BfloGirlTravel: 2016 sports bus trips with Know How Tours

Visit Watkins Glen International with Know How Tours
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Know How Tours is offering a number of sports bus tours for the 2016 season, including trips to three baseball stadiums and a NASCAR race.

• Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays – on Saturday, April 9, head across the border to catch the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays in a 1:07 p.m. game. Cost is $115 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach and ticket to the game.
• Los Angeles Angels at Pittsburgh Pirates – on Saturday, June 4, the Angels visit Pittsburgh for a 4 p.m. game. This package – cost is $129 per person – includes round-trip motorcoach, ticket to the game in section 204 and an all-you-can-eat package with hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, popcorn, peanuts and more.
• New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians – on Sunday, July 10, the Yankees and Indians match up for the final game of a four-game stand at 1:10 p.m. Cost is $135 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach, ticket to the game and an all-you-can-eat package with hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, peanuts and Pepsi products.
• Cheez-It 355 @ The Glen – NASCAR visits the Finger Lakes region on Sunday, August 7. Cost is $125 per person adult and $95 per person child 19 and under, and includes round-trip motorcoach, frontstretch grandstand seating and the pre-race Fan Walk ticket.
• New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays – on Saturday, September 25, cross the border to catch the Yankees and Blue Jays in a 1:07 p.m. game. Cost is $115 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach and ticket to the game.

BfloGirlTravel: 2016 sports bus trips with D&F Travel

The view from the "suite" seats in Cleveland - 2015
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

D&F Travel doesn’t specialize in sports bus trips, but it does know how to make each sporting adventure a great one. Here are some of this year’s trips for sports fans:

• New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays – there are two dates for fans on this one – Thursday, April 14 (7:07 p.m. game) and Saturday, September 24 (1:07 p.m. game). Each trip is $99 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach and ticket to the game.
• New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians – catch one or all four games in this series, with trips scheduled for July 7, 8, 9 and 10 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) to Progressive Field. These trips include round-trip motorcoach, “suite” seat to the game and all-you-can-eat food and non-alcohol beverages until the middle of the 7^th inning – this is a great deal at $130 per person! (I’ve done this trip the last two seasons – great seats and lots of great ballpark food and more!)
• Cheez-It 355 @ The Glen – NASCAR visits the Finger Lakes region for one of two annual road course races on the Sprint Cup Series schedule on Sunday, August 7. Cost is $125 per person and includes round-trip motorcoach, grandstand seating and the pre-race Fan Walk ticket. 

2015 Buffalo Sabres pre-season schedule

• Monday, September 21 – at Minnesota Wild – 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 23 – v. Ottawa Senators – 7 p.m.
• Friday, September 25 – at Toronto Maple Leafs – 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, September 26 – at Ottawa – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 29 – v. Toronto – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, October 1 – at Minnesota – 8 p.m.
• Friday, October 2 – v. Columbus Blue Jackets – 7 p.m. 

My Two-Cents on Sports: December 4, 2014

• Congrats to NASCAR champs Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott and Matt Crafton, and NHRA champs Tony Schumacher, Matt Hagan, Erica Enders-Stevens and Andrew Hines. Top kudos to Elliott, a champ in his rookie season, and Enders-Stevens, the first woman to win a Pro Stock title.
• The Sabres are on a tear. I know a lot of fans wanted a garbage season so the team gets a top draft pick, but I just want to see them win. The team is finally playing “Ted Nolan hockey” and that makes me happy as a fan. Let’s go Buffalo!
• Don’t forget to vote for Zemgus!
• There are four games left for the 7-5 Bills, and December looks tough. I’m not a huge football fan, but I know our teams reflect on our moods, so right now, as the holidays approach, we should all be pretty happy! (unless you want the Sabres to lose…)
• Anxiously awaiting more auto racing schedules to be announced. The big ones I’m waiting for are the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series and the Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Tour. Starting to plan next year’s racing calendar!

Reinvention…Buffalo Sports Style

Once again, Buffalo and its surrounding suburbs – and ex-pats around the country and the world, for that matter – are basking in the glow of Pegula-mania. Terry and Kim Pegula , owners of the Sabres for a few years now, now own the Bills as well, and in essence become the most powerful couple in Buffalo.

credit: bills-backers.com/97Rock.com

This is not a bad thing.

