Archives for May 2005

‘Bills Backers from all over the world are invited to attend Bills Backers Weekend to be held the weekend of October 9th when the Bills host AFC East-rival Miami Dolphins at 1 pm. Special ticket packages are available for registered Bills Backers. The packages include a tour of Ralph Wilson Stadium, a meeting with a Bills official and a lunch buffet on Saturday, October 8th as well as a tailgate party and game ticket on Sunday, October 9th. Bills Backers will also have access to hotel room discounts for the weekend. Packages are available for purchase through the Bills ticket office by calling 877-BBTICKS and ticket availability is limited.’

‘”Now the league is riding a crest of popularity, and I am afraid — and I said that to the owners down in Atlanta (at a meeting on April 19) — that some of the new owners who have come in the last 10 or 15 years don’t know what some of the clubs went through 25, 30, 45 years ago,” Wilson said during an interview in his sparse office adjacent to Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘Wilson wants to keep the team in Buffalo, but lawyers have told him that there is no way he can legally ensure that. Knowing that, it is time for a group of Buffalo-minded investors to approach the Wilson family about securing the rights of first refusal to purchase the franchise. If such an arrangement already exists in a shroud of secrecy, fine. But assuming that it doesn’t, it’s time for a well-intentioned, well-financed group to get to work.’

‘The Bills like what they’ve seen so far from rookie C Duke Preston, their fourth-round draft pick. Preston has good size (6-5, 311), strength and toughness to compete with defensive tackles at the point of attack. He has the intelligence to make the line calls and is technically sound as a blocker who plays with leverage and works hard to finish blocks.’

‘Cleveland area-native Tom Roth has been named the Buffalo Bills BLESTO scout after spending the past two seasons as the team’s College Scouting Administrator. Roth’s scouting territory will include colleges in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and the Washington D.C. area.’

‘Maybe the Bills will trade Henry yet, but what’s the rush?’

‘Is Losman ready to lead the offense? How much better will RB Willis McGahee and WR Lee Evans be in their second year as starters? Is Gandy the answer at left tackle? Will Henry’s status become a distraction? Can Campbell and Euhus return to preinjury form? Can Anderson and Edwards fill Williams’ shoes?’

‘"The league was built on sharing revenues, but these big- market clubs just don’t want to give up any more," Wilson said recently.’

‘The Buffalo Bills will host more than 2,050 Western New York high school and college football coaches today at the fifth annual Buffalo Bills Coaches Clinic in the field house.’

‘Dobler, who has always been a colorful character, illustrated he could deliver and take a good joke about his image when he was roasted for the benefit of the local Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in 1988. But as an ESPN story will illustrate at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, the life of Dobler and his family has taken a very serious turn.’

‘"Your team centers around your leaders and we have some great leaders on this team," Gray said on NFL Sirius Radio. "Hopefully, J.P. steps into that role. J.P. is the leader but we have to rally around J.P. and knowing teams are going to throw a lot of stuff at him. It’s up to the defense and the special teams to take the heat off … make him not say, ‘I’ve got to win this game.’"’

‘"The league was built on sharing revenues but these big market clubs just don’t want to give up any more. … The old-time owners, they’ve been through the strikes. They’ve seen the players outside screaming obscenities to them, the cops with the guns. They’ve seen the hairdressers (strike players) playing out here. The old-timers, there’s not enough of us old guys left and the new guys, it’s hard to convince them." — Bills owner Ralph Wilson talking about a growing rift among owners regarding the sharing of more revenues.’

‘Wilson’s lawyer has advised him that his estate can not require a buyer to keep the team in Buffalo because it’s illegal.’

‘”That’s one thing I’m happy about, that I can play all different positions,” he said. “Wherever the opportunity arises, I’ll be more than happy to play anywhere.”‘

‘Although Reese has publicly downplayed his efforts to trade for Henry, who is unhappy with his situation in Buffalo, the Titans and Bills have been discussing a deal since the April 23-24 NFL Draft. Their most recent conversation was earlier this week. The Bills have remained firm in their demand of a third-round pick for Henry, but so far the Titans haven’t been willing to go that high. “We have no control over that, that is all their deal,” Reese said of the Bills. “I don’t think it is their No. 1 priority to let him go right now. I think the owner really likes the guy, the GM likes the guy and they are probably saying this is a player who can help us.”’