Archives for May 19, 2009

‘”I’m going to be here learning the playbook and getting ready for opening day and preseason,” Rhodes said. “So I can be the most prepared I can to make some plays.”‘

‘Tessler called the situation "a horrible case of misidentification" and the allegations "outrageous and harmful."’

‘His attorney, Larry Zukerman, said the defense requested more time to review evidence.’

‘Newsflash: It doesn’t take a genius to market football to western New Yorkers. Just a bunch of suckers.’

‘”The latest is I have a court date tomorrow, and hopefully everything gets dropped tomorrow, and that’s what my lawyer is telling me,” Whitner said. “As far as my side of the story, I can assure everyone that I didn’t do anything wrong, and anybody that knows me and knows what type of person I am, what type of things I stand by, they know I didn’t do anything wrong.”‘

‘Sometimes you don’t truly appreciate a player until he’s gone. Last year, Schobel suffered a nasty sprain of his left foot. He missed the last 11 games of the season. The Bills, who were 4-1 when he got hurt, lost eight of their last 11.’

‘"It’s not ordinary for us," safety Donte Whitner said with a smile when he met with the same group of media members after the 100-minute workout. "We knew it would be like this. It’s different, but I guess we’ll get used to it."’

‘Linebacker Kawika Mitchell on Owens: "So far, quiet. He’s just been keeping to himself and doing his regular routine I would imagine. But it’s pretty much like having any new player. I didn’t get to meet a lot of new rookies, it’s almost pretty much the same thing, except we know who he is and what he brings to the table."’

‘Please. VH1 isn’t attaching a film crew to Owens’ hip because it’s interested in the inner T.O. That’s because there is no inner T.O. There’s only the outer T.O., and the outer T.O. must be the center of attention at all times. Or else.’

‘You have to think like a TV executive. The worst thing that happened to T.O. — getting cut — is by far the most beneficial thing to happen to the show. You get the sense from Calderone that Buffalo is providing something that Los Angeles, Dallas and Miami have not be able to — Stardom.’

‘Owens spoke to the gathered reporters about his first real work in Buffalo. He has a lot to learn before the season begins. "I’m just trying to get the plays down. We have a lot of verbiage, so I’m really just trying to concentrate on snap-count and listen to the plays and all of that stuff. I’m just trying to get in-sync with Trent and with the offense. There are going to be competitive days where the offense is going to have it’s days and the defense is going to have their days."’

‘”This is nothing,” the Buffalo Bills’ new star receiver said of the throng set up for his interview. “This is light. I played in Philly and played in Dallas, and this is light.”‘

‘”We’ve got to get more aggressive about marketing Buffalo,” said Brown. “We’re out here promoting the city and promoting a high-profile athlete who has come to town.”‘

‘”I can assure everyone that I didn’t do anything wrong,” Whitner said. “Hopefully, we’re going to get it all figured out. We expect it to be dropped, and hopefully it’s dropped tomorrow.”‘

‘"No, it’s not ordinary for us," safety Donte Whitner said. "When you have a guy like that, he brings the spotlight with him. From playing with the San Francisco 49ers, Philly and the things that transpired there, and Dallas and the way he left (the Cowboys) and what he brings to this football team, we knew it would be like this. It’s different, but I guess we’ll get used to it."’