Two Bills Drive

‘Three Buffalo Bills will contend today for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr., former guard Joe DeLamielleure and former receiver James Lofton are among the final 15 candidates for election.’

‘On ESPN’s sports issues program "Outside the Lines" (9:30 a.m. Sunday), Thomas tells reporter Tom Rinaldi that he lost purpose and became an alcoholic after retirement. In his first interview since rehab, Thurman tells ESPN: "I was completely out of control. I didn’t have anything to do. We were going to restaurants having dinner, and I kept excusing myself to go to the bathroom, when in reality I wasn’t going to the bathroom. I was going to the bar."’

‘The Buffalo Bills signed six free agents Friday and assigned them to NFL Europe.’

Of the 13 offensive linemen who have been elected to the Hall of Fame since 1970, DeLamielleure’s numbers are comparable or better than everybody’s but those of Anthony Munoz and John Hannah.

‘”I can’t say enough about Ralph Wilson as a leader,” he said.’

‘The Class of 2003 will be announced today and if the voters do their homework, they will tell the folks in Canton, Ohio to start casting bronze busts of “Joe D” and the man who drafted him, Ralph Wilson.’

‘Stop and appreciate just getting there. Realize this, every Bills fan that died before January 1991 never saw the Bills advance to a Super Bowl in their lifetime. The same applies in Tampa for those no longer with us as of two weeks ago. Putting it bluntly, think of Cubs fans.’

‘I can still see that ball, etched against the Florida night. Four years of Super Bowl frustration had begun for the Bills.’

‘Joe Gibbs had this problem: The Washington coach was uncertain if he could make defensive situation substitutions while Buffalo was instrumenting its no-huddle offense. Gibbs’ solution: to create in practice a replica of the Bills’ scheme with his own players, have them run the no-huddle at Buffalo’s pace, and test if he could substitute.’

‘Valor can be measured in many ways. To me, there never has been a more compelling demonstration of it than Don Beebe’s in this game.’

‘It didn’t matter. What mattered in my thinking was how the Bills had persevered. Honor them.’

‘…all of whom will be allocated to the NFL Europe League.’

‘Buffalo also signed fullback Jarrett Ferguson, safety Milton Proctor, offensive lineman Ronald Boldin, linebacker Merceda Perry and kicker Jason Witczak.’

‘DeLamielleure’s true impact, however, didn’t become apparent until recently. That’s when football enthusiast and researcher John Turney came out with a list ranking DeLamielleure as the NFL’s third-most accomplished offensive lineman as far as awards go, only behind John Hannah and Anthony Munoz and ahead of other celebrated linemen such as Ron Yary, Dwight Stephenson and Dan Dierdorf.’

‘It is believed the Bills want LeBeau to serve as a defensive assistant to coordinator Jerry Gray.’