tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295673162024-03-13T09:30:42.905-04:00Braves' WorldGone but never forgotten. The Buffalo Braves, basketball's lost team.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-42788765003823838812010-10-23T08:32:00.000-04:002010-10-23T08:32:39.328-04:00New Locations for Braves' World<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/TMLU8SS7dZI/AAAAAAAAASs/F6wZSGXeAGs/s1600/logo_history_buffalo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/TMLU8SS7dZI/AAAAAAAAASs/F6wZSGXeAGs/s1600/logo_history_buffalo.jpg" /></a>We've recently moved our outlets for updates and information to the following web sites:</div>1. For Buffalo Braves' related news go to: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buffalo-Nation/145583638818826#!/group.php?gid=109748975727649">Buffalo, Home of the Braves</a><br />
2. For newsworthy items on Buffalo and Western New York Sports: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buffalo-Nation/145583638818826#!/group.php?gid=109748975727649">Buffalo Nation</a><br />
3. To order the book <em><a href="http://www.sunbearpress.com/">Buffalo, Home of the Braves</a></em><br />
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This site still includes archived articles and photos, but the new sites enable us to broaden our audience and related discussions about Buffalo sports. Please <a href="mailto:cwendel@sunbearpress.com">contact us</a> with any questions or comments.<br />
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Chris Wendel<br />
SunBear PressCWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-20408931765774527752010-06-03T10:59:00.000-04:002010-06-03T10:59:29.948-04:00Today’s NBA reflects the speed and athleticism of Randy Smith<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/TAfDJ8rS0rI/AAAAAAAAASc/AkfXoh9WPeM/s1600/4264031-R1-E016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="130" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/TAfDJ8rS0rI/AAAAAAAAASc/AkfXoh9WPeM/s200/4264031-R1-E016.jpg" width="200" /></a>By Tim Wendel</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Of course, height is often paramount in basketball. As the NBA Finals get ready to tip, much of the discussion has been about the front lines. Andrew Bynum’s knee. Kendrick Perkins’ technical fouls. Phil Jackson calling out Kevin Garnett.</div><br />
But the series could turn on another crucial element that Buffalo Braves fans know all so well – speed.<br />
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Today is the one-year anniversary of Randy Smith’s death. He was the local star who often transformed the game on the fly.<br />
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“Randy Smith was the perfect physical specimen,” Van Miller, the team’s legendary play-by-play man, told us during the writing of Buffalo, Home of the Braves. “There wasn’t an ounce of fat on the guy. … Randy was so quick that he could guard anybody.”<br />
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Or beat anybody else down the court, even when dribbling the ball.<br />
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NBA insiders know how valuable speed can be. Rajon Rondo was only a pup when the Celtics won the championship in 1998. Now he has matured into the team’s court leader due, in large part, to his ability to fly down the floor.<br />
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In a few weeks, the NBA draft will be held and Kentucky’s John Wall is expected to be the top choice overall. He’s not a big man, either. But Wall also has the ability to run the floor, too.<br />
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Both of them are following in Randy Smith’s footsteps.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-66285880481854894932010-05-08T18:17:00.000-04:002010-05-08T18:17:14.401-04:00Interest in Braves' legacy continues to build<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/S-Xim_FsGeI/AAAAAAAAASU/aNbDOeELD-Q/s1600/RandySmith0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/S-Xim_FsGeI/AAAAAAAAASU/aNbDOeELD-Q/s200/RandySmith0002.jpg" tt="true" width="153" /></a></div>The success of the book <a href="http://www.sunbearpress.com/">“Buffalo, Home of the Braves”</a> began long before it was published, with the establishment of a strong online presence. We started our internet work with A Bigger Voice, a community-building organization out of Colorado and continued drawing interest through the book’s writing, editing, and publishing phases, finding those who fondly remember the “Golden Era of Buffalo Sports” of the 1970′s, when Western New York had three viable professional sports franchises.<br />
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<br />
A few days ago we formed a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=109748975727649&ref=ts">Facebook Group Page </a>that has quickly gained over 250 followers and has sparked more discussion about Buffalo’s sports history. Along the way we’ve sold quite a few books, and continue to find a loyal audience of folks who like us, grew up watching the Sabres and Braves.<br />
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Through our blog sites and other related sites we’ll continue the dialogue. Look for a new book related to that “Golden Era in Buffalo Sports” that will be released later this year. More on that soon.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-73539228718795375182010-04-18T18:10:00.000-04:002010-04-18T18:10:57.345-04:00Buffalo Celebrity SmackdownInteresting results and comments from a weekend ‘Buffalo News’ article that attempted to define, classify, and define what celebrity status means in Western New York.<br />
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<br />
“Star power: What it means to be a WNY celebrity” included an “A” List and “B” List along with list of celebs that have lived in the Buffalo area and famous and pseudo-famous people on to the “Celebs who have passed on” list.<br />
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<div> </div>After reviewing the multiple lists, I decided that even from my jaded perspective of someone who has not lived in the region for years, that the “Buffalo News” staff missed some obvious WNY celebrities of local and even national significance.<br />
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<div> </div>I was moved enough to write in (along with many others) omissions to the lists, in fact the accumulated omission list from the reader’s comments section has star power compared to the roster put together by the seemingly young “News” staff. If one is under the ago 40 Tim Horton may be more associated with the doughnut franchise than his Hall of Fame hockey career. Horton made the list, whoch begs the question: Do people know what the people listed actually acomplished?<br />
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<div> </div>Here are the names the “Buffalo News” missed, compiled into one list. See how many you many you recognized or would have missed:<br />
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<div> </div><ul><li>Jack Kemp: former Bills quarterback. U.S. Congressman, Vice Presidential candidate </li>
<li>Grover Washington, Jr.: soul-jazz saxiphonist, pioneer of the smooth jazz music genre </li>
<li>Rick Azar: longtime WKBW sports anchor </li>
<li>Bob McAdoo: Buffalo Brave, NBA Hall of Fame member, NBA scoring leader and MVP </li>
<li>Randy Smith: Three sport All-American at Buffalo State, NBA All-Star MVP, still Braves/Clippers franchise leader is every major category </li>
<li>Foster Brooks: entertainer, actor </li>
<li>Van Miller: longtime voice of the Bills and Braves, sport anchor WBEN for decades </li>
<li>Danny Neaverth: morning radio host, public address announcer during glory days of Bills and Braves </li>
<li>Ed Kilgore: local sports anchor since the early 70’s </li>
<li>Freddie Smerlas: former Bills great and radio personality </li>
<li>Sal Maglie: major league all-star pitcher </li>
<li>Stephanie Miller: sundicated radio talk-show host </li>
