June 30, 2005
Burris Heads Down New Career Path
It's fitting that Jeff Burris was in an airport when he set the stage for his post-NFL career. After all, airplanes travel in completely different directions - with many possible destinations - every couple of minutes.
It was a night in early February at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Burris was in town with his wife, Lisa. Unfortunately the two had recently attended the funeral of one of Lisa's best friends.
Bills Sign K/P Steve Baker
The Bills announced that the team has signed K/P Steve Baker.
Baker entered NFL in 2004 as undrafted rookie free agent out of Southern Oregon and was signed by Oakland.
3 Bills' home games nearly sold out
The Buffalo Bills have announced individual game tickets for the 2005 National Football League season will go on sale Saturday, July 16 at 9:00 AM.
With a spike in season-ticket sales, the team said only single seats remain for the home opener versus Houston on Sept. 11, as well as games against Atlanta on Sept. 25, and Miami on Oct. 9.
Bills tickets on sale July 16
The Buffalo Bills will put individual game tickets for 2005 home games on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 16.
June 29, 2005
Former Buffalo Bills cornerback joins radio team
The Buffalo Bills and radio partner 97 Rock will be making a lineup change this NFL season. Channel 4 sports reporter Paul Peck is being replaced by former Bills cornerback Jeff Burris as the sideline reporter in the three-man team that includes play-by-play man John Murphy and analyst Alex Van Pelt. "We think that it gives credibility to the position because he's played and been on the sidelines," said Scott Berchtold, the Bills vice president for communications. "Any time you can get a former player, it makes it more interesting for fans to hear what he sees because he's been there."
Bills Individual Game Tickets On Sale July 16
The Bills today announced that fans will be able to purchase individual game tickets for 2005 home games starting on Saturday, July 16 at 9:00 AM.
Tickets will be available in person at the Ralph Wilson Stadium ticket office, the Rochester office in Pittsford Plaza, and at all Ticketmaster outlets.
Burris Added to Bills Radio Network
Former Bills cornerback Jeff Burris patrolled the Bills’ defensive backfield in Ralph Wilson Stadium from 1994-97. Burris will patrol the stadium grounds once again this season as the new sideline reporter for the Buffalo Bills Radio Network.
Burris will join play-by-play announcer and WKBW sports director John Murphy and color analyst and former Bills quarterback Alex Van Pelt to form the gameday crew.
June 27, 2005
Bills Team Report
RB Willis McGahee didn't attend all of the voluntary organized team activities, but he showed enough to get the team excited about what he might do this season. Now more than two years removed from a major knee injury, McGahee is bigger, stronger and a step faster than he was last season when he ran for 1,128 yards and 13 TDs in just 11 starts. He has more confidence when making cuts and plays without thinking about his left knee.
Ex-Bill, riders earn $40,000 for charities
Former Buffalo Bills guard Ruben Brown, now a member of the Chicago Bears, teamed up with about 1,500 fellow motorcycle riders Sunday to raise more than $40,000 for the Buffalo Salvation Army and the Seneca Diabetes Fund.
June 26, 2005
Jags situation could be Taylor-made for Henry
The Jacksonville Jaguars should know in a month whether they have a big problem at running back. Injured star Fred Taylor is scheduled to intensify the rehabilitation work on his injured knee in the next couple of weeks. If it responds well, the Jaguars are set at the position and will be feeling good about making a serious run for a playoff spot this season.
Bills report: Notes, quotes
--Former Bills RB Thurman Thomas' weighing in on the Travis Henry stalemate to the Associated Press: "Travis is a young guy who wants to play and if the Bills don't have a spot for him, they should trade him because it's just going to create more havoc around the locker room. So just get rid of the guy, part your ways and go about your business." It's not likely GM Tom Donahoe is putting much weight in Thomas' advice.
Bills report: Inside slant
Coach Mike Mularkey has scheduled a team-high of four night practices for training camp, a decision that's filled with so many positives it's hard to believe NFL teams don't practice every day under the lights in the summertime.
In addition to it being a safer time to work out and beat the effects of heat, night workouts tend to be more spirited and more productive. From the marketing end, more fans can attend without having to skip work. Translation: more merchandise and concession stand sales.
June 25, 2005
Joe D: Sure to catch your interest
Meeting interesting people is easy. The secret is you have to take an interest in them. Take Joe DeLameilleure, for instance. Phonetically it sounds like “dell-ahm-a-lure.”
