Archives for January 29, 2007

‘"It is a good opportunity, but I really hate leaving here," said Zierlein. "My time in Buffalo this past year was as good a year in coaching as I’ve ever had. I really liked the community. We had great neighbors. The atmosphere in this building was so good, and the environment created by Marv (Levy) and Dick (Jauron) made it a pleasure to come to work."’

‘Zierlein, 61, spent 2006 as offensive line coach of the Buffalo Bills after holding the same position with the Cleveland Browns from 2001-04. He has also coached offensive lines on the collegiate level at Cincinnati (1997-00), Tulane (1988-90, ’95-96), Louisiana State (1993-94) and Houston (1978-86). From 1997-92 he was the offensive coordinator/line coach for the N.Y./N.J. Knights of the World League of American Football (WLAF), and an assistant coach with the Washington Commandos of the Arena League in 1987.’

‘I will be in on the production meetings where the players and coaches for the Colts will be interviewed. I won’t be involved with the ones for the Bears. Due to the fact that I was on the Colts sideline during the AFC Championship game and will be there again Sunday, they decided to have me just attend the Colts meetings. My counterpart Solomon Wilcotts will go to the Bears meetings since he’ll be on that sideline.’

‘"We’re looking for a guy that is going to be the best fit," said defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. "You always have your hopes when you see a guy and you’re saying, ‘Man we really like this guy and he could really fit into our plans.’ But as the draft nears he moves up or down the board so you can’t get too high or too low because you have no control over whether you can get him or not."’

‘There was a time, when former president/general manager Tom Donahoe’s first-round selection of the then-injured McGahee seemed an inspired gamble. Now it looms as one of his biggest personnel mistakes … with due respect to Mike Williams.’

‘If Thomas doesn’t make it this year, the voters are looking for something we don’t know about.’

‘"He’s as good a run down player as he is a pass rusher," said defensive line coach Bill Kollar. "He’s not a situational guy. He plays most of the snaps in the game and does as well against the run as he does rushing the passer. You just can’t look at his pass rushing ability. You have to look at his overall game."’

‘The Bills are in a quandary thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement. Unless Wilson spends beyond the current means of his franchise – something no other owner does, and few even have to consider – his club is more or less doomed to mediocrity.’

‘The Bills were hoping second-year TE Kevin Everett would emerge as an offensive threat. But it’s fair to say the former third-round pick has been a big disappointment.’

‘To take a team to this moment in four straight seasons is something nobody else has ever done. So he lost all of them. But he finishes far ahead of the pack in mat ters of dignity and class, and he is right up there with them in matters of coaching.’

‘For most of his four-year career, McGee has been a solid cover corner. Last year, though, he was seemingly exposed by opposing quarterbacks and receivers. Part of the reason for McGee’s struggles may very well have been the development of rookie free safety Ko Simpson, who shared one half of the defensive backfield with McGee. As Simpson experienced difficulty, so did McGee. But as the first-year man thrived, his teammate did, too.’