Bob Matthews
As we prepare for the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, I humbly present my periodic suggestion to replace the biathlon with good old-fashioned snowball throwing. The biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. While being a top-flight biathlete undoubtedly requires skill and endurance, I know there aren't many of them (do you know any?). And I wonder why anything involving a rifle is included in a competition devoted to fostering peace and good will. FULL STORY...

Struggles continue as Hoyas tear up SU
Preston Shumpert just might opt for no goggles next time out. After all, the kind of game the Syracuse University men's basketball team offered Monday night was, well, it was something he wouldn't want to see again. The ugliness was all over No. 14 SU, as was Georgetown in a 75-60 upset victory. FULL STORY...

Gates Chili runs past Aquinas
Clayton Longmire scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half as Gates Chili defeated Aquinas 63-33 in a non-league boys basketball game Monday. Ville Vesala made three 3-pointers and scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half as the host Spartans (12-2) pulled away from a two-point halftime lead. Gates Chili outscored Aquinas 46-18 in the second half. Longmire, a senior, played his sophomore and junior seasons at Aquinas. FULL STORY...

Whitcomb chooses Maine
East Rochester senior Ron Whitcomb, the Section V Ontario-Honda Class D player of the year, has accepted a full athletic scholarship from Division I-AA Maine. Whitcomb played quarterback for the Bombers and finished as the school's all-time leader in touchdown passes (41), passing yardage (4,303) and completion percentage (53 percent). The 6-foot-2, 200-pound two-sport athlete, who plays for East Rochester's boys basketball team, also considered going to Colgate and Fordham. FULL STORY...

Coordinator choices are numerous for the Bills
The Buffalo Bills appear to be facing a lot of competition for some of the bigger names to fill their vacant offensive coordinator opening. New Orleans, San Diego, Dallas, Miami and Minnesota are among the other teams looking for an offensive boss. The Bills fired Mike Sheppard last Friday after one season and it's believed coach Gregg Williams is seeking a more experienced assistant this time. Kevin Gilbride, who worked with Williams in Houston, is very likely to emerge as the early leading candidate. FULL STORY...

Brigade gets players
The Rochester Brigade announced the assignment of five players to its team for the 2002 arenafootball2 season. Mark Stout, Calvin Robinson, Mike Stachewicz, Ted Coleman and Tony Johnson all were sent to Rochester by the af2 office. Stout is a 6-foot-7, 320-pound offensive lineman with professional experience in the Indoor Professional Football League. Coleman is a 6-3, 280-pound lineman who played in the National Indoor Football League and Stachewicz is a 6-4, 297-pound lineman who was a four-year starter at Buffalo State. FULL STORY...