Archives for March 30, 2009

‘Guelli spent 11 years with the Bills. He’ll begin his new job April 20.’

‘"I’ve known him since I was 18," said Edgerson, who was coached by Saban in college at Western Illinois as well as with the Bills. "He helped to mold me into a professional player by getting me to demand more of myself. And we’d go over his house for dinners here in Buffalo. Everybody would always say, ‘Booker that’s your daddy.’ And I’d say, ‘Yeah you’re right.’ We’d been together for a long time."’

‘The Bills will travel to Pittsburgh in the third week of the preseason after hosting Chicago and a road game against Green Bay. They’ll close the preseason with a home game against Detroit. The lineup was announced Monday. Dates and times of the games will be released later.’

Lou Saban, 87, first coach of Patriots (Boston Globe)

Lou Saban’s journey ends (Boston Herald)

Lou Saban, first head coach in Patriots history, dies (Providence Journal)

Patriots’ first head coach Lou Saban passes away (Patriots.com)

‘The Bills host Chicago the weeked of Aug. 13-17. The next game is at Green Bay Aug. 20-24. The fourth exhibition is at Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Aug. 27-31. The last exhibition is home against Detroit ON Sept. 3 or 4.’

‘Buffalo does not have a preseason game in Toronto this summer. The five-year Toronto series includes a preseason game every other year. The Bills played Pittsburgh in the Rogers Centre last summer and will play another preseason game in Toronto in 2010.’

‘Brian Cushing might not appear to be the same kind of hard-nosed player on the surface as some of the aforementioned Bills greats, but the Southern Cal linebacker and New Jersey native has a work ethic that’s tough to match. “You can ask anyone I know, I’m the hardest working guy on the team,” said Cushing confidently.’

‘As our organization prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the American Football League and our franchise, we are sad today that Lou Saban will not be here to share it with us. But his spirit will be remembered long after the celebration is over.’

‘Sure, the national publicity is nice, but don’t you get the feeling that the rest of the league is laughing at us about now? Be careful what you ask for.’

‘Saban was a Chinese language interpreter for the Army in World War II. According to Pat Toomay, a defensive end for the Bills in 1975, Saban once gave a halftime speech in Chinese. “We went out and won,” Toomay said.’

‘As unpleasant as it may be, contemplating a person’s eventual demise is not personal as long as business is involved; it’s no more morbid than parents discussing purchasing life insurance. The fact remains that Wilson was born Oct. 17, 1918, or about a week after World War I ended. There have been 17 presidents in the owner’s lifetime, and everyone with any interest in the Bills’ future has to sadly, naturally wonder what happens after the conclusion of his trip through history.’

‘Wilson thought Saban quit on him twice and remained bitter about it to Saban’s dying day.’