Archives for August 2010

‘"We’re definitely going to get a lot of work in pads because coach Gailey is trying to change the culture around here, change the mindset and attitudes and the way we prepare for games. He’s trying to set the tone from day one. I think the guys in the locker room kind of expect to be in pads just about every day we come out here. It’s a different change-up from what we’ve had but hey, the past 10-12 years for this organization haven’t been working so hey, let’s give this a try."’

‘”Chad (Simpson) and Joique (Bell), you see some bursts from those guys and they do some really good things. That’s kind of surprised me because I knew what Marshawn and Fred could do and will do, and it’s nice to see some other guys doing something and it’ll be really interesting when we get C.J. (Spiller) here and see what he brings to the pack. He’s fast. I remember that from the spring. We’ll see where he fits into the mix when he gets here.”‘

‘As bulky as the braces might be to wear, Gailey has found that they’ve prevented serious injuries, especially given the heavy-hitting toll he puts his linemen through in practice.’

‘The infidelities committed by Jim throughout much of the couple’s marriage. Jill writes about how, within months of their 1996 wedding, she had to clean out reminders of other women from Jim’s past from his closets and drawers. Jim writes in the book that his wayward activities with other women almost killed his marriage — and that only his confession and rebirth in Jesus Christ saved him.’

‘Doctors initially gave him a six month timetable for his recovery. But once his post-surgery rehab started, the knee started feeling worse, not better. Another MRI revealed bone damage in his knee, so DiGiorgio went to Vail, Colo. to have a microfracture surgery by a specialist in July 2009. While DiGiorgio recovered from the surgery, the Buffalo Bills moved on, waiving him for failing his physical – although DiGiorgio said the Bills “helped me out as much as they could.”‘

‘”It’s a lot of motivation, because I want to be an every-down guy, I don’t want to go in on just nickel package and things like that. We’ve got a long camp before the regular season starts, so you never know what’s going to happen by the end of camp, or how things are going to change,” McKelvin said. “Right now, Terrence (McGee) has been getting less reps (at left corner), sometimes he goes in there first and I go in there and get him in base (defense) sometimes, I guess that’s another reason me and Florence are still competing. I’m still out there going hard, just trying to make each of us better.”‘

‘"If I listened to what some people say, I wouldn’t be here today," Williams said after a training camp practice at St. John Fisher College. "It doesn’t bother me. It really doesn’t matter what position you play, it’s still football. If you can play football, you can play football. It’s going out there and working hard every day. That’s what I’ve always done and what I’m doing out here now."’

‘ There have been so many changes with the Bills’ new 3-4 defense that there is room for a platoon of surprises. Whoever plays defensive end will be new, whether it’s Spencer Johnson, Dwan Edwards or 10-year veteran tackle Marcus Stroud. There is no doubt that Donte Whitner, just 24, will start at safety again, but under the new philosophy will he blossom as the ideal partner for Jairus Byrd?’

‘"I’ve seen too many times that it saved an injury on the practice field," he said after Saturday’s practice. "It’s made all the difference in the world. I think it’s hugely important. With all the injuries we’ve had around here, I think they weren’t quite as reluctant."’

‘”Every team that I’ve went to has been playing a 3-4, so that’s kind of been a good thing for me,” said Woods, who intercepted a pass in his first practice with the Bills Friday night. “I’m just trying to pick things up as fast as I can. The concepts and stuff are pretty much the same, but I’m just trying to pick it up and trying to earn a job.”‘

‘”He comes out and is just booming the ball, and everyone is saying, ‘Who in the heck is this kid?'” Moreland recalled recently. “He was crazy flexible from all that running and jumping over hurdles in track. That season I swear he had some punts that were 80 yards.”‘

‘Last season’s Bills weren’t good, but they weren’t awful. Buffalo’s 6-10 record was better than eight other teams, and I don’t know why Banks thinks Detroit (2-14), Tampa Bay (3-13), Kansas City (4-12), Washington (4-12), Cleveland (5-11), Oakland (5-11) and Seattle (5-11) all merit rankings above the Bills entering the 2010 season.’

‘”I’m blessed to be in the position I’m in, so I just want to help as many people as I can,” said Byrd, who was selected to the Pro Bowl and finished second in the defensive rookie of the year voting in 2009. “I wanted to start something positive, something that anybody can do.”‘

‘”If they can play, it doesn’t bother me,” said Chan Gailey, Bills head coach, about having rookies in the starting lineup. “The bottom line is can they play or can they not play? So if they can play, it doesn’t bother me. We’ll play the best guys.”‘

‘”I feel like all of them have potential,” said Edwards of the rest of the receiving corps. “And I will be playing with all of them in the preseason, so if I can get on the same page with them and they can make some plays for me in the preseason, that’s only going to help our team more.”‘