Jambalaya denies The Tin Man victory in Arlington Million

Arlington Heights, IL (Sports Network) - Canadian invader Jambalaya caught defending champion The Tin Man in deep stretch to capture Saturday's 25th Arlington Million at Arlington Park. A win gives Jambalaya automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Turf.
Also gaining spots in Breeders' Cup races on Saturday were Shamdinan and Royal Highness. The three stakes races are part the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" program.
The Tin Man had a chance to make racing history with a victory in the Arlington Million. No thoroughbred had ever won two straight editions of the 1 1/4 mile turf race, and legendary John Henry has been the only horse to take two runnings. John Henry won the first Arlington Million in 1981 and again in 1984.
The field for the race was reduced to seven after Pam and Martin Wygods After Market, the morning-line favorite for the Arlington Million, was unexpectedly withdrawn Saturday morning due to less-than-firm track conditions. The turf course was listed as good for the day....Full Story

Harvick wins second straight in Busch

Watkins Glen, NY (Sports Network) - Kevin Harvick captured Saturday afternoon's Zippo 200 Busch Series race at the Watkins Glen International road course. The No.21 Auto Zone Chevrolet crossed the finish line more than three seconds ahead of Jeff Burton.
The victory was Harvick's series-leading fifth of the season and 31st of his Busch Series career. Harvick ties Jack Ingram for second all-time behind only Mark Martin (47).
"What a car! We didn't qualify like we wanted to and we thought our car was really good in race trim and when they dropped the green flag it was good to go," said Harvick.
Kurt Busch brought the field to the green flag for 82 laps of racing over the fast 2.45-mile road course in upstate New York. He led the first 12 laps before making his first pit stop of the afternoon on lap 13.
From there Ron Fellows inherited the lead because he had yet to pit. None of the top-three drivers had pitted in the first 15 laps leaving Greg Biffle and Patrick Carpentier in second and third, respectively.
The trio finally made their initial stops by lap 23 and Harvick found himself in the lead with Busch five spots back in sixth. Harvick's lead was more than six seconds over Burton and seven over third place Paul Menard. And lurking in fifth place was Mexico City winner Juan Pablo Montoya.
By lap 35 Harvick's primary competition, Burton, Menard and Montoya, had closed the gap to four seconds. But a caution flag, for a Steve Wallace spin, slowed the race to a crawl.
Most of the teams pitted with 44 laps to go, hoping for about eight laps of caution to reach the checkered flag. Scott Pruett stayed out until lap 41 and his crew said he could make it to the finish from there, though most experts doubted it.
Meanwhile, Busch led the race and was waiting for his pit stop because he couldn't make it all the way based on their past fuel mileage. Montoya made his last stop on lap 46 and Busch came in on lap 47.
With 30 laps to go Harvick regained the lead, but Busch was in sixth and didn't need to save any fuel to reach the finish line. Busch got around Brad Coleman for fourth place with 26 laps still remaining. He took Kenseth easily and Menard before the bus stop and then there was just one driver remaining between himself and the lead.
Harvick's lead over Busch was 4.098 seconds on lap 57. But Busch was in no hurry to catch Harvick because his crew chief didn't think Harvick could reach the finish line without stopping. So Busch settled into second place about five seconds behind Harvick and two seconds ahead of third place Burton.
Then on lap 67 a caution flag erased Harvick's lead. But the caution flag laps also allowed Harvick to run full out to the finish line. The green flag dropped to restart the race with 13 laps remaining but went back to caution with an incident at the restart.
The final restart began with 10 laps to go. Busch, who had fallen to fourth just before the last caution flag, passed both Menard and Burton for second on the first green flag lap. With eight laps to go, Busch got too wide in turn one and spun way wide, losing ground to the leader and second place to Burton.
Harvick's lead was 1.615 seconds on Burton with seven to go and 2.957 seconds one lap later and the No.21 RCR Chevrolet cruised to his second consecutive Busch Series win.
Busch, Menard and Coleman completed the top-five. Edwards finished a distant 32nd.
The next race in the series is set for Saturday, August 18th at the Michigan International Speedway.

