Archives for January 2012

‘But singling out the Bills in the summary was a boo-boo.’

‘Under a deal worked out between defense attorneys and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Pace agreed to dismiss the charges if the teachers stay out of trouble for six months.’

‘Two Wilson School District teachers charged with public lewdness had their case adjourned this week for a possible dismissal.’

‘Easley did not say whether he had surgery to correct the problem, but he spent the final month of the Bills’ regular season attending positional meetings and is eager to return to the mix. “I’ve started working out,” said Easley, who plans to juggle his off-season between Connecticut and western New York. “Everything is 100 percent.”‘

‘Cuomo has committed $1 billion to Buffalo for economic development, but it’s unclear whether the Bills would be eligible for some of the money.’

‘Despite one administration budget document claiming the state was setting aside money in an $84 million pot to help keep the Buffalo Bills in Western New York, it turns out the money — $2.94 million — is merely the final year of a state funding pledge made in 1998 by former Gov. George E. Pataki when the team renovated its stadium. The budget contains no indication as to whether the state will commit any new money to keeping the team in Buffalo when the stadium lease expires in July 2013.’

‘”Our rookie class we’re real tight,” said top pick Marcell Dareus. “It’s not just us, but we kind of put it on ourselves to help turn this team around. The best way to do that is to stick together and just grind it out and make sure you’re right there with a veteran doing what you’re supposed to do.”‘

‘Who decides to become a novelist at age 86? "I don’t feel a day older than 83," he says, and if you ask him if someone wanted him to coach again, he’d be on the way."’

‘The team would be eligible for part of an $84 million fund to be shared by several economic development interests. A specific amount hasn’t been determined.’

‘”I’ve got no reservations about Ryan,” said Bills GM Buddy Nix. “He had some bad games. The thing we know for sure is that we’ve seen him do it. We’ve seen him have the good games. He’s what we thought he’d be. If we put good people around him we can get to the dance with Ryan.”‘

‘The Buffalo Bills pass rush was essentially non-existent through 14 games of the 16 the franchise played in the 2011 campaign.’

‘Fred Jackson is a league MVP caliber player. He’s not just good. He’s not just productive. He’s dynamic. Finally with a full opportunity to show it he put his whole game on display and Buffalo is now the envy of every offensive coordinator in the league who would love to have him.’

‘As far as cursed sports cities go, Buffalo has disappointingly climbed up the list.’

‘Aside from Johnson, however, the Bills have only one other uncontested starter on offense or defense set to hit free agency. That is tight end Scott Chandler. The contract of veteran place-kicker Rian Lindell is up. So is that of left tackle Demetrius Bell, who started six games in 2011. After that, all the Bills’ unsigned players set to become unrestricted free agents are backups.’

‘"I’m walking around fine," Wood said. "Rehab is progressing well. I met with the doctors and they said it looks great for six or seven weeks. I’ve got a lot of rehab ahead of me but I obviously won’t be back for OTA’s or anything but I’ll be around town. I just hope to be back for training camp."’