‘The Buffalo Bills open the regular season September 10th in Foxboro, MA, and nobody will be more charged up to face the division-rival New England Patriots than Spikes. The 242-pound big dog will finally be out of his cage for a meaningful game, and he’s hoping to take a bite out of this decade’s closest thing to a dynasty.’
Archives for July 28, 2006
Bills’ camp missing top rookies
‘Youboty, meanwhile, got a signing bonus of $785,000, according to an NFL Players Association source. The deal is expected to be worth between $2 million and $2.5 million a year. Youboty is expected to challenge Eric King and Jabari Greer for the third and fourth cornerback jobs, respectively.’
Spikes returns, but not for preseason games
‘"Oh, I’ll be ready," he said. "Why would I take a chance to waste that? I’ve stayed out long enough. Preseason is not going to show me anything. It’s easy to get through preseason. My biggest test is what’s going to happen out there on the practice field going against the rest of the guys. Once I accomplish that, then I’m ready to play."’
Some of the Bills camp in comfort
‘”A couple of our other stores delivered recliners,” Siwicki, 35, said. “The players are doing OK. They’re not roughing it.”‘
Bills hoping newcomers will make a contribution
‘Overall, 41 new faces are in camp, including six rookie draft picks on defense that will be counted on heavily for help, led by unsigned first-round picks Donte Whitner and John McCargo.’
Players excited to have Jauron in charge
‘”I’m fairly well-connected, so I was able to get a lot of feedback,” said Vincent, the president of the NFL Players’ Association. “Amazingly, not a single player or coach I spoke with had a negative thing to say about the guy. In fact, I only heard positive things.”‘
Team’s plan will need some time to grow
‘”When I chose to come here to Buffalo, I saw a group where I didn’t have to be an answer but part of the solution,” he said before training camp got under way at St. John Fisher.’
A bigger, stronger, faster Spikes is back
‘Can Spikes defy the Achilles’ odds and be as good as new? “It’s a tough one to come back from. I was able to come back and play a few years after that, but the rehab is very tedious,” said former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, who made a successful return from Achilles surgery, albeit at a less strenuous position. “I think the one thing fans need to be with him is patient, because it takes a while to come back from that injury.”‘
Miami trio knows how to bring the heat
‘”Everyone goes there with the hope of playing in the NFL,” said Doug Majeski, the Bills’ director of college scouting who has seen the Bills select three Hurricanes – running back Willis McGahee, wide receiver Roscoe Parrish and tight end Kevin Everett – since 2003. “And they’ve had a lot of success with guys playing in this league.”‘
Right here, right now
‘Does he wish his eight-year retirement ended with him triumphantly returning to Buffalo toting his golden whistle rather than a brief case filled with scouting reports and salary cap figures? “I can empathize,” says Levy, studiously observing an off-season practice on this day. “I can say, ‘Boy that looks like fun.’ But no, I’m immersing myself in what I’ve been asked to do here. I’m not agonizing that I’m not down there coaching, not at all.”‘
Losman, Holcomb, Nall all have shot to start
‘”It’s back to ground zero,” Kelly said. “But hopefully one of these guys will shine and give us a quarterback we’ve so desperately needed these last couple years. I’m a season-ticket holder. I’m frustrated, too. Hopefully, one of these guys steps up and is the leader that we need.”‘
Price is eager to cash in on his second chance
‘”Naturally, he had his best playing days here,” Levy said of Price. “I think the opportunity to come back here, while he’s still relatively young, having been through a couple of years where he really didn’t get the chance to play, he’s reacted to it all in the most positive way and it’s invigorated him.”‘
Camp could help team answer key questions
‘Will the decision to have J.P. Losman, Kelly Holcomb and Craig Nall compete for the starting quarterback job produce the best man or just create chaos throughout the summer?’
Bills return to their past, to build for the future
‘”We don’t have egos on this team,” Spikes said. “When you lose 11 games, you can’t have an ego the next year. I’m as hungry as ever. A lot of guys are that way. You look at any preseason magazine, nobody’s picking us for anything, so anything we do is a plus.”‘