Bourdais wins pole at Road America

Elkhart Lake, WI (Sports Network) - Sebastien Bourdais captured the pole for Sunday's Generac Grand Prix at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI. The No.1 Newman/Haas/Lanigan driver circled the historic 4.048-mile road course in one minute, 41.535 seconds to take the top spot. The lap was more than 1.5 seconds faster than his nearest competitor.
The pole victory added one championship point to Bourdais' total his second of the weekend.
Starting alongside Bourdais will be Will Power who put up a time of 1:43.116.
Robert Doornbos (1:43.134) and Graham Rahal (1:43.162) will make up row two.
"Road America is a high-speed track, more what I'm used to in Europe," said former Formula One driver Doornbos. "You sort of have to shift your mind set, just as you'd change the setup on your car after racing on a street course. For one thing, there is so much more speed around the turns compared with the street circuits that you have to be much more delicate and precise with the car. We did well at the test earlier this year, and I can't wait to get back there."
With seven races left in the series, Bourdais, who just announced that he would leave the series to drive for Formula One's Toro Rosso in 2008, is on track to win his fourth consecutive series championship. The Frenchman used a win at Edmonton to reclaim the top spot and a fifth-place two weeks ago to maintain his lead. It is where Bourdais always expects to be. In 68 races, Bourdais has been the points leader for 42 of them.
However, Bourdais will bring just a 12-point lead over "rookie" Doornbos into this week's race at Road America. Doornbos cut the lead in half with a win at San Jose.
The race is scheduled to drop the green flag on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Federer eases into Rogers Masters final

Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Top-seeded and defending champion Roger Federer defeated Czech Radek Stepanek in the semifinal round of the $2.45 million Rogers Masters -- the sixth of nine Masters Series events this year.
The world No. 1 Federer ousted Stepanek 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 to advance to Sunday's final where he will meet the winner of the Rafael Nadal/Novak Djokovic match scheduled for Saturday evening.
The reigning Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Australian Open champion Federer defeated France's Richard Gasquet in last year's Rogers Masters finale in Toronto. This event alternates between Montreal and Toronto each year.
Federer also captured this event in Toronto in 2004 and has now won his last 16 matches in Canada.
The 2007 Rogers Masters titlist will collect $400,000.
Live Tennis Scores

Garcia disqualified at PGA Championship

Tulsa, OK (Sports Network) - Sergio Garcia was disqualified from the PGA Championship on Saturday for signing an incorrect scorecard.
Garcia signed for a par four at the 17th, but actually made five.
This has been a tough run of major championships for the Spaniard. He held the lead throughout the British Open Championship last month and needed a par on his last to win his first major.
Garcia missed a six-foot par save, then lost by a stroke to Padraig Harrington in the playoff.

Busch edges Montoya for Busch pole

Watkins Glen, NY (Sports Network) - Kurt Busch won the pole for Saturday afternoon's Zippo 200 Busch Series race at the Watkins Glen International road course. The No.39 Penske Dodge circled the 2.45-mile circuit in one minute, 12.569 seconds (121.540 m.p.h.).The pole victory was Busch's first of the season and second of his Busch career. His only other pole was last year, also at Watkins Glen."I don't run Busch all that often and so when we come to the race track with this group of guys we're going for the win," said Busch. "We just won a small battle right now, there's still a big-time race this afternoon."Starting on the front row with Busch will be Juan Montoya who posted a time of 1:12.846.
Ryan Newman (1:13.002) and Robby Gordon (1:13.154) will make up row two.Carl Edwards finished a distant 30th last week in Montreal and with it lost 65 points in the standings. Somehow, the No.60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford driver will have to continue on with just a 787-point lead in the Busch Series championship. Edwards still leads the series with four wins (tied with Kevin Harvick), top-fives (13) and top-10s (17).
Behind Edwards are David Reutimann (-787) and Harvick (-919).
In fourth place overall is a surprising name to most - Jason Leffler. In the middle of his second full year of Busch racing, Leffler is set to improve on last year's 13th-place finish.
The green flag is set to drop at 3:30 p.m. (et).

Riquelme on way back to Villarreal

LA PAMPA, Argentina (Ticker) - Argentina midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme has confirmed he will return to Spanish club Villarreal on Monday to end speculation over his future.
Riquelme has been on loan at Boca Juniors since February after falling out with Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini.
The playmaker was the catalyst for Boca's successful Copa Libertadores campaign, and was expected by some to continue his career in his homeland when the loan deal expired.
But with his contract at Villarreal tying him to the club until 2009, the Argentina international is obliged to return to Spain ahead of the coming Primera Liga campaign.
Riquelme said: "There is a lot of talk on the radio and in newspapers. I never said anything. My obligation is to train next week at the club where I have a two-year contract ahead."
The 29-year-old added that he has no problems returning to work under Pellegrini.
"It's going to be the same, he is the coach and I'm a player," Riquelme said. "I'm going to train and he will set up the team each Sunday."
The player has left the door open for a possible return to the club he has supported all his life.
He added: "Maybe I will put on the Boca shirt in June of 2009, when my Villarreal contract expires."

