Archives for March 30, 2007

‘Smith declined to discuss specifics in terms of interested teams or what offers he has fielded. But it’s known that the Green Bay Packers are highly interested in Turner. The Buffalo Bills also have interest.’

‘”I was already focused on working hard, but this has put another chip on my shoulder,” he said. “It’s similar to the chip I had from being a seventh round pick. So all it did was fuel me even more and serve as inspiration.”‘

‘So if you ever thought that most modern athletes today, especially modern male athletes, had any substance to them whatsoever, re-read Willis McGahee’s commentary on Buffalo. They are coddled from the time they can swing a bat, throw a ball or bounce one. They expect to be entertained in ways only in which they approve 24/7, or at least when they’re not on the field or court.’

‘”The thing was [the writer] asked a question about comparing Miami to Buffalo,” he said. “Everything is going on on South Beach, over in Fort Lauderdale. There are so many different things you can get into. Buffalo doesn’t have all that. When I got to Buffalo it was a major change. I couldn’t do the things I was used to doing. So compared to Miami or Atlanta or another bigger city, Buffalo doesn’t have as many things to do. That’s all I was saying. But I can’t ever say I disliked Buffalo. My time in Buffalo was cool. I have love for the city and the Bills for taking a chance on me after my [knee] injury. I owe them a lot for that.”‘

‘Tickets for the 2007 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony featuring Thurman Thomas will go on sale at 11 a.m. Wednesday.’

‘The revenue-sharing deal, combined with last year’s collective- bargaining agreement with the players and the league’s sale of exclusive broadcast and satellite rights to its favored business partners, adds up to the sort of behavior that – if pursued by, say, Coke and Pepsi – would bring down the heat of the anti-trust division of the U.S. Justice Department. That’s why a little bit of signal-calling by Congress is important. Keeping federal law at bay on such issues is crucial to the success, as it is now defined, of the NFL in particular and professional sports in general. Unless, of course, you miss the XFL.’

‘The contention that the Bills need economic repair is debatable, and if it’s true the way to fix it is not from handouts from either tax or NFL revenues but instead by improving the city of Buffalo’s economy. Perhaps they should start by killing that 8.75 percent county sales tax.’