<li>Seth Godin: nationally acclaimed business writer, marketing expert, entrepreneur </li>
<li>Kim Alexis; super model in the 70’s and 80’s, television host and fitness expert </li>
<li>William Fichtner: character actor </li>
<li>Rick Jeanneret: voice of the Buffalo Sabres </li>
</ul>Please feel free to add to the list.<br />
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<div> </div>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-32842141644850898962010-02-25T19:58:00.001-05:002010-02-25T20:00:09.906-05:00Buffalo State celebrates Randy Smith’s place in history<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: black;">The</span> </span>long overdue tribute to Randy Smith from his alma mater Buffalo State was held last Friday night at the school’s Sports Arena. During the half-time presentation, Smith was celebrated for his gentle caring demeanor, as well as his phenomenal sports career.<br />
The ceremony included a short speech from the Buff State Athletic Director Jerry Boyes, a proclamation from Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown (noticeably absence was the key to the city), and touching remembrance from Smith’s wife Anjela. After the presentations, a huge banner in Smith’s honor was raised before the surprisingly sparse crowd, and his number was finally retired.<br />
<a href="http://buffalonation.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/randy-smith-tribute2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-464" height="120" src="http://buffalonation.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/randy-smith-tribute2.jpg?w=150&h=120" title="Randy Smith Tribute" width="150" /></a> Before he became a NBA All-star with the Buffalo Braves , Smith was a three sport All-American at Buff State from 1967-71, excelling in soccer, track, and of course basketball. His soccer coach at Buff State talked of the immense talent Smith was blessed with as a soccer player, mentioning that the Bengals during that era were ranked as high as 7<sup>th</sup> nationally (there were no divisional categories at that time). Smith scored a record 40 goals in his three year soccer career which remains a school record<br />
In 1970 Smith led the Buff State to the NCAA College Division Final Four in 1970, and was a 1969 track All-American in the triple jump, setting a NCAA triple jump record at the time at 52 feet, 1 ¼ inches. It was mentioned last night that there is likely no other school that has celebrated a three sport All-American. Upon further review, apparently the only other person to claim the three sport honor is Jim Carrington of Navy who excelled in football, swimming, and lacrosse in the 1940’s. Ironically Carrington passed away on June 1, 2009 four days before Smith. <br />
All of this is remarkable in the context of Buff State, a small school that is many times confused by the outside world with the University of Buffalo. The night’s presentation put things into historical perspective, making it clear that Randy Smith represented the greatest era in Buffalo State athletic history, perhaps forever.<br />
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<div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><div id="refHTML"></div>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-63826200559703228382010-01-05T15:37:00.002-05:002010-01-05T15:42:36.960-05:00Arenas has nothing on Buffalo Braves' "Bad News" Barnes<b>By Tim Wendel</b><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/S0OjfjlL37I/AAAAAAAAASE/pgcgE9mjdGc/s1600-h/Marvin+Barnes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/S0OjfjlL37I/AAAAAAAAASE/pgcgE9mjdGc/s320/Marvin+Barnes.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-berliner/gilbert-arenas-and-the-co_b_412042.html">Gilbert Arenas</a> bringing at least three guns into the Washington Wizards’ locker room has made headlines nationwide.That the All-Star guard tried to pass off the incident as a practical joke is quite a reach. Still, any Braves fan knows that Agent Zero has a long way to go before surpassing the antics of one <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Barnes">Marvin “Bad News” Barnes</a>.<br />
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Old Marvin not only stowed guns in his locker, but he snorted cocaine during games and traveled with hookers on the team plane. He was better suited to be a member of Led Zeppelin or Rick James’ backup band than a professional athlete.<br />
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After starring at Providence, where he once sank a record 10 for 10 from the field in the NCAA playoffs, Barnes won rookie of the year honors in the American Basketball Association with the Spirits of St. Louis. Even though his wild lifestyle made him a shadow of his former self, Braves owner John Y. Brown brought him over from the Detroit Pistons (in exchange for John Shumate, Gus Gerard and a high draft pick) for the 1977-1978 season. Of course, this would prove to be the Braves’ last time around the block in Buffalo, and Barnes did his part to push the team over the edge.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/S0OjsXRca9I/AAAAAAAAASM/Grkko8o22uk/s1600-h/marvin+action.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/S0OjsXRca9I/AAAAAAAAASM/Grkko8o22uk/s200/marvin+action.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>More than 15,000 packed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Memorial_Auditorium">Memorial Auditorium</a> for Barnes’ debut with the Braves. Posters of Bad News with the caption, “Buffalo is Marvin’s Gardens” were handed out.<br />
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Despite such a promising start, Barnes soon wore out his welcome in Western New York, too. But that didn’t mean there weren’t some tales to tell along the way. One of my favorites comes from Van Miller, the Braves’ play-by-play announcer.<br />
<br />
“Marvin Barnes was past his prime by the time he got to the Braves,” Miller once told me. “But that didn’t stop him from still going around in style. Marvin was late pretty much for everything, so one day the team is practicing at a high school in Buffalo and Marvin comes in a half-hour late. But that doesn’t bother him one iota. He walked into that practice with a beautiful woman on each arm. He sat them in the bleachers at this school gym and they waited patiently until practice was over. Afterward Marvin cleaned himself up and then walked out of the joint with one on each arm.”<br />
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Last March, Providence College retired Barnes’ jersey, along with the numbers of Jimmy Walker and Ernie DiGregorio, another ex-Brave.<br />
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At the ceremony, Barnes joked that while it may take a village to raise a child, in his case it had taken “a whole state, State police, DEA, everyone.”CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-79628437103784909962009-12-31T21:54:00.001-05:002009-12-31T21:55:27.988-05:00A Banner Request for the New Year<a href="http://buffalonation.wordpress.com/files/2010/01/logo_history_buffalo.jpg" mce_href="http://buffalonation.wordpress.com/files/2010/01/logo_history_buffalo.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-390" height="60" mce_src="http://buffalonation.wordpress.com/files/2010/01/logo_history_buffalo.jpg" src="http://buffalonation.wordpress.com/files/2010/01/logo_history_buffalo.jpg" title="logo_history_buffalo" width="59" /></a> by Tim Wendel <br />
It was downright heartening to see the Sabres come back against Pittsburgh the other night. Not only did they take down "Sid the Kid" and those annoying Penguins, but they rolled back the clock, so to speak. The victory reminded me of an era when Buffalo teams were offensive juggernauts. When the Braves were a contender in the mid-1979s, the rap against them was their often-lackluster defense.<br />
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In fact, that’s the major lesson coach Jack Ramsay took away from his stint in Western New York.<br />