Stuttgart ties Schalke in Bundesliga opener

Stuttgart, Germany (Sports Network) - Substitute Ivan Rakitic scored in the 76th minute as Schalke tied Stuttgart, 2-2, in the Bundesliga season opener Friday.
Schalke took the early lead on a goal from Levan Kobiashvili midway through the opening half, but the defending Bundesliga champions stormed back in the second half.
Sami Khedira scored in the 63rd minute for Stuttgart, and Pavel Pardo scored on a penalty kick less than five minutes later.
Rakitic, who signed with Schalke on the offseason, entered the game just six minutes before he delivered the equalizer. He made a nice run from well out of the box, side-stepped a defender and placed a low shot to the left corner.
Schalke goalie Manuel Neuer made five saves. Stuttgart goalie Raphael Schafer had three stops.
Stuttgart captured its first Bundesliga title since 1991-92 last season with a 2-1 comeback win over Energie on the final day of the season. Stuttgart ended the season with a two-point edge over Schalke.
The rest of the league starts the 2007-08 campaign this weekend.
On Saturday, Bayern Munich hosts Rostock, Eintracht hosts Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg hosts Arminia Bielefeld, Bayer Leverkusen hosts Energie, Bochum hosts Werder Bremen and Hannover hosts Hamburg.
On Sunday, Borussia Dortmund hosts Duisburg and Nurnberg hosts Karlsruher.

Woods makes more history at PGA

Tulsa, OK (Sports Network) - Tiger Woods matched the lowest round in major championship history on Friday with an eight-under-par 62, a historic round that gave him the second-round lead at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
Woods stood at seven-under par for his round with a great look at birdie on the 18th hole. His 12-footer for a record-setting 62 seemed destined for the cup, but lipped out after going three-quarters of the way around the hole.
"I knew if I made that putt on the last hole it would have been a nice record to have," said the defending champion. "I thought it was in. I guess a touch firmer."
He finished 36 holes at six-under-par 134, which is good for a two-shot lead over Scott Verplank, who shot a four-under 66 in the morning.
Last year's U.S. Open winner, Geoff Ogilvy (68), and Stephen Ames (69) are tied for third place at minus-three. Woody Austin posted an even-par 70 and is alone in fifth place at two-under 138...Full Story

Daly goes over the river and through the woods at PGA

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- If Tiger Woods is a Rembrandt, John Daly is a paint-by-number Elvis on black velvet. Tacky, for sure. Yet there's something oddly endearing about it, and you can't help but gawk.
Especially when Daly pulls stunts like he did Friday on No. 10 at Southern Hills.
At 366 yards, downhill and with a big dogleg to the right, a 4- or 5-iron off the tee is the smart move for this par-4. It leaves players with a short approach, and a good chance for birdie.
Daly?
He waited for the green to clear, then pulled out driver and ripped it.
"We're not set up to find that shot," a TV announcer said as the ball rocketed toward the green...Full Story

The Tin Man looks to strike gold again in Arlington Million

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (AP) -- The Tin Man has a shot at some racing history Saturday in the Arlington Million.
The 9-year-old gelding, a son of Triple Crown winner Affirmed, could become the first horse to win the race two straight years and only the second to win it twice.
John Henry captured the inaugural race in 1981 and came back three years later -- also at 9 -- to reach the winner's circle a second time.
Since wrenching an ankle in the 2004 Hirsch, an injury that sidelined him 14 months, The Tin Man has won six of eight races. A victory Saturday in the eight-horse field will guarantee a spot in the Breeder's Turf on Oct. 27.
The Tin Man led wire-to-wire last year and is listed at 3-1 in the early odds. Victor Espinoza returns to the saddle for trainer Richard Mandella...Full Story

After Eight gets Shirreffs badge of approval

By Anita Chambers Special to PA SportsTicker
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Illinois (Ticker) -- The John Shirreffs-trained After Eight is expected to be the favorite for Saturday's Arlington Million.
The 4-year-old son of Storm Cat is seeking a Grade One hat trick after claiming the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap and Eddie Read Handicap in his last two starts.
"For a Storm Cat, he has a great mind on him," Shirreffs said. "He's just a big boy - robust, lots of energy, wants to do things quickly - so all we try to do is keep his mind focused on the job.
"My one concern for Saturday is that he has never run so quickly after his last start, but hopefully it won't be a problem."
Eight horses have been declared for the showpiece at Arlington...Full Story

