Mikesauctions.com - Sports, etc.

Link: http://buffalonews.com

01/12/09 06:37 AM
GYMNASTICS
Conte wins title in Graffiti meet
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

NIAGARA FALLS — Nine-year old Angela Conte of Lancaster’s Gymnastics Sport Academy was crowned all-around champion in level 4 at the 13th annual Graffiti Invitational Gymnastics meet held over the weekend in the Cataract City.

She finished with 37.775 points and took first in the beam (9.325) and floor (9.8). Gymnastics Sport Academy teammates Emily Hannon, 9, and Kristen Lerner, 9, finished second in the beam (8.65) and fourth in the floor — respectively.

Kelsey Kryszak of Stumpf’s Gymnastics in Williamsville won the vault, bars and floor exercise en route to a second-place all-around finish in level 9-10.

In the same division, Sarah Messer, 17, of Flips Gymnastics in Lockport, the meet’s host, finished fifth in the vault, floor and all-around, while 14-year-old Nicole Radon from Stumpf’s took fourth in the vault and bars.

Nearly 1,000 youth gymnasts took part in annual rite of winter, which attracted competitors from Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania in addition to New York.

The three-day invitational is a meet for ages 6 to 18 in the U. S. Junior Olympic Program, participating in levels 4 through 10. They perform compulsory and optional routines, with the top performers able to qualify for the state championships.

In addition to Conte, Kryszak and Messer, several other Western New Yorkers performed well in the competition.

In level 8, Stumpf’s Brittany Nowak took first in the vault and finished second in the all-around (36.275) to Extreme Gymnastics of Michigan’s Chelssee Moreno (36.975). Flips Gymnastics members performed quite well in this division, including 12-year-old Caila Grabek (fifth in vault), 13-year-old Julia Schreier (seventh in vault), 15-year-old Molly Ferguson (fourth in beam) and 15-year-old Nicole Lipa (third in bars).

In level 7, Flips’ Isabella Dockery, 10, took third in the beam and floor and finished fourth in the allaround. Shantel Springer of Pennsylvania won the allaround with 36.5 points. Cassie Kowalski of Flips finished ninth in the bars.

Congratulations Olivia and the rest of GSA Level 4.

Link: http://www.yahoo.com

Inside Slant

Trent Edwards is set to make a triumphant return to the Buffalo Bills’ starting lineup. Too bad the trumpets have gone silent.

With Edwards sidelined with a bad groin injury for two games and the team’s last 10 quarters overall, Buffalo’s playoff hopes fizzled under backup J.P. Losman with three consecutive losses to San Francisco, Miami and the New York Jets.

The Bills (6-8), who won’t make the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season, the longest drought in club history, end things with “spoiler bowls” at Denver Sunday (8-6) and at home against rival New England (9-5) on Dec. 28. Both the Broncos and Patriots are battling for postseason berths.

Barring a setback, Edwards, who practiced fully on Wednesday, will start against Denver.

And in another twist, third-stringer Gibran Hamdan will leapfrog Losman into the No. 2 spot and would play if Edwards can’t.

That move signifies the all-but-official end of Losman’s association with the Bills. The 2004 first-round pick out of Tulane, who went 10-23 as a starter, becomes a free agent March 1.

In four relief appearances overall this season, Losman failed to lead the Bills to a win and wound up throwing for 584 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions with 15 sacks and a 62.3 rating. He had nine turnovers in all, including a fumble on a sack last week against the Jets that cost Buffalo the victory.

As for Edwards, he can’t return to the lineup soon enough.

His game tailed off significantly after Buffalo’s 5-1 start, losing five of seven games at one point before his groin injury. For the year, he’s thrown for 2,378 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His rating is hovering around 85.0.

Asked to give himself a grade for the year, Edwards declined. For now.

“I’ll be able to answer that at the end of the season,” the second-year pro said. “These last two games are pretty critical for me, facing another AFC East opponent and the Denver Broncos. These are two tough tests. I’ll be able to answer then if I’ve improved or regressed.”

Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert said he wouldn’t use the word “regress” when analyzing where Edwards is at.

“It’s learning. He’s young,” Schonert said. “We played well early, he played well early. Then we hit a slump and he didn’t make some of the throws he made earlier on.

“But we’re all learning. With a young quarterback, every snap you take is beneficial for the future.”

