ORCHARD PARK, N. Vince Coleman .Y. -- After a falling out with the New England Patriots, linebacker Brandon Spikes is embracing his fresh start with the Buffalo Bills. Spikes joined the Bills late Friday night on a one-year contract. The Bills have been active in free agency thus far, signing six free agents. The middle linebacker is easily Buffalos most intriguing addition. The 26-year-old Spikes is an aggressive, hard-hitting defender. A second-round pick of the Patriots in 2010, Spikes started 39 of 53 games in New England, with 286 tackles and five forced fumbles. He was third on the Patriots in tackles in 2013 with 86. "I was excited the whole time to get going with a new start in a new beginning in a new place," Spikes said on a conference call Monday. "I feel like its going to be fun and Im down for a challenge. I want to help change the culture there." Spikes is known for the physical nature of his play. "All the old-school, throwback backers, I just moulded my game after them and it just stuck with me this whole time," Spikes said. "I wouldnt call it intimidating, Im just playing and going hard and relentless and play every play like its your last." The addition of Spikes is one of many moves the Bills hope will fix their porous run defence. With Spikes taking over middle linebacker duties, the Bills plan on moving young standout Kiko Alonso to the weak side after spending his rookie season in the middle. The Bills also signed former New York Giants linebacker Keith Rivers to a two-year contract on March 12. The Bills finished 28th against the run in 2013, allowing an average of 128.9 yards per game. "I actually think it was like seven games where they gave up 150 yards on the ground. I just want to come and help them out," Spikes said. "Thats one of my strengths, stopping the run, and I feel like I can help. Whatever they need me to do, Im willing to do and do it at a high level." Spikes joins a defence that has its fourth co-ordinator in four seasons. Former Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz is installing a base 4-3 following the departure of Mike Pettine, who left Buffalo after one year to become head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Spikes is set to reunite with his former linebackers coach, Pepper Johnson, now Buffalos defensive line coach. Johnson made the move from New England in January and Spikes said his presence was one of the reasons he decided to come to Buffalo. "A great coach, a great inspiration to the game," Spikes said. "He loves the game and hes definitely what I want to be down the road; hes a legendary ball player and coach." After playing with a knee injury for several weeks in New England, Spikes was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 6. An ESPN report later said Spikes was placed on IR after being late to a team meeting during a Boston snow storm. On Saturday, after the contract was official, Spikes tweeted: "Free at last, free at last. I thank God Im free at last. Free at last, Free at last !!!!!! #LetsGetIt #PoWwWwW." "I just want to kind of close that chapter," Spikes said. "I just want to put that all behind me. Its great just to have a new beginning. Im excited. The past is the past. Im happy now and Im ready to get to work and Im just ready to help." Spikes is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, Takeo Spikes. Takeo Spikes was a standout linebacker with the Bills from 2003-06. After wearing number 55 in New England, Spikes is returning to the number 51, which he wore earlier in his career, in honour of his cousin. "He inspired me to be great," Spikes said. "He inspired me to have a dream and chase it. ... Watching him in Buffalo growing up inspired me to wear the number 51 ... hes just somebody I look to be like." Custom Cardinals Jerseys . Watching them over the past year - and in some cases, two years - has given us a starting point for this seasons Craigs List. Adolis Garcia . The defeat leaves the 41-year-old Nestor to concentrate on the mixed-doubles event after winning 12 straight matches and winning Australian titles in Brisbane and Sydney with two different partners. "This was a little bit of a let down, but all credit to them," said Nestor. http://www.custommlbcardinalsjersey.com/custom-brett-cecil-jersey-large-1511q.html . PETERSBURG, Fla.Major League Baseball may one day return to Montreal, but that day will not be coming any time soon, according to Bud Selig. Speaking with TSNs Michael Farber, the commissioner said that while franchise relocation and expansion is not currently being considered, the sour ending of baseball in Montreal would not keep the city from being awarded a franchise in the future. "With the 30 teams, you know we just went from 15 to 15 in scheduling, that was a very complicated process so there are really no expansion plans at all," he explained. "Fortunately, we dont really have any club that wants to move right now and havent for a long time. Its my last year and I cant, in the foreseeable future, see any expansion." Selig didnt rule out the possibility of Montreal landing a franchise again in the future, but added that one of the key steps would be getting a new stadium. "The first thing you need, and this has been true everywhere, even in existing places, is to build a stadium that can produce the kind of revenue you need today to compete," he said. "This is a sport now that is at an all-time high in popularity and revenue and everything else, but teams do generate a lot of revenue to compete and without a new ballpark, its not possible. So the first condition everywhere is to have a new ballpark." Selig also noted that having a local owner is crucial in establishing a franchise in a city. "You really need a group with local roots, who understands their market, but is also committed to keeping it in that market," he added. "Local ownership is vital." Speaking on the Expos and the series of events that led to their relocation in 2004, Selig said that he did not necessarily believe the sale of the franchise in 1991 was the "death knell" for the Expos, but called it "a sad day for baseball and a sad day for Montreal." He added that as the team was failing in the early 2000s, he tried to find another owner in Montreaal to keep the team in the city, but couldnt find support. Michael Wacha. "(I) spent quite a bit of time, worked a lot with (team president) Claude Brochu, who was very good," said Selig. "Claude did everything in the world he could, and he was a wonderful citizen when it came to baseball. I know how he felt about Montreal, it just didnt work, but it wasnt for lack of effort. I came up there and we tried and we just didnt get anywhere." The commissioner also disagreed with the sentiment of some fans that Major League Baseball quit on the city of Montreal long before moving the Expos. "Thats regrettable," he said. "I dont believe that, in understanding of the historical facts and what happened, justifies that. I dont think MLB ever quit on Montreal. I think what happened, if you asked before and after Charles Bronfman sold the team, you bet I worked a lot with people to try to get permanent ownership and stable ownership but they obviously had a stadium problem. The Montreal people themselves talked about it a lot. So, I really dont think it was a matter of us quitting on Montreal. Montreal was a great part of baseball for all the years Charles Bronfman owned them, we had no reason to go against that in any way. I think we (MLB), every place we have been, we have made a very sincere attempt to really change the situation, and build stability into it, and weve succeeded everywhere else. And we tried in Montreal." With a decade gone by and the Expos firmly entrenched in Washington, D.C. as the Nationals, Selig added that the sour ending of baseball in Montreal would not keep the city from being awarded a franchise in the future. "The Montreal situation was one that we didnt want to happen, but with no ownership group and the very things that we have discussed here today, we had no choice," he said. "But as far as Im concerned, if and when that time comes, and there is a team, why wouldnt Montreal be considered?" ' ' '