Gordon to start from pole after Watkins Glen qualifying rained out

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) -- Jeff Gordon started from the back of the field in NASCAR's first road race of the Nextel Cup season after his team was penalized for a technical violation. This time, he'll start from the pole.
A misting rain that hovered above Watkins Glen International on Friday became too heavy mid-afternoon and forced NASCAR to cancel qualifying for Sunday's Centurion Boats at The Glen.
It's the third time qualifying has been rained out this season in Cup and the third time in four years it's been washed out at Watkins Glen International. As the runaway points leader, that placed Gordon up front in his No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet as the top 35 cars in the 43-car field were set by points.
``It's one of the reasons that leading the points like we are right now, it's where the payoff is,'' Gordon said after capturing his sixth pole this season and 62nd of his career. ``It's just one of those days. I was in the pace car riding around and the track was dry but the windshield was wet. I thought we were going to find a window, but it just keeps rolling in and making parts of the track wet. There was just no getting around that.
The cancellation left Denny Hamlin on the front row alongside Gordon, and Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, and Tony Stewart round out the top five. Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer Martin Truex Jr., and Kurt Busch complete the top 12.
Gordon struggled when he first went out for the lone practice session and ended up turning only five laps. But after making some adjustments in the garage, he finished with the fifth-fastest speed at 120.802 mph and was optimistic about qualifying in the Car of Tomorrow, even though he was to have gone out second and teams weren't allowed to test at Watkins Glen.
``Obviously, I didn't draw a good number for qualifying,'' Gordon said. ``Going out second wasn't going to benefit us. We had to make some pretty big adjustments to get the car where we needed it to be, and we still didn't even have it perfect there toward the end. I didn't think we were going to be on the pole today if we had gone, but I think we had a shot at the top five.
Hamlin topped the speed charts at 121.528 mph, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Canadian road race ace Ron Fellows and Jamie McMurray. Rookie Juan Pablo Montoya was seventh-fastest and Stewart, who has won three of the past five races here, was 10th.
The misting conditions sent six drivers home who had to qualify for the race on speed: Boris Said, Ward Burton, A.J. Allmendinger, Brian Simo, Klaus Graf, and Marcos Ambrose, who was to have driven a car provided by Robby Gordon.
Ambrose was cheated out of a chance to win his first NASCAR race when Robby Gordon intentionally wrecked him in the closing laps of a Busch Series race last weekend in Montreal.
If he had qualified, it would have been Ambrose's first Cup start.
``You'd like to see qualifying because a lot of guys have to qualify on time,'' Hamlin said. ``They deserve to be in the field based on their speed. It's just the system we work in. If you're not here every week, then you don't get the perks of being guaranteed in the show.
Which left Said as frustrated as ever as he turned his focus to Saturday's Busch race.
NASCAR should have had us qualify tomorrow,'' said Said, who had the provisional pole at Daytona last month before qualifying was rained out. ``The Busch race isn't until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. There's no reason you can't come in here and practice and qualify. They say they want the small teams, but they don't want the small teams. This pretty much puts us out of business.

Verplank on top at Southern Hills

Tulsa, OK (Sports Network) - Oklahoma State graduate Scott Verplank shot a four-under 66 on Friday to take the lead during the second round of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
Verplank, considered a favorite before the tournament due to his straight hitting, completed 36 holes at four-under-par 136.
He is one ahead of Stephen Ames, who posted a one-under 69 on Friday. Camilo Villegas and Arron Oberholser are also three-under par in the middle of their second rounds.
Tiger Woods birdied his first hole on Friday and is even-par for the championship. The defending champion is gunning for his first major title of the year. Since his breakthrough Masters win in 1997, Woods has only had three seasons without a major title...Full Story

Serena Williams will return to action at Pilot Pen

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- Serena Williams, who has been out with a thumb injury since reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, will return to the court later this month in the Pilot Pen tournament.
Williams, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, will be making her first appearance in the tournament.
Williams, ranked No. 8 in the world, struggled with injuries in 2006 before entering the Australian Open as an unseeded player and walking away with the win.
She also reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and Wimbledon, climbing back into the top 10 of the WTA Tour world rankings.
"I am ready to get back onto the courts and hope to return to the form I had earlier this year," she said. "My sister always loved New Haven and was incredibly successful there, and I hope to have the same kind of results."
Williams joins fourth-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova; No. 10 Daniela Hantuchova; No. 11 and Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli; No. 13 Elena Dementieva; and three-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport as women's players committed to the tournament....Full Story

Browns linebacker Willie McGinest scheduled for back surgery, will miss 6 weeks

BEREA, Ohio (AP) -- Browns linebacker Willie McGinest was scheduled to have back surgery Thursday and will miss at least six weeks, another blow to a Cleveland team decimated by major injuries the past few seasons.
McGinest, who has made 159 starts during a 13-year NFL career, was to have the operation in Los Angeles.
After a week of rest following the procedure on a bulging disk, he'll begin rehab and the Browns will re-evaluate McGinest in six weeks, coach Romeo Crennel said.
The 35-year-old McGinest signed as a free agent before last season after winning three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
Losing McGinest wasn't the only blow on Thursday for the Browns. Backup linebacker Matt Stewart had surgery to repair a torn muscle in his left shoulder and will likely be placed on injured reserve.
Crennel said inside linebacker Chaun Thompson will move to the outside. Thompson started 15 games for the Browns at outside linebacker in 2005. Antwan Peek worked with Cleveland's first-team defense during practice.
McGinest has been dealing with back issues for several seasons. Earlier this week he asked the Browns for permission to see his personal physician in California.
Crennel said there are no immediate plans to put McGinest on injured reserve.
"He's going to come back and we're going to try to get him ready to play the rest of the season," he said. "Backs are backs and they are fickle sometimes. But after the first six weeks we'll see how the rehab is going and that will be an indicator as how soon he'll be back."

