Archives for June 2005

‘"We were in the airport and we were heading home," Burris said. "And I was kind of in a crossroads of what I wanted to do in my career … and I saw Scott in the airport." It was none other than Burris’ old friend, Scott Berchtold, the Bills’ Vice President/Communications.’

‘He re-signed with Oakland at the beginning of 2005 and was allocated to NFL Europe before being released by the Raiders on 3/21/05.’

‘Fans purchasing season tickets receive an average discount of over 15% off of the individual game price.’

‘The Bills say only single seats are available for games against Houston (Sept. 11), Atlanta (Sept. 25) and Miami (Oct. 9).’

‘The Bills today announced that fans will be able to purchase individual game tickets for 2005 home games starting on Saturday, July 16 at 9:00 AM.’

‘The Bills selected Burris with the 27th pick in the 1994 NFL Draft. The Notre Dame product was a four-year letter winner for the Irish and earned his degree in management. Burris is originally from Rock Hill, S.C. where he was a Parade All-American at Northwestern High School. He and his wife Lisa, a Buffalo native, have two children, Sienna and Jaden, and a number of family members in the Buffalo area including Aunt Julie Mae Kennedy.’

‘”We think that it gives credibility to the position because he’s played and been on the sidelines,” said Scott Berchtold, the Bills vice president for communications. “Any time you can get a former player, it makes it more interesting for fans to hear what he sees because he’s been there.”‘

‘"I’m not as fatigued as I was last year," Mularkey said. "A lot of that was because there was a lot to do with the staff, the draft, the camps … there’s just a lot to do. And I was prepared for most of it. But there was still more than I had anticipated, and I could just tell physically I have a little more energy now than I did a year ago. I’ve also been getting home a little earlier than I have been (now that the Bills’ Organized Team Activities have ended) and touching up on some little things in the office here that I can do this year that I couldn’t do last year, because I was still going 90 [miles an hour]."’

‘Corigliano met up with the Kellys and Hunter’s Hope Foundation after working as a volunteer on the terminally ill floor of Women and Children’s Hospital, she said.’

‘Actually, this is a playoff team for sure if Losman can avoid being the Buffalo Bust.’

‘The Bills’ relative free agent inactivity is not surprising. Because of their salary cap situation, they had no desire to make a big splash on the open market like they have the previous three seasons. They also didn’t attack free agency hard because they don’t think there are many holes on the roster. The Bills are always looking for players who will make them better, but they are willing to stand pat because they believe they have the personnel needed to make a strong run to the postseason.’

‘Injured star Fred Taylor is scheduled to intensify the rehabilitation work on his injured knee in the next couple of weeks. If it responds well, the Jaguars are set at the position and will be feeling good about making a serious run for a playoff spot this season. If it doesn’t respond well, their interest in Buffalo running back Travis Henry probably will increase.’

‘Coach Mike Mularkey has scheduled a team-high of four night practices for training camp, a decision that’s filled with so many positives it’s hard to believe NFL teams don’t practice every day under the lights in the summertime. In addition to it being a safer time to work out and beat the effects of heat, night workouts tend to be more spirited and more productive. From the marketing end, more fans can attend without having to skip work. Translation: more merchandise and concession stand sales.’

‘"J.P. needs to make friends with those five starting linemen as soon as he can. On the field he has to let his blockers know where he’ll be. I played with two different types of quarterbacks. With Jim Kelly, you knew where he would be because he couldn’t move around that much. With Doug Flutie, you never knew where he was going to be." – Bills Wall of Fame center Kent Hull, talking about what new QB J.P. Losman needs to do to be successful.’

‘One last thing. This man who “has it all” is also a co-sponsor of an orphanage in Matamoros, Mexico, just across the river from Brownsville, Texas. “We feed and educate them, and we’re just gettin’ started.”‘