ORCHARD PARK, N. wholesale nfl jerseys .Y. -- With hundreds of pictures and mementos on display honouring Buffalo Bills late owner Ralph Wilson, Bruce Smith couldnt resist bringing one more on Saturday. The Hall of Fame defensive end pulled out a photo taken the day he signed his rookie contract in 1985. The picture showed Wilson with his hands across his face as if he were praying. "He has that worried look on his face, like, Lord knows, I hope Im not wasting this draft pick on this chubby kid from Norfolk, Va.," Smith said, laughing. "I thought it would be befitting I brought this, and showed some of the players. And they got a big laugh out of it." "That," said Smith, who became the NFLs career leader in sacks, "is one of my special memories." There were many during a public remembrance celebrating the 95-year-old Hall of Fame owners life. With Frank Sinatra -- Wilsons favourite -- playing over the loudspeakers, and an array of photos, trophies and souvenirs spread throughout the teams practice facility, former and current players, employees and thousands of fans paid their respects to the teams founder, who died at his home in Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., on March 25. "The Bills are more than just a football team. Theyre family," said Matt Guarino, a 20-year season-ticket holder. "So we came to pay our respects just like we would any friend and any family member." The remembrance took place a week after a private funeral service was held in Detroit. The mood on Saturday was festive. Under grey cloudy skies and with a cold brisk wind blowing off nearby Lake Erie, a long line of fans snaked into the parking lot once the doors opened. Many wore team jerseys and posed for pictures in front of the Wilson memorabilia. The displays circled the fieldhouse, and featured many significant moments of Wilsons life: From childhood pictures to the medals he earned serving in the Navy during World War II, and photos of Wilson with his fellow American Football League founding owners. There was a painting of Wilson watching the Bills 1993 Super Bowl loss. The franchises two AFL championship trophies were displayed, as was Wilsons Pro Football Hall of Fame bust and gold jacket. In the middle of the field, the Bills recreated the layout of Wilsons office. There was a team helmet on the coffee table, press releases on his desk, as well as a picture of him and his wife Mary. And Mary Wilson was on hand. Standing near a guestbook area, she greeted fans, shared stories, signed autographs and posed for pictures. "He was a great sportsman," Wilson told one fan. "He loved competition. And thats why we got along so well. I was like that, too." In a statement released by the team, she thanked people "for their tremendous outpouring of love for Ralph." "Before he passed, he told me that he wanted people to celebrate his life after he was gone. He wasnt big on tears," she said. "Ralph most likely would have offered a funny quip about todays event. But at the same time, he would have been profoundly touched by the fans outpouring of emotion." Mary Wilson has taken over as the Bills controlling owner, a role she will maintain until the franchise is sold. Ralph Wilson expressed no interest of leaving the team to his surviving family members. The sale could take place within a year, opening the possibility the Bills could relocate. "Keeping this team here meant a lot to me," said Rich Izydorczak, whos had season tickets for 41 years. "And I hope it stays this way for a long time to come." Kathleen Hubbard, a Bills cheerleader in the early 1970s, brought a picture of Wilson posing with her and other cheerleaders on the field. A business not far from the stadium flashed the message, "You will be missed Ralph Wilson Jr.," on its electronic sign. Former Bills tight end Kevin Everett, in Buffalo for another event, made sure to show up to honour Wilson. Everett has recovered since being nearly paralyzed after sustaining a severe neck injury during the 2007 season opener. Part of his recovery was aided by the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a foundation which Wilson supported with a $1 million donation before Everett was hurt. "I thank God for his work that everything paid off to help benefit one of his players," Everett said. "He has a big heart. I thank God for what he did." cheap jerseys from china . Agent Mike McCartney confirmed via Twitter on Sunday that Mendenhall had decided to end his playing career after six NFL seasons, all but one of them with the Pittsburgh Steelers. wholesale jerseys . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that.Tina Maze of Slovenia matched the time of Dominique Gisin, leading to an unprecedented tie for the Olympic gold medal in the womens downhill on Wednesday. Both skiers crossed the line at Rosa Khutor in one minute, 41.57 seconds. Gisin last won a downhill on the World Cup circuit nearly four years ago, but the 28-year-old served notice of her desire to win with the fastest time in the third training session at Sochi. Gisin led three Swiss skiers into the top 5 and became the fifth woman from her country to finish first in the womens Olympic downhill. The last was Michela Figini, who did it as a 17-year-old in 1984. Mazes result was less surprising, but history making. The 30-year-old, who enjoyed a dominant 2012-13 season, becomes Slovenias first ever Winter Olympics gold medallist in any sport. The country now has 11 medals in Winter Games competition through the years, including Mazes silvers in super-G and giant slalom four years ago in Vancouver. Lara Gut won the bronze. Gut, who has five World Cup wins this season, gave a stern challenge to her compatriot Gisin but finished 1-10th of a second behind. Three skiers later, Maze laid down her time to stun observers. Canadian Larisa Yurkiw finished 19th. The Owen Sound, Ont., native crossed in a time of 1:43.46. Yurkiw, 25, poured thousands into her Olympic dream and raised sponsorships when funding dried up following iinjury-plagued seasons. jerseys from china. Several expected contenders did not factor. Julia Mancuso of the United States was eighth, while Maria-Hoefl Riesch of Germany and Elisabeth Goergl were out of the top 10. Mancuso and Goergl rounded out the podium at the 2010 Vancouver Games behind Lindsey Vonn, who isnt in Sochi due to knee surgery. Hoefl-Riesch was looking to become just the third skier to win four Olympic gold medals in her career, but shell have two more chances over the next 10 days. Meanwhile, Marianne Kaufmann-Abderhalden of Switzerland and Anna Fenninger of Austria skied off course. Both had been on the podium in the downhill this season. Fenningers run, coming right after Maze, signaled that there would likely be a historic tie. Swiss veteran Fabienne Suter was first out of the gate, and her time held up as the best until Gisin seven skiers later. Suter finished fifth, one spot behind Daniela Merighetti, the Italian who complained about the dangerous nature of the course after a mishap on the first day of Sochi downhill training last week. Frances Marie Marchand-Avrier, the fourth down the hill, lost her balance and crashed into the netting but was able to get up under her own power after a few minutes down. Carolina Ruiz Castillo of Spain skied off course, skidding just short of the net. The next womens alpine event is super-G on Saturday. wholesale jerseyscheap jerseys ' ' '
