Archives for March 11, 2003

"I thought I was coming out in Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium that last game of the year," said Spikes. "They made me feel welcome. So that’s a big plus. I remember one guy said, ‘Play well, Takeo. Just don’t hurt anybody so you can get ready for us next year.’ It was impressive."

Free Agent running back tours Buffalo.

‘Talks between Adams’ agent and the Bills appear to be in a holding pattern while the Bills entertain more free agents. Adams, a two-time Pro Bowler, was the key run-stuffer on two AFC Super Bowl teams the last three years (Baltimore and Oakland). He remains interested in joining his friend, Pat Williams, on the Bills’ defensive line.’

‘A dialogue with Adams’ agent, Angelo Wright, was kept open through the weekend and the sides spoke again on Monday. “I’m upbeat,” Wright said. “I think both parties recognize Sam could be an integral cog in the Bills getting to a Super Bowl.”‘

‘”He brings a ton of NFL experience, and we’re very excited about what he can add to our organization, what he can add to our coaching staff and what he can add to our team with his ability. We’re excited about what he can bring to us to help take us to the next step. For 40-plus years Dick has been one of the best in the league.”‘

”’If I don’t sign here, it was a lateral,” he said. ”If I sign here, it was a completely phony, bogus play that shouldn’t have counted.”’

‘Spikes will be reunited with his old coach and defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau, who was introduced Monday as Bills assistant head coach. “That’s my man,” Spikes said.’

‘Calling it “the beginning of a new day in the Bengal organization and in the shaping of the team under my direction,” head coach Marvin Lewis announced the club won’t match Spikes’ six-year, $32 million contract with Buffalo, allowing him to join the Buffalo Bills.’

New assistant head coach Dick LeBeau began his Bills coaching career on Monday. He will primarily be involved in better implementing the zone-blitzing schemes into Buffalo’s defense, particularly the pass coverages that help make zone blitzing so effective.

‘Also pretty active are the Buffalo Bills, who officially added linebacker Takeo Spikes to what was one of the NFL’s worst defenses last season.’

‘“I didn’t even know he was coming,” LeBeau said of Spikes. “But I’ll tell you one thing, you’ve got a pretty good football player in that young man.”’

“It works out for both parties,” said cornerback Artrell Hawkins. “It’s only fair after Takeo has said he doesn’t want to be here to let him try to make a name for himself somewhere else. It was a pretty fair deal because we get three really good players in spots we need.

I called Price Friday afternoon to ask him whether he is confident he can be Michael Vick’s franchise receiver in Atlanta, despite the fact a lot of people who watch the game think Price will struggle in that role. Price is 26, and at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, he’ll take some punishment from some very good defenses in Tampa Bay, Carolina and New Orleans in the AFC South. "It’s interesting," he said of the Moulds’ comparison. "I weighed that in my decision. I think Moulds and me complemented each other. Given the opportunity to be a No. 1, I knew I could do it, and I wanted to do it. I know everyone thinks I’m a No. 2, but that’s not what I think. The thing I don’t think people realize is what happened to us in coverage last year. After we got off to such a great start in Buffalo with Drew [Bledsoe], teams started playing us Cover Two Man — a corner on us all the time, usually with the safety over the top. So I feel like I got doubled almost every play for the last 10, 12 games of the season. Ask the coaching staff in Buffalo. They’ll tell you we saw pretty much the same coverage."

"Basically I really wanted to coach but once you make a commitment to an employer, it's always been my goal to think that he got a good deal in the agreement and I wanted to make sure that I could hold up my end. I want to go into a position with an earnest work ethic to try to accomplish and help anybody who was interested in my services. Coach (Williams) expressed that interest and I was certainly interested in his football team and his organization. It was mostly just getting into a situation where I felt positive and knew this is where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. That's why I'm here."

"It's been awful exciting here in a short free agency period. I think that we will continue to work all the way up to training camp, that's when the off-season ends. It's been exciting to see us hit the ground running. We had a plan; we worked hard to develop in January and February. It's nice to see that we've made an impact early."