Two Bills Drive

‘The severe ankle injury that cut short Sam Cowart’s 2000 season by a month couldn’t keep him from being selected to his first Pro Bowl. And it apparently won’t prevent the standout inside linebacker from playing in it. Cowart has practiced all week with the AFC’s all-star squad, and plans to see action in Sunday’s game at Aloha Stadium.’

‘It’s easy to see why Donahoe was so impressed. During his first news conference, Williams proved articulate, focused and in possession of both definite goals and a sense of humor.’

‘And as Tampa Bay’s Tony Dungy said to John Thompson on WTEM-980 Thursday, Lewis not getting hired isn’t nearly as bad as Lewis not being interviewed by anybody other than Buffalo. That’s shameful.’

‘"Sure, there was some pressure," Lewis said. "But that’s one of the reasons why I didn’t want the job. It had to be the right situation for me and my family. I think our people will appreciate the fact that you don’t have to take every job because it is extended out there."’

‘The Bills/Giants superbowl has been labelled as one of the greatest – this years superbowl was supposed to another such matchup was weak in comparision.’

‘Why did Marvin Lewis not get a job as head coach? He was labelled the front runner by so many people that he was bypassed by some teams who did not feel they had a chance of hiring him and did not want to wait until after the Superbowl.

Some people find color more important than qualifications, preparation or interviewing skills – that is discrimination, deplorable and a waste of talent. But what is AS deplorable is labelling every decision which which you do not agree with as discrimination.

Lewis may be bypassed for intrerviews due to actions of Lewis’s agent and his supporters; no one likes taking personal shots for giving someone a long look when others did not take a glance.

‘The Titans may be regretting it later but the Titans were instrumental in having Bills President Donahoe to consider Williams; when Capers was hired as HC of the Houston Texans, Donahoe asked several people around the league to see if he was leaving anyone out in his search including Titans General Manager Floyd Reese.’

‘Based on the take of Bills President Tom Donahoe, it now can be said Williams did not just ace his interview for the Buffalo job. He royal flushed it.’

‘"Because of the cap, we can’t afford to keep both quarterbacks," Donahoe said at the Bills Fieldhouse. "I don’t think economically it’s feasible to do it, and secondly, it’s not good for your team."’

‘It seems as if the building of a staff, the remaking of the offense, the direction of the defense and the settlement of the forever-running quarterback controversy may have been resolved between the orange juice and scrambled eggs Friday morning.’

‘On Thursday, the Bills web site briefly put out a release announcing the hiring of Gregg Williams as the team’s new coach several hours before the team officially announced his hiring. What happened?.."It was an honest mistake," said Berchtold.’

‘And, get this, he even scouted assistant coaches compiling a dossier on their strengths, weaknesses, and whereabouts, just in case he had to fill a staff on short notice.’

‘Bills president and general manager Tom Donahoe verified yesterday the team’s widely anticipated plan to cut or trade one of the team’s quarterbacks by the start of NFL free agency on March 2.’

‘"Of all the people I interviewed then and most recently (Marvin Lewis, John Fox and Ted Cottrell), this was the best candidate I ever interviewed," Donahoe said.’

‘Enthusiasm. Obsessiveness for details. A sense of humor. A belief in discipline, defense, accountability, teamwork. That’s what Williams promised to deliver.’