“Sometimes you have to be able to stop the other team,” he told me decades later when I was putting together <i>Buffalo</i><i>, Home of the Braves</i>.<br />
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To that end, Doctor Jack went looking for a new team with tall timber underneath and he found it in Portland, where he and Bill Walton won a title together.<br />
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That’s all well and good, but there’s also something to be said for being able to score. In watching the Bill stumble to the end of another dismal season I grew nostalgic for the old days when they could put up points almost as quickly as the old Braves. One could argue that the Bills of the 1970's played defense about as well as the Braves did, too. Still, they had playmakers on offense and continued to rack up points pretty much until this current crop came along, which barely put up three points against Atlanta.<br />
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When I think about the Braves in their heyday, it’s difficult to differentiate them from the Bills and the Sabres because every team in town could score, seeming at will. You could see Bob McAdoo & Co. put up a bushel load one night and come back to witness the French Connection & Co. do pretty much the same thing the next at that grand old barn of a building called the Aud. OK, the Braves, Bill and Sabres didn’t bring home any titles during those epic runs. But, all in all, it sure was a lot more fun to watch.<br />
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Happy New Year, everyone. Thanks for helping make <i>Buffalo</i><i>, Home of the Braves</i> a reality. Now let’s get a banner to that team raised at HSBC.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-40216420361823036122009-11-26T06:52:00.000-05:002009-11-26T06:52:51.103-05:00Bills' dysfunction mirrors Braves' demise<address><b>by Tim Wendel</b> </address><address> </address><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/Sw5r7KWM9OI/AAAAAAAAAR8/iutujgORZ54/s1600/ralph-wilson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/Sw5r7KWM9OI/AAAAAAAAAR8/iutujgORZ54/s320/ralph-wilson.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><address>A team a few bricks shy of a load. Small in stature at positions where that matters most. Week after week unable to finish close games.</address><address> </address>That sounds an awful lot like the current Buffalo Bills football squad. But not so long ago that scouting report also summed up the Buffalo Braves basketball team. And, unfortunately, such organizational faults helped speed the team’s departure from Western New York.<br />
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In following the Bills’ ineptitude in recent seasons, I’m reminded of conversations I had with Bob McAdoo while writing <a href="http://stores.sunbearpress.com/StoreFront.bok" mce_href="http://stores.sunbearpress.com/StoreFront.bok"><i>Buffalo</i><i>, Home of the Braves</i></a>. The Hall of Famer, now in his 15<sup>th</sup> year as an assistant with the Miami Heat, talked at length about being patient. Having a plan and believing in it.<br />
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“Several times the pieces we had the pieces in our hands for a championship team,” McAdoo says, “and we let them go.”<br />
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Of course, one of the pieces that the Braves gave away was McAdoo himself – peddled to the New York Knicks in a Judas deal for John Gianelli and $3 million.<br />
<br />
But there are plenty of other examples:<br />
<ul><li>Trading away a young Moses Malone.</li>
<li>Firing Hall of Fame coach <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ramsay" mce_href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ramsay">Jack Ramsay</a><br mce_bogus="1" /></li>
<li>Drafting Tom McMillen when Ricky Sobers, Lloyd Free, Gus Williams and Kevin Grevey were available.</li>
<li>Showing Jim McMillian, Gar Heard and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Marin" mce_href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Marin">Jack Marin</a> the door.</li>
<li>Allowing John Y. Brown to turn the franchise into “ABA North.”</li>
</ul>“Good teams know when to stand pat,” McAdoo told me. “With bad ones, things get too fast, too crazy. Before you know it, you look up and see you’ve lost what’s really important.”<br />
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With the Bills going through such uncertain times, here’s hoping they’ve learned a lesson from the old Braves. The fans in Buffalo are among the most knowledgeable I’ve ever come across. They know when team ownership has a real plan and when it is just another shell game.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-61309099848220815992009-10-20T18:14:00.001-04:002009-10-20T18:16:59.625-04:00Update:"Buffalo, Home of the Braves<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/St42xWknKCI/AAAAAAAAAR0/ap2FqsDtOmc/s1600-h/logo_history_buffalo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394809625137063970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 78px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 79px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/St42xWknKCI/AAAAAAAAAR0/ap2FqsDtOmc/s320/logo_history_buffalo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://buffalonation.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/logo_history_buffalo.jpg"></a>NBA Hall of Famer <a href="http://www.nba.com/coachfile/bob_mcadoo/index.html?nav=page">B</a><a href="http://www.nba.com/coachfile/bob_mcadoo/index.html?nav=page">ob McAdoo </a>emailed today between exhibition games as Assistant Coach with the Miami Heat, giving his thumbs up for the book “Buffalo, Home of the Braves”. His friend and Buffalo resident Kenny Martin made the connection, and it’s great to have McAdoo’s blessing.<br />You’ll notice that the Buffalo Nation site has been reconfigured. We think the new look will be a good conduit to Braves and other Buffalo sports news. We are also redoing the <a href="http://www.sunbearpress.com/">Sun Bear Press web site</a>, with some nice background graphics and a streamlined ordering process that should be completed this week.<br />Speaking of ordering, we’re finally up and listed on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Home-Braves-Tim-Wendel/dp/0578040859/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255915165&sr=1-1">Amazon.com</a>. Look for another book signing with author Tim Wendel and perhaps a special guest Brave. We’re lining up a date for early December, likely again at the New Era Cap Company on Delaware in downtown Buffalo.</div>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-56124236173435853902009-06-13T12:18:00.006-04:002009-06-23T22:23:42.827-04:00Retail Outlets: "Buffalo, Home fo the Braves"<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SjPRh6in4KI/AAAAAAAAARs/8t2HR797uqA/s1600-h/cover6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346847563199275170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 253px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SjPRh6in4KI/AAAAAAAAARs/8t2HR797uqA/s320/cover6.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The new book <a class="" title="Buffalo, Home of the Braves" href="http://stores.sunbearpress.com/StoreFront.bok" mce_href="http://stores.sunbearpress.com/StoreFront.bok"><em>Buffalo, Home of the Braves</em> </a>is selling well, both <a class="" href="http://stores.sunbearpress.com/-strse-12/Buffalo%2C-Home-of-the/Detail.bok" mce_href="http://stores.sunbearpress.com/-strse-12/Buffalo%2C-Home-of-the/Detail.bok">online</a> and at the following Buffalo area retail outlets:<br /><p>. <a class="" title="University of Buffalo Bookstore" href="http://www.bkstr.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10542&catalogId=10001" mce_href="http://www.bkstr.