Archives for March 2009

‘Granted… the bottom line is winning. This has to translate to beyond 7-9. Dick Jauron’s job depends on it.’

‘Sure, Owens said all the right things during his Saturday news conference. Maybe playing for a small-market team will be a pleasant change. Owens’ history in Dallas and Philadelphia shows that he initially fits in well with a new squad before imploding. Being cut by the Cowboys – combined with the overwhelming negative public reaction from teams and fans about his next possible landing spot – could trigger a transformation. But as long as desperate clubs like Buffalo are gaga over Owens as is, there’s little reason to believe he will do anything differently.’

‘”I saw how the Bills started the season out last year (5-0) and they made some eyes open, so if I can be that extra piece to the puzzle to get them to the playoffs and make something happen, that’s what I’m here for.”‘

‘Will it upset team chemistry?Who cares? After what the ticket buyers have been watching since the turn of the century, they were tired of team chemistry that remained as placid as instant pudding.’

‘”This is obviously a great day for the Buffalo Bills organization,” Bills Chief Operating Officer Russ Brandon said during a news conference at the team’s headquarters. “We’re excited to have one of the premier playmakers in a playmakers’ league.”‘

‘"I’m very excited; I like the move," said Bills receiver Lee Evans. "We have been trying to make some moves in the free agent market, and this is a great move. To play with a receiver, a player of his caliber is something I’m looking forward to."’

‘You know what, though? I love it. Once I recovered from the initial shock, I realized it was the most interesting thing to happen to the Bills since they acquired Drew Bledsoe in 2002. All right, so that didn’t turn out so well in the long run. And yes, this is a desperate move, a sure sign that Jauron, the embattled head coach, needs to win this year and will do anything necessary to get there.’

‘”I’m leaving America’s team (for) North America’s team,” Owens said at a news conference at the Bills’ facility in Orchard Park, an observant reference to the fact that Buffalo is playing one home game per season in Toronto for at least the next four years.’

‘Most coaches wouldn’t want Owens in their locker rooms. But Dick Jauron knows he’s on thin ice and that Owens could help win him enough games to keep his job.’

‘The signing of the petulant wide receiver brings the Bills onto the national stage. He leaves Dallas, one of the bigger media markets in the league, for one of the smallest.’

‘”I must move on, and it’s another beginning for me,” Owens said. “If I can be that extra added piece to get them to the playoffs, then that’s what I’m here for. I looked at the defensive side of ball and offensive side of the ball, and these guys have all the pieces.”‘

‘The Bills were one of several teams in need of a receiver this off-season. Although the Jets, the Giants and the Dolphins kept their distance from Owens, the Bills pursued him to take the pressure off receiver Lee Evans. In the end, the Bills might have been the only team to seriously consider Owens. Although Owens’s play seemed to erode last season – he had trouble separating from some defenders and he struggled with dropped passes – he still had 69 receptions for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns, all more than any Bills player.’

‘”This may not be the ideal place for a lot of people, but I’m the guy. I beat to my own beat sometimes, my own thinking, my own intuition,” Owens said last night at Orchard Park. “Well, for me, this is an opportunity. It’s an interesting situation no matter what uniform I put on.”‘

‘But for all his brilliance on the field, Owens has been unable to get along with many of his teammates and coaches. When he played with San Francisco from 1996-2003, he had frequent run-ins with coach Steve Mariucci and quarterback Jeff Garcia. He eventually was traded to the Eagles, enjoying a run to the Super Bowl in his first season. But things quickly disintegrated as he demanded a new contract and publicly criticized quarterback Donovan McNabb.’

‘For the Bills, the risks are actually minimal. The one-year deal means that if the Owens move doesn’t work out, they aren’t doomed for years to come. The $6.5 million is not an extraordinary commitment. Plus, they needed a wide receiver to go with Lee Evans and to take some of the attention from running back Marshawn Lynch. Head coach Dick Jauron was apparently forthright and demonstrative about his desire for more offensive punch, so much so that he was willing to risk a few potential migraines for Owens.’