Archives for December 19, 2002

‘The Buffalo Bills will be passing off a total of $25,000 in grants to 10 area community groups and individuals during the 2002 Community Quarterback Awards Dinner Thursday night.’

‘Bledsoe became the third Bills quarterback to earn selection, behind five-time Pro Bowler Jim Kelly and Doug Flutie, who was selected once in 1998. Bledsoe finished third overall in fan balloting, receiving 733,754 votes, behind Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre (930,270 votes) and Kansas City running back Priest Holmes (747,297).’

‘The glaring difference between the two is that Bledsoe (46) has been sacked exactly twice as many times as Favre, who has taken the Pack to 11 wins as opposed to Buffalo’s seven.’

The Bills today announced that quarterback Drew Bledsoe, guard Ruben Brown and wide receiver Eric Moulds have been selected to represent the team in the 2003 Pro Bowl.

Additionally, FB Larry Centers, LB London Fletcher, RB Travis Henry, P Brian Moorman, WR Peerless Price and DL Pat Williams were named as alternates to the AFC squad.

Buffalo Bills Quarterbacks Coach Steve Kragthorpe will be introduced as The University of Tulsa's new head football coach at a news conference on Thursday, December 19.

‘Buffalo Bills assistant coach and former OSU assistant Tommy Kaiser said Kragthorpe is organized and meticulous. "And that’s what you look for in a head coach. You wear a lot of hats as a head coach and I think Steve will do that just fine."’

‘Kragthorpe plans to remain in Tulsa through Saturday to launch his head-coaching career. He will resume his quarterback coaching duties Sunday with the Bills before returning to TU to begin the full-time task of rebuilding one of the nation’s most troubled programs.’

‘Buzz 1430 [KTBZ-AM] afternoon host Jerry Ostroski, who retired from the Bills last summer, went to members of TU’s athletic administration and lobbied on behalf of Kragthorpe.’

‘"We’re extremely pleased to have Steve Kragthorpe as our football coach," said MacLeod. "Steve has the enthusiasm necessary for success in today’s competitive football environment. He has demonstrated his outstanding ability as an offensive coach on both the collegiate and professional levels. Steve brings a wealth of experience to our football program. He possesses the coaching ability, organizational skills, and the personal characteristics and qualities we were looking for in a head coach."’

‘The other memorable moment in the game was the "Wile E. Coyote play" – a crushing tackle Packers punt returner Darren Sharper put on Bills tight end Lonnie Johnson.’

‘Perhaps scariest of all for the Bills:This is one of the best seasons in Favre’s 12-year career.’

‘He is the quintessential football player, an unpretentious superstar, one who can live up to his reputation.’

‘The No. 11 Drew Bledsoe jersey hung like a tent on her, but Marissa Bauer didn’t mind. As far as the spunky third-grader from School 52 was concerned, the jersey, like the day, was a perfect fit. It was just one of many perks Bauer and her classmates Brionna Goins and Brian Bennett received Wednesday as winners of the HealthNow Rush for Reading program, held in conjunction with the Buffalo Bills.’

‘Those players — quarterback Drew Bledsoe, wide receivers Eric Moulds and Peerless Price, running back Travis Henry, guard Ruben Brown, tackle Mike Williams, fullback Larry Centers and punter Brian Moorman — will learn this afternoon at practice if they’ll be playing in the Feb. 2 game in Honolulu.’

‘To rejoin the Road Dolphins where we left them, we stop where they were stopped on Dec. 1, in “freaking hell,” as senior vice president Rick Spielman too kindly recalls Buffalo resembling that day.’