Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL
According to a Rogers Communications quarterly financial statement, the Buffalo Bills will receive $78 million to play eight games (five preseason and three regular season) in Toronto over the next five years. That works out to nearly $10 million a game. Per-game revenues from tickets and concessions in Ralph Wilson Stadium are roughly $6 million/game. You can do the math.
I guess I am more understanding of this partnership than I initially was. If this sort of relationship allows the team to expand their fan base, make more money and thus stay in Buffalo, …read more

AP Photo/Jerry Lai
Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
A little over four months ago, Buffalo Bills TE Kevin Everett lay on the Ralph Wilson Stadium turf unable to move. After making a hit on a kick return against the Denver Broncos in both teams’ 2007 season opener, Kevin suffered a catastrophic and life-threatening injury that caused a fracture to his cervical spine. He was diagnosed a quadriplegic by team physicians right there on the field and it wasn’t believed he would ever again regain the ability to move.
I’ve been writing about Kevin’s injury since the day it happened. I …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
As a follow-up to my post yesterday about Marv Levy stepping down as GM of the Buffalo Bills, the team made it official later in the day with this press release:
Bills General Manager Marv Levy announced today that he is stepping down from his position, 10 years to the day that he announced his retirement as the team’s head coach. The Pro Football Hall of Fame coach was named General Manager in January of 2006 after serving as the team’s winningest coach from midway through the 1986 season until the conclusion of the …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
The Buffalo Bills’ 2007 home sked may be complete, but activity inside their home base, Ralph Wilson Stadium, certainly isn’t. Crews are converting “The Ralph” into a hockey rink for the Winter Classic outdoor NHL hockey game between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins on January 1, 2008 at 1 p.m. It will be the first-ever NHL game played outside in the United States and the second NHL outdoor game ever.
The temporary rink, with boards in place, was built above the field, sitting atop an intricate series of plastic pipes — or ice …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
I just finished reading Kevin Everett’s great Sports Illustrated article. Kevin will be on the cover of next week’s SI, but you can read the copy from SI.com today.
Now a little more than three months after he lay motionless on the floor of Ralph Wilson Stadium during the Buffalo Bills’ season-opening 15-14 loss to the Denver Broncos, Kevin Everett is walking and continuing a remarkable progress that is as heartwarming as it is miraculous. I recall the posts I created, anxiously awaiting any news and updating his progress almost daily during those …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
Buffalo Bills kicker Rian Lindell set a team record by kicking his 18th straight field goal yesterday. And he did it in style, booting a 51-yarder just as a light snow began falling on Ralph Wilson Stadium (note: the previous record of 17 consecutive FGs was held by Steve Christie). At the time, the kick gave the Bills a 24-7 lead and they went on to beat the Miami Dolphins 38-17 to keep their AFC Wild Card playoff hopes alive. Rian has been one of the NFL’s best kickers this season, hitting on …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
Buffalo Bills kicker Rian Lindell should be on the AFC’s Pro Bowl team this season. After 13 weeks of this 2007 NFL regular season, he’s made 91% of his kicks (that leads the NFL) and is a perfect 16-16 on extra point tries. He has two game-winning kicks, including last weekend’s 5-for-5 performance. You also have to take into consideration the environment where he kicks. Half of his games are outdoors at typically windy Ralph Wilson Stadium. If Rian makes his next field goal attempt, he’ll pass former Bills kicker Steve Christie for …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
Ten weeks after sustaining a severe spinal cord injury. Buffalo Bills TE Kevin Everett was released from Houston’s Memorial Hermann/TIRR where he spent the past two months in rehab. In a statement released by the hospital, Kevin said:
“While this news is a significant milestone for me, I still have a long journey to full recovery. I was fortunate to meet many extraordinary people at Memorial Hermann/TIRR, many who have suffered the same or similar injury as myself, many of whom I now consider friends. Their courage and determination inspired me to fight every …read more