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10542&catalogId=10001">University of Buffalo Bookstore</a> (North Campus)</p><p>. <a href="http://www.tleavesbooks.com/contact.htm">Talking Leaves</a> Main Street, and Elmwood Ave. in Buffalo</p><p></p><p>. <a class="" title="B is for Books" href="http://www.bis4books.com/" mce_href="http://www.bis4books.com/">B is for Books </a>(Orchard Park) </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>. <a class="" title="Book Corner" href="http://www.fallsbookcorner.com/" mce_href="http://www.fallsbookcorner.com/">The Book Corner</a> (Niagara Falls)</p><p>. <a href="http://www.enlightenthedog.org/">Dog Ear Books </a>(Abbott Road, Buffalo)</p><p>.<a href="http://www.booknookdunkirk.com/">The Book Nook</a> (Dunkirk)</p>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-74243102375953909392009-06-05T08:00:00.004-04:002009-06-05T08:10:40.532-04:00Remembering Randy<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SikJwRwE68I/AAAAAAAAAQs/sDe2Ang1Z7g/s1600-h/RandySmith0002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343813157855226818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SikJwRwE68I/AAAAAAAAAQs/sDe2Ang1Z7g/s320/RandySmith0002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>by Tim Wendel</strong></span></div><br /><div>Some players only see the world through a prism of their own statistics and accomplishments. Others have no choice but to be a part of team – to be a spokesman for something larger than themselves.<br /></div><div>That’s how it was with Randy Smith, who died unexpectedly last night of a heart attack. He was the spokesman for the old Buffalo Braves. He not only realized that but came to embrace that role.<br /></div><div>“Sometimes I felt like I was the last of the Mohicans,” Smith told me during the writing of <em>Buffalo, Home of the Braves</em>. </div><div>“But I was the guy who was there pretty much from the beginning to the end. I guess you could say I became the institutional memory of that team.”<br /></div><div>Nobody loved the Braves and nobody loved Buffalo more than Smith. After starring as a soccer player at Buffalo State, the basketball Braves drafted him in the seventh round of 1971 draft. After working on his jump shot and then thrilling fans with his two-handed slam dunks in the preseason, he surprisingly made the NBA team. </div><div> </div><div>From there he continued to raise his game until he became an All-Star. Randy came off the bench to score 27 points in the 1978 NBA All-Star Game (the Braves’ last year in Buffalo) and took home the MVP award. He played 12 seasons in the NBA – a record 906 games – and never missed a game.<br /></div><div>After his playing days were more, Randy eventually became the executive host at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. Sometimes when I’d call, trying to sort out something for the book, he couldn’t talk right away. “Got some big clients in town,” he’d say. “Try me back.”<br />But when the high-rollers had gone home, Randy liked nothing more than to talk about the Braves and the old days with Dr. Jack Ramsay, Ernie D. and his good friend Bob McAdoo.<br /></div><div>“He was the one who remembered all of our stories,” McAdoo says. “He was the best of the Braves.” </div>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-51054485363835187002009-05-22T23:29:00.002-04:002009-06-07T09:57:13.117-04:00Jerry Sullivan on new Braves bookBuffalo News sportswriter had a <a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/columns/jerrysullivan/story/679203.html">great column </a>on the Braves’ anthology: <a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/columns/story/679404.html">“Buffalo, Home of the Braves”</a> this morning. He spoke with Tim yesterday, and was it was nice to have the column published before next week’s book signing and Jerry’s well deserved Florida vacation.<br />We heard from a lot of Braves’ fans today, many transplanted to other parts of the country but still with a strong affinity to Western New York and the Buffalo Braves, just like us. At day’s end we’re ending up as the number two sports story, what’s #1? The west wall of the Aud that came crumbling down as its demolition winds down.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-11207311096563051342009-05-12T07:30:00.013-04:002009-05-18T14:26:57.022-04:00Book Release Set<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SgwXCNU5V5I/AAAAAAAAAQk/eQXr9jCfuIU/s1600-h/New+Braves+Cover.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335664985231677330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 158px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SgwXCNU5V5I/AAAAAAAAAQk/eQXr9jCfuIU/s320/New+Braves+Cover.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><strong>Note:</strong> The book <a href="http://stores.sunbearpress.com/-strse-12/Buffalo%2C-Home-of-the/Detail.bok">"Buffalo, Home of the Braves"</a> is close to completion. On Saturday, May 30, 2009, a book release celebration will be held in downtown Buffalo. </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>From 11 AM - 1 PM that day, author </em><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.timwendel.com"><em>Tim Wendel </em></a><em>will be available for the signing of purchased copies of the book in the Connunity Room of the </em><em><a href="http://www.buffaloniagara.org/Home/Doing_Business/SuccessStories/NewEraCapCompany">New Era Cap Company</a></em><em>, located on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. </em><em> </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Books can be purchased online, prior to the book signing date from <a href="http://www.sunbearpress.com/">SunBear Press</a>.</em><br /><br /><em></em><strong></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Cuban's Antics stand in Snyder's Shadow</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">by Tim Wendel</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;">Y</span></strong>ou can create a Final Four bracket smackdown out of anything these days. With that in mind, I wonder how current Dallas Mavs owner <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJGzy9ouIEI" rel="#someid0" jquery1242127629129="4">Mark Cuban </a>and former Buffalo Braves owner Paul Snyder would have fared in such a competition.<br /><br /></span><anybody title="" jquery1242127629129="6" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDaKVCXEiXE" rel="#someid1">Game Six of the 1974 playoffs against the Boston Celtics.<br /><br /><br />Braves fans will recall that heartbreaking game was decided when Jo Jo White sank a pair of free throws after a suspect foul against Buffalo’s Bob McAdoo. To add insult to injury, the clock was allowed to run out. The refs reaction? They headed for the exits. No time to huddle up and get the call right.<br /><br />But Snyder didn’t stand for such treatment. As McAdoo and Coach Jack Ramsay later told us, the Braves’ owner shouted, “You can’t do this to me,” after being denied entrance to the referees’ dressing room.<br /><br />Then, for good measure, Snyder pounded on the door a few times with his fists. The chaotic scene still brings a smile to McAdoo’s face.<br /><br />“I did get a kick out of Paul Snyder pounding on the referees’ door after it was all over,” McAdoo told us. “There he was, still trying to get the call changed. I always loved that.”<br /><br />Let’s see Mark Cuban top that.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-66542572827098520212009-04-19T21:35:00.001-04:002009-04-19T21:37:49.054-04:00Making of the Book, Part Four<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SevRt7uXuWI/AAAAAAAAAPs/9dpP-1QyHBU/s1600-h/cover6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326581571352246626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 158px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SevRt7uXuWI/AAAAAAAAAPs/9dpP-1QyHBU/s200/cover6.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>There is solace in knowing that the files for the book “Buffalo, Home of the Braves” are now safely in the hands of our printer Village Press here in Michigan. They have given us a 3-4 week timeline before we have the now 216 page coffee table style book in hand, and copies are available to directly ship off to pre-orders.