ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Doug Whaley was promoted to take over as Buffalo Bills general manager, making the teams near top-to-bottom off-season overhaul complete. The much-anticipated decision to elevate Whaley from his position as assistant GM was announced Thursday, three days after Buddy Nix stepped down as GM. The 40-year-old Whaley has spent the past three years being groomed for the job. After working in various scouting capacities with the Bills, Whaleys influence grew this off-season. He had input in hiring coach Doug Marrone in January, and in the teams decision to select Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel in the first round of the draft last month. In becoming the Bills 12th GM and fifth in 12 years, Whaleys challenge now becomes turning around a franchise that has not finished with a winning record since 2004, and has not made the playoffs in 13 years -- the NFLs longest active drought. "Were not going to run from (the past), but what were going to do is look forward," Whaley said. "We are very proud of what weve got as a team, as a coaching staff and as an organization. And were just looking to go onward and upward." And he wasnt afraid of using the word "championship." "Our main goal is to give the fans of the Buffalo Bills a team that consistently competes for championships," Whaley said. Though it was unclear when Nix would step down, the Bills began laying the groundwork for the transition in February by signing Whaley to a long-term contract extension. "Doug has every quality you look for in a leader," team president Russ Brandon said. "Were committed to one common goal and that is one focus, a laser focus, and that is winning. Period. Nothing else matters to either one of us. Winning is what its all about." Among Whaleys first priorities will be negotiating to sign star safety Jairus Byrd. Though the Bills secured Byrds rights by placing a franchise tag on him this off-season, the player has yet to sign his contract. Byrd is instead holding out in a bid to secure a long-term deal. "Hes a good player. We want to keep him, and were going to negotiate with him," Whaley said. "Hopefully, everything will be where we need it to be, when we need it to be." Hes also preparing to open talks in a bid to re-sign centre Eric Wood, who is entering the final year of his contract. Whaley, who is black, snaps an NFL trend this off-season during which no minorities were hired to fill eight coaching and seven general manager vacancies. He becomes the Bills first black GM and the leagues sixth. From Pittsburgh, he spent 12 seasons working in various capacities as a scout with the Steelers. Whaley played both linebacker and safety at Pitt and broke into the NFL in 1995 as a Steelers pro personnel assistant. He then spent three years as a scout with the Seattle Seahawks, before returning to Pittsburgh. Hes leaning heavily on his experiences with the Steelers, one of the NFLs most stable and competitive franchises. "My formative years in this business were being part of the Steelers, and the one thing that the Steeler organization is all about is championships," Whaley said. "They dont accept losing. They set the standard of winning and competing for championships. And I think if we instil that here, well be in the right direction." Whaleys promotion comes at a time when the Bills are essentially starting from scratch in rebuilding what Brandon described as having a "tarnished" reputation. Brandon began the transition immediately after the season ended, when he was elevated by team owner Ralph Wilson to his new position and awarded full control of the entire organization. Brandons first moves were firing Chan Gailey and then hiring Doug Marrone less than a week later. The next step in the transformation becomes Whaley. "Its all about what we do moving forward. And with Doug at the helm as our general manager and coach Marrone, we feel very good about our future," Brandon said. "I can stand up here and talk about it all day, but it comes down to results and proving it." Whaley will be responsible for the roster and also formulating the Bills draft strategy. Jim Overdorf, senior vice-president of football administration, will continue in his role as the teams chief negotiator and salary-cap manager, who answers directly to Brandon. The Bills are a very young team. They have only nine players on the roster who have been with the team since before the 2010 season. In drafting Manuel, the Bills hope to have addressed a quarterback position thats been unsettled since Hall of Fame standout Jim Kelly retired following the 1996 season. Whaleys first moves as GM was adding to his staff. He hired Jim Monos as director of player personnel and Kelvin Fisher as director of college scouting. Monos spent the past eight years working as an area scout with the New Orleans Saints. Fisher joins the Bills after spending the previous 13 seasons in various capacities as a scout with the Steelers. Saucony Shoes Uk Online . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. Saucony Outlet Store Uk . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.sauconyoutletuk.com/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Buy Saucony Shoes Uk . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. Wholesale Saucony Shoes . