Archives for February 2010

‘Sign Chad Pennington and draft Colt McCoy.’

‘Anybody who thought there was a realistic chance that Bill Cowher or Mike Shanahan were Buffalo-bound to coach this team, despite the Bills’ supposed overtures to them, doesn’t understand the dysfunctional nature of the franchise.’

‘The Bills have begun the process of switching to a three-man front with four linebackers, a scheme that the NFL’s best defenses run and one that Buffalo hasn’t used since Wade Phillips left town after the 2000 season. Analyzing players on the current roster and deciding if they can make the transition is Job One right now.’

‘"Coach (Gailey) coached special teams when he started out in Denver," DeHaven said. "I guarantee he understands what you need to get it done. It is a little different from coaching for someone who just wants the kicking game to be good."’

‘Special teams coach Bruce DeHaven was asked about the infamous Music City Miracle play during a media briefing and graciously gave a detailed response despite the fact the play has haunted him for a decade and he’s talked about it ad nauseum. On Jan. 8, 2000, the Bills lost a wild-card playoff game at Tennessee on a controversial lateral kickoff 22-16 after DeHaven called for a pooch kick instead of driving the ball deep. Despite 13 seasons of excellent work, he was fired by coach Wade Phillips. "I have talked to Wade Phillips a few times in the last few years," DeHaven said. "As the great sage, poet and passer rusher, Bruce Smith, once said ‘That’s water under the dam.’ … Of all the people involved I feel more hurt by it than anyone because I did feel responsible. I thought about things that had happened to us the last couple years (in that situation) and I thought that was the best kick. I don’t like the results but the only thing that made me feel like the decision was OK was I talked to Allen Lowery, the special teams coach for the Titans, about a month later he said ‘That’s the only kick we never practiced against; we kind of made it up as we went along.’ That was poor execution on our part."’

‘Daye will assist coach Chan Gailey with the team’s day-to-day administrative operations as well as team travel and training camp duties.’

‘Daye enters his first season in the NFL after almost 25 years of college football experience. He most recently served as defensive coordinator, special teams coach and linebackers coach for Missouri Southern. Under Daye the Lions’ led the MIAA conference in pass defense in back-to-back seasons (2007-08) and led the conference in total defense in 2007. His defensive units forced a total of 113 turnovers in four seasons at the Division II school.’

‘”In this level of football you always are looking for people that have been there, done that,” Gailey said. “He’s been there and done that. He’s been very successful, not just in one place, but in several different places. I didn’t really know Bruce. We were fortunate enough to get into a conversation and he flew in here and visited with us and it looked like a great fit.”‘

‘Despite being only 26-years-old, Butler announced he was calling it quits as he’ll likely go into politics.’

‘Butler majored in government studies at Virginia, and spent the 2008 offseason interning at Kemp Partners in Washington DC with former and late Bills quarterback and congressman Jack Kemp.’

‘His sudden departure, along with Demetrius Bell’s lengthy recovery from knee surgery, increases the likelihood the Bills will address the tackle position early in April’s draft.’

‘”I would like to thank Mr. Wilson, my teammates and the entire Bills Nation for giving me the opportunity to represent the Buffalo Bills for the past four years. Playing in the National Football League has been a tremendous opportunity and a great blessing. However, my passion for education, country and community is something that I am ready to devote my full attention to. I believe the best way to pursue these spheres of interest is to step away from the game of football at this point in my life."’

‘”We seem to specialize in a lot of things in the game of football,” said Gailey. “That is one area we have not specialized in as much. In the strength and conditioning area I tried to hire two guys that I think are both head coaches in that area. Really so they can both spend time specializing in areas and that’ll overlap from time to time. They’ll specialize in certain areas from time to time.”‘

‘I am normally an optimistic person but at this point in time this franchise is rudderless, particularly when it comes to evaluating college prospects. Its off-the-field follies have translated into on-the-field failure year after year. I don’t see things getting better anytime soon.’

‘Johnson, who has no NFL experience, has spent the last five years as the offensive line coach at Indiana University.’