Tom Tarapacki

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• Posted In Politics and in Sports. There's Got To Be a Morning After to Buffalo Rising
  You don't have to be a Buffalo Bills fan to know about "Monday Morning Quarterbacks." That's one of the many sports idioms that have come into common usage in American society. Basically, it refers to a person who criticizes a team or player after a performance, having had the benefit of hindsight. The Mitt Romney campaign has certainly had a multitude of Monday Morning Quarterbacks, many of whom were among the campaign's biggest strategists and cheerleaders just before election day.In sports, the Monday Morning Quarterbacks tend to have a much easier job because the situation is usually much clearer. If...
• Commented on In the NFL, when is an injury not an injury?
  You're right ---- it's a a six-year deal potentially worth $100 million, with $50 million guaranteed. Sorry Mario!...
• Posted In the NFL, when is an injury not an injury? to Buffalo Rising
  When is an injury not an injury in the NFL? Apparently, sometimes an injury is not an injury when it isn't put on the NFL injury report. Much of the focus on the Bills during the bye week related to defensive end Mario Williams and his left wrist.  Williams' performance has been disappointing thus far, and he partly attributed it to a wrist injury.  The manner in which Williams' injury was reported (or not reported)  has raised questions, especially since Williams is the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL (He signed a 6-year, $300 million contract in March). Williams had never...
• Posted TURKEY TROT REGISTRATION CLOSED to Buffalo Rising
  As predicted, the annual YMCA Turkey Trot reached its limit of 13,200 participants earlier this week and organizers have halted registrations. The Turkey Trot had gotten so popular (and congested) that last year race organizers decided to limit participation to 12,500 registrants. However, that number was increased this year to 13,200 when race officials announced that the Family- Friendly Post Race area would be moved from the Buffalo Convention Center to the adjacent Statler City. However, even with the expanded capacity the race reached that limit well before Thanksgiving. The finish line and postrace party and awards ceremony will remain at the...
• Posted Annual Reindeer Run 5K Race Coming December 3rd to Buffalo Rising
  With the colder weather returning to Buffalo, the once seemingly ubiquitous 5K races are not as common as they were during the summer. With the end of Daylight Savings Time, most of those races are held on weekends.  One of the most interesting of the winter races is the Reindeer Run, which is being held on Saturday, December 3rd.The popular annual 5K race has a great course that takes you through the streets of north Buffalo and Forest Lawn Cemetery. At the end there'll be a post-race part on the Medaille College Buffalo campus, with refreshments and free massages for...
• Posted Be an early bird for Turkey Trot to Buffalo Rising
  Here's your warning: Now is the time to register for the 2011 Turkey Trot. At some point before the start of this Buffalo tradition registration will likely be shut down, so it's a good idea to do it now.As you may know, the Turkey Trot has gotten so popular that last year race organizers decided to limit participation to 12,500 registrants. The race had grown so large that, for the safety of all involved, it was decided to cap the number of runners. That same limit is in place this year as well.The 116th annual YMCA Turkey Trot will be...
• Posted A NEW TRADITION FOR RUNNERS to Buffalo Rising
  By Tom Tarapacki:Buffalo has numerous races that highlight this area's long-standing love affair with running. They include, to name a few, the Shamrock Run, the Subaru Chase, and the YMCA Turkey Trot, the country's oldest continuously run footrace.  A first-time race that will likely become another great annual local tradition will be held on Friday, September 2. That's when the inaugural running of the Western New York Running Hall of Fame 5k will take place in the Elmwood Village.As organizers put it, this is "a race put on by runners for runners." Not only will the race's top finishers be...
• Posted A Time For Optimism For Bills Fans to Buffalo Rising
  The Bills were the last team to record their first win in 2010, starting the season with eight consecutive losses. However, the team showed improvement in the second half of the season with a record of 4-4, finishing the year at 4-12. Hopes are high for the team as the 2011 season is about to begin, and many of the Bills' most supportive fans are members of the Monday Quarterback Club.The Monday Quarterback Club was founded by area community leaders in 1960. It is an organization of business people that works to support the Bills and professional football in Western...
• Posted RUNNING INTO SUMMER to Buffalo Rising
  According to legend, when the Athenian army defeated the invading Persian army in  the battle of Marathon in 490 B.C., the Athenians ordered the messenger Pheidippides to run the roughly 26 miles to Athens and announce the victory.  Pheidippides raced back to the city in the summer heat, proclaimed "We Have Won," and then collapsed and died from exhaustion. Now, you don't have to go extremes when it comes to running this summer.  However, a great way to add a little incentive to your training is to enter one of the many local road races. It'll not only give you...
• Posted TANGO FOR THE HOLIDAYS to Buffalo Rising
  Local Argentine Tango instructor Travis Widrick is offering a holiday gift package for both the beginning or advanced dancer.Widrick heads Buffalo Tango X. He has studied with Tango Instructors from all over the world, including many from Argentina.  The Argentine Tango is a dance that originated in Argentina in the late 19th century, combining  elements of  African, European and Latin American cultures in a very romantic and sensual expression. The Argentine Tango Gift Package includes: - 4 Private OR Semi-private One-hour lessons  (Private means one person or one couple; semi-private means two couples)-  Tango CD filled with beautiful classical tango music for...
• Posted "THE NFL BRAND" THE SUBJECT OF MONDAY'S TALK to Buffalo Rising
  "Positioning the NFL Brand" will be the topic of a talk to be presented at Monday's meeting of the Monday Quarterback Club. The luncheon will be held at the Harbour Club at HSBC Arena on December 13th. Doors open at 11:15 am for a buffet lunch, and the program follows at 12:00 pm. MQB, the business group that backs the Buffalo Bills, is bringing in Peter O'Reilly, Vice President for Fan Strategy and Marketing for the National Football League, as its the featured speaker. O'Reilly's talk will delve into strategies for reaching out to the younger as well as mature markets,...