Edwards’ return is a chance to showcase himself in the same game featuring a true young NFL star, Jay Cutler, the Broncos quarterback who is on the verge of breaking several team passing records and was just named this week to his first Pro Bowl.

Cutler, who has seen five running backs injured in his backfield, has kept the Broncos competitive by throwing for 3,851 yards and 24 touchdowns. Edwards and Losman have just 13 touchdown passes between them with 15 interceptions.

Cutler, who played at Vanderbilt, is the quarterback the Bills passed over with the eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft in favor of Ohio State strong safety Donte Whitner. Denver selected Cutler three picks later. He has 53 touchdown passes in 35 career starts.

Edwards, who hasn’t performed well in cold weather, will be greeted by temperatures near zero in Denver. How his groin muscle reacts and how it affects his throwing will be of concern.

“I always need to be mindful, especially with a lower-body injury,” Edwards said. “I have to make sure my legs are there when making a throw. That’s where power and accuracy comes from, throwing with the lower body. The groin area is pretty essential when it comes to dropping back and driving through a football.”

As for Hamdan, a former NFL Europa MVP who has no NFL starts, the Bills promoted him to No. 2 so that they can evaluate him in a regular-season game if the situation arises.

“We’re hopeful Trent will be the guy and that’s as far as it goes,” coach Dick Jauron said. “But if it got to the two, we’d put Gibran on the field, mainly because we haven’t see him in that situation but we have a great deal of faith in him.”

And, obviously, no more in J.P. Losman.

Series History: 34th meeting, Bills lead 17-15-1 but the Broncos will be looking for their sixth consecutive win in the series. PK Jason Elam’s 42-yard field goal as time expired lifted Denver to a 15-14 victory in Buffalo last season that kicked off the 2007 season. Bills last played in Denver in 2002, a 28-23 loss.

Notes, Quotes

• The Bills have run the ball extremely effectively the last month with RB Marshawn Lynch averaging 98.8 yards in each of the past five games. He needs 114 yards to better last year’s rookie total of 1,115 yards. The production makes last week’s loss to the Jets all the more galling. With a three-point lead, all the Bills needed to do was run the clock out, but an ill-fated rollout pass just before the two-minute warning resulted in a sack and fumble by QB J.P. Losman. The Jets returned the fumble for the winning TD. The pass shocked Bills players. “The way we were running it, get a few more first downs, which we knew we were going to do, the game’s over. So yeah, it was definitely a surprise,” WR Josh Reed said. “Coach always says the ball is going to bounce crazy ways. But when you’ve got control over what you can do, that drives the knife in even deeper.” Coach Dick Jauron took blame for the call and said he wished he “had it back.”

• The Bills continue to decline comment on Jauron’s job status, despite several published reports that he has signed a three-year contract. It’s also known owner Ralph Wilson handed several key assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Turk Schonert, one-year extensions last spring through 2009. If Wilson doesn’t like the idea of eating Jauron’s three-year deal, he may find eating Schonert’s one-year contract more palatable.

• CB Jabari Greer, who has missed his last four starts with a knee injury, isn’t likely to play in the team’s final two games unless he’s absolutely 100 percent healthy. He’s a free agent and stands to strike a big deal if he doesn’t re-sign with Buffalo. Playing at anything less than 100 percent won’t help Greer or the Bills, who would like to give rookie Leodis McKelvin the starting reps these last two games now that they’ve been eliminated from the playoffs. “Of course you’d like to play,” said Greer, who practiced on Tuesday on a limited basis. “I was talking to a lot of guys in the locker room, and they all know I want to be out there with them. If I can go, I will. (But) these are our jobs and to be successful you have to be healthy. If you’re not 100 percent when out there and you get exposed, people don’t want to hear you were banged up. They want results.”

• The Bills, who won’t make the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season, the longest drought in team history, have been taking a lot of criticism. Bring it on, said veteran LB Kawika Mitchell, a member of last season’s Super Bowl winning New York Giants. “People are going to say what they want to say,” Mitchell said. “We deserve it. We’re not winning. We’re not doing what we’re supposed to do. Say what you want to say until we prove you different.”

• In Denver, the Bills face a Broncos team that can clinch their 11th AFC West title and 18th playoff berth in team history with a win. Denver has rebounded from a mid-season three-game losing streak to win four of its last six games but is coming off a 30-10 loss at Carolina. Coach Mike Shanahan, who can pass Bills Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy (154 wins) for 15th place on the NFL’s career victory list, is rebuilding while winning. Denver has played 12 rookies on a regular basis, representing 50 starts and 135 total games.

