Archives for February 3, 2009

‘"I think it would be very damaging, speaking just for Buffalo now, to move that team," Wilson said. "I think it would be crushing to the fans if they didn’t have that team, win or lose. I think as long as a team is not losing a lot of money … if ownership can’t afford to stay, then they should move. But if they can get some help from the residents, the taxpayers and other people, they should stay. So I have voted against all relocations. All. Because I don’t think it was right."’

‘It’s no surprise, but it still needed to happen: If former Buffalo Bill Bruce Smith wasn’t elected on the very first ballot, they may as well have shuttered the Pro Football Hall of Fame.’

‘Brown also is one of my favorite barroom topics in Buffalo because every fan there seems to have a strong opinion of him. He went to eight straight Pro Bowls for the Bills, but many thought he was overrated and found his untimely penalties insufferable.’

‘A defensive line coach for about half of his 30-year coaching career, Buffalo’s new defensive line coach Bob Sanders has helped to maximize the talents of quite a few players in his time. Some of the more notable examples are still playing in the league now.’

‘”My pitch for Wilson was, ‘Keep an open mind,’ ” Felser said. “Treat him like a ballplayer. With most players, you’re dealing with the first three-quarters of their career. Wilson was a pretty good owner for the first three-quarters. The last 10 years was the black hole, like Johnny Unitas limping to the end.”‘

‘All due respect to Marv Levy and his four trips ton the Super Bowl, but no former coach of the Bills more deserves a spot on the Wall of Fame than Saban.’

‘Is he cheap? Or is he financially prudent? Don’t think there’s a good reason the Bills have the cheapest ticket prices of all 32 teams in the league? He’s given millions to various charities, including some in western New York like Hospice, without wanting to make a fuss about it. He’s always been a great supporter of local high school and college athletes in the area both financially and otherwise.’

‘Though he refused to presume anything, Smith’s election to the hall apparently was so automatic, according to reports on the voting, that his advocate was interrupted and told that nobody in the room needed convincing.’