<br /></div><br /><div>We’re feeling solid about having an initial book release in May with a ceremony/book signing in Buffalo. There were obvious lessons learned through this process, but we also feel good that we refused to compromise quality and the vision of producing a high-quality once in a lifetime coffee table style book.<br /></div><br /><div>The numerous delays and postponed release dates have been a source of frustration. A month or so ago, I emailed those dedicated fans that had preordered the book, some more than a year ago. After explaining how much longer the process was taking, almost everyone responded that they could wait a bit longer.<br /></div><br /><div>Painstaking were the endless edits of the manuscripts that had to be shifted through for grammatical and historical corrections. Thanks to Mitch Gerber and Eric Brady for helping us out, pointing out obvious errors that were quickly corrected. I also had an eleventh hour conversation with long-time WKBW TV sports anchor, which provided additional information about the team’s early genesis.<br />So stay tuned in the few days for frequent updates and more importantly, an actual book.</div>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-85119724944677652172009-02-23T21:26:00.004-05:002009-02-24T17:22:03.378-05:00Explaining the Deadline gone by<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SaNcHf4qSfI/AAAAAAAAAPk/aJ5n8VqrmBk/s1600-h/ChrisW0003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306186069860567538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 153px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SaNcHf4qSfI/AAAAAAAAAPk/aJ5n8VqrmBk/s200/ChrisW0003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SaNbrrao8iI/AAAAAAAAAPc/aECqw9jdr5c/s1600-h/weis0003.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div>by Chris Wendel</div><br /><br /><div><br />The best laid plans can take longer than anticpated and we’re now looking at April for a release date. With that in mind, I sent the following message last night to those who have pre-ordered the book “Buffalo, Home of the Braves”. Extending past the publication date (again) was a tough but necessary choice. Here’s part of what I wrote to those who have pre-ordered the book:</div><br /><br /><div><br /><em>“The entire effort of gathering photos, checking for historical correctness, and editing has taken more then three years, obviously much longer then anticipated. The book is still in editing mode before going to press. We’re now at the mercy of the graphic design person who is now finishing up the chapter on the final season. Then it’s four weeks working with the printer before we have books in hand.</em></div><br /><br /><div><em><br />With a long wait that extends past the advertised publication date of February 1, 2009, we’re offering a full refund to anyone who has pre-ordered. If you can hang in there a bit longer, it is now likely that book will be shipped out on early April. If neither if these alternatives work for you, please write or call with any questions or concerns. The book still promises to be the most comprehensive history of the Buffalo Braves ever compiled. Your support in getting over these last hurdles is greatly appreciated.”</em></div></div>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-64176593049612239642008-12-13T13:06:00.009-05:002008-12-18T22:21:01.893-05:00Book Update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SUrFVzwadII/AAAAAAAAALo/Sy5WTW-AEeA/s1600-h/BravesCeltics121770-021.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SUrFVzwadII/AAAAAAAAALo/Sy5WTW-AEeA/s400/BravesCeltics121770-021.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281250491506521218" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">by Chris Wendel</span></strong></div><br /><div>It's interesting but predictable to see the hits on this blog dwindle as we vamp and discuss Buffalo sports happenings independent of the Braves. I was tempted to give my take on the Bills <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">sojourn</span> to Toronto last week but when the game failed to generate any strong reaction (other than low level of disgust similar to the Braves 77-78 season) but I thought better of it and decided it best to cut to the chase.</div><br /><div> </div>We're moving into the home stretch on the completion and printing of "Buffalo, Home of the Braves". The large coffee table style book documents the eight year run of the Buffalo Braves is scheduled for release in February of 2009. We've been delayed numerous times by edits, new photo acquisitions, securing memorabilia, and the unforeseen events in one's life. This time I'm very confident we'll have a product in hand to satisfy the demand of a strong <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">contingent</span> of Buffalo Braves fans (they exist in larger numbers than you can imagine).<br /><div> </div><br /><div>So here's the deal; the book is priced at a publication price of $89 in a limited addition of 1500. We've <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">pre-sold</span> many copies at a lower <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">introductory</span> price that is available until January 1, 2009. To secure your copy at the lower rate, email us at <a href="mailto:info@sunbearpress.com">info@sunbearpress.com</a> and we can get you the details. We are also offering gift certificates with the introductory price to reserve copies of the book.</div><br /><div> </div>For additional book details go to: <a href="http://www.sunbearpress.com/">www.sunbearpress.com</a><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-47163819865490872022008-12-03T23:03:00.011-05:002008-12-04T09:39:12.639-05:0030 Years Later: Bills Mimic Braves<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/STdayeTgr1I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/n0f4Qn7V_yo/s1600-h/Toronto_Argonauts-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275785311662681938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/STdayeTgr1I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/n0f4Qn7V_yo/s400/Toronto_Argonauts-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>by Tim Wendel</strong></span></div><div></div><div></div><div>Beginning of a new era or the beginning of the end? That’s where another Buffalo sports franchise finds itself as the Bills head north for a “home game” against the Miami Dolphins in Toronto this weekend. </div><br /><div>Thirty years ago, the Buffalo Braves were in a remarkably similar situation. The team had played an increasing number of “home games” in Toronto. In essence, they planted the seeds for NBA to expand there in 1995 with the Raptors. </div><br /><div></div><div>The parallels between the old Braves and the current Bills go well beyond traveling north in an effort to balance the books, though. The Braves proved that Toronto, despite being first and foremost a hockey town, could support an NBA franchise. The Bills are doing the same by playing there. This weekend’s contest is part of an agreement in which the Bills will play one regular-season game in Toronto each season over the next five years. Rather conveniently that situation dovetails into the Bills’ lease expiring in 2013. </div><br /><div>As my friend <a href="http://buddbailey.homestead.com/">Budd Bailey</a> points out, the Bills have become the NFL’s top candidate to move to another city. The NFL franchise would be worth $250 million or more in someplace like Toronto or Los Angeles. </div><br /><div>More importantly, though, Bills owner Ralph Wilson has no heir apparent to take over his team. That side of the equation became more blurred with the recent death of Toronto media mogul Ted Rogers, the guy who lured the Bills north of the border. </div><br /><div>Back in the 1970s, Braves owner Paul Snyder was desperate for an heir apparent, too. So desperate that he eventually turned to ex-Kentucky Colonels owner John Y. Brown. At first, Brown was brought in to help balance the books. But he soon took over the club, trading away such stars as Bob McAdoo and Moses Malone, and eventually swapping the entire franchise for the Boston Celtics. In the aftermath, Western New York was left without a team and a whole bunch of rich guys got even richer. </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Pinch me, please, because I see the same nightmare beginning to unfold again with the Bills. </div>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-61234552557279763432008-11-22T06:33:00.011-05:002008-11-22T07:31:41.227-05:00A Bigger Voice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SSfzc5iSaXI/AAAAAAAAAJs/g5w0F6WrY2I/s1600-h/Dolph.