By The Numbers: 16—Yards rookie Leodis McKelvin needs to break Terrence McGee’s club record for most kickoff return yards in a season. McGee gained 1,381 yards in 2005.

Quote To Note: “What we need to do as a team is learn from week to week, from the wins and from the losses. Not get too high and not get too low. At times we might have gotten too high after those big wins earlier in the season and we might have gotten too low after some of the tough losses later in the season. We need to learn and apply that to each game.”—QB Trent Edwards, reflecting on why the Bills crashed and burned after a 5-1 start.

Strategy And Personnel

LT Jason Peters’ repeat selection to the Pro Bowl should make him a lock for a new rich contract extension. Or does it?

Asked what a second trip to Hawaii means to his ongoing talks with the team, Peters said, “I’m not sure. I’m just letting it play out. If not, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

With three years remaining on Peters’ deal, Buffalo’s front office refused to give into his pay demands last summer. But now that Peters has shaved another year off that deal, and the fact that young Pro Bowl left tackles don’t grow on trees, the Bills are apt to do the right thing and make him their highest-paid offensive lineman. Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker earn more and they aren’t in Peters’ league.

Earning the nod as the AFC’s left tackle starter marks an impressive comeback for Peters, who was coming off a sports hernia injury, missed all of training camp and sat out the season’s first game. He didn’t round into form until Game 5, he felt. While victimized for several key sacks this year, he has triggered a resurgent run game and most insiders feel he’s a dominating talent deserving of a pay raise.

“I’m going back to Hawaii,” Peters said. “I mean, what can you say? They just don’t put you over there. You’ve got to be playing some kind of football.”

PLAYER NOTES

• QB Trent Edwards, who has missed two games with a groin injury, was back in a starter’s role at practice and is on track to play Sunday at Denver. Edwards took all repetitions with the first team and was running well.

• RB Marshawn Lynch sat out practice with sore shoulder. He should be fine for Sunday.

• FB Corey McIntyre was excused for personal reasons but is expected back Thursday.

• LT Jason Peters is the team’s lone selection to the Pro Bowl. It’s his second consecutive nod and an impressive comeback given a hernia injury, his contract holdout and slow start to the season. Peters sat out practice Tuesday with a sore knee but will be fine for Sunday’s game at Denver.

• CB Jabari Greer, who has missed four starts, practiced on a limited basis again. With the team’s elimination from the playoff race, he won’t take the field in the final two games unless completely 100 percent.

• LB Keith Ellison, one of the team’s more versatile athletes, gained 6 yards on a fake punt rush last Sunday against the Jets, converting a first down. It was his first career NFL rush.

Game Plan: The Bills (6-8), eliminated from playoff contention last week, can play the role of the spoiler against the Broncos (8-6), who can clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie. Buffalo’s 23rd-ranked offense, which will get a lift from the return of QB Trent Edwards from a groin injury, should have no problem moving the ball against Denver’s 28th-ranked defense that has missed a healthy CB Champ Bailey (groin). The Broncos yield 140.1 yards rushing per game so plenty of touches for RB Marshawn Lynch, who has averaged 98.8 yards rushing in his last five starts, is in order, particularly on the road. The real question is how well Buffalo’s No. 13 defense can hold up against Denver’s explosive No. 2 offense, averaging 385 yards and 23 points per game. Despite a myriad of injuries at running back, third-year QB Jay Cutler has enjoyed a Pro Bowl campaign. He threw for 304 yards in Denver’s 15-14 win over the Bills last season in Orchard Park. The Bills need to get pressure on him, but Denver’s offensive line is once against among the league’s best. Cutler has been sacked just 10 times and the Broncos are still averaging 4.2 yards per rush. The Bills will need a big play or two in the kicking game and should be able to exploit Denver’s weak coverage units.

Matchups To Watch: Bills DE Ryan Denney, leader of a pass rush with just 22 sacks, vs. Broncos rookie LT Ryan Clady, who has allowed a half-sack in 14 starts.

• Bills SS Donte Whitner, rounding back into form after a separated shoulder, vs. Broncos TE Tony Scheffler, who leads all NFL tight ends with a 15.6-yards-per-catch average.

