Archives for January 10, 2007

‘The first vote reduces the list from 17 to 10. That’s followed by another vote to reduce the list from 10 to six names. The six remaining candidates for Hall of Fame election are then voted on individually (yes or no) for membership.’

‘The other modern-era player finalists include defensive ends Fred Dean and Richard Dent; guards Russ Grimm and Bob Kuechenberg; punter Ray Guy; wide receivers Michael Irvin and Art Monk; linebackers Derrick Thomas and Andre Tippett; cornerback Roger Wehrli; and tackles Bruce Matthews and Gary Zimmerman.’

‘Recently retired NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and former Buffalo Bills star running back Thurman Thomas are among 17 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2007.’

‘"It takes a good while particularly because we’re not just doing that," said head coach Dick Jauron. "We’ll get right into personnel evaluations and we’ll start our free agency analysis. Then we’ll do our cut-ups for half the day on each position. So it will take close to a month because we’re not doing it constantly. There will be breaks in there due to travel to things like the Senior Bowl. It will take a while."’

‘When asked about the possibility of an NFL team in Toronto, McGahee said, “That would be a good situation. Toronto is a beautiful place. But if they’re going to put a team there, they should just bring the Buffalo Bills to Toronto. Case closed.”‘

‘Keisha Walls, 27, an elementary school teacher, claims McGahee is the father of son Kai Walls, who was born April 19, 2006. McGahee also fathered Willis McGahee IV, born Jan. 6, 2006 to Chiniqua Smith, 26, and Bria McGahee, born Jan. 17, 2005 to Dorothy Doretha McNeil, 29. McGahee, 25, was declared the biological father in those cases and is paying child support.’

‘”I’m like every single guy who grew up in Buffalo,” he said. “I live and die with the Bills. It’s like I never left Buffalo.”‘

‘Bona grew up rooting for the Buffalo Bills. He’s the kind of football fan who actually feels depressed when the season ends. So he made a natural connection last fall when he saw a halftime announcement during a Patriots game for the “Pitch Your Idea for the Best NFL Super Bowl Commercial Ever” contest. Bona came up with this concept: a funny look at the sadness fans feel after the last game is played.’

‘Walls is confident in what the results will read. “I don’t sleep around. It was Willis,” she told the paper.’

‘In truth, it’s time for the Bills to go another direction at fullback. And that direction may very well lead them to Rutgers University’s Brian Leonard in April’s draft, which is currently 107 days away.’

‘"I wanted to tap into the patheticness of NFL fans once the Super Bowl is over and they realize there is no NFL football."’

‘Bona was in the middle of a financial accounting class at Syracuse University, where he is going for his masters degree in business administration, when he got the call from the NFL telling them he was the winner. “I said ‘Holy sh–,'” he said.’