Archives for February 2006

‘Cross has been an assistant coach at Iowa State for the past five years, including last year when he coached the outside linebackers.’

‘"There is still an outstanding arrest warrant for him, it has not been dismissed," Branham said. "His case is not resolved, that’s why we’re going to have a hearing. He still owes approximately $32,000 plus interest."’

‘A Buffalo Bills player wanted by Chatham County investigators for failing to pay thousands of dollars in child support for his three-year-old son is closer to resolving his situation.’

‘Quarterback Tory Woodbury will be writing a weekly diary for NFLEurope.com during his season playing for the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe. This week Buffalo Bills allocated passer Woodbury describes his career up to this point, and profiles some fellow members of the Centurions team.’

‘Iowa State outside linebacker coach DeMontie Cross is the fifth member of head coach Dan McCarney’s staff to head directly to the National Football League since 1997. Cross, who just finished his fifth season at Iowa State is leaving to become a defensive and special teams assistant coach with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. Cross becomes one of seven former McCarney assistants currently on an NFL coaching staff.’

So was Ralph Wilson crazy for hiring an 80-year-old Hall of Fame coach, who took four straight Bills teams to the Super Bowl, as his new director of football operations? Was he wrong to turn his team’s future over to someone he knows and trusts? No, he wasn’t. It may not work out, but that doesn’t mean he was crazy. It just means, at 87, Ralph Wilson is bolder than the rest of us.

‘The 32 teams are ranked in 22 categories and Buffalo was in the top 10 in 13 of them.’

‘Thomas says the issue has now been resolved to the judge’s satisfaction, and that there is no longer an arrest warrant out for him. Thomas says in the near future there will be a paternity test to determine if he’s the boy’s father. If he is, Thomas says he’ll support the boy.’

‘Families enjoyed lots of activities and heard from the family of Hunter Kelly. Jim and Jill Kelly thanked everyone for coming out Tuesday night.’

‘”I once had a player tell me, an excellent player in free agency–this is in cold weather country, this is a small market. You know often, players don’t want to come here to Buffalo, but once they get here, they never want to leave,” says Levy.’

‘Q: How does it feel to come back to Buffalo? Is there a sense in your mind that there’s unfinished business here for you?

Steve Fairchild: "It feels good just because I know a lot of the people and what good people there are in this building and what a good organization it is. I also have a real good feeling about the talent level and maybe the kind of team we’ll have next year."’

‘Clements would be fortunate to be paid as a top five corner, if even for one year. The fact is, he wasn’t that good last season.’

‘Earlier Tuesday, Jim and Jill Kelly visited Hunter’s grave, where they placed a heart-shaped balloon and built a special snowman for their son. Then, they released other balloons that floated unobstructed through the trees, Jim Kelly said. “Right to heaven, right to Hunter.”‘

‘What will be the nature of the Bills’ offense? Jauron: “I really wouldn’t characterize it yet. We need to work through our personnel and it’s more than just tape. We need to get them here in the off-season program which starts March 20. We need to get them on the field. It will be a process that takes a good deal of time. Until we get a feel for (the players’ ability) we’ll be building a playbook … then you take those players and you stress what you think they can do, what they’re good at.”‘

‘”Somebody will be named heading into camp, but there is always going to be competition,” Jauron said during a media availability session Monday. “We’ll try to name that guy going through the spring, but if we don’t, we don’t. We hope to have a feeling.”‘