Archives for June 2015

'New Buffalo Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma showed up at Buffalo Bills practice this morning in Orchard Park. Sabres and Bills owner Terry Pegula was on hand once again for a second straight day, as well.'

'Bills head coach Rex Ryan announced the planned practices with his former defensive coordinator and current head coach of the Browns, Mike Pettine. The Bills and Browns have agreed to hold joint practices at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 17 and at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18. The two sessions will be a lead up to the Bills-Browns preseason game in Cleveland on Thursday, August 20.'

'As the NFL Network continued its countdown of the Top 100 players, a third Bills defensive player made the list Wednesday night. In this week’s episode of the countdown from 60-51, Dareus was number 53 on this year’s list.'

'“I was just extremely happy to go into the game and the score was what it was, but when you’re just dying to get out there and get experience, I play every down like it’s the Super Bowl,” he said Wednesday. “As the backup quarterback with the Jets, I prepared as if I was a starter every week, and my teammates from the Jets know that about me. They know I’m ready to play at a moment’s notice, and I felt like I held my own.”'

'It was disappointing, but not at all surprising. When an athlete says anything remotely controversial these days, you can be sure he’ll distance himself from it later. You can almost script the words in advance. It’s all in the past. Let’s move on. Or that horrifying cliche, it is what it is.'

'Watkins would not specify what “soon” meant, saying he was leaving it to the training staff to let him know when he would be medically cleared to practice. The Bills have five more OTA workouts (Thursday and four more next week – June 8, 9, 10 and 11) and a mandatory minicamp from June 16-18 to wrap up their offseason program, but initial reports from NFL sources had him returning to action for training camp, which begins July 31.'

'“You’re seeing where the world is going and how and where people are getting their content,” said Schroeder, the NFL’s senior vice president for media strategy, business development and sales. “Over a longer period of time, there will be different parties that want to get into the sports distribution business.”

'"I'm in Buffalo," McCoy continued. "Everything in Philadelphia is over, and I have nothing more to say about it. It is what it is. Everybody can make their own thoughts and assumptions, but I'm done talking about it."'

'“As we continue the fight for equal pay across the state, we cannot overlook any worker entitled to fair pay under the law,” Rozic said in a statement. “Sports teams and owners should not continue to capitalize without providing the most basic workplace protections.”'

'McCoy insisted he didn't think his comments created a distraction. Considering it's only June, he has a point. Even on this Wednesday in June, though, McCoy raising the discussion on Kelly made it tough for him to focus the questions on football or how he's fitting into the new offense.'

'"I know what's been written about me and other things," Ryan said. "So do I have a chip on my shoulder? Absolutely. And it'll be fun. I know one thing: We ain't hiding. We ain't hiding from anybody — New England, Jets, anybody else. We'll take on all challenges and I'm looking forward to it. I haven't studied anybody else [in the AFC East]. I just know the talent that we have. And I'm excited about it."'

'The Bills have five OTA practices remaining before mandatory minicamp at the end of the month.'

'"I don't think that," McCoy said. "I didn't think it was a distraction with this team. Nobody has even asked me about it. Players mention it because they want to know what's going on, but I don't feel like it's a distraction. At all. Maybe that's something you sensed that I didn't."'

'OK, so he’s back to using some of his old lines that he beat to death with the Jets. But who cares? It was good to have him back in town, even if the sight of him walking into Yankee Stadium in a blue Bills windbreaker might have been an eyesore.'

'In his first local public appearance since being fired by Gang Green and hired by the Bills, Ryan took yet another dig at Amaro as part of their unlikely feud stemming from Amaro’s claim the Jets “lacked accountability” under Ryan.'