GaryPinC

I agree, and to add to what you're saying I look at Watkins' highlights as a man who is driven to be the best. He appears to be relentless in the small amount of film I've seen of him. I caught Polian commenting on ESPN about the trade saying he had concerns because the Bills could have simply picked up Beckham at 9 and not given up all the picks. I do believe Whaley mortgaged the future because he believes Watkins has the elite talent and drive to be the best. Which in my mind is the proper way to build a winner.

Having experienced a miscarriage in my life (and seeing the sonogram) I just can't imagine why any decent human being would cherish a memento of this event?

One of my favorite experiences was working for an oil company's pipeline maintenance gang on my summers off from college. We were out in Western PA at an oil tank farm (depot) and our group set up an overhead aluminum canopy in 3 days to cover the fueling pumps for the semis. Roughly similar to what you might find at any gas station. Well the local union saw that and forced their way onto the job site. Made us dismantle it because it wasn't our job to set it up so of course we did it wrong. It was over 3 weeks before those union experts got it set up again.

Great, thanks! I saw Article 7.1 but hadn't been able to pinpoint those definitions. 'preciate it. It still seems to me from what I did read is that while the Bills could talk to Owners about moving the team after the lease expires, if word got out or if the public knew the potential owners would take the team away that could do economic harm while the talks were ongoing and could be basis for county/state to go to court. I'd be curious to know your opinion on that?

Did you find the section in the general lease agreement about the Bills terminating the lease in year 7? Specifically are there any conditions to this or solely at their discretion? I couldn't find the section skimming through and this is much more your area than mine. Thanks for your help! Some other facets of the non-relocate agreement that seem significant to me: Section 3 b) Bills can't even talk to potential relocation buyer unless relocation will take place after termination of lease or the Bills are already in arbitration over terminating the lease. But county/state can order injuction if they have evidence these discussions cause economic harm before the end of the lease. Section 4: Transfer of franchise: Bills will put a lein on the franchise that new owners must abide by all lease and non-relocation terms. Section 5: Liquidated damages: Both Bills and county/state acknowledge that actual damages are difficult to assess and forcing Bills to play in the Ralph or not being allowed to play elsewhere are the most effective measure. State/county must also try to seek damage relief in court before using $400 mil fund Section 8: Miscellaneous: "(ii) Each Party hereby agrees that all actions or proceedings arising directly or indirectly out of this Agreement shall be litigated only in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Erie County, or the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. Each Party expressly submits and consents in advance to such jurisdiction and waives any claim that Erie County, New York or the Western District of New York is an inconvenient forum or an improper forum based on improper venue." So no change of venue for disputes either. Things have been stacked to favor the team staying here.

Don't forget about the state appointed committee also. If any of these organizations feel the Bills are even talking to a ownership group indicating a possibility of a move they can file an injuction/take court action. The groups can also name their appropriate compensation/remedy for these actions and if the groups or court fail to remedy this then the $400 million kicks in. The team has to play their games at the Ralph through the terms of the lease unless all these groups, with the NFL and potential new owner(s), can agree on an alternative course of action. That's what I get from reading sections 2 and 3.

Biggest thing to me that is being minimized is the fact that Erie County and the publicly appointed Stadium commission have to sign off on any transfer of ownership. Also the NFL, of course. But, these two public entities can block the sale of the team. Bills are still allowed to play one regular season game in Toronto or alternate location and one preseason game every other year. Also if the NFL selects them for an alternate location game. Other than if the stadium has a physical problem prohibiting full seating or playing of a game, every other game HAS to be played at the Ralph. Mr. Wilson did the area a huge favor with this. I think the cheaper buy-out provision in year seven is meant for if the team wants to relocate out of Erie County but within Western NY and Erie County refuses to sign off on it.

This was probably 15 years ago but 5 of us were out at a bar in the burbs there and when 4 am rolled by and we wanted another round the bartender said LCB guys never check up on a place at 4 am and we could keep drinking till we're done (5:30). Good times!

Say what??!!?? Look at his forearms in the photo. They should be perpendicular to the bar and his have a slight inward angle but not much. It's probably his normal grip considering he's 5'9". If his hands were where the spotter's are then we could talk close grip.

That Miami game breaking the streak in 1980 cemented things in for me. Not that I would have ever given up on the Bills, but as a kid (I was 10) they sucked so consistently that decade I definitely had times I doubted whether I wanted to endure a lifetime of that! Our house in West Seneca abutted US 219 and I was in the backyard helping my dad scrape the loose paint off our detached downspouts so we could repaint. I remember everything. Mostly sunny day, my dad had rigged up a sandblaster (SOB stuck me with the wire brush!) and to protect himself had donned a heavy green plastic rain parka, welding goggles, and ventilator mask making him look amazingly like an illegitimate Tusken raider/Jawa love child. But that's my dad. I remember the old silver radio in the grass, trying to keep that AM station coming in and struggling to hear over the sand blaster. Just following the game while working, slowly realizing Buffalo wasn't going away like normal, interrupting my dad but he was sure they'd blow it, then just stopping work in the fourth listening to Fergy bringing them back and the defense hanging on by seemingly the skin of their teeth. Jumping around the yard like a nut after it was over, listening to the scene afterwards and finally hitting the TV watching them pass the goal post up the stadium. What an amazing feeling from that game and season. The traffic jam on 219 lasted at least twice as long as usual. The minute people got stopped they were out of their cars dancing and celebrating with each other it took 'em a while to realize the road had cleared in front of them. Nobody cared, what a fantastic reward after the previous decade! Go Bills!

