Archives for January 2005

‘”To be honest, if J.P. had been ready this year, they would have gone to him,” Kelly said. “But I don’t think J.P. is ready yet mentally. Physically, he has it all. He’s got the arm strength, he’s a good athlete who can move around and he’s a tough kid. But I think it’s still going to take time for him to develop the knowledge you need at this level. I do believe he’s going to be a good one when he is ready.”‘

‘Also, almost guaranteed to be gone are former starting guard Mike Pucillo, who was often inactive down the stretch and safety Izell Reese, who suffered a similar fate once Troy Vincent returned from knee surgery and took over the free spot. Two other safeties are at risk, Pierson Prioleau, another former starter, and Coy Wire, a solid special teams player, who also couldn’t get it done as a starter. On offense, wide receiver Josh Reed has failed to impress in three seasons, nor has fellow wideourt Sam Aiken in two campaigns.’

‘Cirrincione’s agent, Jeff Courtney, was cautiously optimistic. “I like to call it more of a workout (than a tryout),” Courtney said. “They haven’t said that if Vinny kicks lights out, they’re going to sign him. They’re working out several kickers. They’ve seen some tape on Vinny, and even though it’s all indoor tape, they think he has a strong leg and lot of potential because he’s only 21 years old.”‘

‘Defensive coordinator Jerry Gray of the Buffalo Bills has been contacted by Syracuse but may not have an interview scheduled. His agent, Gary O’Hagan, confirmed that Syracuse had contacted Gray but declined comment Friday night when asked about an interview.’

‘The Bills have donated $10,000 to the American Red Cross – International Response Fund and encourage fans to join the team and support relief efforts in areas affected by this disaster.’

‘Mularkey, the former Pittsburgh offensive coordinator and onetime NFL tight end, has agreed to break down the 12-team playoff field and share his pre-game analysis with Don Banks of SI.com…’.

‘Following an impressive rookie arenafootball2 season, Albany Conquest kicker Vinny Cirrincione has been granted a tryout with the Buffalo Bills to take place Tuesday morning (Jan. 11). “This is another reason why Albany is an attractive place for players to be,” said Albany Conquest Head Coach Richard Davis. “We are sandwiched between several NFL teams that pay attention to the players we have on the roster. This is a great opportunity for Vinny to have a chance to elevate his professional football playing career.”‘

‘The cap numbers for Vincent and Milloy are pretty steady the next three years (in the $3.5 million range). Milloy is signed through 2006. So there’s not going to be a great need to rework their deals. As long as Vincent plays well at safety the next three years, the Bills should be getting their money’s worth.’

‘"We should have been in the playoffs," Donahoe said. "We know it. The league knows it. Our fans know it. Next year, we expect to get there. We have a good football team. We have to make it better."’

‘At the very least, you’d have expected Moulds to stand up for Bledsoe, to make the standard assertion that “Drew is our guy” and it’s his job to lose. Moulds seemed more interested in talking up the prospects of the rookie, J.P. Losman. He said he didn’t know “how long management thinks (Losman) can stay on the bench.”‘

‘Here’s a look at how the team did and what to expect in 2005…’.

‘When asked if Bledsoe would start next year, Donahoe said every job is open for competition. “I think you start from scratch and the best players deserve to play.”‘

‘”Jerry wants to be a head coach and he’s expressed that to (head coach) Mike (Mularkey) and to me,” Donahoe told The News. “The opportunities don’t come around that often. I think Jerry can be a head coach in this league. Maybe it won’t happen this year, but it’s going to happen for him. We’d encourage Jerry to look into it. He’ll do a great job.”‘

‘Fisch does not deny that Hunter’s Hope and Kelly have worked to expand newborn screening. But Fisch said it was she who invited representatives of Hunter’s Hope to a June meeting with state health officials in Albany, a meeting she worked to arrange. She said Kelly did not attend. “It’s not about my getting credit,” she said. “It’s about my credibility as an advocate.”‘

‘"I think it could happen," said President/General Manager Tom Donahoe. "He’s a quality running back and we’re going to need two, probably three backs, to do what we want to do offensively. Whatever happens with that situation we’ll see how it develops. I know this, Travis Henry is a good football player and a good back and we’re not going to give him away."’