Archives for July 23, 2002

The Bills today announced that the team has signed two more of their 2002 draft picks – cornerback Kevin Thomas and wide receiver Rodney Wright. As is club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

‘The Bills need two starters to come out of relative nowhere – unless they sign a veteran free agent off the street.’

‘Still, nobody can knock the Bills for gambling on an infusion of a dozen veterans to float them from the depths of 3-13. There are foolish gambles and then there is necessity.’

‘In addition, fewer than 1,000 tickets are still available for the team’s scrimmage with the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, Aug. 3.’

‘"We all became better coaches the moment that trade went down," coach Gregg Williams says.’

‘Much is expected from the 6-foot-6, 375-pound behemoth who makes former Bills offensive tackle Howard "House" Ballard look more like a cottage. He plans on living up to those lofty expectations.’

‘"You don’t do it by talking about it, by looking at the roster and looking at the stats on guys. You do it by going out and hitting a guy in the mouth every single play to win a game. That’s how you win games and have successful seasons."’

‘On Draft Day 1998, 241 players were selected, including 34 linebackers. None of them was named London Fletcher.’

‘What Drew Bledsoe did the Bills get? The quarterback who threw for 128 TDs and guided four playoff teams in his first six seasons in New England or the one who was sacked 105 times and threw more interceptions (39) than touchdowns (38) the past three years?’

‘Be patient. It may take minutes, hours and even days to get your guy.’

‘"We can’t keep much of the new merchandise in the store. We have back orders on the new jerseys that we are trying to fill."’

‘"We had to do a lot of things last year that weren’t very comfortable," said Donahoe, referring to the release of nearly 20 players, including Doug Flutie, Henry Jones, Ted Washington and Antowain Smith. "But they had to be done to try and get the team on the right course. We feel we’re on the track. We haven’t headed very far down the track, but at least we’re on the track."’

‘That fact has left skeptics asking that if the 30-year-old Bledsoe is a player in his prime, with five or six good seasons ahead of him, as the Bills are convinced, why then were they the only serious bidder?’

‘Community groups invited to the camp — mainly children and teenagers — will receive free vision screenings as part of a tour.’

‘Hype is nice, but doesn’t score points or win games. Bledsoe should help do both, but how the rest of the newcomers around him fare will ultimately decide just how much better Buffalo becomes this year.’