The World Cup is over. Baseball's All Star Game has been played. The NBA's free-agency circus has folded their big top. That can only mean one thing: It's time for football.
The Buffalo Bills are once again preparing to open their 2010 training camp at St. John Fisher in Rochester. This season has plenty of uncertainty. Three's company, unless that's the number of quarterbacks vying for a starting spot, or the number of quality running backs looking for carries in the backfield.
We take a look at the Bills roster and prospects for 2010 in the season preview this issue.
Speaking of prospects, the Sabres will gather some familiar and not-so-familiar names for their annual rookie camp this month. After the free-agent defensive departures of Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder, the Sabres will need to start preparing their young players to step up as
they build around the team's core.
Tyler Myers, already a rock (or perhaps mountain) on the blueline, figures to lead the Sabres' new faces after winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable rookie. Perhaps hoping to replicate Myer's performance, the Sabres went defense first in the NHL draft, selecting three
defencemen out of their first four picks, including Mark Pysyk with the 23rd overall pick.
Also receiving some new hard hardware, we send our congratulations to Ryan Miller who added a Vezina Trophy to the silver medal already sitting on his mantle.
As the pros start reporting to camp, the end of July will mark the return of the Empire State Games after taking last year off. Buffalo will play host to the 32nd annual games, the fifth time the Queen City has hosted.
Also, we'd like to take a moment to recognize two Yankee legends who are no longer with us. The voice of Yankee Stadium, PA announcer Bob Sheppard passed away. Anyone who has paid a visit to the Bronx or just overheard him on TV knows that no one can compare to his classy, regal voice.
Sheppard's death was timely, since there is no one else qualified to announce the arrival of "The Boss," George Steinbrenner, in the great beyond. Love him or hate him, everyone had strong opinions on Steinbrenner. It's safe to say that we won't see another like him.
