Two Bills Drive

‘"Peerless was extraordinarily fast, but I think Josh can do some things well enough that we’ll be fine," Bills offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said. "He’s going to give us some toughness. He’ll give us a guy that runs with the ball very well after the catch. Not that Peerless didn’t do a great job with those things because he was extraordinary. He was one of those guys that could take the ball and go the distance."’

‘In a survey done by the NFL Players Association last season, The Ralph’s surface was rated seventh worst in the league.’

‘”There’s nothing but positives about it,” he said. “It’s nonabrasive. Kids can wear any kind of shoe they want on it. The drainage is unbelievable. We’ve been on it when it poured and there are no puddles. It also doesn’t get hard as a rock when it’s cold. It stays soft. It’s amazing stuff.”‘

"I think it's going to do well for us. Guys are very comfortable with it. We're excited. It's one of the few things we have to look forward to again this year. It's a new change and I think it's going to be good for us because players tend to play with more confidence when they're on a surface such as grass or something as forgiving as this new surface."

”’We figure if it’s good enough for the Army, it’s good enough for the Buffalo Bills,” Donahoe added.’

‘SRI’s AstroPlay surface absorbs more shock from players and is more resilient to the harsh winters in Buffalo, N.Y., according to SRI.’

‘The cost of the new surface was not disclosed but it will be paid for by Erie County under terms the Bills stadium lease. Installation is to be completed by summer.’

‘"The immediate response from our coaches and players was that AstroPlay® was more comfortable to stand/play on," added Donahoe. "And, a key element in the Bills’ climate, AstroPlay®’s rubber infill didn’t freeze this past winter."’

Here are but a few examples of the hundreds of fields installed:

Buffalo Bills – Practice Facility

University of Arkansas – War Memorial Stadium

Boise State University – Humanitarian Bowl

University of Illinois – Memorial Stadium

University of Kansas – Memorial Stadium

United States Military Academy – Michie Stadium

‘In a poll by the NFL Players Association that asked players which stadium has the best playing surface in the league, Ralph Wilson Stadium was ranked second-to-last (29 out of 31) stadiums.’

‘"The players and coaches loved it (AstroPlay)," said Buffalo Bills President and General Manager Tom Donahoe. He said the team’s two most important factors in choosing a field surface were safety and performance under adverse weather conditions.’

‘"We have opted not to renew Dwight’s contract," team President and General Manager Tom Donahoe said in a statement. "We have decided to head into another direction, but we thank Dwight for his years of service in the Bills’ organization and wish him the best of luck in the future."’

‘”Thurman had played his entire senior season,” Polian said. “In his case, it was the fact he was missing part of a ligament in his knee discovered during the physical exams. It never had an effect on how he played but everyone simply got cold feet. There is some parallel here but I can’t recall anyone injuring himself as badly as McGahee then being drafted as high as he was. Having said that, he certainly warrants the pick.”‘

‘He played a key role in Donahoe’s first draft in 2001 that brought aboard five current starters. Adams assumed a lesser role after the arrival of assistant GM Tom Modrak and pro personnel director John Guy.’

‘And that’s where Henry comes in. It is he — not McGahee — who will determine how effective Buffalo will run the ball, and a year ago he was good enough to rush for 1,438 yards and 13 touchdowns and be named to the Pro Bowl. But while that is impressive, this is not: Buffalo ranked 24th in rushing, and Henry was one of the league’s most unpredictable backs.’