Archives for July 31, 2006

‘On whether or not he will play in the preseason: You hate to rule it out, but I’m not all up for it to be honest with you, like I said before preseason is not going to justify where I’m going to be at. If it’s time for me to go, I’ll go. I don’t like sitting out just to sit out. I feel like I need more time you best believe I’m going to do that.’

‘"It was a good practice," said Jauron. "It was spirited. We need to have the pads on. Most of our practices from this point are padded. Certainly for the rest of this week they are padded."’

‘”It’s not very good,” said Levy when asked to describe the state of negotiations between Whitner’s agent, Jonathan Hurst, and Jim Overdorf, the Bills’ vice president of football administration and lead negotiator. “Jim said he’s not getting much contact back from him and we’re moving ahead. It’s a competitive situation and people there (at strong safety) are moving ahead of him.”‘

Ming was an undrafted free agent out of Missouri who was signed by the Bills in May. A special teams player and linebacker in college, he was attempting to convert to fullback with Buffalo.’

‘"I was a little more encouraged a couple of days ago than I am now," Bills general manager Marv Levy said Monday. Levy added there’s been little progress in talks with Whitner’s agent, Jonathan Hurst, and the Bills have even had difficulty reaching the player by phone, saying the four numbers they have for Whitner have been disconnected.’

‘(on getting things done on a hot day) It’s definitely harder, but once again, as everybody in the world has heard and everybody in support has said, you have to prepare them to play in every type of weather. Particularly where we are, it’s going to start hot and it’s going to end cold. We’re going to go to real hot places. It’s good as long as it doesn’t get too hot. If it gets too hot then we have to address it.’

‘”Every year there are surprise teams and generally nobody’s talking about them this time of year. I believe we’re in an era where the team that plays the most consistent toward the tail end of the season, their chances are just as good as anybody else’s.”‘

‘Unless Losman falls on his face in the next month, they have to make up for lost time. Losman has to be the starter, for the good of the franchise. If the Ivy League boys can’t figure that out, they aren’t nearly as smart as we thought.’

‘”Two-a-days are over and I haven’t put a pad on yet? I’m happy with that,” veteran linebacker London Fletcher said Saturday when the second and last of Buffalo’s scheduled double-sessions wrapped up. “Coach Jauron has a tremendous plan in place, keeping guys fresh. We’re not out here a long time but we’re getting a lot done.”‘

‘”All the flexibility, the mobility is back, now it’s just a matter of getting used to doing what I do again,” Spikes said. “We’ll be smart. I plan to participate in everything, but take it one step at a time and remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The biggest thing I’ll live by is not get too high, and not get to low, put the blinders on and just go.”‘

‘The parameters for Whitner were established by the five-year, $22.5 million deal No. 7 pick Michael Huff, also a strong safety, signed with Oakland. Length of term is believed to be a hang-up in negotiations with Buffalo wanting Whitner to agree to a six-year deal. Making it an option to void that sixth year would likely get a deal done; that move was made with wide receiver Lee Evans two years ago.’

‘The Bills’ 88 players are being housed in a brand-new, luxury dorm at St. John Fisher College called Keough Hall. Each has his own room equipped with private bath, central air and Internet. Players looking for a more comfortable stay have contracted with a local rental center. For $406, they get use of a full-sized refrigerator, 27-inch color TV and queen-sized mattress for a month. “All I really have to bring is my clothes,” cornerback Nate Clements told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. “It’s more a convenience than anything. I don’t want to have to carry a TV home after we’re done.”‘

‘As far as the Buffalo Bills are concerned, they better start praying the training camp demon known as the injury bug can be avoided from this point on. Judging from the franchise’s recent history of misfortune, it won’t be easy.’

‘On Saturday, representatives from the Buffalo Bills, Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management Coalition (TEAM) and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced the formation of a new partnership at Buffalo Bills Bausch & Lomb Training Camp today. The groups developed a public awareness campaign entitled “Responsibility Has Its Rewards,” which includes a public service announcement (PSA) featuring Bills fans promoting responsible behavior that will broadcast at home games throughout the season.’

‘DT Larry Tripplett has been everything the team expected when it signed the former Colt during free agency. He’s the ideal fit in the new defensive scheme because of his quickness off the line of scrimmage and ability to penetrate gaps. The team believes he can be a disruptive force on run and pass downs. The only question mark is whether the 6-2, 295-pound Tripplett has the bulk to hold his ground against bigger offensive linemen.’