What a great article and spot on TV. We are always looking for more visibility in the community. I know there has to be more kids out there who would love the opportunity to play hockey like their siblings & friends. Thanks to Victor for the great game and thanks to Bill Pucko for the awesome coverage. One sidebar tho - Coaches' son name is Kevin, not Ken.

Such character and determination for the sake of others is a trademark of Greg Pelletier. He is so much like his dad, Dennis Pelletier, who was a tremendous community minded and caring legislator for many years before his untimely passing away at age 54. He would be very proud of his son Greg as we all are. Greg's Aunt Janet

I love my sports; have my whole life. In fantasy leagues; still go to games; listen to sport talk shows all day. But I have my priorities. Sports are a game; a diversion; a great and rewarding hobby. Love the debates; love the life stories. Love the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. But it is not life or death. Sometimes "REAL" life gets intertwined with the make believe importance of sports and we lose all perspective. How can anyone in the Penn State hierarchy do what they have done?? When was a football team and a personal legacy become more important than a child being molested? What has our society become when we talk and care about wins and losses and legacies at a price of ignoring crimes against little kids...How does a College President have any decision but stopping a monster in its midst....How does a loved and revered college coach have any decision on what to do but DO what any parent would do if it were their kid?These are no-brainer decisions.From a great institution like Penn State. What am I missing?. Why is a football game being played this weekend?? Who should care about a football game and who wins or loses?? Children were molested and a President of a college, a football coach, and who knows how many others could have stopped it. When does a game; a sport have more importance than making a statement that nothing is more important than the safety and welfare of our children?? Where are our priorities??? Is it more important that we recognize senior day become more important than the recognition of the sins of the people who work for the school?? It is not a tragedy that they dont get to play. It sucks maybe; not a tragedy. The tragedy is that priorities of people we had to believe knew better, became one and the same with people whom paint themselves colors of the team. Stop the insanity in this country and let the games be games and when it becomes bigger than games, stop playing the games...Time for someone to have a conscience and show courage. I could care less about the future of Penn States football program. I could care less about Joe Paterno's legacy. They let any rational thinking human being down.

Well said. We all want to believe, especially those we are closest to or related to, that there is no way they could do such a thing. It must be a mistake or someone misinterpreted what they heard, especially as to the WHY of what their friend, co-worker, family member did. This however was eye witnessed by more than one person. They "told" on him and it went up the ladder and then what???? Shame on you all at Penn State for looking the other way while these children were suffering at the hand of your friend, your collegue, your family member. I hope you didn't do it for the good of the football team..... then really shame on you.

Peter Cup (Franklin Class of 1979) Good Luck Jefferson-Franklin Soccer...It is such a great feeling to hear of your success this year ! Thanks for your article Bill !

I think you are wrong, Ryan Fitzpatrick is still and will remain one of the elite QB's of fantasy. You can't beat him up over 1 loss he beat a team the past QB's of Buffalo could not. He means business!

19-0 baby!

Garrard has always been a good quarterback for Jacksonville. As a season ticket holder I expect the Jaguars to play to win every game. Economic issues, however, have pledged the USA and the NFL tickets are not selling out at all stadiums. My opinion is that David has not had a offensive line to protect him or the second and third wide outs to catch the ball. I have seen Tory Holt who always catches the ball, drop a TD pass in the end zone. Over and over again, except for Marcedes and Mike Thomas, passes are dropped. I have seen WR's out with 3 chic's during Tebow's Heisman award and the next day he drops passes on game day. Is there anything like pay for performance? Then the offensive line lets people into the backfield before he could release the ball. So I fell it has to do with several issues like ticket sales, players performance and players salary. McCown is a good person and has had a good camp but can he take a hit? I hope he uses the shot gun offense to buy more time. Otherwise run the ball on every down. The offense is stacked on talented RB's. At least David won't have to run for his life anymore. He put his heart into every game he played in and was very kind to his fans. Good luck. Now I am thinking about going on strike from the NFL or becoming a coach.

Don't forget the 1960 Pirates beating the Yankees...even though they were outscored in the series 55-27

I used to be a marathoner in my younger days; 11 of them....I am still trying to stay in shape by running a few miles a day and run a few small races a year,.....I wear a shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, you are in last" Goose

Thanks Pucko! I love your perspective about how much football means to us Americans. I hope the billionaires vs the millionaires battle don't cost us next season. True football fans already starting to miss it...I know I do...I can't wait to see how much improvement the Bills will make next year...Anyways, great article as always...

