Archives for December 2003

”’Willis has asked the coaches to play each of the past three weeks, but they just haven’t felt it was the right time,” agent Drew Rosenhaus, who represents McGahee, said Thursday. “With only two games left and the Bills out of the race, I don’t know if they’ll do that.”’

‘”It’s all about winning, getting to the playoffs and winning in the playoffs,” said Thomas, whose five consecutive Pro Bowl selections is the longest streak by a Dolphins linebacker since John Offerdahl (1986-90). “That’s all that really matters. This is another thing like an award or something like that.”‘

‘In Fiedler’s past two cold-weather starts, at New England in December 2002 and against the Patriots again last week, Fiedler completed 43 percent of his passes, averaged 111 yards and had one touchdown and two interceptions. The Dolphins lost both games.’

‘Every year it’s the same story.”‘

‘”You wish and hope that things will work out in your favor, but when it doesn’t happen you just go on,” Seau said. “I’ll take my 12 straight and pack my bags and get on with it. I’ve been blessed. It’s time for other folks to go and have fun.”‘

‘”I mean, you can just tell week by week he’s not favoring his knee or nothing like that,” Bills linebacker Takeo Spikes said. “I just noticed last week, one time when he went out on a pass route and a linebacker was chasing after him, he kind of pulled away from the linebacker. I was like, ‘He’s getting real close to playing form again.’ “‘

‘But like the rest of the Dolphins, Thomas would gladly trade in his honor for a chance to reach the playoffs.’

‘With the Dolphins facing playoff elimination with either a loss to the Bills or a Denver win Sunday, making the Pro Bowl is a little bittersweet, even for Ogunleye. “It’s coming at a bad time,” Ogunleye said. “I really feel that we should be a lot better as a team and hopefully, we can get these next two wins. Getting in the playoffs would make this a lot better. I would honestly give this award away if we could get into the playoffs.”‘

‘”He’s made a lot of progress,” Bills coach Gregg Williams said. “He really has. We made the decision to move him up onto the active roster so we could work with him throughout the remaining part of the season. We will evaluate him at the end of every week whether he can add something into one of our packages to where he could help us win a ballgame and also give himself a chance to play in live competition. But we’re not going to jeopardize the team, nor him, if everything is not fully 100 percent in both areas, be it mentally and be it physically.”‘

‘Each time, Dave Wannstedt’s theretofore well-positioned team has been rendered anything but merry. This season has brought the same serving of holiday jeer the Dolphins find so distastefully familiar. It could cost Wannstedt his job.’

‘For a long period of time he was a superior player. But Ruben doesn’t belong in the Pro Bowl anymore.’

”’I’m kind of glad he stole it so I can know the severity of what the penalty would be,” Moulds said, smiling.’

‘Takeo Spikes makes his first ever Pro Bowl. He said he was very emotional inside, but he wasn’t going to pull a Dick Vermeil.’

‘For Spikes, this is the recognition he was seeking when he signed with the Bills last March. In Cincinnati, Spikes led the Bengals in four of his five seasons but failed to earn a Pro Bowl selection because of the team’s poor record.’

‘Defensive tackles Pat Williams and Sam Adams along with punter Brian Moorman were selected as alternates.’