Archives for August 3, 2014

‘It’s easy to see it now but my gosh did we take those Bills teams for granted.’

‘”Of course,” Reed said on NFL Network. “That was definitely going to be in the speech. There were thousands of Bills fans here. What’s going on with the team right now, we don’t know who’s going to buy the team and who’s going to move it and whatever. So I am a voice for them. And when I said that, it was like a little mini-earthquake here.”‘

‘”I wouldn’t have this gold jacket if it wasn’t for him,” Kelly said.’

‘”I’m doing alright. I’m getting better. Coming here this weekend, to this celebration, has made me feel better, but I still have a long road to go. I’m better than I was a month ago and a lot better than I was two months ago. I’ll find out more near the end of this month when I have my first MRI since my chemo and radiation.”‘

‘”Buffalo, New York, I know you’re here.”‘

‘Then it was the inductees’ families, one by one, getting emotional as they made their way onto the stage. Some fans couldn’t help but tear up as their favorites were introduced on stage. Maybe the tears were the result of feeling old, but it certainly made everyone a kid for a few minutes as highlights played on the screens on either side of the stage.’

‘NFL teams took notice of Reed, who dominated at Kutztown. Still, he didn’t have the size and was not getting the exposure some other players were getting. So when it came time for the 1985 NFL Draft, Reed was overlooked. In total, 12 receivers were drafted before the Bills took Reed in the fourth round.’

‘The most popular answer? Watkins.’

‘The enshrinement ceremony begins at 7 p.m. and will be aired on both ESPN2 and the NFL Network. It is expected to last three hours, and Reed will be the second-to-last player to be presented. Those who can’t get to a television can watch the ceremony on WatchESPN.com.’

‘Where they sit in the newly renovated Ralph (Wilson Stadium) in the 55th TV market, the Bills are worth just below $1 billion. In a new publicly subsidized venue by 2020 they could support $1.3 billion in Western New York. If moved to a new privately funded venue in Toronto by 2020, the Bills would be valued at $1.6 billion. Including relocation costs, the Bills could justify a bid of $1.5 billion by (MLSE chairman Larry) Tanenbaum and Rogers.’

‘Reed, who has given numerous speeches in the Lehigh Valley area this year, was never better at the podium than during his 36-minute speech that concluded with him catching one more pass from fellow Hall of Famer, quarterback and dear friend Jim Kelly.’

‘”Let’s go, Buffalo!” Reed’s stepfather John Ebling shouted as he high-fived many of the Bills fans along the route.’

‘Do as I say, not as I do, his father would tell him. If you give 100 percent, you’ll get 100 percent. Patience is a virtue. That’s what Calvin Reed always told his kids.’

‘”I said that stuff and thought the guy wouldn’t put it in there,” Reed said during media availability at McKinley High School, referring to New York Magazine’s Reeves Wiedeman and an article that came out Tuesday. “He was looking for a story and he put it in there. Publicly, I’m saying that was supposed to be off the record.”‘

‘He helped revolutionize the slot receiver position by playing in the so-called “K-Gun” no-huddle offense. Reed’s 13,198 yards receiving ranked fourth when he retired following the 2000 season.’