State. I believe he said his high school, which was DeSoto (Texas). To each their own, but if I'm the Iowa State recruiting/fund-raising department and missing out on valuable exposure, I'm giving Ellis a call.

• • •

One of the best for last. "College Football Final" on ESPN is becoming some Must-See-TV thanks to Lou Holtz's enthusiasm. He thought he got a little carried away last week at the end of a segment called "The Final Verdict" in which Holtz and Mark May debate a topic before judge Rece Davis.

The premise for the segment sounds a little goofy, but it works, especially when Holtz gets so fired up -- in this case, arguing that Florida's Tim Tebow is still the best quarterback in the country.

The segment seemed like it was over, with even Davis taking off his wireless microphone, but Holtz continued to argue his case, prompting an off-camera May to ask "are we doing this again?"

They kept the cameras rolling, thank goodness. Afterwards, Holtz apologized, saying, "I'm glad we're on at 1 o'clock in the morning and all the children are in bed."

Here's the full segment and the short version.

---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.

Adjusting to the city is not as difficult as adjusting to new players, new system, new coaches.   It may only take a few days to learn a city because you  only go a few places in the beginning  (gym, team office and grocery store) I really don't have the time to go anywhere else because we practice so much.  We have been practicing twice a day almost everyday. 

Currently, we have been away from our hometown of Sassari, Sardinia for two weeks straight playing games and practicing without a day off.  Castel San Pietro is where we are now and its a small village about 20 minutes from Bologna and two hours and 30 minutes from Milan.

I haven't been through a preseason program like this since college. Running and weight lifting in the morning and a normal two- hour practice at night. I’m starting to understand what it feels to be 30! LOL. The coach has us on 11:30 p.m. curfew every night.  You aren't allowed soda, desert or even juice without permission - yes, permission - from coach. So naturally, the tough guy who sneaks Coca Cola and candy in the room is the man of the hour! I decided to take on that role since I am the new face of the team. LOL! I have been eating pasta and salad for the past two weeks and although its good. I would do almost anything for a home cooked meal  right now just to change things up.

The hotel room is not that big, but for the past 2 weeks it has become my home.  My roommate doesn’t speak much English other than rap songs and curse words so my conversation with him has not been the most intellectual because of the language barrier.  CNN International has become one of my best friends because it is the only channel in English.  I had difficulty trying to follow the Bills’ game last week because the internet line wasn’t so strong in the hotel but I did my best with what I had. 

The one surprise came earlier this week when I walked into the gym and saw Loren Stokes on the opposing team. We will play against each other two times during the regular season.  It was good to see a familiar face but it was even better to get the win. I have never met any of these players or heard of them prior to my arrival. But that doesn't mean we don’t have a good team. Last year the team finished in second place and six players  from that team remained here so I was told my job is to get the team into the first place position and into the first division. I think we have a very talented team and hopefully we can reach our goals at the end of the season.    

It may sound like a rough time but at the end of the day I realize how blessed I am to be able to live out my dream of being a professional athlete.  I would be a fool not to appreciate what's happening to me.

---Jason Rowe