• Bills CBs Terrence McGee and rookie Leodis McKelvin vs. Broncos talented WR duo of Brandon Marshall and rookie Eddie Royal, who have combined for 113 catches. Marshall was named to the Pro Bowl this week.

• Bills OTs Jason Peters, named to his second Pro Bowl, and Langston Walker vs. Broncos DEs Ebenezer Ekuban and Elvis Dumervil, who have combined for nine sacks.

• Bills punt and kickoff return units, led by Roscoe Parrish and Leodis McKelvin, which rank 1 and 3 in the NFL, respectively, vs. Broncos coverage units, which rank 28 and 27.

Injury Impact: The loss of WR James Hardy to a season-ending knee injury will mean even more playing time for fellow rookie Steve Johnson, who had been cutting into Hardy’s repetitions anyway. The 6-2 Johnson is Buffalo’s biggest receiver next to Hardy (6-5), and the team needs his size for matchup advantages paired with 5-10 starters Lee Evans and Josh Reed. Johnson has nine catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

I can sell below the jiobber pricing. Email us at 69rsmike@mikesauctions.com

JSP Part No Description Jobber Price Inventory SPECIAL BULK PRICING
COMPLETE BODY KITS
B3001 02-06 Acura RSX Complete Body Kit $549.75 7 complete kits.
B1852 00-04 Ford Focus Sedan Body Kit $729.95 11 complete kits.
B1853 00-04 Ford Focus ZX3/ZX5 Body Kit $729.95 1 complete kits.
B1951 00-05 Toyota Celica Body Kit $719.85 18 complete kits.

F1501 94-97 Acura Integra Front Fascia $339.95 45

F1601 96-98 Honda Civic 2/3/4 Dr Front Fascia $329.95 9
R1611 96-98 Honda Civic Rear Valence $199.95 9

F1801 00-04 Ford Focus 3/4 Door Wagon Front Fascia $329.95 35
R1812 00-04 Ford Focus Sdn Rear Valence $199.95 45
R1813 00-04 Ford Focus ZX3/ZX5 Rear Valence $199.95 18

F1901 00-05 Toyota Celica Front Fascia $329.95 18
R1911 00-05 Toyota Celica Rear Valence $189.95 31

B8001 02-06 Acura RSX Front Lip (grill insert included) $139.95 9
B7001 02-06 Acura RSX Side Skirts $149.95 11
B6001 02-06 Acura RSX Rear Valence $139.95 13
B5001 02-06 Acura RSX Grill $79.95 13
B4001 02-06 Acura RSX Eye Brows $39.95 7

PLEASE NOTE Payment: Credit Card, All sales are final and sold as iswith no warranty and no returns. In order

Link: http://stores.ebay.com/mikes-wholesale-auctions

Click the title above to view the ebay auction.

www.mikesauctions.com

Sabres C Connolly to have season-ending hip surgery
By JOHN WAWROW, AP Sports Writer

Buzz Up PrintBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)—Sabres center Tim Connolly will undergo season-ending surgery to have bone chips removed from his hip.

Buffalo general manager Darcy Regier said Connolly is scheduled to have surgery on Monday in Colorado. The procedure will be performed by hip specialist Dr. Marc Philipon, who recently operated on Mike Sillinger and Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders.

“It was a combination of the time it took to recover, his inability to practice in between (games), and a rising level of pain,” Regier said Friday night during the Sabres game against Toronto. “We think he’ll be fine for the start of next season.”

The injury has bothered Connolly for much of the past three months, and he hoped to complete the season before having surgery.

He missed 13 games from Jan. 10-Feb. 8, before returning to the lineup. The play-making center played in 14 of the next 16 games, before aggravating the injury when he crashed heavily into the boards during Buffalo’s loss to the New York Rangers on March 10.

Connolly hasn’t played since, but with 40 points (seven goals, 33 assists) in 48 games, he still ranks sixth on the Sabres in scoring.

“We could certainly use him,” Regier said. “It’s what best for him and the organization.”

The injury was the latest setback for Connolly, who missed all but two regular-season games last season because of a neck injury and post-concussion symptoms. He also missed the entire 2003-04 season because of a concussion.

Connolly has one year left on a three-year, $8.7 million contract, and is scheduled to make $3.5 million next season

By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—Dale Jarrett on Tuesday called on Goodyear to listen carefully to Tony Stewart’s complaints about the tires the company has produced this season.

