Archives for August 5, 2002

‘The quarterback earned his Hall credentials as a player, leading the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls. The fact they failed to win one now seemed dwarfed by the stirring memories he created.’

‘"To win in the NFL you’ve got to have ability and, sometimes, you’ve got to have some luck," Hall of Fame Bills head coach Marv Levy said. "Jim Kelly had ability, and much more. I was the one who had the luck because, from the very first day I became head coach of the Buffalo Bills I was keenly aware of what a special player and a special person Jim Kelly was."’

‘Most medical experts would agree that it has taken divine intervention for this young boy to survive this long.’

‘Andre also said that while Kelly was playing youth football he once got discouraged and quit the team. "But his father (Joe Kelly) told him there’d be no chance of him making it to the Super Bowl, so he kept on trying."’

‘In fact, so many people from East Brady made the pilgrimage to Canton that the town was all but a ghost town Saturday. The streets were empty and only a few lonely shopkeepers and bartenders interrupted an otherwise still afternoon.’

‘"Since the day I was elected, I prayed to God that my son would be here with me today," Kelly said. "God has granted me that blessing."’

‘”Sure, it’s nice to be wanted,” said Bledsoe, who further cemented his relationship with the fans on Saturday by hustling off to Kelly’s induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio. “I don’t know any player alive who, given his choice, wouldn’t want to be liked. It’s been gratifying to be accepted, by my teammates and the fans and everyone, really, the way me and my family have been. But I’ve been around long enough to know that there’s a lot more to it than this. But, yeah, we’ve been made to feel very much at home.”‘

‘But when the Bills return to the playoffs, and some pundits feel that will be this season, it will be just as much a result of terrific drafts the past two years.’

‘A sampling of Hall of Fame voters indicates Bruce Smith is a lock to be a first-ballot inductee when he is eligible, and Thurman Thomas is considered a lock to be inducted soon after he is eligible.’

‘Hollis’ 64.3 conversion rate in 2001 wasn’t much better that the collective efforts of Arians and Graham, but at least he has a proven track record.’

‘Williams can deny it if he pleases, but the truth is there will be more focus on the head coach this season than there was last season.’

‘”I still feel that way and now having the chance to meet my teammates, I’m just so thankful to be in a place like this,” Wire said. “There are great people here and I’m just proud to be part of the Bills organization.”‘

‘"They made a lot of other good pick-ups, too. I think they’ll be a lot better at quarterback and Mike Williams and Trey Teague are big improvements on the offensive line."’

‘As one Bills fan, Jason Cassata, told me Saturday, “Jim Kelly means everything to Buffalo. He put Buffalo on the map. Buffalo’s not exactly a booming city, but he took us to four straight Super Bowls and made us proud to be Bills fans.”‘

“With all due respect to the other inductees — John Stallworth, Dave Casper, Dan Hampton, and the late George Allen — this day clearly belonged to Kelly and the thousands of fans who turned Fawcett Stadium into a sea of Bills blue.” Vic Carucci