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Essex 13 for 2 trail Leicestershire 238 (Cosgrove 71, Robson 52, Porter 4-50) by 225 runs Scorecard These are puzzling days at Leicestershire.On the face of things, this season has offered impressive improvement. After years among the also runs of the County Championship, here they are in late-August with a realistic chance of promotion. Going into this game, they were second in the table. If that sounds modest, it has to be remembered that they have not played in the top division since 2003 and did not win a single game in this division in 2013 and 2014. The improvement is welcome.The ground has improved, too. There are floodlights, new broadcasting facilities and improved stands. All of it is welcome.But scratch beneath the surface and you are left wondering how deep the roots of this recovery stretch. The only man in this side (Lewis Hill) who could indisputably claim to be home grown was making his first Championship appearance of the season and none of the top four were born in the UK.That is fine, up to a point. The addition of seasoned professionals may well have been required to alter the culture of a club that had become accustomed to losing. Their attitude and experience alongside some local talent could shape the future of the club.But theres the rub. Because the local talent isnt getting a game. Instead Atif Sheikh, a left-arm bowler of rare pace, has been released, Jigar Naik is seemingly sentenced to a future in the seconds, Aadil Ali, about whom there was such hope ahead of the season, hasnt played a first-class game since June and Zak Chappell, a promising fast bowler, here missed out to 27-year-old Dieter Klein, a journeyman South African making his first-class debut for the club who nabbed Alastair Cook as a notable maiden Championship wicket.Of course there is a balance to be struck. Of course young payers cannot be flung into the side without support. Of course in these mobile, multi-cultural times you would expect a team based in a city like Leicester to host players with wildly varied backgrounds. Of course the likes of Angus Robson, who here compiled a patient half-century, could go on to provide years of service for the club and be seen as Leicester through and through.But for five of this team to be born in Australia or South Africa and only one to have progressed through the clubs system suggests that balance has not been found. And for all the talk of embracing the local Asian community, there is no Asian face in the side here and very few in the stands. The two are probably connected.Leicestershire could claim, with some justification, that several players who developed through the club and might be playing for them even now (Stuart Broad, James Taylor, Greg Smith, Harry Gurney and Luke Wright, among others) had larger clubs not enticed them elsewhere. But Essex could say much the same. They have lost Adam Wheater, Reece Topley, Ben Foakes, Tymal Mills, Varun Chopra and Mark Pettini among many others. Yet they still fielded a side containing eight home grown players here.Most of all, Leicestershire could claim that it was always going to take time to turn things around here. So deep was the descent into mediocrity and irrelevance that it was always going to take years to produce a locally resourced, competitive side that reflected its local community. They are not so far into the rebuilding process that a judgeement can yet be made as to its effectiveness.ddddddddddddIt would have been nice to put these points to the clubs head coach, but Andrew McDonald declined the interview request until the end of the match. Perhaps Leicestershire are happy with an attendance of 800 (their highest Championship gate of the season) and the absence of independent coverage? Or perhaps the club are reluctant to put McDonald into a tricky position while his future remains uncertain. Despite having a contract with the club until the end of 2018, rumours linking him with a full-time return to Australia continue. He has already taken the Melbourne Renegades position; the Victoria role remains open. Some well-placed sources expect an announcement within days.And it needs to be asked how much have Leicestershire really improved under him? Or have they just plugged the holes with imports? Are they really any different now to the side that was ridiculed for filling itself with Kolpak registrations? If they are going to fulfil a role for English cricket - and they have a fine history of doing just that - they have to grow their own or improve those who were unloved elsewhere. In two or three of this side - Ned Eckersley, Robson and Ben Raine - they have such players. But there is a huge amount of room for improvement.They didnt have a bad day here. Put in on a green track that had been used for a previous Championship match, they found themselves on a hat-trick in the first over from Jamie Porter. Paul Horton played around one that may have nipped in and Neil Dexter was caught on the crease by an inswinger.But Mark Cosgrove and Robson added 129, with Robson showing admirable patience - he scored three from his first 38 deliveries - and Cosgrove feasting on anything on his legs to provide the foundations of a decent score on what Leicestershire say they hope is a result wicket.Both were troubled by the pace of Graham Napier. Still able to coax life out of a slow pitch even a few weeks from retirement, Napier produced a bouncer that took Cosgroves glove and ballooned just over Cooks head in the slips - Cook appeared to get a hand to the chance but could not cling on - and eventually defeated Robson with a fuller ball that seemed to surprise him with pace. It was the eighth time this season Robson had made a half-century but he has been unable to convert any of them into a century.Pettini was bowled leaving one that nipped back before Eckersley saw the ball dribbled off his bat and onto his stumps as he dropped his hand on an off-break from Tom Westley. By the time Cosgrove was bowled by a lovely, swinging yorker - his attempt to whip it through midwicket resulted in a lost middle stump - he was only four short of 1,000 Championship runs for the season.Leicestershire also enjoyed a couple of early wickets in reply. Cook, playing his sixth Championship match of the season with a view to helping top-of-the-table Essex secure promotion, was bowled by a full, swinging ball that clipped his off stump, before the nightwatchman, Porter, was adjudged - somewhat unfortunately, it appeared - to have been given out caught behind off the glove.So their promotion hopes remain alive. But, long term, you wonder what progress has really been made with this team. ' ' '