Although some drivers believe Stewart went overboard in his criticism of Goodyear following Sunday’s race in Atlanta, Jarrett said the manufacturer needs to start constructing a better tire for Sprint Cup racing.

“I have no problem with what Tony Stewart said. I’m a huge supporter of Goodyear and all that they have done over the years, but somebody needs to wake up right now and listen to these guys,” said Jarrett, the former series champion who is retiring following Sunday’s race in Bristol, Tenn.

“We’re talking about race drivers that have a huge amount of talent and very seldom complain about things like that.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Stewart was livid with Goodyear all last weekend, when he complained about a lack of grip on the hard tires the company sent to Atlanta. Following his second-place finish, the two-time series champion said Goodyear gave him “the most pathetic racing tire I’ve ever been on in my professional career.”

Goodyear has staunchly defended its product. But Tuesday, Texas Motor Speedway officials said Goodyear will not bring the Atlanta tire to its track for next month’s race.

Atlanta and Texas are essentially sister tracks with identical layouts and the same 24 degree banking in the corners.

Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were among the many drivers to echo Stewart’s complaints after the Atlanta race, but a handful of drivers on Monday decided Stewart went too far.

“I think he went a little overboard. He kind of made it personal,” Gordon, the four-time series champion, said. “We were all pretty out of control out there. I don’t disagree with him as far as the comfort level in the situation we were in.

“But we have to look at all sides of this and try to give the folks that are doing their jobs the ability and constructive criticism to try to do it better.”

Goodyear said in a statement Monday it was pleased it had no safety issues because of the hard compound it brought to combat Atlanta’s abrasive surface. Still, the company promised to re-evaluate before returning to Atlanta in October.

“Even though both Goodyear and NASCAR were satisfied with the tire’s performance in Atlanta, if the drivers are not happy, then Goodyear’s not happy,” the company said.

That sent Stewart on a second rant Monday evening on his national radio show.

“If they truly believe that they were satisfied with the way the race went … I’m more disappointed than ever,” Stewart said on Sirius Satellite Radio. “And I can’t believe that NASCAR, at the end of the day, is truly, honestly, happy with the results.”

As the exclusive tire provider of NASCAR, Goodyear is not subjected to competition from other manufacturers. And NASCAR can’t allow other companies to enter the sport for risk of a “tire war” in which manufacturers are putting safety at risk while trying to develop a faster tire that teams will select.

On Tuesday, Jarrett said he has gone to NASCAR before to urge the sanctioning body to mandate Goodyear develop separate tires for the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. In using the same tire, the rubber must be strong enough to withstand a significant amount of downforce in the Nationwide cars.

The Cup cars have roughly 400 lbs. less downforce, and don’t need such a hard tire, Jarrett said.

“We can’t race the same tire on the Nationwide cars that is going to be any good for the Cup cars. That’s just plain and simple,” Jarrett said. “You’re not going to be able to put on a good show. These guys cannot drive these cars to the point of putting on a good race for the fans, which is what our sport was built on.

“So somebody is going to have to swallow their pride right now, and we are going to have to have two separate tires done there.”

Kyle Busch, the current Cup and Truck Series points leader and winner of both series’ races in Atlanta, also disliked the tires and said Tuesday he wants Goodyear to make different sets for the three different series.

“You have to build a tire that’s different for all three vehicles, or at least different for the Nationwide from the Cup car in order to be able to make everything work out right,” Busch said. “At Atlanta, the tire was too hard for all three vehicles.”

Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage is also lobbying NASCAR for a test at his track before its April 6 race, in which Goodyear will use not the Atlanta tires but essentially the same compound it used last season.

“Failing that, we would encourage NASCAR to add practice time to the race weekend schedule to give teams a bit more time to get comfortable with this new car and tire combination,” Gossage said. “We hope after the Atlanta race that they will see the wisdom behind our suggestion.”

Posted by: Collin Bishop, Special Projects Producer

Created: 2/26/2008 11:16:58 AM
Updated: 2/26/2008 11:30:54 AM

TSN reports that the Buffalo Sabres have traded Brian Campbell to the San Jose Sharks.

2 On Your Side’s Adam Benigni is at Sabres practice this morning and says Campbell appeared to be called back into the locker room when the rest of the team began practice.

Keep refreshing this page for updates as details become available.

From wgrz.com

Visit Mikesauctions.com