Archives for August 2004

‘Playing career: Cincinnati Bengals under Paul Brown (1968-70); Washington Redskins (1971-73); Detroit Lions (1974); St. Louis Cardinals (1976); Buffalo Bills (1976).’

‘"My goal when I became a free agent was to make what I made my last 2 years in Philly," says Vincent, whose combined base salaries with the Eagles the last 2 years was $7.5 million. "And I got it."’

‘In the scrimmage tomorrow each team will alternate possessions getting the ball for 10 or 12 plays beginning at its own 35. The team has four chances to make a first down. If it does not the ball goes back to the 35, even if it is on the opponent’s 5.’

‘"Our defense will see Drew Bledsoe throw the ball," Davis said. "We’ll get a chance to see some other runners in the game. They have two really talented running backs, so it will be good to see them work."’

‘“No nerves,” McGahee said. “But it’s good to play against other people besides your teammates that aren’t going to treat you easily. Yeah, it’s an important step.”’

‘Coach Mike Mularkey didn’t provide a timetable for Burns’ recovery other than to say he’ll be out for a while.’

‘Tomorrow we’ve got full pads, broken down in 9-on-7, inside run drills, 7-on-7, and team period. Special teams will face each other, and that’s all in the morning. In the afternoon they’re going to go into shoulder pads and we’ll have a blitz period and, again, another team period like we had today, finishing up with a two two-minute segments. Saturday we’ll have designed drives. After a brief special teams period we’ll go right into the scrimmage, designed to flip-flop offense and defense and with little wrinkles to it depending on where the drive ends and all those things. We’ll get a lot of good work and a lot of situational football that’s tough to script.’

‘"It’s kind of a way to rejuvinate camp. No matter how tired or sore you are, you see another color line up, it always gets violent," said defensive tackle Oliver Gibson.’

‘Burns suffered a high ankle sprain during Wednesday evening’s workout and is now wearing a walking boot.’

Pick a Buffalo Bill: Thomas vs. Reed. Right now I’d have to go with Aikman and Thomas. No wait a minute, I can’t leave Warren Moon off. But how can I leave off Thomas, the heart and soul of the Bills’ K-Gun offense? I told you, brutal!

‘The Browns, who were held in single-digit scoring on six occasions last year and averaged just 12.5 points per game over the final six weeks, will be at the Bills’ training camp home at St. John Fisher College on Friday and Saturday. The teams will practice against one another twice on Friday, at 9 a.m. and 3:15 p.m., and a sold-out scrimmage is slated for 11 a.m. Saturday.’

‘There has been no rotation on the first team at the position manned by Ruben Brown for the past nine seasons. Mike Pucillo has taken all the snaps with the starting unit. "The plan is Pucillo has kind of got the job unless he struggles; we give him the first shot," said offensive line coach Jim McNally. "That’s a decision we’ve made."’

‘”This is not a rebuilding process here by any stretch,” first-year head coach Mike Mularkey said. “We have a group of veteran players here who know how to win, and it’s not going to take much to get this thing going in the right direction.”‘

‘On if he was focusing on Willis McGahee during goal line:

Yes I was, but I was also looking at the line to see what kind of movement we get and what type of attitude we had up front in the trenches. Willis did fine. I’m anxious to see it on film.’

‘"It was personal family problems just to categorize it," Williams said as he addressed the media after practice. "Those things are over. I’m out here on the field and I’m committed to being out here on the field playing for the Bills as long as they will have me. I will be out here giving 100 percent."’