Archives for August 2, 2002

‘Gray barely made a slice last season, though, when the Bills stumbled to a 3-13 record and his defense ranked 21st in total yards allowed, 26th in rushing yards allowed, 28th in third-down success and 29th in points allowed.’

‘Saturday’s scrimmage will last two hours and each team will probably have five or six 10-play possessions where they can score as often as they can. However, if they don’t score in 10 plays, the possession ends and the other team will go on offense.’

‘For Cleveland fans, many of whom grew up watching Jim Brown bulldoze opposing defenders, the visit to Fisher is a dream come true.’

‘Defensive line. This is considered the weakest unit on the team, and for good reason. Outside of tackle Pat Williams, there is no proven commodity up front.’

‘"We were fortunate to get to three of the Super Bowls in Tampa, Pasadena and Atlanta. They were so exciting. But when (Scott Norwood) missed that kick against the Giants, it was the saddest thing, just awful. I always felt sorry for him."’

‘”Jim Kelly is bringing along an entourage of family and friends numbering more than 1,000,” said HOF information service manager Pete Fierle.’

‘Their No. 1 pick was offensive tackle Mike Williams of Texas. Williams signed last Sunday and reportedly is closer to 400 pounds than the 375 he is listed at. “I’ve been in this league long enough to know size don’t mean nothing. I’ve seen guys look like Tarzan and play like Jane,” said Browns left end Kenard Lang, who will compete against Williams.’

‘Q: Everybody’s looking for re ceivers with your size and your college credentials. Why weren’t you drafted and why didn’t it work out in Buffalo? A: [Kwame Cavil] I don’t know. I guess I didn’t run a good time and they didn’t feel I was ready for the NFL. Things like that happen for a reason and I’m just happy to be where I am now. With Buffalo, I guess I just didn’t fit in anymore. I had a good camp, I thought. You know how things go in the NFL.’

‘The practices and scrimmage are scripted. In fact, Coach Butch Davis and Bills’ coach Greg Williams met last night to go over final details to make sure no one is surprised.’

‘The scrimmage will consist of five 12-play series. The first teams will go at it on the first and third possessions. The second teams will compete in the second series, with a mixture of players on the fourth and fifth possessions.’

‘The Bills are due for more prosperous times with Drew Bledsoe. The Browns are banking on Butch Davis – two first-round picks, Gerard “Big Money” Warren and William Green, to cash in the first expansion-era playoff year. The optimistic 2001 also-rans get a chance today and Saturday to see whose optimism is more worthy of investment.’

‘”I owe everything to my dad,” Kelly said. “He took the time to work with me when I was younger. More than that, he taught me if you work hard enough, anything is possible.”‘

‘”I was a part of the USFL at the time Buffalo drafted him,” said San Diego Chargers General Manager John Butler, who worked in Buffalo when Kelly played there. “I was with George Allen at the Chicago Blitz. We drafted Jim, but we had Greg Landry as our quarterback, so we traded his rights to Houston because we wanted as many great players in the league as we could get.”‘

‘”I believe that he mirrored the physical Buffalo Bills fans – hard-working, tough-as-nails, gritty, determined type of player. Looking at it from a historical perspective, he is one of the three great quarterbacks from the class of 1983. … Personally, he took an old, washed-up receiver, who couldn’t out run his shadow, and made him an All-Pro again. For that, I thank him.” – Wide receiver James Lofton’

‘”The “Golden Age” of the Buffalo Bills started when (General Manager) Bill Polian pulled off a three-way trade that sent Eric Dickerson to the Colts and the rights to Cornelius Bennett to Buffalo,”Felser said. “That was Marv Levy’s first full year there. Jim Kelly was coming into his own, and the “Golden Age” didn’t end until 1997, when Kelly was gone.”‘