If you’re a fan of the NFL the name should ring a bell, because he rang enough bells on his own as a pulling guard. More importantly, “Joe D” is a member of the National Football League’s Hall of Fame, class of 2003.
Dad J.D. turned his life around
J.D. Hill travels around North America, expressing his love for God and warning people about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
A one-time all-pro receiver with the Buffalo Bills, the father of Argos rookie running back Hakim Hill knows a thing or two about how drugs and alcohol can affect a family.
June 23, 2005
UK Bills Backers Growing at Rapid Pace
For most people, standing outside in the cold and watching two one-win teams battle it out at Ralph Wilson Stadium in December isn't a typical version of paradise.
Then again, Nick Manning isn't like most people.
Manning felt he had to take advantage of the rare opportunity this presented for him. Being a Bills fan in Europe doesn't give you many chances to see your favorite team in person.
However, now Manning is looking for other ways to create a similar Buffalo Bills experience in his own country every Sunday he can. That's why he recently created the 'Buffalo Bills Backers of the United Kingdom' club.
June 22, 2005
Camp In Sight: No Setbacks
As the spring OTAs (organized team activities) get smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, the personal responsibility of each individual player on the Bills roster becomes greater and greater as training camp approaches.
"We don't want a setback over these six weeks," said head coach Mike Mularkey. "We want to pick up where we left off this spring on July 29th at St. John Fisher."
June 21, 2005
Veteran QB Matthews Understands Role
It would have been easy for Shane Matthews to call it quits after last season. After all, the quarterback nearly decided to do just that before the Bills gave him a call shortly before the season began.
But after considering all of the possibilities, and the potential for all that the Bills have to offer this season, the decision wasn't really that difficult for Matthews after all.
Bills take a gamble, and it's a Gandy
The Buffalo Bills concluded their final organized team activity last week with Plan A for the offensive line still intact. Mike Gandy remains their starter at left tackle in the hope that the trash of one franchise evolves into the treasure of another.
June 20, 2005
Bills Preseason to Be Shown on NFL Network
Bills fans will have more than one opportunity to catch their favorite team on television this preseason. The NFL Network announced Monday that it will be airing 55 preseason games this year.
Six of those games will be aired live; however, the Bills will not be part of the live broadcasts.
WR Parrish Turns Heads During OTAs
As the spring workouts came to a close, many media members were impressed with what they saw from Bills top pick Roscoe Parrish. Mixing lightning-fast speed with shifty elusiveness, Parrish made more than his share of plays, some of them eye-popping (see: behind the back reception in May camp). His teammates on offense have also been encouraged. "He's impressive," said Bills quarterback J.P. Losman. "He's very quick and agile. The more we do and the more he gets the offense under his belt the better off he'll be."
June 19, 2005
Bills Team Report
RT Mike Williams is enjoying a great offseason. He looked leaner, stronger and quicker during the voluntary organized team activities the past four weeks. Thanks to rigorous training and a stricter diet, the 6-6, 360-pound Williams is in the best shape of his young career. That's a far cry from a year ago when he entered training camp in poor physical condition. Williams is highly motivated by his solid play over the last half of last season. He was dominant as a run blocker and showed marked improvement with his footwork and technique in pass protection. If he continues to progress in his fourth season, he could become one of the elite offensive linemen in the NFL. .
Bills report: Notes, quotes
--The Bills are hopeful Jon Dorenbos, their long-snapper for the past two seasons and one of the best in the NFL, can recover from knee surgery and recapture his old form. However, Dorenbos will be challenged in camp by Mike Gomez, who can also play some tight end. He caught 26 passes for Amsterdam in NFL Europe. Gomez played at the University of Illinois and was strictly the Illini's long-snapper for two years.
Bills report: Inside slant
Wide receiver Lee Evans has the talent and work ethic to overcome the threat of a sophomore jinx. Only one big thing is out of his control - the person who will throw him the football.
Evans caught 48 passes for 843 yards and led all NFL rookies with nine touchdowns last season. He was on the receiving end of five 50-plus yard pass plays. But the man whom he had developed a quick chemistry with - veteran Drew Bledsoe - was released in February and the man named to replace him, J.P. Losman, has never started an NFL game.
Lehigh Valley Classic Hall of Fame will honor Reed
One day soon, Andre Reed hopes to get the call from Canton telling him he's going into the pro football Hall of Fame.
