Archives for September 2003

‘Ron VanHall, club president, said the club “started last summer with just a few die-hard fans, Tony and Mary Lou DeMarco and Stacey Kelley. But after the local Brandon paper printed a story, the membership quickly swelled.” There are now more than 100 members, and the club is seeking other Bills fans to join the group.’

‘It is not often that a 335-pound defensive tackle is among the NFL’s scoring leaders, but that is where the Buffalo Bills’ Sam Adams finds himself as the NFL enters its second week Sunday.’

Buffalo Bills president/general manager Tom Donahoe is credited with rebuilding a roster than was definitely in decline when he arrived. But two things Donahoe doesn’t get nearly enough credit for are his excellent handling of the salary cap and his relationship with Bills owner Ralph Wilson

‘The Bills are coming off an emotional division win. A week from Sunday they have another AFC East game at Miami. If they walk on to the field at Jacksonville with anything other than the Jags on their mind, they could give away the momentum they gained this past Sunday. I say that will not happen. But it will not be easy.’

‘Get a body on Takeo Spikes–The Patriots didn’t.’

‘Q: How much of a factor was the Bills home crowd noise in helping the Bills defense and confusing the Patriots offense last Sunday? – Buck Smith (Amherst, NY) Spikes: It was big. (Tom) Brady couldn’t get some of the checks out that he wanted to. At the same time he was kind of prefixed as far as where he wanted to go. So that right there, along with the home field crowd advantage making that much noise, kind of threw them off a bit.’

‘The Buffalo Bills have been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Magazine 12 times since 1969…".

‘Henry is also an able receiver, catching three balls for 37 yards against New England. Fumbling is his kryptonite. Henry lost a league-high eight fumbles last year and lost another versus the Patriots.’

‘"It was tough not playing my first year, but I just tried to be patient and work to get better every day," Pucillo said. "The offseason workouts were very important, of course. I prepared myself and waited for the opportunity. When it came, I just went out and tried to do the best I could."’

‘The Bills certainly don’t think Brunell is fading. "From what we saw on film, it doesn’t look like Brunell has lost anything," free safety Pierson Prioleau said. "In my opinion, he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL."’

‘"They are just the next opponent," Shaw said. "You have to prepare the same no matter who you’re playing. Once the game is over, if we come out on top, then bragging rights with old buddies will kick in. But during the game you have to have the same preparation."’

‘” I want to win in anything I do and be competitive in anything I do,” said Del Rio, who coaches with the same intensity he played linebacker in the NFL for 11 seasons with. ” I wasn’t forced to make those decisions to get rid of those guys. We’re doing what we think we can to be competitive.”‘

‘”I’m not proclaiming to be the best linebacker to ever play the game,” said Spikes, the 6-foot-2, 245-pound hulking specimen that toiled in relative obscurity for five seasons with the Bengals. “But I really don’t think the city of Buffalo knew what they were getting when they got me. And it’s real … it’s real.”‘

‘”He’s shown that you can go through some difficult times and still have things work out great for you,” Brunell said.’