Two Bills Drive

‘The Class of 2003 will be announced today and if the voters do their homework, they will tell the folks in Canton, Ohio to start casting bronze busts of “Joe D” and the man who drafted him, Ralph Wilson.’

‘Stop and appreciate just getting there. Realize this, every Bills fan that died before January 1991 never saw the Bills advance to a Super Bowl in their lifetime. The same applies in Tampa for those no longer with us as of two weeks ago. Putting it bluntly, think of Cubs fans.’

‘I can still see that ball, etched against the Florida night. Four years of Super Bowl frustration had begun for the Bills.’

‘Joe Gibbs had this problem: The Washington coach was uncertain if he could make defensive situation substitutions while Buffalo was instrumenting its no-huddle offense. Gibbs’ solution: to create in practice a replica of the Bills’ scheme with his own players, have them run the no-huddle at Buffalo’s pace, and test if he could substitute.’

‘Valor can be measured in many ways. To me, there never has been a more compelling demonstration of it than Don Beebe’s in this game.’

‘It didn’t matter. What mattered in my thinking was how the Bills had persevered. Honor them.’

‘…all of whom will be allocated to the NFL Europe League.’

‘Buffalo also signed fullback Jarrett Ferguson, safety Milton Proctor, offensive lineman Ronald Boldin, linebacker Merceda Perry and kicker Jason Witczak.’

‘DeLamielleure’s true impact, however, didn’t become apparent until recently. That’s when football enthusiast and researcher John Turney came out with a list ranking DeLamielleure as the NFL’s third-most accomplished offensive lineman as far as awards go, only behind John Hannah and Anthony Munoz and ahead of other celebrated linemen such as Ron Yary, Dwight Stephenson and Dan Dierdorf.’

‘It is believed the Bills want LeBeau to serve as a defensive assistant to coordinator Jerry Gray.’

‘According to the Bills, the average ticket for a game will cost $40.61. Based on 2002 prices, that would rank as the third-lowest average ticket price in the NFL behind Atlanta ($29.78) and Arizona ($33.68), in figures furnished by Team Marketing Report.’

‘Former Bengals head coach Dick LeBeau will sit down with Bills coach Gregg Williams and defensive coordinator Jerry Gray after the Super Bowl to discuss joining the team in some defensive capacity.’

‘The Bills, who do not have an opening on their staff, might be willing to create a position for LeBeau, who has been a player or a coach in the NFL for the past 44 years. “We would be willing to do that,” Bills president Tom Donahoe said. “You have to create something that the guy feels comfortable with and he feels like he’s making a contribution.”‘

‘Owner Ralph Wilson and guard Joe DeLamielleure, who brought glory and winning to the Buffalo Bills, are among the 15 finalists in voting Saturday for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Wilson, of Grosse Pointe Shores, was an original owner of the Bills when they joined the American Football League.’

‘”I’ve gone through some rough times,” said Johnson, now 29. “There have been a lot of disappointments and injuries. I had that playoff game won against Tennessee, if you remember, a couple of years ago (2000). But then the Titans pulled off The Music City Miracle. Stuff just seems to happen to me.”‘