But for the moment, the former Dieruff High School and Kutztown University star will have to settle for an accolade from the McDonald's Lehigh Valley All-Star Football Classic Hall of Fame.
June 17, 2005
All Pro Dad: Troy Vincent
In recognition of Father's Day, Buffalobills.com recently sat down with Bills veteran Troy Vincent to catch up with the free safety's thoughts on fatherhood.
BB: How do you juggle the responsibilities of being a dad with everything else?
TV: Just every day, it doesn't stop. That's my number one priority, my family. And that's not easy.
Bar raised for Losman in taking over as Bills starter
In one corner of the Venice High School football field stands a pole holding up a horizontal bar where a young J.P. Losman would practice throwing passes.
No one seems to know who erected the pole at the southern California high school or why, but the goal in this drill was to have Losman get the ball to arc just above the seven-foot-high bar, forcing the quarterback to throw tight spirals with a classic over-the-shoulder style.
Surprise break given to players, coaches
Buffalo Bills coach Mike Mularkey treated his players and coaches to a surprise Thursday morning. After they gathered on the field for the 14th and final voluntary practice of the offseason, he told them he was calling off practice and rewarding them with an early break for the summer.
Losman's work ethic impresses teammates
J.P. Losman showed up for offseason work way back on Feb. 7, a day before head coach Mike Mularkey got back from a brief vacation. Ever since, the new Buffalo Bills quarterback has been pretty much in one of three places: in a film room studying the offense, joined at the hip of quarterbacks coach Sam Wyche, or on the practice field.
June 16, 2005
Anthem Singers Travel From Afar
"Buffalo Bills Idol"?
Well, that's exactly what took place Wednesday afternoon at One Bills Drive. Forty people came to the stadium to audition for the opportunity to sing the National Anthem at a Bills game this season.
Q & A With Rian Lindell Kicker-Buffalo Bills
Q: Can you give us a little background on your road to the NFL?
A: I started kicking in 8th grade and continued on through high school. I was an invited walk-on at Washington State University in the fall of 1995. I played at Washington State for 5 years. Dallas picked me up as a free agent in 2000.
Notes: Countdown to Training Camp Begins
The countdown to the 2005 Buffalo Bills Bausch & Lomb Training Camp officially began Thursday with a surprise as the team wrapped up four weeks of Organized Team Activities.
Unexpected to the players and coaching staff, head coach Mike Mularkey rewarded the team for their offseason commitment and time by canceling the final practice.
June 15, 2005
The Bills Store Coming to Rochester's Eastview Mall
The Buffalo Bills will open The Bills Store, the official team retail store, at the Eastview Mall in Victor, NY.
The Bills Store is scheduled to move into a 3,761 square foot area in September 2005. The Eastview Mall location will be a full service destination for all Buffalo Bills retail products, game tickets and premium seating options.
Irish Blessing: Bills TE Learns from Tragedy
A tragedy that took the life of one of Brad Cieslak's best friends serves as motivation and a source of strength in the tight end's quest to make it in the NFL.
If a picture says a thousand words, then the image on Brad Cieslak's massive left arm could read like a novel. But it's not because it is flashy or self-promoting like other athletes' tattoos. Instead, it serves as a reminder; a reminder of a friend and the unfortunate events that took place in Chicago nearly two years ago.
Bills' owner, wife shine in tennis tournaments
Move over, Andre and Steffi. The Wilsons - Buffalo Bills owner Ralph and wife Mary - are making a name for themselves as a tennis couple.
Mary Wilson and partner Frances MacLennan won the European women's doubles 60-and-over division championship in Austria last weekend. They defeated the tournament's top seed of Heidi Orth and Renate Schroeder of Germany.
Buffalo Bill Troy Vincent went back to the Seventh grade in Oakville, Ontario
One lucky grade Seven student from Mother Theresa Catholic School in Oakville brought something extra special for show and tell on June 9th. Pro Bowler and NFL Man of the Year Troy Vincent took time out of his busy training schedule to accompany Ashara Cadogan to school as part of the Reebok Footlocker Take a Player to School program.
Jaguars Notebook: Team has had 'conversations' about Law, Henry
James "Shack'' Harris, the Jaguars' vice president of player personnel, said Tuesday the Jaguars have had what he called "conversations'' about cornerback Ty Law and running back
Travis Henry, but didn't make it sound as if they're close to making a serious run at either player.