The thing about what Ralph did with the lease is that if it's apparent the new owners will move the team to Toronto, then I would think ticket sales would fall through the floor until 2019. Maybe lack of attendance would allow breaking the lease early and paying the 400 million but that would still take years to resolve. I know if a Toronto group takes them over the team is dead to me unless they announce plans for a new stadium in WNY.

I'm well aware of this fact, I was simply addressing the value of your post. Plus, your post doesn't directly discuss him getting kicked off the team!

IMO Freddy's earned the right to keep playing until it's completely obvious to everyone he's ineffective. That hasn't happened yet, and if it does I suspect Freddy will have already announced his retirement. I would expect this from a team-first humble leader and warrior.

You were 14 days late with this post.

Haha. Great one!

I think you have great points on this and in all honesty it makes the most economic sense for the new owners to have a stadium in Niagara Falls also. Plus, I would think casting aside the Argos to plunk an NFL franchise down would really alienate football fans in Canada let alone the Buffalo fans. Factor in the lukewarm response to the Bills playing up there and you have to wonder if an NFL franchise would be successful up there. Always makes me laugh how the NFL stares at the size of the market and lets that mandate a franchise. That's never worked for LA and I have to think it won't until you address how to get people to support the franchise. Completely on board with PTR's points about foot or shuttle traffic across the rainbow on game day. Any tailgating Canadians can cross at Lewiston but the rest can park in NF, Canada and more quickly come across. Alleviating as much border-crossing pain as possible is critical. If done correctly, having a stadium in close proximity to the border would be of huge benefit. Regarding the local politics, I think the casinos, hotels and restaurants/entertainment would really support this and pressure local leaders to do so and I would think even the most despicable politicians would play nice for an opportunity of this magnitude. I just see all the businesses on both sides recognizing the opportunity to offer packages and sell game days into all inclusive weekend deals during a traditionally slower time of the year. Having the stadium functional as a conference center and other events would seem critical also. When I consider that NYS may step in to help or manage the financial situation, the franchise needs to keep and grow as much of its fanbase as possible, and the new owner needs to have the team in the best US regional economic situation, Niagara Falls seems like a no-brainer.

If it's any consolation, the sarcasm meter was off the charts in your second reply to Tom.

I agree and am in DC Tom's camp about his private vs public persona. Whatever his faults, I'll always applaud Bill Cosby for trying to publicly point out the African-American community needs to take more responsibility for its problems.

Actually Jessie Jackson came to speak at the hospital I work at in Feb of 2013 and I found the time to go and hear him. I was quite surprised and pleased to hear him say the fight for racial equality is over and that while isolated racism still exists both the black and white communities need to continue to come together and work together. It would be great if some leaders of the black community publicly condemned this altercation.

I would argue that we should have won the last one also but after TT fumbled early in the third quarter for a Dallas touchdown to tie the score, the team gave up. The camera panned the players' faces on the sidelines immediately after and I was so mad because the look of defeat was so obvious I was yelling "it's only a tied game!" at the TV. That actually bothered me a lot more than wide right.

It's been one year. You may be right or they may know very well what they're doing. It's early. Perhaps you would feel more at home as a Cleveland Browns fan. I'm looking forward to our draft this year. I don't believe Buddy "keep it simple" Nix was responsible for trading back and getting us that extra pick last year.

Nothing's changed? For starters, if Ralph had still been in charge I highly doubt the Toronto series gets put on hold. Looking at how we went after Marrone and Pettine, I don't recall the Bills being that organized and decisive about coaching decisions ever. Just to clarify, Russ Brandon is not directly responsible for winning games. He is responsible for bringing in the proper people under him so that they will win us games. Right now it's Whaley and Marrone and you HAVE to allow your people to work for you. It's also unclear if Whaley was Brandon's preference, he may have been Buddy and Ralph's preference. I don't hold Brandon responsible except from 2013 forward. He is a corporate speak guy, but you should be if you're the face of the franchise. He also came back from Detroit and went to an informal tailgate tribute the next day, he said they were going to review the Toronto series shortly before it got put on hold. That says a lot about his underlying character. I have the sense that this franchise has an organized plan moving forward which is refreshing. As far as Byrd, we just don't know what the decision making process was on that, Whaley/Marrone could have been a significant factor. We just know the FO wasn't comfortable with $9 mil per year, we'll see how it works out.

I share your viewpoint on Russ almost entirely and I'll just say this. He has to sell this team to every possible ticket/merchandise buyer he can and so he does. He's the face of this franchise. But he will also own up to unacceptable losses and did what he said he would with the Toronto series. I pay the most attention to him when he's addressing solving issues presently facing the team.

Incredibly gracious. Give a man a fish or teach a man to fish? Most everything said or heard about Ralph is that he valued the person, people but he was seldom one to give out fish. Business is business, yet he has put preconditions on the next owner(s) in hopes we all learn to fish and keep the franchise here without permanently tying down ownership. That's more than anyone should have expected and I for one am grateful for his thoughtfulness. I think the NFL wants the team to stay here for the reasons discussed in this thread and now a large part of that is up to us the fans.

I'm with you 100% Fred's a straight up kind of guy and he's all about the team. Well, how's the offer she made to you? Going to take it or test the market? ;-)