Archives for January 2009

‘When Reed retired he ranked third in all-time receptions behind only Jerry Rice and Cris Carter. Eight years later, Reed has dropped to sixth on the list with a total that doesn’t look nearly as impressive.’

‘” I think he’s played well,” Fewell contended. “We’d like for him to have more interceptions and all that, but I think in his first year – he (was) really a rookie – he performed pretty well.”‘

‘…Bruce Smith…Ralph Wilson…Andre Reed…’.

‘The team said in a statement Tuesday morning that Edwards has not lost any strength because of the soreness and, after mentioning the discomfort, had a routine MRI on his throwing shoulder during his year-end physical.’

‘”We sent Trent for a routine MRI on his shoulder during his year-end physical because he had complained of some soreness. He did not miss any playing time and there was no lack of strength in his shoulder due to the soreness. He has scheduled visits with a couple of doctors this week and we will know more at that time.”‘

‘The 2008 Buffalo Bills season was a colossal wasted opportunity. The Bills played the second-easiest schedule in the NFL. Their foes went 116-140. They played only four of 16 games against playoff teams. And their archrival, New England, played without it.’

‘Of course, Buffalo isn’t about to win the division when it can’t win a game in the division. The Bills lost all six contests within the group this season when a triumph would have helped their early positioning, then playoff hopes, then pride; not one of those variously significant factors was enough to inspire this team to pick up a two-game swing victory. That’s especially appalling in today’s NFL.’

‘It is not known what the actual extent of the injury is but two league sources have told WGR that the injury does not seem serious.’

‘Buffalo might not have made the playoffs since 1999, but this weekend displayed a heavy Bills’ presence in the post-season.’

‘Watch the Ravens Ed Reed. Watch the Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald. Watch the EaglesBrian Westbrook. In big moments in the big games they make plays. You can have the great schemes in the world, but if you do not have the players to do make a difference. I don’t know how many playerscurrently in a Bills uniform can be that type of difference maker.’

‘”We emphasized it every day even when we were in OTAs and minicamp,” said Donte Whitner. “That was one of our big things getting off the field on third down. Last year we did a good job on first and second down, but on third down we couldn’t get off the football field. So going into this season there was a big emphasis on it.”‘

‘”I want to give back to the Western New York high schools, colleges and little league programs as I know there are few local clinics,” McNally said. “Maybe we can raise a few bucks for the retired players. I want to help the ones who have serious medical needs and little money or insurance to cover their needs.”‘

‘And for the record, Simpson’s 2008 salary was reportedly just under $450,000; he’s in the third year of a contract worth just over $2.1 million, meaning he hasn’t even yet been paid millions, plural. Factor taxes and the reality that he’s had to spend some of that money on things like food and a dwelling, and his boast turns out to be as untrue as it is dumb, unless he’s a super stock market genius who is making money when nobody else is.’

‘How would you start? “We have re-established our commitment to mediocrity?” Or, “We promise we won’t mangle game management in ’09?” Or, “Our players will no longer get into a fracas 20 seconds before halftime while the clock runs out on a probable tying field goal?”‘

‘Buffalo police were called Saturday to help keep order outside a Delaware Avenue employment agency, where dozens of angry workers lined up to get their paychecks for shoveling snow recently at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’