Training Camp Preview: Bills
In a move that expressed management's confidence in second-year signal caller J.P. Losman, the Bills released quarterback Drew Bledsoe back in February. Then again, Bledsoe only averaged 18 touchdown passes per season in Buffalo, so perhaps his release said more about his ability than it does about management's faith in Losman.
Bills Make Roster Moves
Receiver Kahlil Hill and defensive back Jonathan Palafox were waived by the Buffalo Bills.
Hill had spent time on the Bills practice squad last season, while Palafox missed his second chance to make the team. He was re-signed by Buffalo in February after the team released him prior to the start of training camp last summer.
June 14, 2005
Bills training camp kicks off July 30
The Buffalo Bills will open their 2005 Bausch & Lomb training camp on Saturday, July 30, with one morning practice (8:40 a.m.) and the first night practice (7 p.m.) of the year at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford.
Bills will keep lights on
Buffalo Bills coach Mike Mularkey plans to bite back at the dog days of summer.
In a move designed to break up the monotony of training camp, beat the heat and keep his players fresh, Mularkey has scheduled more evening workouts this year — four in all — including one the first day of camp at St. John Fisher College.
Teamwork the Key in Bills Free Agent Try Out
"Leave no stone unturned" is an old cliché that is often used to describe the exploration of every opportunity to achieve a goal. And on Monday, June 13th , as the days creep toward summer and most are planning vacations, the Bills held a tryout with upwards of 150 players to make sure that the team's roster is filled with the best available players.
June 13, 2005
Buffalo Bills Release 2005 Training Camp Schedule
The Bills have announced that they will open training camp on Saturday July 30th. They will have a morning practice and then the first night practice of the year. There will be a total of 4 night practices (three open to the public and then a private session for the Premium Seat Holders). There will also be 6 two-a-days.
NFL Hopefuls Following Moorman's Footsteps
Over the past three years, Bills punter Brian Moorman has quickly become one of the best players in the league at his position. In the last two seasons, Moorman has had the second-best punting average in the AFC and the third-best in the NFL.
Several Bills will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Moorman this coming training camp; not in punting, but in having a successful transition to the NFL from NFL Europe.
June 12, 2005
Bills report: Notes, quotes
--Alex Van Pelt, the Bills' former backup quarterback and current radio analyst, is back home after a coaching stint in NFL Europe with the Frankfurt Galaxy. Van Pelt, who hopes to coach in the NFL someday, said the experience was invaluable. He coached Frankfurt QBs Akili Smith and B.J. Symons, but also had coordinator-like duties, calling plays and breaking down film. "I definitely learned a lot more about football by doing all of this," Van Pelt told Bills Digest. "I wasn't aware of how much I didn't know about football before I went over and worked on the coaching side."
Bills report: Inside slant
--A 2,000-yard season for Willis McGahee?
Nobody around the Buffalo Bills has made that bold prediction yet, but privately everyone is thinking it.
After spending 2003 rehabilitating a devastating college knee injury, McGahee cracked the starting lineup six games into last season and gained 1,128 yards in 11 starts overall. He had seven 100-yard games, 13 rushing touchdowns and registered a run of at least 15 yards long in 10 of the final 12 games of the year.
Bills shouldn't let Clements play the market
There's a time to be fiscally conservative in the NFL and there's a time to pay top dollar. When it comes to cornerback Nate Clements, the Buffalo Bills should follow the market and offer top dollar. The sooner they do it, the better.
Last year the Bills faced tough decisions on three veterans who were entering the last year of their contracts. They made a wise move in signing defensive end Aaron Schobel to a long-term deal.
June 11, 2005
Milloy figuring it all out
Lawyer Milloy is enjoying the best offseason of his football career. He stayed in Buffalo all winter to work out at the team's facilities. He is in top condition. He is fired up about opening the season alongside Troy Vincent and forming one of the top safety combinations in the league. He thinks the Bills have the makings of champions.
Best of all, he got married.
McGahee in shape but not at practice
Buffalo Bills coach Mike Mularkey said Friday he was satisfied that Willis McGahee is in top shape, even though the star running back missed the first two weeks of voluntary spring practices. "No question he's been working out, and physically he's a specimen," Mularkey said. "I know that group down there (at the University of Miami). They work hard. There are a number of them with a strict workout. You can tell he's been working out. He's in top physical condition."
