Archives for January 2010

‘In these competitive days, sports anchors need to provide an extra reason to make their sportscasts must-see TV. A strong commentary when big news happens is one way to do it. Murphy seemed to be the only one to realize that at 11 p.m. Tuesday.’

‘Mammoser has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years and knows exactly what would happen if his beloved Bills moved here. The team would be the new hot club in town, talked about and packed for the first year before it’s quickly forgotten when the next new shiny toy arrives.’

‘”Buddy and I have talked about it somewhat, but until I get in there and watch film and evaluate, it’s unfair for me to sit here and say what’s going to happen,” Gailey said. “That’s not fair. I would be talking off the cuff and that’s the quickest way to get in trouble.”‘

‘The future of the other half of Buffalo’s scouting arm, college director Tom Modrak, remains a mystery, though it now appears that Modrak will continue to work for the team. The thinking on that may be that Modrak and his scouts have already done the bulk of the prep work on this year’s crop of college players that will be available in the April selection process, and firing him now would be counter-productive.’

‘Kiper’s new 2010 mock draft has Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen going No. 9 to Buffalo. I hope he’s right. He believes Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford will be the No. 4 overall pick by the Washington Redskins. If the Bills pass on Clausen, Kiper thinks he’ll go to Seattle No. 14.’

‘"It’s been painful," he said of watching the Bills’ attack. "It’s been very painful for the fans, of which I’m one."’

‘The idea of rebuilding this franchise through the draft, of adhering to an orderly progression, no longer suffices on the local front. The time to develop a raw quarterback has ended. The promise that young players will evolve into stalwarts is dismissed by anxious hearts. Every season from here must be approached as playoffs or bust if the franchise expects to keep the interest of its jaded and fretful fan base. The clock is ticking.’

‘"My time in Buffalo was great," he said. "The last meeting I had with the receivers, I kind of sensed something like this would happen. As I addressed the group, I had to be a man about it because I didn’t want to choke up in front of them. I told them all that they were my guys. They gave me everything they had. I wish them nothing but success going forward."’

Panthers hire a new receivers coach (Charlotte Observer)

Panthers hire Tolbert to become new WR coach (Gaston Gazette)

Panthers hire new WR coach (Rock Hill Herald)

Tolbert replaces Williamson as Panthers WR coach (AP)

Tolbert named WRs coach (CarolinaPanthers.com)

‘”I was very surprised by the hiring, I’m not going to lie to you,” said former Bills receiver Andre Reed, who is playing in the Bob Hope Classic this week. “His record isn’t great, but it isn’t bad as a head coach in the league. Let’s face it, Buffalo is in disarray all the way from the top to the bottom.”‘

‘I don’t know Chan Gailey, but I’m sure he’s a nice guy. This isn’t about him. This is about a franchise, which has not made the playoffs since 1999, telling its fans in effect that: “In a year when there weren’t many NFL coaching changes, Chan Gailey is the best we could do.”‘

‘”But it was actually at age 29 when I said, ‘Hey, I’ve really got to live it and believe it and breathe it and eat it. I’ve got to just do everything the way I think Christ would want it done, or don’t say I am [a Christian], don’t be a hypocrite, don’t say one thing and do another. You know, Am I living it or am I not living it? Have I given it to Him or have I not given it to Him? And I decided that that was the only way life had any meaning to me. I knew who Christ was, but at 29 is when I said I’ve got to live it right.”‘

‘The road ahead looks much like the road already traveled and there is no respite in sight. If this is an uncapped year you’re really going to see how outgunned and outclassed the Bills are in today’s NFL. It’s enough to make me want to pick up my phone and text STOP to 64621.’

‘If you’re a Bills fan, and the whole country makes fun of your city, and your team is best known for losing Super Bowls, and the best player in franchise history turns out to be … O.J. Simpson, and your owner has decided the best way to keep your team in town is to have it play games in Toronto, and you’re freezing to death … I mean, I think you have lost more faith than Chan Gailey can restore.’

‘”I have an idea of the direction we’d like to go, but I know one thing, I’m much more open to the 3-4 than I used to be because I know what a pain it is to go against it every week.”‘