Archives for March 25, 2015

'So my plea to the NFL is this – respect me. I know I'm not a multi-million dollar sponsor of the league like a beer or car company, I'm not a guy who has a luxury box at the stadium, I'm not even a season ticket holder, but I am a guy who spends more on the NFL than most. I don't expect to be treated like a VIP, but in the grand scheme of things I am important to the NFL economy – without people like me your TV audience is comprised of people who watch for free and make large distribution contracts difficult if not impossible. If I pay for content on Sunday Ticket I expect to be able to see my games – ALL of my Sunday games – on something better than a low resolution, overmaxed video stream. Respect me as a fan that cares more than most and contributes monetarily more than most. If you take fans like me for granted you're losing some of your best, and we both deserve better than that.'

'“To put it bluntly, everybody’s celebrating our victories, but we’ve had some losses in this free agency” period “and it happened to be on the offensive line,” General Manager Doug Whaley said Tuesday during the NFL meeting here. “We had targeted two guys, and we just couldn’t get them. Unfortunately for us, it looks like we didn’t try, but we did try and just weren’t successful.”'

'“I went out to dinner with LeSean McCoy and his mom and dad, brother,” he said. “I took my two kids with me; my wife, Kim, was out of town. When the news of the trade first broke, he was obviously shocked and the rumors were floating around he wasn’t happy” with the trade to Buffalo. “Well, when I shook his hand, he was commenting on the fact that he was shocked that he was traded. I said, ‘You were shocked? We were more shocked than you were. We obviously could use some help in our backfield’ and getting McCoy ‘was like filling up the Grand Canyon.’ ”'

'“It was huge. It goes to show how much they actually value me,” Clay said Tuesday, speaking with Western New York reporters on a conference call. “I felt like I was one of those guys from the very second I stepped on the plane. Just getting the chance to meet and talk with the Pegulas, such down-to-earth people."'

'The source also said that the decision to reject the opportunity was made by team co-owners Terry and Kim Pegula.'

'The Obama administration makes the argument that tax-exempt bond financing should be for the public good and not for private-sector owners of professional sports teams. We agree. Except that there is a public benefit from such financing.'

'“From the time I stepped on the plane, I felt like I was one of those guys,” Clay said of the private jet owners Terry and Kim Pegula escorted him in from Miami to Buffalo and back. “Getting the chance to meet and talk to the Pegulas, down to earth people, and to meet them and fly up with Rex (Ryan) and Greg Roman, Tony Sparano Jr., I was very impressed. They had me excited when I was on the plane. It goes to show how much they actually value me.”'

'"I think that ratchets up the competitive juices," Pettine said when asked at the AFC coaches breakfast Tuesday about the shared practices.'

'"It goes to show how much they actually value me," Clay said. "… I felt like I was one of those guys from the very second I stepped on the plane. Just getting the chance to meet and talk with the Pegulas, such down to earth people."'

'In terms of what Clay will cost the Bills against the salary cap, the tight end carries a $5 million cap hit in 2015, $13.5 million cap hit in 2016 and cap hits of $6.5 million from 2017 through 2019. The Bills would be able to lower Clay's 2016 cap hit by converting his $10 million roster bonus into a signing bonus, which would spread the cap hit over the rest of the contract. Buffalo also included a no-trade clause for the first three seasons of Clay's deal.'

'It seems the Bills' trade of star linebacker Kiko Alonso for McCoy was as much a surprise to them as it was the rest of the league. Ryan said the Bills were "stunned" to learn McCoy was available and jumped at the opportunity to acquire him. McCoy was the first piece of the Bills' offseason puzzle, and Ryan said he made it easier to bring in free agents.'

'With a backfield that includes McCoy, veteran Fred Jackson and short-yardage specialist Anthony Dixon, Brown may not have much of a role in Buffalo this season. A ball control, ground-and-pound offense like the Bills have can't afford to have a running back with ball security issues. Brown still has to earn the trust of his new coach.'

'Back in 2010, Bills coach Rex Ryan was featured on the show as coach of the New York Jets. The season was considered one of the show's most successful due to Ryan's entertaining coaching style. The show won its second straight Sports Emmy Award and the Jets were offered the show again in 2011 but turned it down.'

'On not getting a call from the Chicago Bears, a team for whom his dad was defensive coordinator in the 1980s, when they were looking for a new coach and he was free: “I must have done a bad job as a ball boy there or something.”'

'“It’s a big enough market. I don’t know how that works with the CFL, though.”'