extrahammer

I'm just gonna sit back and wait for the "Bench Orton" posts in favor of whatever 3rd string QB we can scrounge up.

Tim Graham is accurate in his reporting. Of course, I'm just a lowly message board poster, but I would guess Dan has been leading the efforts in this game since Jim has been recovering. They've been reaching out to LOTS of folks, folks they don't even know firsthand, including a lot of people who consider themselves "movers and shakers" (i.e. can't really help $$$-wise but want to be in the center of it), which could be leading to more misinformation. I would guess they've been reaching out to folks to drum up cash to try to attach their group to the potential leading bidder. I would also guess they've reached out to all major bidders, Trump, Pegula, etc. Pegula could easily tell them "Nope, I want all teh controlz!"

So the team probably had a net profit of around $20 million last year. Good points. http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2014/08/05/buffalo-bills-sale-books-most-important-number/

The reason the Bills haven't made the playoffs is because they haven't had a true leader in the front office since John Butler and the people since him have made some really awful decisions. Tom Donahoe and Gregg Williams made a huge mess. One example is when they drafted Willis McGahee, not only a RB in the 1st round, but a RB that tore his ACL just a few months earlier. Nevermind his career in the NFL, you rarely draft a RB in the first round, the ROI isn't as long-lasting as other more important positions - especially when that RB shreds his ACL just a few months earlier. Oh yeah, first round pick there that was gone 3 years later. Good investment. Then you had Mike Mularkey, the name says it all. We let Marshawn Lynch go, the media made him out to be a bad character guy because there was nothing else to write about, fans bought into that, Marshawn is gone and now the top RB in the league coming off a Super Bowl win. Regardless to what fans think players should carry themselves, the whole point in this is to win games and win a Super Bowl. Who cares if someone gets caught with a "drug" that's about to be legalized anyway? I feel like the same story is starting to develop for Marcell Dareus. We then make another bonehead move and sign Ryan Fitzpatrick to a near $60 million contract after he lead us to a 4-2 start in 2011. That's only 6 games, you don't do that after 6 games! You do that at the end of the season. I could bring up more examples but these are just some of the highlights. I do think it is good that Ralph turned over more control to Russ Brandon, who I think has delegated authority pretty well to Doug Whaley and Marrone - who also seem to work together well. The last problem is related to EJ Manuel. He's barely played half a season, and after a few passes in the first preseason game fans are wanting to scrap the board and go with Jeff Tuel or Thad Lewis, two QBs who probably couldn't make it on any other roster. Genius plan guys. We're better off bringing back Fitzpatrick. So basically my thoughts are: 1) Bad/No leadership with the team for many years 2) Fans freakout over unrealistic expectations. hope this helps!

Right, but there are many different formulas to value a business. Cash flows is one of a handful and it doesn't include the different valuation formulas. It's a buyers and sellers market, so the team's value will be what it is sold for.

Brand, facilities they own, stores, apparel, etc.

I've never heard of an "add back". But it's not just cash flows. It's assets and future earnings. Whoever buys the team will also invest some (i.e. new stadium, etc.), you have to consider the value of projected earnings as well. But if the bank signs off on the buyer price. It's officially valued at that price. People can debate it all they want. Look at Forbes and the Dolphins now, now they value them right at $1.1b.

If this were true, considering the Bills generally cash flow between $20m-$40m, at most their value would be $400m. Not the $870m Forbes estimates. Businesses aren't just valued by cash flow.

You're forgetting assets.

This.

I think once the bank signs off on the buyer price, it's valued at that. "It's only worth what you can sell it for." But values of things like that vary based on different formulas. Forbes isn't 100% accurate because they don't get access to all financials of teams or people on Forbes 400 list.

If the Bills pay to use the trademark, common sense says fans usage of something the Bills paid for - paid to promote - should be under that umbrella. If A&M has a problem with that, they shouldn't license it out in the first place.

For the record, I'm from Mississippi with no attachments to WNY and became a Bills fan. And I've met others here that became Bills fans too. In fact, I went to speak to a group of students a few months ago and in the front row was a kid with a bright blue and red Bills t-shirt on. I asked him when he became a Bills fan - thinking it was when they last made the playoffs or his dad was or something - and to my surprise he said he became a fan when he saw C.J. play in Buffalo. I asked him if he'd be a fan if C.J. left and he said "Yeah, I'm too in love with the team now." Also, when I travel I see just as many Bills fans as other NFL team fans. Seems to me in airports you don't see as much Dallas, New England stuff, I see a good bit of Pittsburgh and other teams, including the Bills. Moral summary of this rambling: it's never as bad as it seems.

Just to be clear - by "jerks" you mean they wouldn't cancel their plans multiple times every day to sign autographs and take pictures everywhere they went?

If you like that, you'll like this. Watch the first run the hit he lays on the guy before getting run out of bounds. Here's another where his last college football play was teabagging a man:

My favorite Anthony Dixon highlight ever, tough guy:

We could sign all of the best damn FA's on the market but it doesn't mean a damn thing if the same people from the past 14 years are still in control.

How ironic you're mocking fans who are fed up with losing when you have that quote as your signature.

I think it's ridiculous how Kevin Massare is supporting Jeffrey Littmann because he knows the family. When you offer that sort of protection for anyone, there's a problem. Like the saying goes: "one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch" http://forgedinbuffalo.com/media/sports/buffalo-bills-front-office-house-of-cards/

Tim and the Buffalo News wouldn't run the story unless it had a very solid source. So it's not some low-level employee. I think it's a power play.

I like to imagine the Front Office scene something like this:

Hi John, first, let me state again, I have a great respect for many in the Buffalo media, including you. I know you guys work extremely hard, long hours, and genuinely love to write. I'm not asking as an insult, I'm asking because I wanted to know. The question of the 14 straight playoff-less seasons wasn't a "fan mentality" question. It was a legitimate, end of the season, Pres/CEO, GM, HC at the podium question. I felt those questions should have been asked and given more context. The fact that it wasn't pressed on - to me - seemed a bit incomplete. I feel more of those questions should have been asked at a "Season Wrap Up Press Conference," - not after a Bucs game or whenever it was asked. If my question invoked conspiracy theories, it wasn't intended to, but you and I both know teams will easily play 'the media is against us' card. As far as me being a fan during 14 years of not making the playoffs, I'll ignore it because I didn't ask my original question out of emotion.

Let me clarify, as stated in the thread topic, I respect the Buffalo media. Just asking a question out of curiosity. I'm not saying they should have started trolling them. I think you could have legitimately asked questions about missing the playoffs for 14 straight years. How many opportunities do you get with Brandon, Whaley, and Marrone at the podium together?

Fair question. (A little sarcasm)

Is there a fear of asking tough questions? Will the Bills go silent/limit access on reporters that do? Just listened to the press conference and the questions were kinda softballs.