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Scorecard: The Week's Winners & Losers

The Matrix: Charting Buffalo's Biggest Villains

As if Buffalo needed anymore reason to despise Pittsburgh Penguins golden boy Sidney Crosby, on Feb. 28 ‘Sid the Kid’ delivered. Like being trapped inside a post-traumatic sports disorder flashback, Buffalo fans watched helplessly as the Canadian boy wonder scored the decisive overtime goal in the gold medal game against the Buffalo Sabres’ Ryan Miller and Team USA. Seriously, if anybody else had scored that goal, the loss would be much more tolerable. It’s safe to say that game, in combination with the similar outcome in 2008’s outdoor NHL Winter Classic, have earned Crosby a permanent place on Buffalo’s hate list.

The Week In Review, using highly scientific data and analysis, plotted where some of Buffalo’s villainous figures would land on our Villainry Matrix.







The Week's Winners & Losers

Empathy

At Pres. Obama’s Feb. 25 healthcare summit, NY congresswoman Louise Slaughter shared the story of a Buffalo woman forced to wear her dead sisters’ dentures due to a lack of insurance. Republicans countered that empathy was a “socialist” ideal.

Foregone Conclusions

Andrew Cuomo come on down. Barring unforeseen disaster, you’re likely to be New York’s next governor. Unpopular Gov. David Paterson’s Feb. 26 announcement that he won’t run this fall and a weak GOP field, all but assure you’re in like flynn.

Departing Divas

The Bills announced on Feb. 27 that they would not try to re-sign Terrell Owens. A lame reality show, some tasty cereal and one subpar season are now all that remain of the controversial wideout’s tenure in Buffalo. Farewell T.O., we hardly knew ye.

Canadian Rock

In response to Canada’s victory over the US in the gold medal hockey game, on March 1 local radio station 103.3 The Edge banned Canadian rock all day. If there’s one silver lining from that loss, the absence of Nickelback from the airwaves is it.

Gentlemen's Clubs

FBI agents raided Rick’s Talley Ho in Cheektowaga and 24KT Solid Gold in Hamburg on March 2 and arrested 27 people in connection with an alleged drug ring. A government informant also claimed sex was exhcanged for money (gasp!) in private rooms.





By the numbers...

9

New York’s estimated budget deficit in billions of dollars, according to revised numbers released March 2. The new figure is 10% higher than Gov. David Paterson’s previous estimates and includes an $850 million decline in tax revenue.

850

Value in dollars of two New York Yankees World Series Tickets recevied by Gov. David Paterson in 2009. A state report released on March 3 concluded Paterson violated ethics laws concerning gifts and may have lied about his intention to pay for them afterward. The case has been referred to Albany prosecutors and the lame duck guv could face penalties of almost $80,000.

20

Additional cost in millions of dollars, to construct a tunnel connecting the Peace Bridge Plaza to the Niagara Thruway as opposed to the existing elevated ramp. The plan, pitched by Congressman Brian Higgins on March 2, would seek to appease the Olmsted Conservancy, who has opposed any Peace Bridge expansion that would limit or obscure views of Lake Erie from Front Park.


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