The Pegulas, the Sabres and the Bills are all a vital part of the reinvention of Buffalo: the city is changing, growing, rebuilding – and so are our sports teams. Reinvention, growth, change, constructions – they all come with some growing pains, and it can take what seems like a long time, but it can all be worth it in the end.

The Pegulas share a vision with many of us for Buffalo, and they have shown their love for the Queen City by creating: jobs, revenue, places to go and things to do. They are also the epitome of the Buffalo dream: start small, work hard, become successful. They’ve become successful enough that they’re now trying to help our area recognize a couple of other dreams: championships for out hockey and football teams.

In Buffalo, we’re used to rough rides, be it in sports, the weather or the economy. But we get through it, and we’re stronger for it. Some people refer to Buffalo as a drinking town with a sports problem – if that’s the case, raise your glass to the Pegulas, sit back, strap in and enjoy the bumpy ride.

Sports = Emotion

It’s taken me nearly a week to write this piece, because 1) I haven’t had time and 2) I still don’t want to believe it’s over.

The Core 4: Rivera, Jeter, Pettitte and Posada
paulathompsonfreelance.com

I’ve been a New York Yankees fan since the days of Don Mattingly and Wade Boggs – definitely NOT the best of times – but the last 20 years have been my “mega-fan” days. Now, it’s all over.

I grew up with the Core 4 – Posada, Rivera, Pettitte and Jeter – and when I say “grew up” I mean it: they’re all around my age. Jorge Posada went first, although it wasn’t a big party like the others got. Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte both left the game last year, and both went out in storybook fashion – Rivera with a season-long celebration and Pettitte with one final game in his hometown of Houston that was nothing short of epic, a complete game win by a pitcher who hadn’t pitched a complete game since 2006. When Derek Jeter announced that 2014 would be his last season, everyone knew it, too, would be epic.

Like Rivera, it was a season-long celebration – and the end of what might be the best baseball career I will ever see in my lifetime.

On Thursday, September 25^th, Jeter took the field at Yankee Stadium one last time, going out with class, humility and the storybook ending that only the Yankees could produce. That night, his final game in the Bronx ended with one final hit from baseball’s Captain Clutch – a walk-off single that sent Ichiro home for the win. When the sea of current teammates parted, he was greeted by a line-up of men who had seen him through his greatest moments – Mo, Andy, Posada, Bernie, Tino and “Mr. T.”

On Sunday, September 28^th, he wrapped up his career against the Yankees archrivals and bitter enemies, the Boston Red Sox. The BoSox honored one of the best in baseball with one of the most respectful and classy ceremonies of the season, and the fans in attendance honored a player who was loved by many and “hated” by Bostonians (I say “hated” because they would’ve loved him in a BoSox uniform) with cheers and tears. Again, one final hit landed Jeter on first base, and his decision to end it there brought Brian McCann in as a pinch runner and brought Jeter one step closer to Cooperstown.

Yeah, I cried – I’m a sappy fan that way. I cried for Mo, I cried for Andy, I shed a tear in Cleveland when I saw Jeter play for the last time. But I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who shed a few tears.

Thanks for the memories guys.

A Kurt, A Casey and Two Kyles: Look Who I Found at Watkins Glen International!

Walking around the infield “Fan Fair” area at Watkins Glen International on Sunday morning before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in August, it felt like being at a festival somewhere in Buffalo: food, beverages, freebies, food sampling, race car drivers…OK, maybe that last thing won’t be found at a Buffalo festival…

The atmosphere is electric – there are thousands of people walking around, checking out the souvenir haulers and sponsor displays, like Target, GEICO and Toyota. These were some of the places where I found a few drivers hanging out:

• Kyle Larson

Casey Mears

Kurt Busch

Kyle Busch

I also found Madison, one of the Miss Sprint Cups, but she didn’t fit into the “kuh” theme I had going there…

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Expansion in Pegula-ville

Terry Pegula/Wikipedia

A few years back, many Buffalo Sabres fans like myself were elated when Terry and Kim Pegula became the new owners of the Blue and Gold, breathing new life over the last few years into the team – although sometimes, it’s been painful to watch L

Now Buffalo Bills fans get that same feeling of elation – maybe even more so – now that the Pegulas have expanded Pegula-ville into Orchard Park.

