Archives for April 23, 2002

‘The downside is so much greater for New England. They just gave up a 30 year old quarterback, who holds just about every one of the team’s passing records, and as good as he was on the field, he was even better in the community. They are gambling on a guy named Brady, who I will admit had a tremendous season last year. But, they better hope he’s not a one hit wonder, or gets hurt early in this season.’

‘Drew Bledsoe doesn’t make the Bills an instant Super Bowl contender. But he does accelerate the rebuilding effort by warp speed, by turning what was a glaring weakness into a positive. He also gives the Bills the legitimate “star” they’ve been missing that helps sell tickets.’

‘"I think the Bills are going to be a great organization to play for," said Coy. "They’ve been very positive from the beginning."’

‘"I think if they give him a chance that he’ll show them that he can play in the NFL. He’s got great speed and he’s very quick. I think he could make it as a wide receiver. But I also think he could make it as a kick returner. I think they really got something in Rodney if they give him a chance to show himself."’

‘Ferguson, who walked on at Tech and became a four-year starter, doesn’t plan to disappoint in Buffalo. "I’ve said all along that all I needed was to get my foot in the door and I’ll do the rest," he said.’

The response from Bills fans and football fans everywhere has been enormous. In a poll on buffalobills.com, 82 percent agree that the move was an "excellent" one. Since the deal, the site has been flooded with visitors and emails, reaching record-high numbers over a 48-hour period.

Obviously everyone at the Bills is very excited about the acquisition of Drew Bledsoe. Since Sunday's trade, we have received many requests from fans regarding Bills-Bledsoe merchandise.

Tomorrow afternoon, quarterback DREW BLEDSOE will arrive in Buffalo for the first time since joining the Bills.

‘"It puts us up with Miami and the Jets . . . and really gives us a chance to stick it to New England."’

‘Donahoe certainly has earned a vacation. Over a period of two months, he and his staff have taken a staggering football team and lifted it back to respectability.’

‘The Buffalo Bills have not released the names of undrafted free agents they signed, but various published reports have Pittsburgh quarterback David Priestley, Notre Dame defensive lineman Grant Irons, West Virginia safety Rick Sherrod and Louisville long snapper Chip Mattingly coming to Buffalo.’

‘Buffalo Bills fans are excited about Drew Bledsoe’s becoming the team’s new quarterback, and many are proving it at the ticket window.’

‘It’s almost – almost – enough to make you want to skip summer and go right to fall.’

‘What the Bills are getting is a strong-armed quarterback with good accuracy who is 240 pounds and not very mobile. He has never been adept at processing information quickly enough to be a dominant factor on third down, and that’s why he was replaced last year by sixth-round draft pick Tom Brady.’

‘"I said all of last year I thought Buffalo was a good team, a lot better than their record," Patriots’ wide receiver Troy Brown told the Boston Globe. "You add Drew Bledsoe to that team, and our rival is that much stronger. For Buffalo, it’s unbelievable to add a guy like that in that locker room."’