Archives for July 2006

‘”It’s just a great family experience and tremendous opportunity to see professional players up close.”‘

‘Jim Kelly says the people in the Rochester area have been very supportive. “It’s always, it makes you feel good. They look at you, not as a professional athlete, but as a father of a special child,” said Kelly. “And we want to make a difference for other kids.”‘

‘The quarterback battle…the three-way battle to see who gets to start under center in six weeks. The Bills aren’t hiding from it. It’s the issue that will define the 2006 training camp. The work began in earnest today in the steady downpour this morning for the bills first practice. The first snaps in team-work went to J.P. Losman who was handed the starting quarterback spot a year ago. This year he has to earn it in camp.’

‘”I think I fit in well with this defense,” McCargo said. “They like defensive tackles that penetrate, get up field, and that’s what they look for and I think I’m good at that.”‘

‘A few hardy Bills fans braved the elements for the Friday morning session. It rained all through the night and into the morning so Dick Jauron’s Bills practiced on the field turf at Growney Stadium instead of on drenched grass fields.’

‘Yeah, I’m happy that everything’s out of the way, and just get down to football now. Get out here and learn these plays, and get in that playbook hard so I can make plays this year.’

‘(on Whitner’s present location) I don’t know, but I think he’s in the Cleveland area.’

‘Bills general manager Marv Levy traded a second-round pick and a third-rounder to the Chicago Bears for the 26th overall pick in April’s draft and took McCargo.’

‘Buffalo’s first overall selection, safety Donte Whitner, is now the club’s only unsigned prospect.’

‘McCargo’s agent, Hadley Engelhard, said he expected his client to sign the deal when he arrived at the Bills training camp site in suburban Rochester later in the day. The move came shortly after the team held its first practice of camp.’

‘The Bills’ second of two first round picks signed his contract at 1:30 this afternoon on the St. John Fisher campus. He was staying in a hotel not far from training camp awaiting the opportunity to sign a deal. "I’m just happy it’s out of the way," said McCargo. "I’m ready to get into camp and ready to play some football."’

‘"It is a three-way competition so sometimes rep problems are going to pop up," said Nall. "I’m not really worried about how many reps I get as long as the ones I get in there really count."’

‘Buffalo Bills general manager Marv Levy says a contract with first-round draft pick John McCargo was close to being completed and that the rookie defensive tackle should be in camp for the team’s second practice this afternoon.’

‘Bills LB Takeo Spikes, fresh off an Achilles injury, took part in individual drills at today’s first day of training camp. WGR’s Paul Hamilton reported that the coaching staff hoped to have Spikes take part in the team drills, but due to the rain that was not possible.’

‘"That’s what we have penciled in right now," said head coach Dick Jauron. "What I like to tell them – and it’s certainly not original – that it is penciled in and you can change it. The players change it. They’ll make the decisions for us as we move along."’