Daly leads PGA; Woods four back

Tulsa, OK (Sports Network) - John Daly fired a three-under 67 on Thursday to take the lead during the first round of the PGA Championship at a sweltering Southern Hills Country Club.
Temperatures reached over 100 degrees already at Southern Hills, host of the 2001 U.S. Open. The weather is expected to be the same all week, so empty water bottles will be the norm.
Daly, the surprise 1991 winner who was the ninth alternate to start that week, has not had a good year thus far. He has no status on the PGA Tour and, in limited exemptions, has posted zero top 10s. Daly has 17 events under his belt, with five made cuts and four withdrawals.
"I've been putting too much pressure on myself," acknowledged Daly. "Being hurt doesn't help. I haven't really played that bad. I just haven't been able to score. If you can't score, you don't have any confidence."
World No. 1 and defending champion Tiger Woods is in search of his first major of the year. He opened with a one-over 71, which is disappointing considering he flew out of the gate.
He started on the 10th tee Thursday and knocked his approach at 10 to seven feet. Woods drained that putt, and added birdies at 13 and 15 to join the lead at minus-three.
Woods dropped a shot at the 18th when he could not save par from a bunker. That kick-started a run of bad golf which saw Woods bogey two and four. He made birdie at the par-five fifth, but fell back to even-par with a bogey at seven.
At the 245-yard, par-three eighth, Woods came up short with his tee ball. He chipped to 10 feet, but missed the par save. Woods rolled in a three-footer at No. 9 to stay at one-over par.
"I felt like I hit the ball better than my score indicates, which is good," said Woods, who won last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by eight. "That's a good sign heading into the next three days."
The last season Woods failed to win a major was 2004. Since his breakout victory at the 1997 Masters, Woods has only had three seasons without one of golf's big four in his trophy case.
England's Graeme Storm is also three-under par on the course.
Arron Oberholser shot a two-under 68 with several players still on the course at that number.
Mark Wilson, Markus Brier, Camilo Villegas, Lee Westwood and 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy are in the clubhouse at one-under-par 69.
They are all looking up at Daly, who turned heads in the golf world earlier this season.
During the second round of the St. Jude Championship in early June, Daly showed up with scratch marks on his cheeks. He told authorities his wife attacked him while he was asleep.
The next time Daly surfaced was last month at the British Open Championship, a tournament he won in 1995. Daly took the lead with a chip-in eagle on Thursday, then exploded and missed the cut.
On Thursday, Daly was able to finish off his round.
Daly recorded birdies at four, seven and nine, with the last birdie coming from 10 feet. At the par-five 13th, Daly ran his 25-foot eagle putt three feet by the hole. Daly converted that birdie putt to make it to four-under par.
At the 507-yard, par-four 16th, Daly hit a poor second shot en route to a bogey. That dropped him to minus-three, but the 1991 champion hung on with pars at the last two for his spot on the leaderboard.
Daly thinks he might know the key to his success on Thursday. "At the British, I played three practice rounds. Grinding, grinding, grinding," said Daly. "I came here and said I'm just goin

Goosen returns to Southern Hills, site of his first major victory

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- This is where it all started for Retief Goosen.
In the course of a week, he went from a largely unknown South African asking Nick Price for advice to a major champion with international notoriety.
Given the chance to atone for a giant mistake on a tiny putt, Goosen conquered Southern Hills to win the 2001 U.S. Open. The PGA Championship brings him back this week to soak in the fond memories that could've easily turned sour.
"It's always nice coming back to a place where you've won," Goosen said Wednesday. "Especially a major."
Goosen's breakthrough win, his first in the United States, came only after he'd three-putted from 12 feet on the 72nd hole to fall into a playoff against 1996 PGA champion Mark Brooks. It could've easily slipped away after such a chaotic fourth-round finish, but instead he charged out to a five-stroke lead after only 10 holes in the playoff and cruised comfortably to the title...Full Story

