Archives for May 11, 2008

‘”I represent those that are already up there and all of my teammates and the fans,” he said. “I represent all of the coaches that I ever had and one in particular Ted Cottrell. He took me under his wing when he first got there and taught me how to study film. I represent Rusty Jones. He taught me the nutritional part of the game. When I got up to 310 pounds after my first season I quickly realized that I wasn’t going to become the player I wanted to become unless I had the endurance to play for four quarters and if need be overtime. Everyone played their role.”‘

‘”I heard from Ralph while I was in St. Kitts having my golf tournament,” Smith said by phone from Virginia Beach, Va. “I have an annual golf tournament there and a bunch of the guys come to it. . . . It was a blessing. To hear his voice and to know that honor will happen, I’m quite excited about it.”‘

‘The fact is, people believe in this team. Give Buffalo fans the slightest reason for hope and they’ll allow you to lead them by the hand. There’s a general perception that the Bills are building toward something. It’s a stretch, but there are parallels to the 1988 team of 20 years ago.’

‘”To hear Mr. Wilson’s voice, and to know the honor will happen, I’m quite excited about it. It’s a blessing,” said Smith, 44, who operates Bruce Smith Enterprises, a commercial real estate development company located in Virginia Beach, Va.’

‘”We feel really good about Derek Fine,” Bills Chief Operating Officer Russ Brandon said after the draft. “He’s a heck of a football player. He’s a guy that’s going to come in and contribute. He’s a pass-catching tight end that’s very good with the run after the catch.”‘