Archives for May 2003

Darryl Talley, former Bills linebacker from 1983-94, will become the 20th honoree on the Bills Wall of Fame at Ralph Wilson Stadium during a ceremony on October 19 against the Washington Redskins.

‘”I’m very honored,” Talley said from his home in Orlando, Fla. “The Bills have been around 45 years, and to go up on that wall, considering all the players who have played, is a great honor.”‘

‘Talley has chosen Oct. 19 for his induction ceremony, the day the Bills host the Washington Redskins and Smith, who will enter his 19th season needing just four sacks to break Reggie White’s career NFL mark.’

On Saturday, May 10, potential season ticket holders had the chance to try some of the best seats on for size at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Some of the festivities surrounding the team's "Select-A-Seat" day included an autograph session with Bills players, a tour of the Bills locker room and an opportunity to check out the new playing surface that is being installed for the 2003 season. During the event, buffalobills.com asked a handful of fans to predict the team's record in 2003.

‘Experts say that is a key unanswered question about McGahee, whether microscopic damage to the cartilage took place or develops in the future.’

The Bills are the greatest team from the greatest city in America. I joined the fans as a six-year old in 1965. I was the youngest child of a Montana family that moved around a bit, Buffalo was home for a while and the Bills made it stay my home, thirty years after leaving. Thanks to the Bills, Western New York has much more to cheer about. The team and the city will always have a special spot, a very large spot in my heart.

‘Berman recalled how when the Bills got on the clock during draft day, he would become uncannily accurate in his prediction of their selection. "The best part was it took Mr. (Ralph) Wilson, the owner of the Bills, about seven years to figure it out. It confounded him," Berman said. When asked about his success in picking Buffalo’s top choice, Berman had a stock answer. "All I would say is that I was in Buffalo recently and a cab driver told me," he said. Berman said it was Butler’s way of putting one over on the owner.’

‘Levy recognized that Butler could be a demanding administrator. “Yes, he demanded excellence,” Levy said. “He demanded it in himself and he inspired it in others. John was a magnificent leader if being a leader is the ability to get other people to get the best out of themselves. Not by getting them to follow you, but by getting them to join you.”‘

‘As Marv Levy, a Hall of Fame Coach that took the Buffalo Bills to four Super Bowls with Butler, said, "What kind of a man is John Butler? John Butler lives on. His legacy inspires us," Levy said.’

The Buffalo Bills Youth Foundation Flag Football Tournament will be held on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 between 7 AM and 8 PM. The tournament games are played on the Buffalo Bills grass practice field behind Ralph Wilson Stadium.

‘“He was devoted to the four F’s — family, friends, football and food,” Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy said Thursday at a memorial service…“What kind of a man is John Butler? And the reason I ask, is because John Butler lives on. His legacy inspires us,” Levy said.’

Ken Simonton earned Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time in five weeks for his performance in the Claymores' 17-10 loss to Barcelona last Sunday. The Bills allocated running back came within three yards of becoming the first player in NFL Europe history to gain 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game. Follow Buffalo's players in NFL Europe

‘”Players tend to play with more confidence when they’re on a surface such as grass or something like this that’s more forgiving,” he said. “We could tell the difference when we’d come out of the Fieldhouse. The AstroTurf was a lot harder; we had more aches and pains."’

Rookies, newcomers and selected veterans will report to Fisher on Wednesday, July 23 and begin practice the following day. The rest of the veterans will report on Saturday, July 26 with the first full practice sessions on Sunday, July 27. The Bills plan to break camp at Fisher August 20.

Thursday, July 24 Early group reports to training camp

Saturday, July 26 Veterans report to training camp