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 330px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SSfzc5iSaXI/AAAAAAAAAJs/g5w0F6WrY2I/s400/Dolph.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271449566666975602" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">by Chris Wende<span style="font-size:85%;">l</span></span><br /><br />Last spring, we began working with "A Bigger Voice" an organization organized by Carol Ross of Louisville, Colorado. I credit my friend Dave Murphy with the introduction. As a fan 1970's NBA basketball, Dave recognized that the story of "Buffalo, Home of the Braves" had significance for people outside of Western New York and put us in touch with "A Bigger Voice".<br /><br />Over the past few months the book project became a pilot project for the "A Bigger Voice" team, that helped us make huge strides in developing an online following and building our own web community. To learn more, take a look at our <a href="http://www.abiggervoiceblog.com/2008/11/from-braves-wor.html">wrap up interview</a>.<br /><br />Book update: The "Farewell, Old Friend" tour of Buffalo last week was a resounding success in pre-selling copies of <a href="http://stores.sunbearpress.com/-strse-12/Buffalo%2C-Home-of-the/Detail.bok">the book</a> and making great connections with those who fondly remembered the Braves. Several mysteries were solved including the location of the Braves early training camp location (<a href="http://www.ecc.edu/">ECC-North</a>) and exactly what happened when <a href="http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/dolph-schayes-at.htm">Dolph Schayes</a> was dismissed as the Braves coach the second game into season two.<br /><br />The combination of last week's event honoring Memorial Auditorium and the "A Bigger Voice" relationship spiked the hits on <a mce_href="http://braves-world.blogspot.com" href="http://buffalonation.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/a-bigger-voice/">both of our blogs</a> to unprecedented highs for the week ending November 22nd.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-38720904194779089482008-11-16T20:52:00.014-05:002008-11-17T09:45:02.510-05:00One Last Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SSDipZovJPI/AAAAAAAAAJk/rXhH4w5g3xw/s1600-h/aud+aerial.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 122px; height: 79px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SSDipZovJPI/AAAAAAAAAJk/rXhH4w5g3xw/s400/aud+aerial.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269460764907742450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">by Chris Wendel<br /><br /></span></span>This is the weekend I want to call the "Rip VanWinkle Experience". The "Farewell, Old Friend" event at the Buffalo Convention Center was the final chance to celebrate Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium and realize again how quickly life and time can pass one by.<br /><br />It seemed like more then a coincidence that the Aud was conceived the last time our country was going through a horrific economic struggle. The building was built as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_Progress_Administration">WPA </a>project driven by the Roosevelt Administration to to put people to work and stimulate a dead economy during the malaise of the Great Depression. This time around the circumstances were a bit different; a new arena has already been built and the now obsolete Memorial Auditorium is slated for the wrecking ball.<br /><br />The events this weekend centered around the auctioning off of leftover Aud blue section seats and portions of the dasher boards, along with autograph sessions with former Buffalo Sabres, Braves, and Stallions. I never figured out where in a rec room or basement the dasher boards would fit in and I don't know if I would make it through a half of any game watching at home in the wooden chairs. Still it was intriguing to see the seats that were nicely refinished and purchased for up to $750 (for four).<br /><br />We set up a table along side other card and memorabilia vendors. Although we had no product in hand to sell (yet), we passed out postcards with book information to hundreds of interested fans and many former Braves season ticket holders. Several former team employees stopped by and revealed antidotes of the Braves that I had never heard before.<br /><br />Ernie DiGregorio, Randy Smith, and Dolph Schayes were also in the house today signing autographs. All three stopped by our table afterwards to look over the book chapter excerpts and like the other fans, they are anticipating the book release in February.<br /><br />Hall of Famer Schayes spent a good ten minutes looking at pictures of his first year as the Braves coach, telling compelling stories and talking to fans in an incredibly polite and patient manner. Age the age of 80, it was amazing to see someone voted to the list of <a href="http://www.nba.com/history/players/schayes_summary.html">NBA's top 50 players</a> work the crowd so well, even when many younger fans lacked the historical perspective to know exactly who he was.<br /><br />As the live auction event in the other part of the hall wrapped up, former Sabre <a href="http://www.greatesthockeylegends.com/2006/04/danny-gare.html">Danny Gare</a> told the story of his first game in the Aud, when he scored 18 seconds into the contest. After hearing his short but moving speech of how he remembered the Aud, it was obvious that Gare is a true fan of the old building like the rest of us.<br /><br />So now that the final celebration and acknowledgments are over, we all have our physical or mental pieces of Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium. May the old arena rest in peace.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-43916170692577050862008-11-15T09:31:00.012-05:002008-11-15T10:04:36.352-05:00Celebrating the End of the Aud<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SR7k2T2vzXI/AAAAAAAAAJc/zMpmoLfnJUQ/s1600-h/Memorial+Auditorum.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 98px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SR7k2T2vzXI/AAAAAAAAAJc/zMpmoLfnJUQ/s400/Memorial+Auditorum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268900235764026738" border="0" /></a><br />by Chris Wendel<br /><br />I'm in Buffalo and contradicting some of my earlier thoughts on the demise of the Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium. As Richard Nixon used to say: "We received new information", which is a diplomatic way of saying that I changed my mind about embracing the old building one more time.<br /><br />To meet more prospective buyers of the book and to see how the eminent demolition of the Aud will be celebrated, we are setting up an informational booth at the "<a href="http://www.audfarewell.com/about.html">Farewell, Old Friend</a>" event at the Buffalo Convention Center.<br /><br />So here's the latest deal on the book. With the extensive editing, recently uncovered photos and my recent marriage, the revised and realistic release date is now the end of January 2009. We made the decision in the beginning not to sacrifice on the quality of the book. In other words, it is better to take the time do it right than to produce a sub par product.<br /><br />If you're heading to today's event in Buffalo, stop by and say hello. We have a special event promotion and plenty of chapter exerts to view.