Archives for September 2003

‘They finished 4-0 in the exhibition season for only the third time in their history, but much of that good karma vanished Monday when coach Bill Belichick dumped team captain and spiritual leader Lawyer Milloy because the four-time Pro Bowl choice refused to take a pay cut from the $4.4 million he was due in 2003.’

‘Belichick has to wonder if his team is OK with the Milloy issue that broke only five days ago. He knows the players don’t like it, even resent it, but he also undoubtedly expects them to play well in spite of those emotions. “Tuesday was a tough day,” Belichick said, “but I think the overall concentration and focus on the field was good through the week. We’ll be ready to go.”‘

‘I think that every year. We’ve just got to go out and prove it.’

‘Milloy, as proud as they come, was apparently willing to take a sizable pay cut. He was also willing, if necessary, to test that open market – not always the friendliest of places at this time of the year. He did pretty well, though, with a reported 4-year, $15 million deal that included a $5 million signing bonus.’

‘Buffalo radio stations are calling Donahoe “the general manager of the century”.’

‘The aftershocks are still rippling through New England.’

‘Rumor has it someone in New England was leaking word that safety Lawyer Milloy’s game had slipped. Buffalo president and general manager Tom Donahoe has heard that one before. It’s a good one. That’s how the Bills got quarterback Drew Bledsoe in 2002.’

‘Lawyer Milloy and Drew Bledsoe, ex-Patriots reunited, will have a common goal when the Buffalo Bills host the New England Patriots today: revenge.’

‘Milloy said his agent, Carl Poston, “called some teams to see who would want me” before he was cut Tuesday, and added: “The Redskins gave us a bigger offer than the Patriots.”’

‘Greg Williams has been a poor imitation of a coach on match day, however with the talent available to him the last couple of years he has done a passable job for the team overall and with new additions to the coaching staff his game day decisions should continue to improve from the most dire to respectable. He is hard working and does learn, however, and this year te team enters the season well prepared and healthy, with some success in the play-offs a reachable goal.’

‘"I know everybody wants to hype the Bledsoe story again, but the important part is that we want to beat Buffalo, a division team," Belichick said. "If you want to do well in your division you have to do well against the division teams."’

‘As season openers go, this is far from being another game. ”It’s starting to turn into like the old backyard brawl, you know, guys are switching sides,” Bills tight end Dave Moore said. ”It’s good, it just adds to the whole drama of it.” Or a potential bad dream. ”That would be a nightmare,” Patriots fullback Larry Centers said, when asked to consider the prospect of the Bills and Milloy combining for a victory.’

Milloy, a four-time Pro Bowl safety with the Patriots, signed with the Bills Thursday and is likely to make his Buffalo debut Sunday against New England in a poetic-justice sort of season opener for both teams. Those headlines could soon be eclipsed by questions over whether his agent, Carl Poston, was in contact with other NFL teams before the Patriots released Milloy.

‘"I love competing because it brings out the best in you," he said. "Whenever he gets healthy and they decide to put him out there, it’s going to make us better. I know it’s going to make me better."’

‘Milloy offered one anecdote from the practice. “It felt weird when I was running scout team cards and I was actually playing myself,” Milloy said.’