Good great Puck. Kinda fun to see that people who get paid to watch sports, just like to hunker down to some chow and the game. Just like the rest of us. PS.... while I'm sure it was quite tasty (and I'm a huge fan of Two Ton Tony) that PB and J Pizza looks like it was scrapped off 590 somewhere between Empire and Blossom.

I don't see how you can say they have below average defense. If you want to say they are a bunch of nobody's than your right. But Butler, Weber, Sekera and Montador have done WAY more than people have expected out of them. Leopold has 10 goals and Myers has struggled a little bit over the season but hes still only 20 years old so don't ride him off yet and say 'oh he's past his prime lets trade him.' Stafford absolutely tore it up in the pre season and everyone said he was the most improved player coming out of camp. Then he got hurt so nobody knew if it was a fluke. Then after missing a month, he has since torn it up when he is healthy, including two hat tricks. This is only his third full season as a sabre i don't think this is the end of his career in buffalo. Niedermayer may be one of the worst players in the NHL right now. I don't care what anyone says- 38 games and he has 0 goals and 8 assists... why is he out there on the ice he has zero chance of scoring. Guys like Roy, Leopold, Gaustad, Pominville those are the leaders in the locker room and if you think for a second, that neidermayer is a leader your crazy and know absolutely nothing about the sabres. All those guys have been apart of deep runs in the playoffs they know what it takes. Neidermayer and Greir look like they have never skated before. They look like some kids dad that came out to help coach them in practice. Meyers is hit or miss we can agree on but he's still learning. And Kaleta doesn't fight? Have you even watched any Sabres game this year! Type in Patrick Kaleta fights on youtube and you will find over two pages worth of him beating other players faces in. He's been in 28 fights to be exact. I don't see where that comment came from. Here's just a sample of one of his fights and tell me what you think http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac90KtNAUZs I was there for that one. Teams hate to play the Sabres because Kaleta. And i agree this is a transition year. So tell Rivet to give up his C and back his bags, your time is up. Same to Grier and Niedermayer. Guys like Luke Adam, Nathan Gerbe, and Cody Mccorrmik are good enough to play on an NHL line in Buffalo.

As usual "Goose" Graye is right on!!!

When athletes lose the games like you describe, I always think of Donnie Moore and the pressure and humiliation that are placed on them. It becomes more than a game.

During your time as sports director for R-News (actually it was WGRC back then) you aired the stretch run of a race from Finger Lakes every day. On many of those occasions the race was won by a gelding named Just Another Hun. You may or may not realize it but it was you who planted the seed that got that horse the retirement home he enjoyed for 17 years. He passed away this week at age 25. Not only have you received fulfillment in Rochester, you helped fulfill another's dream. Thank you for that.

Wonderful set of thoughts from the heart of a parent. The last line of your piece says it all. We have gotten to the point with our three that we marvel at how well it has worked out. Keep providing the Rochester community with alternative, readable and enjoyable material.

Thanks Bill for allowing us to learn a little about Mark Muench. He is the type of individual that deserves the notoriety, the adulation, and the financial security that a Pitino or Calipari receive; except that he would truly deserve it.

I disagree with the "he took the easy way out" way of thinking. The easy thing would've been to stay in Cleveland probably get ONE ring eventually and the people of Ohio would have loved him forever. I hate how he announced it, and I think he has come across as a cold and somewhat dumb individual the last few weeks, but choosing to spend your mid twenties in South Florida with some of your friends and enhancing your chance to win championships isn't the easy choice. It is the right choice. Sure Magic and Bird would've have teamed up together during the 80's. But they hated each other early in their careers. Besides to say either of them was without star power is ludicrous. Magic had a top 5 all time guy playing with him! Bird was part of the best front line in history. Good for Lebron in realizing that he is Scottie and not Jordan, maybe it says that he knows he is instead of who we all wanted him to be.

As a fellow Ithaca graduate not to mention fraternity brother Of Mr Oucko's, I must share with Mr. Pucko that Boston has already given it's fans more than their fair share of titles, especially over my Lakers. Not only is Boston 9 - 2 vs Lakers in finals, they are 4-0 in game sevens vs "US." Let us pray, as we would against the Yankees that me and my son get what is so very much overdue. A championship game 7 win over Boston. Sorry Bill.