June 10, 2005
Len Pasquarelli Tip Sheet- Henry Rumors Persist
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| | 2004 SEASON STATISTICS | | Rush | Yds | TD | Rec | Yds | TD | | 94 | 326 | 0 | 10 | 45 | 0 |
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• Take it to the bank, at some point before the start of the regular season, Buffalo Bills tailback Travis Henry
will be traded. To whom? Uh, we'll get back to you on that one. This much we know: There remain multiple teams interested in securing Henry, still a quality back despite losing his starting job to Willis McGahee last year, and a guy who has a couple 1,000-yard campaigns on his résumé. Sooner or later (probably later), some team is going to meet the Bills' asking price, believed to be a third-round draft choice, and pull the trigger on a deal.
Organized Team Activities Near End
Heavy overnight thundershowers forced the Bills to practice indoors Friday morning for the final workout of the third week of Organized Team Activities. Players will return to the Orchard Park training facility Tuesday for the last three days of organized workouts before training camp opens on July 29 at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY.
Bills' Mularkey OK with RB McGahee's schedule
As long as Willis McGahee is staying in shape, coach Mike Mularkey is OK with his running back's sporadic attendance at Buffalo Bills' optional minicamp practices.
McGahee skipped the final session of Buffalo's four-day minicamp Friday. He also missed the previous two weeks of minicamps, preferring to work out with NFL players in his native Miami.
Holcomb Adjusting to New Team, Home
In a football-crazy town like Cleveland, there must have been times when the dedicated legion of Browns fans thought quarterback Kelly Holcomb was Superman.
Holcomb's record-setting day in early 2003 first comes to mind. In a wild card contest against Pittsburgh, the signal caller had one of the best postseason performances of all-time. Holcomb torched the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense for 429 yards (the third-highest total of all-time) and three touchdowns - but the Browns lost 36-33.
Trafford Tackles Waves in Costa Rica
As the NFL has evolved into a year-round profession, most players cherish the precious downtime they have after the season ends. It's a time to rest their beaten bodies and regroup for the upcoming season, both physically and mentally.
Some spend more time with their family. Others go on a relaxing vacation. Most hit the weights in order to keep their bodies in prime physical condition.
Rod Trafford, on the other hand, gets right back to two-a-days - that is, two-a-days on his surfboard.
LB's Conlan & Stratton to Be Honored
Both were star linebackers for the Buffalo Bills. Both played during the two championship eras in Bills history. Both were part of the some of the most memorable plays in football championship history. Oh yeah, and both wore number 58. It seems only fitting therefore that Mike Stratton and Shane Conlan will enter the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame together this fall as part of the class of 2005. This year's 11 inductees were announced Tuesday afternoon at HSBC Arena.
June 09, 2005
Buffalo Bills ESPN report card
The Bills played well enough in the final three-quarters of last season to make the playoffs, only they just stunk it up against the Steelers' scrubs in the regular-season finale. Ten of 11 starters, the exception being defensive tackle Pat Williams (Minnesota), return from the league's second-ranked defense. Stud running back Willis McGahee is another year removed from the devastating knee injury he suffered at the University of Miami. Wideout Lee Evans had a strong rookie year on which to build, and Buffalo added UM speedster Roscoe Parrish in the draft. Buffalo had a quiet spring, but if Losman is what the Bills believe he is, they'll make plenty of noise come fall and winter.
Bills Pair To Be Inducted Into GBSHOF
Former Buffalo Bills linebackers Shane Conlan and Mike Stratton have been selected for induction into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. The induction, along with nine other members of the Class of 2005, will take place at an awards dinner in October (exact date TBA) at the HSBC Arena in downtown Buffalo.
Bills Players to Visit Dick's Sporting Goods
Cornerback Nate Clements, a 2005 Pro Bowl selection, linebacker London Fletcher, a defensive captain and the NFL’s leading tackler the past five seasons, and wide receiver Eric Moulds, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and the longest tenured Bill in his 10th season, will appear at Dick’s Sporting Goods at the Walden Galleria Mall from 12 – 2 pm on Saturday, June 11th.
Bills looking ahead with dispatch
Time to clean off the desktop ... The Buffalo Bills are trying to distance themselves from the Drew Bledsoe era as quickly as possible. Three years ago, Bledsoe was the first one out of the Ralph Wilson Stadium tunnel donning the new Buffalo Bills jersey that was introduced for the 2002 season. Is it any coincidence that Bledsoe’s replacement, J.P. Losman, was one of the first to show off the Bills’ third jersey — which is basically the same jersey the Bills wore all of those years before Commander Tom Donahoe brought in Bledsoe?