Buffalo Bills 2007 Season Preview

(Sports Network) - Call it the ex-Bills club.
Takeo Spikes. Willis McGahee. London Fletcher-Baker. Nate Clements. All former high-profile members of the Buffalo roster, all shipped off to new addresses during a statement-making offseason.
The statement from the Bills brain trust of GM Marv Levy and head coach Dick Jauron was, "We've got to get younger." A secondary statement, if you want to read anything into the giant free agent deals given to Fletcher-Baker and especially Clements was, "This organization is not going to overpay." As for McGahee, well, if you're going to tell people you want your team to move to Toronto, you'd better come up with at least 1,000 yards to appease the fans you just insulted.
A few years from now, some or all of the above players will get old, injured, ineffective, or all three, perhaps proving that Buffalo parted ways with them at the right time.
As 2007 begins, though, it looks a lot like the ex-Bills club took with them a giant piece of the team's identity.
Now Buffalo belongs to the young, hungry and vibrant, the J.P. Losmans, Marshawn Lynches, Lee Evanses and Aaron Schobels of the world.
There isn't a younger team in the AFC East, to be certain, and there may not be a greener squad in the entire league.
If you're a believer in the old adage that youth is wasted on the young, then you probably don't think much of a Bills team that scratched and clawed its way to 7-9 during a 2006 season when it had a lot more veteran reinforcements than it does currently.
But you can bet on seeing some of that fresh talent emerge in 2007, as a group of players takes a tentative step toward the division supremacy that the likes of Levy and Jauron must envision somewhere down the road.
Buffalo wants to cash in on that youthful exuberance while it can, before several key members of this year's team seek to start their own chapter of the ex-Bills club.
Below we take a capsule look at the 2007 edition of the Buffalo Bills, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:
2006 RECORD: 7-9 (3rd, AFC East)
LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 1999, lost to Tennessee, 22-16, in AFC Wild Card Game
COACH (RECORD): Dick Jauron (7-9 in one season with Bills, 43-58 overall)
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Steve Fairchild
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Perry Fewell
OFFENSIVE STAR: J.P. Losman, QB (3051 passing yards, 19 TD, 14 INT)
DEFENSIVE STAR: Aaron Schobel, DE (53 tackles, 14 sacks)
OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 27th rushing, 28th passing, 23rd scoring
DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 28th rushing, 7th passing, 10th scoring
FIVE KEY GAMES: Denver (9/9), N.Y. Jets (9/30), at Miami (11/11), New England (11/18), at Cleveland (12/16)
KEY ADDITIONS: QB Trent Edwards (3rd Round, Stanford), RB Marshawn Lynch (1st Round, Cal), RB/KR Josh Scobey (from Seahawks), G Derrick Dockery (from Redskins), G Jason Whittle (from Vikings), T Langston Walker (from Raiders), LB Paul Posluzsny (2nd Round, Penn State), CB Jason Webster (from Falcons)
KEY DEPARTURES: QB Kelly Holcomb (to Eagles), RB Willis McGahee (to Ravens), FB Daimon Shelton (released), WR Andre' Davis (to Texans), G Chris Villarial (released), G Tutan Reyes (released), T Mike Gandy (to Cardinals), MLB London Fletcher-Baker (to Redskins), LB Takeo Spikes (to Eagles), CB Nate Clements (to 49ers), S Matt Bowen (released)
QB: He may not have had a "breakout" season in the statistical sense, but for the first time in his three years in the league, Losman started all 16 games and looked, for the most part, like an NFL quarterback. The Bills welcomed Losman's leadership, but they would like to see him make more big plays after tossing just 19 touchdowns last year, and are also hoping that he gains the pocket presence to cut down on his 2006 sack total of 47. Craig Nall didn't take a snap last season, but with Kelly Holcomb having been dealt to the Eagles in the Takeo Spikes trade, he is nominally the team's No. 2 quarterback. Why nominally? Because in April, the team spent a third-round draft choice on Stanford QB Trent Edwards, who many feel could eventually develop into an NFL starter.
RB: McGahee's fall from grace in Buffalo was swift and precipitous, as both the running back's controversial off-field comments and underwhelming play were factors in his being dealt to Baltimore. Enter Marshawn Lynch, who some felt was a reach at No. 12 but who most agree should be a capable running back in the league for many years. At first, expect Lynch to share carries with Dick Jauron-favorite Anthony Thomas (378 rushing yards, 2 TD, 22 receptions), a one-cut type of runner who rehabilitated his career in Buffalo last season. The rest of the running back depth chart was difficult to predict as training camp kicked off. Holdover Shaud Williams and fourth-round draft choice Dwayne Wright would seem to be vying for the third job, but what about Josh Scobey, who was brought in to compete for return specialist duties? And with no true fullback on the roster, would the team keep both Brad Cieslak (6 receptions) and Ryan Neufeld, a couple of tight ends who can line up in the backfield when necessary? Without question, Jauron will have some difficult choices to make in this department.
WR/TE: He doesn't get the same respect afforded many of his contemporaries, but Lee Evans (82 receptions, 8 TD) proved last season that he is an elite- level NFL receiver. Despite the absence of another consistent pass-catcher on the roster, the fleet Evans found ways to get open, particularly in the season's second half. Evans had at least one catch of 30+ yards in six of his final nine games, and scored seven of his eight touchdowns on the year over that stretch. Veteran Peerless Price (49 receptions, 3 TD) started 15 games last year, but proved that he was a shell of the player that left Buffalo for supposed greener pastures after the 2002 season. The Bills need one of their younger receivers - Roscoe Parrish (23 receptions, 2 TD), Sam Aiken or Josh Reed (34 receptions, 2 TD) - to develop into a reliable complement to Evans. Buffalo lacks a true pass-catching tight end, as starter Robert Royal (23 receptions, 3 TD) is more of a blocker, though there is hope that 2005 third- round pick Kevin Everett might eventually turn into that player. Either Cieslak or Neufeld will make the team as a third tight end, but will both stick?
