Archives for May 7, 2002

The 6-foot, 238-pound Roth attended training camp with the Buffalo Bills last season, but was released just before the season started and did not catch on with another team. He entered the NFL as a rookie with the Bills in 2000 and spent the season on the practice squad. Roth played for the University of Buffalo.

‘The other players honored were…offensive guard Reggie McKenzie of Michigan…’.

Potential Bills season ticket holders will have the chance to try some of the best seats on for size this weekend at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The stadium will be open and available seating will be tagged so fans can simply walk around and choose the seats they would like.

Bledsoe’s acquisition in a trade with the New England Patriots turned into a marketing highlight film for the Bills. Spikes in ticket and merchandise sales are unusual at this time of year, particularly for a team coming off a dismal season, where it won only three games and was eliminated from playoff contention before the first frost. But sales are up and interest is growing.

A champion is someone who fights for another or for a cause, one who is a defender, protector, and supporter. Bills’ quarterback Alex Van Pelt is a Champion for kids at the Children’s Hospital.

‘Bledose has talked to Bills great Jim Kelly about Buffalo. Kelly tried to reach Bledsoe even before the trade, just to let him know that Buffalo was a good city to play in, to raise children in, and to spend time in. ”It says a lot that he chose to settle there after his career was over,” said Bledsoe.’

‘When Bledsoe traveled to Buffalo to participate in the team’s rookie minicamp two weeks ago, he was pleasantly surprised to learn that the offense he will be running there has “a lot of similarities” to the one he is leaving. “A lot of the terminology is similar, which is nice. I honestly didn’t have a clue what system we’d be running.” He will not, incidentally, have to run any Doug Flutie plays, which have now been banished from the Bills’ repertoire. “They’re not putting those in for me, that’s for sure,” Bledsoe said with a laugh.’

‘"We’re losing a great man of outstanding character, which he displayed all last season," said wide receiver David Patten, who pulled off the impossible in the long-drive contest, hitting the ball three inches backwards. "That’s the test of a man’s character, when times are hard and it’s not in your favor, how do you handle it? To lose him is sad, but it’s part of the business and you want to understand the professional standpoint, but we are going to miss the guy."’

‘Monday’s "shootout," a five-man scramble won by former Bruins great Cam Neely and his group, raised $140,000 for Bledsoe’s charitable foundation, which emphasizes "parenting with dignity." While Drew and his wife, Maura, fly to Buffalo today for house-hunting, his father, Mac, will be visiting Connecticut state prison inmates.’

Only 25 players remain on the Bills roster that preceded the present general manager and coach. That is an astonishing turnaround in a very short amount of time. That number consists of just 47% of a 53-man roster and the changes are not yet finished.