By Tim Graham
Anyone who has followed my work knows I'm not a Buffalo Bills fan. I'm not a fan of any team, actually, and that makes my job so much easier.
My disconnection came organically in 1995. I'm from Cleveland and grew up a Browns fan. When they moved to Baltimore, I stopped caring about teams.
But I will tell you one thing I do like a lot about the Bills the past few years: They are a respectable group of guys.
There have been several notable arrests around the NFL lately. Former Bills running back Marshawn Lynch was arrested for suspicion of drunk driving Saturday, the same day Denver Broncos pass-rusher Elvis Dumervil was arrested for aggravated assault.
Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant was arrested for assaulting his mother Monday. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, New York Giants tackle Dave Diehl, Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley -- all arrested this offseason.
And there have been many more.
The Bills under General Manager Buddy Nix and head coach Chan Gailey have been relatively clean. The biggest behavioral issue on the team might be Stevie Johnson's end-zone celebrations, and Gailey likely put an end to that with a benching in last year's season finale.
Pro Football Talk and the San Diego Union-Tribune do a wonderful job of chronicling every NFL arrest, and their databases show the last Bill to be arrested was training-camp receiver Paul Hubbard last summer for drunk driving. Fullback Corey McIntyre was arrested in May 2009 for public indecency, but that turned out to be mistaken identity.
The last legitimate arrest of a Bills regular came in April 2009, when Donte Whitner was booked for aggravated disorderly conduct and resisting arrest for a Cleveland bar fight.
And before that, it was Lynch. And before that, it was safety Ko Simpson. And before that, it was Lynch.
So the guys who cause trouble don't stick around One Bills Drive very long.
There's something to be said for that.
