Two Bills Drive

‘June 25, 1977: Bills veteran backup quarterback Sam Wyche announced his retirement from professional football.’

‘The third of four Super Bills quarterfinals will be played Monday, with two similar squads taking the field against each other in a game that will likely confuse the press and fans alike as two teams just three years apart meet for the right to fight on for the title of best Bills team in history.’

‘We’ve talked in detail about a surface called "SportTurf." It’s almost a combination. It looks like grass, but it’s more artificial. Seattle played on it last year at the University of Washington, and it got rave reviews from their players and the visiting teams’ player. The surface was a good surface to play on, so we’re going to look into it.’

The Boston Globe reviews the teams that helped themselves the most this offseason. Bills rank #9.

‘The Bills are not in the top 10 in talent but they’re better than last year’s record, and new coach Gregg Williams has them working overtime for the first time in years.’

Bills receiver and two-time Pro Bowl player Eric Moulds hasn’t let his rich new contract spoil him. Moulds, who signed a six-year, $40 million contract this offseason, has been one of the most active participants in the team’s voluntary offseason conditioning program. Moulds usually spends his offseasons near his home in New Orleans but recognized the importance of buying into the new system.

Very last item on page:

Fingers of blame were pointed by several black assistant coaches within the NFL at Donohoe for not hiring Baltimore defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis as the team’s coach after the Ravens won the Super Bowl. Lewis finally has made it clear to Donohoe that he harbors no ill feelings over being bypassed

The deal includes a signing bonus of $450,000 and base salaries of $209,000 (2001), $298,000 (2002), $389,000 (2003) and $418,000 (2004). The 2001 cap value is $321,500. It is only the second contract beyond the second round this year to be for more than three years.

‘Linebacker Brandon Spoon made his wife and and nine-week old daughter, Avery, a little happier last week when he signed his contract with the Bills.’

‘This week, buffalobills.com interviewed Bills former head coach and soon to be Pro Football Hall of Famer Marv Levy.’

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have three of their 12 draft picks left to sign after agreeing to a deal Friday with tackle Jonas Jennings.

Still unsigned are Buffalo’s top three selections, including first-rounder Nate Clements.

‘ESPN’s Chris Mortensen discussing Antowain Smith and the loss of Ted Cotrell.’

‘[Tyrone] Robertson, the kid who had passed through so much fire, is now a man who feels blessed to be even in this position. It seems as if he’s lived a hundred lives to get here, often times experiencing more than his 21 years would suggest.’

‘Morris also said he feels that there is a new sense of urgency this season when asked about the new coaching staff. When questioned about the differences in coaching styles, Morris said Coach Williams is more vocal and hands-on then his predecessor Wade Phillips, who, as Morris put it, was "more laid back."’

It’s a disgrace that he (Thurman) wasn’t the game’s MVP. I was a selector then, & I tried to convince the dim bulbs who were my fellow selectors who kept mumbling that you had to vote for a guy on the winning team that Thomas had twice the game that Anderson did. In fact, I bitched so long and so loud that I was never again a selector.

Buchsbaum: For a team that lost one of the top general managers in football and a number of star players because of an enormous, impossible salary-cap situation, the Bills have survived this offseason as well as anyone could’ve expected.