Two Bills Drive

‘The Buffalo Bills have the option to terminate their lease in June 2004, but that would require paying a $20-million termination fee. That fee gets progressively smaller each year until it reaches $2 million in 2012. But NFL insiders say Buffalo is not in danger of losing the Bills as long as 82-year-old owner Ralph Wilson–for whom the team’s stadium is named–has say in the matter.’

‘"We still would like to get better on both lines, and we have to get better at safety," Donahoe said Sunday at the NFL owners’ meetings. "Those are priorities."’

@ With LA stating many times they would not support a publically supported football stadium, a new group of billionares are hatching a plan to build a privately funded one. With 32 teams, the NFL has no plans to immediately expand, which means any team headed for Los Angeles would be from an existing franchise that relocates. San Diego, Indianapolis, New Orleans and Buffalo are among the teams that could relocate to Los Angeles, although the list constantly rotates as leases expire or loopholes in stadium contracts are found.

‘It marks the first time an enshrinee will appear at the luncheon club between his Super Bowl weekend announcement and his actual enshrinement.’

While NFL quarterbacks are known for their endless hours of film study, Bills quarterback Alex Van Pelt definitely takes it to another level when he breaks down the 2002 Oscar nominees all next week on buffalobills.com.

‘Q. So what’s it like to win four AFC titles and lose four Super Bowls? A. Someone once asked me if I would have rather just gone to one Super Bowl and won it. I’d rather go to four. What we were able to accomplish, the resiliency we showed having to go back to training camp — ground zero — and get in a position to be competitive again is amazing. A devastating loss like that, you’ve got to sit with that for five, six months until you can compete again. I attribute Mark Levy, our head coach, with being able to put us in the right frame of mine. I’m proud to say I went to four, win or lose.’

‘Buffalo appeared to be the front-runner to sign Blake before he met with Redskins officials Thursday night and early Friday. But Blake’s meeting with Redskins Coach Steve Spurrier seemed to go smoothly.’

‘"I played for the minimum and never said anything because of my love for the game of football," he said. " The Rams knew they were underpaying me."’

‘"Based on what I did for the Rams, I wish they would have shown me more appreciation," Fletcher said in a telephone interview. "I had given the Rams way more than they could ever give me. Sometimes you have to say: ‘Enough’s enough. There’s no more blue light specials.’"’

@ Johnson won’t be forced to take on the roll in Tampa Bay that he had in Buffalo. What people don’t realize is that Jon Gruden’s offense doesn’t put too much pressure on the QB. The "QB friendly" attack saw Rich Gannon have a couple of career years and should enable Johnson to have some success, too. It must be noted that Johnson comes into this situation as a backup, and he’ll be playing under much less pressure. So yes, I do think there is a chance that, if he can get on the field, Johnson could succeed.

@ The OBD is not too keen on current weakside LB Jay Foreman.

@ They don’t think SS Prioleau is final answer in 4-6 defense.

@ They are not sure about the long-term prospects of free safety Tillman

@ They’re going to draft a defensive lineman in the first round.

‘Who better than an NFL quarterback, a guy with endless hours of film study, to pick this year’s Oscar winners? Buffalo Bills quarterback Alex Van Pelt, an avid moviegoer, will venture into the realm of serious film critique this week on the team’s Web site, www.buffalobills.com.’

‘But Hall of Fame officials have made accommodations to hold a bigger crowd by moving the ceremony from the front steps of the Hall to Fawcett Stadium, next to the Hall. The Hall could accommodate about 11,000 fans in the past. By moving to the stadium, the ceremony should be able to hold several thousand more.’

@ The ever-affable Cottrell, of course, was a significant factor in Cowart moving to southern New York. "He taught me the NFL game from the LB position," Cowart said. "Some people told me when I dropped from the first round to the second round that maybe going to Buffalo was like a blessing in disguise, and it definitely was. As soon as I walked in, Teddy and I kind of connected, and I give him the credit for the player I am today."

‘Riley figures to be the much more expensive of the two. He is a former first-round draft choice who has started the past four years for the Chiefs at right tackle. He missed the last 10 games of last season with a broken right leg.’