June 08, 2005
Coach Alex Van Pelt
Though still a member of the Bills radio team with John Murphy, former Bills quarterback Alex Van Pelt still aspires to be a coach at the NFL level. But Van Pelt knows there will probably be some dues to pay before an NFL opportunity comes his way.
Van Pelt started paying those dues in Frankfurt, Germany this spring as quarterbacks coach of the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe.
June 07, 2005
McGahee Shares Outlook on Season
Have fun. It's a simple concept, really.
But it's not always easy to find for players in the NFL everyday. Contract squabbles, trade demands and even problems with the law can sometimes seem like routine situations.
That's why Willis McGahee has such a simple outlook for the upcoming NFL season: "Have fun," the running back said. "That's basically it, having fun. That's what I'm here to do."
Hull irate over Haslett steroid charge
For a brief moment Monday, I thought there were a few sides to Kent Hull that we never learned after all those years. Hull was a lifelong tobacco chewer who kicked the habit a few years ago, but there he was sitting in a golf cart, puffing on a cigarette while waiting to tee off in Jim Kelly's Celebrity Golf Tournament at Brierwood Country Club. Apparently, Hull started smoking when he was 9 years old while growing up on a farm in Mississippi. Who knew? It wasn't exactly a secret, but many of his former Buffalo Bills teammates didn't know he was a smoker because he rarely lit up during the season and never around Ralph Wilson Stadium.
June 06, 2005
Thurman backs Henry's trade demand
Travis Henry's trade demand has received a vote of support from someone who knows plenty about being a Buffalo Bills running back -- Thurman Thomas.
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Thomas, the Bills' all-time leading rusher, took Henry's side Monday, saying he can't imagine what the Bills have to gain by keeping around a disgruntled player.
Lee Provides Quality Depth at RB
With the roster turnover of today's NFL players are no longer surprised when they're left looking for a job. That was the case for Bills new running back ReShard Lee who was released by the Dallas Cowboys on May 3. Ironically Dallas found him expendable after signing free agent running back Anthony Thomas who made a free agent visit to Buffalo in late April.
Lee wasn't out of work for long as the Bills signed him less than two weeks later.
Lanes Open for Celebrity Bowling Tourney
Think you've got the bowling skills to compete with an NFL pro? Wednesday might be your best chance to find out.
The 97 Rock Celebrity Bowling Tournament takes place at 7 p.m. this Wednesday at Transit Lanes, 7850 Transit Rd., in Williamsville. Tickets to the event are $25 and all proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross.
Many members of the Buffalo Bills will be attending, including Lee Evans, Troy Vincent, Brian Moorman, Jon Dorenbos, Ryan Neufeld, Tory Woodbury, Mario Haggan, and Josh Stamer.
Tribute to past brings hope for future
Goose bumps sprouted on Billy Shaw's meaty, 67-year-old arms. As J.P. Losman, Troy Vincent and several other current Bills modeled the same style uniforms Shaw and his teammates wore while winning the American Football League championship in 1965, the Pro Football Hall of Fame guard couldn't help but feel like a Boy of Autumn once more.
The thing that really struck a nostalgic chord with Shaw and many of the fans in the stands was the return of the white helmet with the red, grazing buffalo on the sides.
June 05, 2005
A grand old party for Bills
When Buffalo Bills fans get together, it's part football and part family reunion. There's food, some good-natured ribbing and plenty of love.
Saturday was no exception. About 5,000 people gathered in Ralph Wilson Stadium to get their preseason football fix and a glimpse of the Bills' third jersey, a special-edition throwback meant to celebrate the team's past, present and future.
Ex-Bills proffer advice to Losman
Street and Smith's, the oldest and most enduring of football annuals, published its 2005 edition last week. One of its features is the rating of each team's areas - running backs, defensive lines, special teams, etc., from one to five stars. The Bills were rated from good (three stars) to very good (four stars) in all categories but one. Buffalo's entire defense received four stars. So did its special teams. The offense and its management received three stars.
