Ruben Speaks!

[LtBillsFan66]

Ruben Brown says he did not quit on the Buffalo Bills and wanted to play in the season finale Saturday in New England. However, the Pro Bowl guard would not get into specifics Sunday about the reasons for his absence from the game.
"I wanted to play. They asked me not to play, and I respected that," Brown told The Buffalo News.

"I never quit. I'm sure everyone who comes to the games, knows me or played with me knows I never quit. . . . Even when things that weren't that good for me, I've never quit. I'm pretty sure the fans of Buffalo know that. I've always been willing to stand up if I didn't have a good game or play as well as I thought . . . I remember Jim Kelly telling me, "Hey, you don't have to tell everybody when you have a bad game.' "

Brown said on his radio show last week it would be hard for him to get up for the finale. He was late for team meetings two days early last week, according to team sources. A couple teammates described him as "distraught" and "emotional" last week. Brown had a confrontation in a meeting with offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, according to a Bills player.



http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20031229/1053811.asp?tbd1053811.asp

[Tatonka]

wow..

well.. that is the RB i know... i did find it hard to believe that he truely quit on the team..

he was trashed by the fans.. unfairly it seems..and alot of people ought to realize that the critism isnt fair. i reserved my judgement and comments till i heard his side of it..

do you know how bad that must have been killing him to hear those ***** announcers talking all that **** about him during the game.

i am telling you.. not bringing him back would be just a collosal mistake.. there is NO cap advantage.. and we already have 2 very important spots that have to be filled.

[justasportsfan]

He should be rewarded for confronting Gilbride. GW and Drew didn't have the balls. RB did. He should be commended rather than crucified for acting like a leader. I wonder if Drew confronted KG would he have been asked not to play against NE?

[Tatonka]

"How and why isn't for me to say," he said. "Then it will turn into something I don't want. I want to be here. It's their decision. They hold the cards. I don't. It's on them. They know how much I want to be here and how much I care for the Bills. I don't want them to look bad. I don't want me to look bad. That's why I can't say more than what I've said.

"The rest of what's not known is going to have to come from them," Brown said of the Bills. "I respect their decision. I live in Buffalo. I'm a fan of the Buffalo Bills. My feelings are the same as the fans in the seats. I live with them. I see them every day at the grocery store. I hang out with them in different places. I believe in Buffalo. I believe in the team, Ralph Wilson and all that. I'm never going to get into a "He said, they said' thing.

Brown said he hopes the sad end to the season won't be the end of his career with the Bills.

"I love being here," he said. "I love being a Buffalo Bill. I don't want to play anywhere else."

damn it is tough to dislike him too.

[Valerie]

I know I was one of the people who jumped on him for not playing in Saturday's season finale. And I'm sorry. I find what the coaches did to Ruben despicable! They had to have known that him not showing up would cause everyone to talk. They probably did it to take some of the pressure off of them for their piss poor season! Whatever their reasoning behind it, I think that it was wrong! And they should be ashamed of themselves for allowing Ruben to take so much heat this past weekend. They should've been REAL men and stepped up and told the media and the fans what the story was. Geez, reading that article makes me hate those two idiots even more!

[justasportsfan]

He part of what's wrong with this team but at least he stepped up and voiced out his opinion. He confronted the problem ,Gilbride. That's more than anyone ever did on this team. We all applaud Buddy Ryan for punching Gilbride in the face.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Originally posted by Tatonka
"How and why isn't for me to say," he said. "Then it will turn into something I don't want. I want to be here. It's their decision. They hold the cards. I don't. It's on them. They know how much I want to be here and how much I care for the Bills. I don't want them to look bad. I don't want me to look bad. That's why I can't say more than what I've said.

"The rest of what's not known is going to have to come from them," Brown said of the Bills. "I respect their decision. I live in Buffalo. I'm a fan of the Buffalo Bills. My feelings are the same as the fans in the seats. I live with them. I see them every day at the grocery store. I hang out with them in different places. I believe in Buffalo. I believe in the team, Ralph Wilson and all that. I'm never going to get into a "He said, they said' thing.

Brown said he hopes the sad end to the season won't be the end of his career with the Bills.

"I love being here," he said. "I love being a Buffalo Bill. I don't want to play anywhere else."

damn it is tough to dislike him too.
In other words, "please don't fire me."

GW and KG need to go, not RB.

[Throne Logic]

Now, this is more along the lines of what I figured actually happened.

[NC-BILLS44]

I hope he told GW and KG off. I love RB and hope he stays. He makes mistakes, but who doesn't. Give'm hell Ruben.

[Jan Reimers]

I wrongfully trashed Ruben, too. Should have known it was Gregg the Snake and Kevin the Weasel doing their usual deceitful dance.

We probably should bring Ruben back, particularly if he played much of this season with an arm or shoulder injury - and under the burden of Gilbride's nonsensical offense.

[caveboy]

"We all applaud Buddy Ryan for punching Gilbride in the face."

lmao. Buddy, we need you!

[Tatonka]

really.. it must have just killed him listening to the commentators in saturdays game.. they made a point like 4-5 times to say.. so these guys are out here battling and ruben decided to sit and home and watch..

[Ingtar33]

im beginning to think the rumor i heard is true as to what actually happened...

[lordofgun]

Originally posted by Ingtar33
im beginning to think the rumor i heard is true as to what actually happened...

You gonna elaborate???

[Mr. Miyagi]

Originally posted by Ingtar33
im beginning to think the rumor i heard is true as to what actually happened...
And.......?????

[Dozerdog]

Ruben- I'm sorry I doubted ya- big guy!:up:

Now I want him back more than ever

[The_Philster]

I didn't doubt him...I saw a lack of fire in him this year but I never figured he'd actually quit on us. The coaches, yeah..but not the organization.

[LtBillsFan66]

Someone posted on another board that his wife is having a difficult pregnancy...

[The_Philster]

Originally posted by billsfanone
Someone posted on another board that his wife is having a difficult pregnancy...

Really? Damn...hope things will be OK.

[Tatonka]

Originally posted by lordofgun
You gonna elaborate???

ing posted on another thread that he had heard a rumor that TD told RB, after a blowout with KG, that he could sit this game out, but they would bring him back.

[helmetguy]

I never doubted his heart. I mean, the guy did play practically one-armed for several games this season. I wonder if he'd be willing to host the "Punch Kevin Gilbride Day" promotion I suggested in another thread. Imagine how many Bills fans would turn out to "thank" KG for his sorry-assed contribution to Bills football. The promo could be a season ticket/premium seat sales event.

BTW, that in NO WAY implies that KG stays here. Just had to clear that up.

[shelby]

i did accuse RB of being a quitter. Glad to see that i was wrong.

[justasportsfan]

RB asked TD is he should join the last team meeting yesterday and TD said yes and that RB was part of the team.

[The_Philster]

Originally posted by justasportsfan
RB asked TD is he should join the last team meeting yesterday and TD said yes and that RB was part of the team.

:up: