Archives for January 2007

‘The Bills today announced their ticket prices for the 2007 NFL season in Ralph Wilson Stadium. The average price for a Buffalo Bills season ticket will be $46.45 – nearly $16.00 less than the 2006 NFL average ticket price and approximately five dollars more than Buffalo’s 2006 average.’

‘Either way, there is no question the 49ers will have to spend some money this offseason to improve themselves. With no mid-level talent available at the CB position, why not gamble on Clements, who has 23 interceptions in 96 career games? If the 49ers don’t, they may be regretting it a year from now.’

‘"While we’re watching we’re checking to see if they have a good work ethic," Fewell said. "Do they enjoy practice? When they’re practicing is this guy a talker? Is he a focused guy? What kind of demeanor does he have on the field? You watch how he accepts coaching, how he does his drills, how he interacts with other players during the drills. Is he a team guy? Is he a ‘me’ guy? How does he fit into the scheme of things?"’

‘Will Youboty take Clements’ spot immediately in 2007? Probably not. However, the potential is there for him to eventually move into the Bills’ starting defensive lineup. As of now, Youboty is certainly the wild card on Buffalo’s ‘D’.’

‘”He came into a situation with a team that had been down and he brought tremendous stability,” Levy said. “The thing I’ve always said is that if a head coach is going to succeed the first thing he must do is put together a good coaching staff and I believe he’s done that. The players have responded to what they recognize as good teaching, level-headedness and fair treatment. So I give him very high grades in his first year.”‘

‘When it’s all said and done, the Bills’ future will probably not include Clements. Because the Shaker Heights, Ohio, native is among the better defenders in football, he may price himself right out of frugal Buffalo’s range. In 2007, the Bills’ new Clements could be McGee, Thomas, Ashton Youboty or a young draft choice. Either way, it will be a step down for Buffalo’s defense, which finished seventh in passing yardage allowed last season.’

‘"I think I definitely put in some work," he said. "I think every year I put in more and more work, whether that’s in the weight room, on the field or in the classroom. So I pride myself on putting in the studying and preparing my body physically and mentally so when Sunday comes I’m ready."’

‘"It’s always nice to be recognized," said Moorman. "But it’s not why any of the people who were honored here do what we do in the community. I like to be recognized because it brings more awareness to the causes that we represent. And for me I hope that an event like this helps raise money for kids with pediatric cancer and life-threatening illnesses."’

‘Since McGahee hasn’t said he was misquoted it’s imperative we allow our imaginations to wander in the search for accuracy.’

‘The team feels vindicated for making Whitner the disputed eighth-round draft pick last spring. He is a physical player in run support and has the speed to run with most receivers. Simpson showed good range, ball skills and proved to be tougher than he looks. One AFC pro personnel chief said Whitner and Simpson could potentially be the best safety tandem in the NFL in the near future.’

‘In the end, the fact that Brown — an aging but above-average player — was ever cut by Buffalo typifies the horrific five-year tenure of Donahoe, who’s been known for his grossly inflated ego.’

‘”I’m just taking it all in,” Brown said. “I’m enjoying it. I’m not trying to downplay it because it’s been so many years trying to get here. I’m happy for the simple fact that we have some good guys, the type of guys we had my early years in Buffalo. We have the same type of family atmosphere here, too, and it feels good.”‘

‘Aside from his over-inflated ego, refusal to leave Miami to work out with his teammates in their offseason conditioning program and his inability to distinguish third down from fourth down, there is a more important reason to replace McGahee. The Bills need someone to convert on third-and-1 in order to keep drives alive. He doesn’t do it often enough.’

‘Based on the cumulative 2006 records of opponents, Buffalo and Oakland will play the most difficult schedules in the NFL. That hardly seems fair. The 2007 opponents for the Bills and Raiders were 138-118 (.539) in 2006. Buffalo also will have by far the NFL’s toughest home schedule (opponents were a combined 75-53 this season; the next-toughest home schedule is 70-58 and belongs to the Raiders).’

‘An assistant coach of the Houston Oilers reported that the Bills stole the Oilers defensive signals in the Bills’ 41-38 come-from-behind overtime victory in the AFC Wild Card game on Jan. 3, 1993.’