Cookie stays home while his teammates celebrate titles
"People should work harder to understand those who don't conform." - Cookie Gilchrist in Sports Illustrated, 1964 Oh, people have tried. Jack Kemp and Booker Edgerson, his old Bills teammates. Larry Felser and Jim Peters, who covered the team in those years. They've tried to get Gilchrist to let go of his resentment, to make peace with his past, to give Buffalo fans a final chance to honor him.
Bills honor 1960s teams by unveiling third jersey
The standing red buffalo is back on the Bills helmet - for a few games at least - and Billy Shaw wonders why the team can't bring it back permanently.
"The new buffalo, I guess, has served its place," the Hall of Fame offensive lineman said Saturday. "But we love that old red standing buffalo. To us, that's the Buffalo Bills."
Canaseraga woman gets anthem callback from Bills
While a student at Canaseraga Central School, Terri Allman got a lot of practice singing the national anthem.
She and a group of classmates, Jeanne Wilson, Diana Elliott and Rachel Kellogg, sang as a quartet prior to sporting events at a number of venues, such as the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester and the Glens Falls Civic Center.
Now Allman, 21, is getting an opportunity to move up to the pro ranks - a chance to sing before a Buffalo Bills football game. She sent in an audition tape and will perform a live audition at 4 p.m. June 14 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo.
June 04, 2005
Bills report: Notes, quotes
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I love Roscoe. There's something in those Miami bloodlines, those guys come in and really work hard. Roscoe's a quiet guy but he asks a lot of questions and I'm impressed with that aspect, that he wants to learn and help the team. He's been making lots of plays out here." - Bills veteran Pro Bowl WR Eric Moulds talking about rookie WR Roscoe Parrish, the team's top pick.
Bills report: Inside slant
Free agent signee RaShard Lee has quickly established himself as a player capable of winning the Bills' No. 2 running back job behind Willis McGahee. The job isn't officially open, but will be once Travis Henry is traded. The Bills pounced on Lee when the Dallas Cowboys cut him last month. At 5-feet-10, 220 pounds, he's the kind of big back coach Mike Mularkey favors. Like McGahee, Lee can work between the tackles but he has enough speed to turn the corner.
Bills to honor past with throwback uniform
The standing red buffalo is back on the Bills helmet — for a few games at least — and Billy Shaw wonders why the team can't bring it back permanently. Shaw was among many Buffalo alumni present when the team unveiled its third jersey and throwback helmet to about 4,500 fans during a pep rally-type celebration at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Throwback Uniforms Get Alumni Approval
It was the past, present and future all rolled into one at Ralph Wilson Stadium Saturday afternoon. Sporting their new throwback jerseys for the first time, members of the Buffalo Bills anxiously ran onto the field in front of a wild crowd of cheering fans. The unveiling was the highlight of this weekend's Celebration of Champions.
Mike Williams builds on his body of work
It might be a stretch to call Mike Williams lean and mean this spring. When you're 375 pounds and as good-natured as the Buffalo Bills right tackle, the cliche doesn't quite fit. How about robust and resolved? Williams has himself in the best offseason shape of his young career and is determined to build on his success of last season.
Bills help Dobler
The Buffalo Bills have offered to help Conrad Dobler, a Bills and St. Louis Cardinals offensive lineman in the 1970s, with his wife's medical bills.
Dobler's wife, Joy, is paralyzed from the neck down after a fall in 2001. Her medical expenses have topped $500,000, forcing the Doblers to put their home near Kansas City, Mo., up for sale.
Notes: Mularkey Pleased with Production
The Buffalo Bills wrapped up their second week of Organized Team Activity on Friday with a morning workout on the grass practice field behind the FieldHouse. The players will get a three-day break from team activity, although many will remain in town to take part in the Celebration of Champions event on Saturday.
At the mid-point of the OTA's head coach Mike Mularkey said he's pleased with what he's seen so far from his team.
June 03, 2005
Vincent: NFL won't risk labor dispute
Troy Vincent believes NFL owners are too smart and the league too successful for anyone to risk a potential labor dispute.
What Vincent, the Buffalo Bills defensive back and NFL Players Association president, finds odd is the union waiting for league owners to settle their own differences before negotiations can resume.
Cowboys sign free-agent safety Reese
The Dallas Cowboys signed free-agent safety Izell Reese on Friday. Terms of the deal were not released.
Reese spent his first four NFL seasons with Dallas after the team made him a sixth-round draft choice in 1998. He played for the Denver Broncos in 2002 and with the Buffalo Bills for the past two seasons.
