Archives for December 2009

‘Although not the glitzy, big-name hire that Bills fans were clamoring for, Nix provides the team with the exact type of individual it was missing for years: an experienced football man who will only be in charge of making football decisions. No longer will Brandon, a marketing guru who, coincidentally, was promoted to CEO on Thursday, be calling the personnel shots, as he had the past two seasons.’

‘”I don’t think I ever intended to stay out of scouting,” said Nix. “I was tired of the situation [in San Diego] and there just needed to be a change. I wanted to back off and look at everything, but deep down I never intended to get out and stay out.”‘

‘With Nix in place, it’s uncertain whether the Bills will retain chief scout Tom Modrak, pro personnel director John Guy or Jim Overdorf, the team’s senior vice president of football operation.’

‘Nix had just re-joined the organization he spent eight years scouting for this past offseason as he was appointed National Scout for the Bills on Jan. 26. Less than a year later he’ll be entrusted with overseeing the entire football operation as the organization begins to rebuild a team that has not had a winning season in six years or a playoff appearance in a decade.’

‘In January, Nix returned to Buffalo for a 16th season in NFL personnel to serve as a national scout for the team. Prior to rejoining the Bills, Nix had run the player personnel department for the San Diego Chargers, which covered both pro and college scouting, before electing to retire following the 2008 NFL draft.’

‘The Bills also considered other in-house personnel men, John Guy and Tom Modrak, for the GM position. Nix, who turned 70 on Dec. 6, impressed Wilson during a recent face-to-face meeting, and stood out above the other two candidates that were interviewed.’

‘Colts 20, Bills 10.’

‘”I became one of the older guys pretty quickly, especially with Jason Peters getting traded and Langston Walker leaving, so I was comfortable being older,” he said. “The biggest challenge is having so many new faces in and out of the room. A lot of guys are hurt and new guys coming in.”‘

‘"He gives us the best opportunity to win the football game," Fewell said. "I subscribe to winning so I’m going to put the best guy out there that I feel we can win with."’

‘Why? We know what Fitzpatrick can do. And it isn’t a lot. At best, he should be Buffalo’s No. 2 QB next season, and most of us hope the Bills can find a better one.’

‘"I know there has been an endless amount of support from Day One, and so that was enough in itself to make me feel welcome here and make me feel at home. … I can’t say enough about the fans and how they have opened their arms and the city to me."’

‘For the entire decade, the Bills sold out 69 of 80 home games, or 86.25 percent.’

Backups get their chance (Indianapolis Star)

Irsay tempted by chance at 19-0 (Indianapolis Star)

Pro Bowl still special for Mathis (Indianapolis Star)

Colts putting first loss behind them, prepping for Bills (Terre Haute Tribune Star)

Colts’ owner Irsay backs decision to pull starters (AP)

Short-handed? 14 Colts players sit out practice (AP)

Inside slant (The Sports Xchange)

Strategy and personnel (The Sports Xchange)

Notes, quotes (The Sports Xchange)

Moving forward (Colts.com)

A humbling honor (Colts.com)

‘Fitzpatrick expressed disappointment that the Colts lost last weekend. “To be honest, I think it would have been cool for them to come in at 15-0 and for us to be the team that knocked them off,” he said.’

‘”That’s a good question. I don’t know. I don’t really have any answers,” said Owens, a 36-year-old free agent who likely will be playing before Bills fans at Ralph Wilson Stadium for the final time. “What I can say is that these guys have been working hard in practice and we are fighting during the games. We just aren’t executing. It’s been tough all year. We have one more game left so we just want to try and go out on a winning note.”‘