Two Bills Drive

‘Alex Van Pelt is a smart man. He realizes that playing quarterback for the Buffalo Bills has about as much upside as waking up next to your cousin.’

‘The owner of the team in one of the NFL’s coldest climates doesn’t like the idea of playing the Super Bowl in an outdoor stadium in the north. "The championship game should be played in championship conditions," Ralph Wilson, owner of the Buffalo Bills, said Monday.’

Gosford Park is a period piece, I believe set in England in the 1930s. As a rule, I try to avoid period pieces so with all due respect to Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith – who were probably excellent – I can’t vote for either of the two nominees from that movie.

@ Everyone likes instant gratification. That’s why Buffalo Bills fans were so frustrated last season.

We will be hosting a 3-hour optional workshop. The purpose of the workshop is to help participants become better prepared for the audition process. Please note that this clinic is not mandatory and does not guarantee a position on the squad. However, classes are strongly encouraged. Candidates will be given an overview of the cheerleading program and important information will be shared that will lead to better scores. You will have an improved overall understanding of what it takes to make the squad and what to look forward to if you do!

‘The Buffalo Bills have the option to terminate their lease in June 2004, but that would require paying a $20-million termination fee. That fee gets progressively smaller each year until it reaches $2 million in 2012. But NFL insiders say Buffalo is not in danger of losing the Bills as long as 82-year-old owner Ralph Wilson–for whom the team’s stadium is named–has say in the matter.’

‘"We still would like to get better on both lines, and we have to get better at safety," Donahoe said Sunday at the NFL owners’ meetings. "Those are priorities."’

@ With LA stating many times they would not support a publically supported football stadium, a new group of billionares are hatching a plan to build a privately funded one. With 32 teams, the NFL has no plans to immediately expand, which means any team headed for Los Angeles would be from an existing franchise that relocates. San Diego, Indianapolis, New Orleans and Buffalo are among the teams that could relocate to Los Angeles, although the list constantly rotates as leases expire or loopholes in stadium contracts are found.

‘It marks the first time an enshrinee will appear at the luncheon club between his Super Bowl weekend announcement and his actual enshrinement.’

While NFL quarterbacks are known for their endless hours of film study, Bills quarterback Alex Van Pelt definitely takes it to another level when he breaks down the 2002 Oscar nominees all next week on buffalobills.com.

‘Q. So what’s it like to win four AFC titles and lose four Super Bowls? A. Someone once asked me if I would have rather just gone to one Super Bowl and won it. I’d rather go to four. What we were able to accomplish, the resiliency we showed having to go back to training camp — ground zero — and get in a position to be competitive again is amazing. A devastating loss like that, you’ve got to sit with that for five, six months until you can compete again. I attribute Mark Levy, our head coach, with being able to put us in the right frame of mine. I’m proud to say I went to four, win or lose.’

‘Buffalo appeared to be the front-runner to sign Blake before he met with Redskins officials Thursday night and early Friday. But Blake’s meeting with Redskins Coach Steve Spurrier seemed to go smoothly.’

‘"I played for the minimum and never said anything because of my love for the game of football," he said. " The Rams knew they were underpaying me."’

‘"Based on what I did for the Rams, I wish they would have shown me more appreciation," Fletcher said in a telephone interview. "I had given the Rams way more than they could ever give me. Sometimes you have to say: ‘Enough’s enough. There’s no more blue light specials.’"’

@ Johnson won’t be forced to take on the roll in Tampa Bay that he had in Buffalo. What people don’t realize is that Jon Gruden’s offense doesn’t put too much pressure on the QB. The "QB friendly" attack saw Rich Gannon have a couple of career years and should enable Johnson to have some success, too. It must be noted that Johnson comes into this situation as a backup, and he’ll be playing under much less pressure. So yes, I do think there is a chance that, if he can get on the field, Johnson could succeed.