OL: The Bills' biggest offseason additions were along the offensive line, though no one is suggesting that the likes of ex-Redskins left guard Derrick Dockery, former Raiders right tackle Langston Walker, and ex-Vikings reserve guard Jason Whittle will transform the unit from shaky to solid overnight. The Buffalo line still lacks a dominant player, though the team thinks that blossoming left tackle Jason Peters can eventually become that guy. The left side should be a strength this year, though expectations should be kept low in regards to center Melvin Fowler, right guard Duke Preston, and Walker, who are all average on their best day. Backups should include Whittle, part-time 2006 starter and tackle Terrance Pennington, second-year-pro and tackle Brad Butler, and center/guard reserve Aaron Merz.
DL: With Spikes, Fletcher-Baker, and Clements gone, the Bills' defensive role model becomes end Aaron Schobel, who should be more than up to the leadership task. With very little fanfare, Schobel has posted three double-digit sacks seasons in the past four years, and was last year named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. The end rotation behind Schobel is solid, as Chris Kelsay (61 tackles, 5.5 sacks) and Ryan Denney (54 tackles, 6 sacks) have both played a significant role and Anthony Hargrove (19 tackles, 1 sack) did a good job after coming over from St. Louis in a trade last year. A recent off-the-field altercation between Hargrove and a police officer, which resulted in an arrest, is not expected to affect that player's roster status. On the interior, the team thought they would have ex-Eagle Darwin Walker to assist an average group of run-stoppers, but Walker effectively refused a trade to Buffalo and is now with the Bears. That means the tackle rotation should remain basically the same, with Larry Tripplett (33 tackles, 2.5 sacks), Kyle Williams (53 tackles), Tim Anderson (32 tackles), and 2006 first- round pick John McCargo (6 tackles) all seeing regular time. Another tackle, third-year-man Jason Jefferson, is on the roster bubble.
LB: With Fletcher-Baker (80 starts since 2002) and Spikes (46 starts since 2003) having relocated, the look of the Bills linebacking corps could take some getting used to. The Buffalo organization's fondness of strong side backer Angelo Crowell (82 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INT) and weak side man Keith Ellison (65 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) helped hasten the departure of both veterans, though it remains to be seen whether the younger players will be as effective without Fletcher-Baker and/or Spikes playing alongside them. The player charged with the gargantuan task of taking over in the middle will be Penn State product Paul Posluzsny, who is athletic but will undoubtedly suffer from some growing pains. The reserve corps is familiar, as Mario Haggan (17 tackles), John DiGiorgio (8 tackles), and Coy Wire (23 tackles) were all regular contributors last season and will see most of their time on special teams. Ex-Packers starter Roy Manning could be battling holdover Josh Stamer (5 tackles) for one of the last spots on the roster.
DB: The departure of the talented Clements spells a shift in responsibilities in the secondary. Taking over as the No. 1 corner is Terrence McGee (76 tackles), who has shown great speed and good playmaking ability in four NFL seasons but will be under much more pressure when facing opponents' top wideout. The club would like to see 2006 third-round pick Ashton Youboty develop quickly enough to take the other starting role, but it is more likely that a veteran such as former Falcon Jason Webster (49 tackles, 2 INT with Atlanta), '06 nickel back Kiwaukee Thomas (50 tackles), or returning reserve Jabari Greer (22 tackles) will line up there as the season begins. The oft- injured Webster, who hasn't played a full season since 2002, had the early beat on a starting job. The safety spots appear secure, with a pair of second- year pros in Donte Whitner (104 tackles, 1 INT) on the strong side and Ko Simpson (76 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack) the free making up one of the defense's strengths. Wire can also play safety, and special teams ace Jim Leonhard (13 tackles) should beat out sixth-round choice John Wendling for a backup job in that area.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Jauron has much to worry about as the season nears, but the kicking game should not give him many sleepless nights. Kicker Rian Lindell (23-25 FG) is as accurate as they come, and provided he has mentally recovered from a devastating hit by Sean Taylor in last year's Pro Bowl, punter Brian Moorman (43.6 avg.) should once again take his place as one of the game's best. Long snapper Mike Schneck doesn't appear to have anything to be concerned about in terms of his job either. With McGee (26.1 avg.) taking over more significant responsibilities on defense, his services might no longer be used on kickoff returns. The former Seahawk and Cardinal Josh Scobey (18.5 avg. with Seattle) is one option there, and the occasionally electrifying Roscoe Parrish (11.4 avg., 1 TD) should be the man again on punt returns.
PROGNOSIS: Even if you're one of those that admires the Bills' personnel approach, you'd have to admit that it is probably not going to get the team anywhere in the very near future. There is some talent on both sides of the football, but enough to contend with the likes of the Patriots and Jets? Not yet. Losman, Lynch, and Evans should do some good things for the Buffalo offense, but they do not make up the core of a postseason-ready offense. The defense has some intriguing figures too, notably Schobel, Posluszny, and the two second-year safeties, but frankly, teams like New England are going to take advantage of their inexperience and run circles around the entire unit. The Bills will have their moments in 2007, but not enough of them to avoid a third- or fourth-place finish in the AFC East.