Visitor Gets Up Close Look at Bills
The Bills had a visitor at practice Friday morning, all the way from New York City - and no, the team did not make a trade for Michael Strahan.
Rather, the visitor was Daniel Malin, a life-long Bills fan who won the opportunity to spend a day at One Bills Drive through a silent auction held by 97 Rock several months ago. With a successful bid of $800, Malin won a trip back to Buffalo to catch his favorite team in action. And he wasn't the only one who benefited - all proceeds from his bid went to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Championship Comparison: ‘60s & ‘90s Bills
Every Bills fan remembers the Super Bowl teams of the 1990s. But not every fan may remember the championship teams of the 1960s - after all, it was 40 years ago. When Buffalo won its first AFL Championship, the country was mourning the loss of President John F. Kennedy and divided over the growing conflict in Vietnam. The Civil Rights movement was gaining momentum. Beatlemania had just started. And current Bills coach Mike Mularkey had just turned three years old.
Jerseys To Be Available Immediately
The Celebration of Champions’ pinnacle event culminates with the presentation of the Bills’ third jersey at 2:30 pm on Saturday, June 4 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Celebration of Champions weekend sponsors Dick’s Sporting Goods, the official sporting goods retailer of the Buffalo Bills, and Reebok, the official outfitter of the NFL, will offer fans an exclusive opportunity to purchase the third jersey for the first 72 hours after the unveiling.
Labatt Blue Tags Rock Pile Seating Section
The Rock Pile is back.
In an extension of its partnership with the Buffalo Bills, InBev USA will sponsor the new seating section in Ralph Wilson Stadium now known as The Labatt Blue Rock Pile.
The newly created Labatt Blue Rock Pile pays homage to Buffalo’s War Memorial Stadium, the first home of the Buffalo Bills, which was more commonly known among fans as the ‘The Rock Pile.’
June 02, 2005
Ticket Sales Ahead of 2004 Pace, Closing in on Super Bowl Years
As the anticipation builds for a promising season under the direction of second-year Head Coach Mike Mularkey, the question at this weekend's annual Select-a-Seat may not be whether to buy season tickets but how many to buy.
On Saturday, prospective season ticket holders will have the chance to browse various seat locations throughout Ralph Wilson Stadium and select their seats for the 2005 season. The Bills ticket office staff will be on hand to facilitate seat searches for fans while the 2004 highlight video is broadcast throughout the stadium.
Bills' season tix sales spike 7%
Despite a hike in ticket prices, the Buffalo Bills say season ticket sales are on the rise.
Season ticket sales have crossed the 43,000 plateau, up from just over 40,000 at this time in 2004.
The team released the information as it launchede a first-time marketing event, "Celebration of Champions," which will salute the Bills' American Football League title team from 1964-65 as well as the Super Bowl finalists from the early 1990s.
Celebration starts today
The Buffalo Bills are inviting fans to revel in some of their history over the next four days as they hold their "Celebration of Champions" weekend at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The highlights of the event will be a Friday night public viewing of the NFL Films video, "The Comeback," and Saturday's unveiling of the Bills' throwback jersey.
Bills, fans to view film of 'The Comeback' on Friday
Stepping back is easy. Read a book, watch a documentary, ask someone who was there.
In the case of the greatest comeback in NFL history, you could find many more people to say they were there on Jan. 3, 1993 to watch the Buffalo Bills and Houston Oilers in a wild-card playoff game at Rich Stadium than the 75,141 fans that actually came through the turnstiles.
June 01, 2005
Turf Jam 2005 with Brian Moorman
Ever wonder if your favorite football player could sing? Well, you may be able to find out this Friday night at the Crocodile Bar.
The second annual Turf Jam '05 will kickoff at 10 p.m. and will feature celebrity karaoke from many of your favorite Buffalo Bills. The event is benefiting Bills punter Brian Moorman's Punt Foundation, a group that helps Western New York children that are fighting chronic and terminal illnesses.
Bills Sign RB Lionel Gates
The Bills Wednesday announced that the team has signed seventh-round draft pick, Lionel Gates. In accordance with club policy, terms were not disclosed.
Reich Man for the Job
Frank Reich wasn't your typical football player.
After all, not many quarterbacks can say they were able to lead their teams from the depths of despair - not once, but twice - en route to two of the greatest comebacks in sports history.