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-86946842489797773582008-11-04T06:41:00.003-05:002008-11-04T06:46:41.390-05:00Who do you Root for? Part 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SRA1thMh4zI/AAAAAAAAAJM/ogG4ZwZZZME/s1600-h/4264031-R1-E045.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SRA1thMh4zI/AAAAAAAAAJM/ogG4ZwZZZME/s400/4264031-R1-E045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264767020517417778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >by Tim Wendel</span><p class="MsoNormal">Kevin Collins, a good friend of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Buffalo</st1:place></st1:city>, Home of the Braves, has come up with an intriguing answer to my question about what current NBA team to root for? Kevin reminds me that in light of the bizarre franchise swap of 1978, “the old Braves are the new Celtics and the old Celtics are the Clippers.” </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>So does that mean we can revel in winning last year’s title? Probably not. I don’t any parade preparing to head down <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Main Street</st1:address></st1:street>. Still, I like the idea of the Braves living on as a championship club. Perhaps that’s what has always bothered me about the Braves’ institutional memory and storied history simply being passed off on the woebegone Clippers. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>At their best the Braves had plenty of personality and top-flight talent. Already I can hear the mantra in my head – McAdoo, Ramsay, Ernie D., Randy, etc., etc., etc. As we all know, with a bit of luck and another wide body under the boards (where for art thou, Moses Malone?) the Braves could have been champions in their own right, in their own time.</p>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-7403736311751775572008-10-22T07:08:00.011-04:002008-10-23T10:31:44.922-04:00Farewell old friend, please...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SP8XKPnaAHI/AAAAAAAAAJE/rRFRSR5leW4/s1600-h/aud.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SP8XKPnaAHI/AAAAAAAAAJE/rRFRSR5leW4/s400/aud.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259948354549973106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:78%;" >by Chris Wende</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:78%;" >l<br /><br /></span>Yesterday was the <a href="http://wben.com/One-Last-Look-At-The-Old-Aud/3174935">final media tour</a> of Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo before the four month demolition process begins. Pictures show how the last 12 years have taken their toll on the remaining seats, facade, and infrastructure.<br /><br />Looking at the <a href="http://www.buffalorising.com/story/photos_from_the_aud">photos</a> of the fraying gold seats that seemed in my childhood to be the holy grail of local sports, was quite disconcerting. I reached the conclusion that it's better to just tear the place down and have certain refined memories in my mind, than to see the Aud suffer, so long in the tooth.<br /><br />Memorial Auditorium reached the point of no return when the modern age of sports required larger corporate boxes and an arena that insured that the Sabres sustain themselves long term. I get that part.<br /><br />What was confusing was what to do with the Aud. For awhile there was talk of renovating the existing structure for the proposed Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store. Having recently visited <a href="http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&appID=659">one of the company's other monuments</a> dedicated to fish and game, I have a hard time imagining a stuffed billy goat standing on a fake mountain in the place where McAdoo used to take that outside jumper or a rack of flannels shirts on sale where Coach Ramsay used to roam the sidelines.<br /><br />After yesterday I've seen enough. Tear it down and let the memories of the grand old Aud live in photos, stories, books, and most importantly in our minds.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-73150197951258622982008-10-10T22:12:00.006-04:002008-10-10T22:27:06.439-04:00What team do you root for?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SPAL5gWO7lI/AAAAAAAAAH4/-5u9B53mZd0/s1600-h/cover3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SPAL5gWO7lI/AAAAAAAAAH4/-5u9B53mZd0/s400/cover3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255713847705005650" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">by Tim Wendel</span></p><p><br />So, another NBA season is upon us and I find myself in a familiar situation. What team do I root for? Tough question to answer since the Braves blew out of town three decades ago.</p> <p>In recent years, it’s been easy to ignore this dilemma. You get caught up in the baseball playoffs and by the time the World Series is over, the NFL has gotten downright serious. But this time around, it’s more difficult to shrug off pro hoops. For one, the Olympics kept the NBA front and center over the summer. The U.S.-Spain showdown was a great championship game, perhaps one of the best ever played. Too bad we had to stay up until the crack of dawn to see it.</p> <p>Of course, another difference-maker is “Buffalo, Home of the Braves” — the book my brother and I have been working on for several years now. The commemorative edition is in the final edits and even though this has dragged like Dean Smith’s four-corners offense, I’ve been reassured that we’ll have copies soon after the holidays. So, what team do I root for? If I play along with the sports regionalization playbook, it’s the Toronto Raptors. They promise to be better with Jermaine O’Neal on board. But when somebody says Toronto to me guys like<a href="http://mapleleafslegends.blogspot.com/2006/05/wendel-clark.html"> </a><a href="http://mapleleafslegends.blogspot.com/2006/05/wendel-clark.html">Wendel Clark</a> and Neil Young come to mind.</p> <p>In recent seasons, I’ve taken a liking to the Phoenix Suns. Steve Nash is as good a point guard as it gets and he’s another Canadian to boot. Still, I cannot help thinking the door may be closing on the Suns. While I cheered for Los Angeles Lakers when Magic Johnson was running the show, I’ve never been a big Kobe Bryant fan. May be it has something to do with that court case in Colorado. Down in Miami, the Heat haven’t been much since Shaq’s game began to deteriorate and Dwayne Wade started spending more time calling Sir Charles than being on the court. New Orleans has a lot going for it, but the only way I’m see many of those games is to purchase NBA Season Pass.</p> <p>The last time I parted the curtains and really looked out on the world, the recession was becoming a full-fledged depression. I could root for guys from my alma mater, Syracuse University. <a href="http://www.gerrymcnamara.com/">Gerry McNamara</a> may make the Utah Jazz and Hakim Warrick will probably see more playing time in Memphis. Still, when you come right down to it, that’s a fantasy way of following the game. So, help me out. I need a bona fide team. A cast of characters I can follow in the box scores every morning.</p> <p>Any suggestions Braves Nation?</p>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-78414609589761852652008-10-02T09:11:00.011-04:002008-10-03T10:07:08.716-04:00Coming Home, Again<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SOTolCa_rXI/AAAAAAAAAHw/Sqbzi5l1-0U/s1600-h/beilein.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SOTolCa_rXI/AAAAAAAAAHw/Sqbzi5l1-0U/s400/beilein.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252578788423740786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">by Chris Wendel<br /></span></span>We often hear how today's society doesn't encourage one on one conversations and interpersonal relationships. I write this knowing well that I'm communicating this message via the internet to a community of people that I don't live near and I seldom see in person. Such are the perils of marketing a book when both the editor and author live 500 miles away from the Western New York.