Thanks for trying Donald Trump. Bon voyage Bon Jovi.

Oh, and Jon – they’re staying in Buffalo.

2014 UB Bulls football schedule

College football is alive and well in Buffalo, as the UB Bulls take to the field in Amherst behind QB Joe Licata. While I’m also a Syracuse Orange fan, the Bulls hold a special place in my heart – I’m not only a UB alumni, but a Williamsville South High School alumni, which is where Licata played high school ball. GO BULLS!

• Saturday, August 30^th – v. Duquesne – won 38-28
• Saturday, September 6^th – at Army – noon
• Friday, September 12^th – v. Baylor – 8 p.m.
• Saturday, September 20^th – v. Norfolk St. – TBA
• Saturday, September 27^th – v. Miami (Ohio) – 3:30 p.m.
• Saturday, October 4^th – at Bowling Green – TBA
• Saturday, October 11^th – at Eastern Michigan – TBA
• Wednesday, November 5^th – at Ohio – 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 11^th – v. Akron – 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 19^th – v. Kent State – 8 p.m.
• Friday, November 28^th – at Massachusetts – TBA

Find out more about all of UB’s sports teams at www.ubbulls.com.

2014 Buffalo Bills schedule

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/John Kasawa

Who’s ready for some football? While the ownership scenario is still up in the air, the Buffalo Bills 2014 season schedule is not – plan your parties and tailgates now!

• Sunday, September 7^th – at Chicago Bears – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, September 14^th – v. Miami Dolphins – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, September 21^st – v. San Diego Chargers – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, September 28^th – at Houston Texans – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, October 5^th – at Detroit Lions – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, October 12^th – v. New England Patriots
• Sunday, October 19^th – v. Minnesota Vikings – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, October 26^th – at New York Jets – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, November 2^nd – Bye week
• Sunday, November 9^th – v. Kansas City Chiefs – 1 p.m.
• Thursday, November 13^th – at Miami Dolphins – 8:25 p.m.
• Sunday, November 23^rd – v. New York Jets – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, November 30^th – v. Cleveland Browns – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, December 7^th – at Denver Broncos – 4:05 p.m.
• Sunday, December 14^th – v. Green Bay Packers – 1 p.m.
• Sunday, December 21^st – at Oakland Raiders – 4:25 p.m.
• Sunday, December 28^th – at New England Patriots – 1 p.m.

Get tickets and more information at www.buffalobills.com. 

Sports Shorts – August 21, 2014

The era of Derek Jeter is coming to an end soon…going to Yankees games will never be the same without “the Captain.” I was blessed to see the “Core Four” play, and hopefully Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte will be recognized together in Monument Park.

Thanks Captain!
paulathompsonfreelance.com

While Terry Pegula has yet to put a winning hockey team on the ice, he’s certainly bringing hockey to Buffalo in a big way. Harbor Center will host the 2015 and 2016 NHL Combine, and the First Niagara Center will once again host the USA Hockey Prospects Game in September – there are also rumors of will also be an Erie Otters game at the FNC this season - October 22.

I can’t wait for Harbor Center to open – I’m looking forward to checking out the new (716) restaurant and the Sabres-themed Tim Hortons!

Dear NFL – PLEASE give the Bills to Terry Pegula!!

For local auto racing fans, the fiasco at Lancaster…er, Elegant Builders Raceway Park is almost as bad as Bills ownership scenarios. Hopefully calmer heads will prevail and we can at least see the annual Tommy Druar-Tony Jankowiak Memorial 110 run where it should be – EBRP. Then we can look forward to 2015 and a new beginning! (Hey, maybe Terry Pegula has a few extra dollars… J)

****ETA - calmer heads have prevailed! The US Open is a go - read all about it here!

Three races till the Chase, one til the Countdown and two left in the IndyCar season – this is one of the best times to be a racing fan! One of NASCAR’s biggest stories is the number of drivers without a win yet this season – at the forefront, Matt Kenseth, who went from seven wins last year to winless in 2014. In the NHRA, John Force is once again a hot topic as he keeps going rounds and winning Wallys – the thought that this legend may be sidelined next year due to loss of sponsorship is unthinkable. The compacted IndyCar Series season has kept it in the sports page more regularly this season – last year, there were a few breaks of three or so weeks at a time, allowing fans to forget about the series.