Archives for January 2006

‘Levy’s zest is admirable, but misplaced. He’s simply too old for the rigors of an NFL head coaching job. He’s too old for the mental and physical strain of 14-hour work days. He’s too old to withstand the position’s innate pressures without suffering from the effort. And if, as general manager, he remains convinced that he should have been coach, then he’s too old for that job, too.’

‘”Just talking with the doctors they feel confident we have cured it, but obviously there are no guarantees,” Ferguson said. “But they feel confident if I live right and eat good and get the right exercise, I’ll be OK.”‘

‘”He is in a position to change how people think about older people,” Stall said. “Ask people what 80 means, and a lot of them say crotchety folks who talk slow.”‘

‘”Marv fumbled around a little with it,” Wilson said of the coaching questions that were thrown Levy’s way during Friday’s animated news conference. “Definitely (he’s) content with his role as GM.”‘

‘Buffalo is irrelevant right now on the NFL’s landscape. It has been that way for the past five years.’

‘A look at the Bills’ potential coaching candidates…’.

‘Wilson must therefore resist Levy’s entreaties and find another coach to lead the way. Jim Haslett isn’t a bad idea, considering he has long considered the Bills his dream job. Sherman would be fine, too. Jim Fassel is ready to get back to work as a head coach. And maybe the Bills go after the Jets’ first choice, Eric Mangini, the Patriots’ 34-year-old wunderkind defensive coordinator. Levy will interview any and all candidates, but you get the feeling he’ll simply go back to Wilson and say he’d be the better choice.’

‘The source said Buffalo faxed its request to the Cowboys on Friday, and permission was granted.’

‘”At the press conference announcing the resignation of Mike Mularkey we were prepared to talk about that issue only and therefore I was not prepared to talk about any coaching candidates at that time. I regret that I was not more specific in stating that I will not be serving in a coaching capacity. I am excited about my new responsibilities as general manager and, as planned, will devote my full energies to that role.”‘

‘Bills fans who wanted the Donahoe/Mularkey team gone and Marv back with the club have gotten their wish. But this whole situation has been handled in an amateurish way. Someone in the organization needs to take control of the way this team portrays itself to the public. It gives people inside and outside the league the impression that they don’t know what they are doing.’

‘Payton has interviewed with New Orleans and Green Bay for head coaching positions in the past two weeks. No interview has been scheduled with the Bills yet.’

‘Upon further review, Marv Levy will not coach the Buffalo Bills.’

‘”I am excited about my new responsibilities as General Manager and, as planned, will devote my full energies to that role.”‘

“The Buffalo Bills received permission late Friday to interview Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Sean Payton, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported Saturday.”

‘If the Buffalo Bills can hire Sherman or one of the twelve assistants that I alluded to, they’ll be in great shape for the future. The Bills have some talent on their team and with the right coach, can turn things around and could be the surprise team of the 2006 season. After all, who would have expected the Chicago Bears or Washington Redskins to be vying for Super Bowl status in 2005?’