<br /><br />Last night was a chance to see the market for the book <a href="http://www.sunbearpress.com/">"Buffalo, Home of the Braves"</a> up close and in person. The event was the Lockport Rotary Club's "Tip Off " Dinner, a fund raiser for the local YMCA featuring the head basketball coaches from Niagara, Canisius, and the University of Buffalo, along with the headline speaker <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Beilein">John Beilein</a>, who now coaches the University of Michigan. The lessons learned from a warm and receptive crowd were that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_County,_New_York">Niagara County</a> is a place where one can feel grounded and sports related memories are slow to wain.<br /><br />There is an interesting symmetry returning to the roots of where the long journey begins. Beilein's storied career began when he coached middle school in nearby Newfane, New York more than 30 years ago. During his accomplished career he methodically moved up from coaching high school to community college to Division 2 to national prominence at West Virginia, and now Michigan. More impressive than his 554-322 college record is that during his remarkable coaching tenure he has never been an assistant coach.<br /><br />Beilein was most interesting when he recalled his days growing up in rural Niagara County in the 1960's. He told the story of convincing his dad to buy his first pair of Chuck Taylor Converse high top shoes from Chuck Kenney at Niagara Sporting Goods and the opportunity to play "big time" 7th grade basketball at league at the Lockport YMCA. Beilein describing the experience of a rural farm kid entering the "mecca" of the Lockport Y was funny to hear. Yet many in the audience could relate to the vivid details of his first basketball experiences.<br /><br />That attention to detail was also evident when <a href="http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/mensbasketball/coaches/witherspoon.shtml">Reggie Witherspoon</a> the University of Buffalo coach spoke and described playing under Beilein in the 70's for Erie County Community College. While a younger Witherspoon tried to recount particular games, Beilein could instantly remember recall opponents and individuals.<br /><br />OK, so you are probably wondering how the Braves fit into all of this. Thanks to the help of my Dad we were able to set up a small table at the event with postcards and posters with book pages of <a href="http://buffalonation.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/braves_chpt1-2.pdf">Chapter One of the book</a>.<br /><br />From a demographic perspective this was definitely the right group; mostly male, many over 40, with an intense interest in basketball. There was a core group that emerged that was on fire with the book concept. Just like Beilein they could recount particular games, players, and circumstances 30 years later. Some were season ticket holders and one actually work on press row for the Braves. We had plenty of feedback and no one questioned the introductory prepublication press of $79<br /><br />I sought out Witherspoon who I understood has a strong connection to the Braves. Having also grown up in the area, he emphasized his strong sense of pride for the Braves team and their significant role in Buffalo sports history. It's no surprise that Witherspoon has been a proponent of recognizing Braves players like Bob McAdoo and Randy Smith with a banner or retired numbers that could some day be raised for all to see at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSBC_Arena_%28Buffalo%29">HSBC Arena</a>.<br /><br />One cannot forget to mention <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Murphy_%28announcer%29">John Murphy</a>, the emcee for last night's event. John has a strong appreciation for our book project and is someone who has the unique ability to reduce the degrees of separation in a large room of people from six to about two. His graciousness, humor, and quick wit made last night's event all come together.<br /><br />I left the event realizing that Niagara County still has a strong sense of community. Growing up I thought Western New York was a place that was too slow to change, so at the age of 18 I left and seldom looked back. Years later I embrace the area for retaining its character and for having people like Beilein and Witherspoon, and Murphy who accomplish great things without forgetting where they came from.CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29567316.post-13397442406375456152008-09-21T22:48:00.007-04:002008-09-22T09:38:29.748-04:00Making of the Book, Part 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SNcJQtzWdxI/AAAAAAAAAHY/zvvB_ARQ0aY/s1600-h/BravesCeltics040974-041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SNcJQtzWdxI/AAAAAAAAAHY/zvvB_ARQ0aY/s400/BravesCeltics040974-041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248674073501136658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SNcINyrbAhI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/2-ov5e1KMsw/s1600-h/BravesCeltics101874-035.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1keUYhp8VMg/SNcINyrbAhI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/2-ov5e1KMsw/s400/BravesCeltics101874-035.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248672923758821906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >By Chris Wendel</span></span><br />January ’08: The narrative is written and we have some decent material to work with. Tim has interviewed key players, Dr. Jack Ramsay, and Paul Snyder all of which have no problem with going back and talking about the Braves. In fact we have the sense that the players and Ramsay are excited to talk about the Braves brief success in the mid 70’s. <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Even with a great narrative and memorabilia, the book is lacking the visual detail it deserves. Several devout <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Buffalo</st1:place></st1:city> fans I have competed with on eBay want to know if they could let me use items from their Braves collection. Another tells me the whereabouts of Robert L. Smith the former official photographer of the Bills and Braves. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After several emails and phone calls, I make the trek from <st1:state st="on">Michigan</st1:state> to <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Orchard</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> and sit down with Smith. We talk over morning coffee; we develop trust and a good comfort level. Two hours later we have an agreement to use photos I’ve yet to actually see. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I get to tour his basement which is the best photographic shrine to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Buffalo</st1:city></st1:place> sports I’ll ever see. There are a few Braves pictures and predictably the Bills are the focus (Smith was the Bills photographer from their 1960 inception to 2004). I’m enamored with the shots from the AFL title teams that included Jack Kemp, Butch Byrd, and <a href="http://www.buffalobills.com/history/WallofFame-Shaw.jsp">Billy Shaw</a>. The best parts are Bob’s background stories on each photo he shows me</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My 2-3 hours with Smith leave me appreciating his tremendous talent and longevity. Bob (as I now feel I can call him) will take the next few days and see what he has to offer up from his Braves archives and send them to me in a few days to Michigan.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">February ’08: I’m now home in Michigan. After negotiating an equitable fee, the wide selection of photos arrives. They are better than advertised and the process of putting out a high quality book is now assured. It’s a painstaking and time consuming process but we’ve now turned a major corner.</p>CWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07781951936659189675noreply@blogger.com0