Steinbach leaves Browns practice with sprained knee

Berea, OH (Sports Network) - Cleveland Browns guard Eric Steinbach left prac
Steinbach, 27, was the Browns' big free-agent splash this offseason, signing a seven-year, $49.5 million dollar contract with Cleveland. He limped off the field after falling on his knee in the team's morning practice next to a team trainer. Tests, including an MRI, have yet to be performed, but Browns head coach Romeo Crennel guessed that the injury was just a bruise.
Steinbach spent his first four NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, starting 62 of the 63 games he has played. He has worked mostly at guard in the NFL, but has also spent time at tackle and center.
The Bengals selected the Iowa product with the first pick of the second round in the 2003 NFL Draft. He has twice been named a Pro Bowl alternate.
Also absent from practice on Wednesday was veteran linebacker Willie McGinest, who flew to Los Angeles on Tuesday to have a doctor reevaluate his back, which has limited his activity in camp.

Bruins ink top draft pick

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The Boston Bruins have agreed to terms with center Zach Hamill, the club announced Wednesday. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 18-year-old Hamill was selected eighth overall by the Bruins in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He has spent the past four seasons with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League, where he scored a franchise-record 187 points (61 goals, 126 assists) in 183 games.
Also signed on Wednesday were defenseman Sean Curry and goaltender Jordan Sigalet, two players for the Bruins' American Hockey League affiliate in Providence.

Black Cats sign GK Gordon

Sunderland, England (Sports Network) - Sunderland signed goalkeeper Craig Gordon from Hearts to a five-year contract on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old has played with Hearts since 2002, and after inking a new contract in 2005, Gordon was signed with the Scottish Premier League club until 2009.
The terms of the transfer fee are not known. However, the deal reportedly beat the previous British record for a goalkeeper which was set when Fabien Barthez left Monaco for Manchester United in 2000.
"He is a top goalkeeper and he will be a massive asset for us over the next few years," said Sunderland manager Roy Keane.
Gordon, who made his Scotland debut against Trinidad & Tobago in 2004, was named player of the year by the Scottish Football Writer' Association in 2006.
Sunderland opens up its Premier League schedule this weekend at the Stadium of Light versus the Spurs. It is still unclear whether or not Gordon will be ready for the match. Not only has he just signed with his new club, but he is also nursing a sore shoulder.

Venus withdraws from Toronto

Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Wimbledon champion Venus Williams withdrew from next week's Rogers Cup event in Toronto. The reason for her withdrawal has not been revealed.
The former world No. 1 Williams captured her fourth Wimbledon title last month, giving her six major championships for her career.
The world No. 14 Williams has appeared in only nine WTA tournaments this season and has titled at Wimbledon and Memphis.

Lorena Ochoa wins 2007 Women's British Open

St. Andrews, Scotland (Sports Network) - This time there would be no meltdown, no miraculous shot from another player, no doubt about it.
Lorena Ochoa has her first major championship.
The Mexican star closed with a one-over 74 in the final round Sunday to win the Women's British Open by four shots, ending her 0-fer in the major championships with a weekend of steady golf on the Scottish coast while all the pressure of dubious past performances in the majors rested on her slight frame.
She seemed to handle it with ease, protecting her first-round 67 with three scores of 74 or better to finally gain that last bit of validation for her now-unassailable No. 1 ranking...Full Story