May Day 10

It stems back further than that though. Ralph Wilson, especially in the later years would not give off good vibes. I still fondly recall his boasting about Toronto while subtlety trashing Buffalo... while outsourcing games there and feeding everyone's collective inferiority and fears.... or the PC where he declared that all the Bills needed were "runners" and "Tight Ends who don't get hurt". That transitioned into Russ Brandon delivering the message, and let's face it... about 80% of the fanbase would be thrilled to never hear a word from the guy and do not trust him. Also, Buddy Nix was a characture, especially with his infamous telephone screw up. That transitioned into the trainwreck Rex.... which in turn went into the strange events of Anthony Lynn and the Whaley PC. They reacted by changing the direction of their PR man... and now this 'talent evaluator'. They were/are completely necessary moves. Even if they are well oiled, they always give the public impression of being keystone capers

They have already relegated him to be their Reek. Why fire him? They could save that and play the card after the season when they go 4-12

We are pretty safe. The Pegulas plunked a lot of cash down on the team. The could make more probably up North even paying the relocation fee... but it essentially undermines everything they have worked for in the last 6 years (and poured money into) in WNY. Maybe they could graciously sell the team.... but I am not sure there is a willing/able bidder up there. Rogers is full of drama without a singular Patriarch since the old man passed... MLSE starts to look small-time when you talk about $1.5 Billion, another $500 Million in relocation fees... and new stadium. Also, the Province of Ontario will be very stingy for any new facility. I think there will be a good faith negotiation between the County, State, and the Bills/Pegulas. IMO the Pegulas will be willing to plunk down cash to get it done. Also, don't forget the previously stated interest in Jacobs/Delaware North in the project. Pegula has the city in mind, so the proposed project will likely include the possibility of much more use/benefit than 8-10 football games/year which will sway/justify the public funds a bit. As far as fan pricing goes. With the drought.... it is kind of false data. With a competitive football team, I feel like the ceiling is much higher than current pricing. Once they hit the point of being a real team with important games (and playoff ones)... Season tickets will be capped permanently, and they will be able to steadily raise prices. The Bills are very safe. We'll see when the gears start moving on life after this lease... but everyone's intent, including ownership is 100% for the Bills to remain here

To me, Whaley was/is just a continuation of Nix. As mentioned here and another thread. The Bills have a collaborative model of making decisions. It seems often that this leads to rocky relationships and poor decisions without vision. This model was necessary during Mr. Wilson's final years because IMO he was mainly running out the clock. Levy was fine with it. Brandon is a major part of it so he was fine. Nix was comfortable with it... and I am certain the indoctrinated Whaley on how it works around here. I was convinced Pegula was going to flush it out because preparing the franchise for the estate sale was no longer a function. It was time to get a leader in here and become a big boy club. This did not happen. This was the second time I was fooled, as the Sabres were in a similar pattern (instead of estate sale, Golisano had the goal of the team being financially self-sustainable). I am starting to think that Pegula likes and admires the Bills model of murking up all the decision-making, so nobody can pin decisions on any person. Someone can be jettisoned and in many eyes all the bad decisions/blame go out the door with that person, while the good decisions and excuses remain in-house. This allows for management to remain. Pegula likes this structure as they like to make decisions too and this will keep them out of the firing line. They took a ton of heat for the Sabres. So in short, Whaley being sent packing wouldn't make me happy or sad. Maybe a little concerned because they would be going all-in on McDermott who isnt too much of a known commodity. I think Whaley, or someone has been irresponsible with the cap... and has left too many gaping holes with a desert as far as depth goes at many positions. Whaley seems to be very good at pro-scouting though. They should either publicly give Whaley full control over the football operation and let him succeed or fail.... or get someone else to head it up. Instead, I just see more murk.

A lot of it is speculation and connecting the dots I think I think it has been rumored that the Pegulas would like to clear out space in the Keybank Center for fan amenities. That would include them booting that strange aeronautical museum that used to rent there... as well as the Sabres Store and Admin/Ticketing Offices. It makes sense that these would be moved right next door. They could also create a much better retail store, and also make it a downtown Bills store location as well. Would be a nice opportunity to consolidate various offices they have (I know they have bounced around a little bit from the HSBC Building to the Creamery). Probably have a Bills Ticket Office location as well as one for the Arena. You would also assume that they would like to create a nice space for the MSG WNY as well as maybe something for their record label endeavors (as far as the label goes, its a wild guess) As far as the possibility of a 'Brewery' goes. I would think that if they did it.... they would just have microbrews for 716. Why compete with themselves kitty-corner? They could serve them at 716... and maybe even in the Arena.

This is why I am leaning more toward the 'solution' of a new build, but more of a cheaper and modest vision in Orchard Park. Thinking along the lines of Seattle/Pittsburgh/Cincy/Philly/Cleveland. You really have to rack your brain to come up with a number of realistic events that are too large for Keybank Center. Maybe a few one-off things like a Wrestlemania or a Final 4 are a dream. A couple concerts... but stadium musical tours are rare. Conventions? I dont know. Really not much of a market for that in Buffalo but maybe a few. Possibly could kidnap the low-attended MAC Football Championship game... and maybe a neutral site NCAA Football game... unfortunately though, NCAA Football isnt a big draw here, and I am not sure who is tripping over themselves to play here. I think the NCAA Ntnl Championship Game is a near impossibility. A stadium downtown would require drastic purchasing of property/eminent domain. Lots of engineering and studies, utility relocation and upgrading, traffic issues.... Plus the price tag for an enclosed or retractable multi-use stadium on top of that... doesnt seem worth it... A vision of downtown, you can have put a brand new convention center and a brick and mortar amphitheater downtown for a small fraction of the price and fill every possible need, while bringing even more people downtown annually. Keep the stadium in Orchard Park is fine. I dont see the value of crowbarring this thing with that large of a footprint downtown.

I think the building is going to be renovated and made into PS&E offices as well as Sabres' administrative offices (possibly even Bills). Probably a small television studio. Also a large Sabres/Bills/OneBuffalo Store.

with that kind of investment... you wonder if they have plans to build on an adjacent lot there....

I believe Belichick and the Patriots would go on to have prolonged success. Maybe not to the degree they have.... but pretty good. Belichick is an innovator and visionary. Brady, IMO, would not have turned out the way he has. I think he has developed into who he is thanks to the organization. if he gets drafted by the Cardinals, I dont think we know who he is right now.

Dont really care that much but I think it is good. Every other time Wood or C has been out for any length of time, it has been a disaster. With Groy, there wasnt much of a notable difference

Apathy Apathy

THIS JUST IN........ THE BILLS ARE... AWESOME! -John Murphy and Chris brown special report

It isnt about losing on purpose. It is looking at 3-4 years down the road and beyond and building with that in mind. Operationally it gives you an advantage because not many teams are able to commit to that mode, whether it is ownership impatience or fearing fan backlash (I think, like the Sabres, the Bills' fan base would buy into the vision). You can act in a way that other teams dont like trading off assets for futures and like the Osweiler case, eating a team's bad contract for a future benefit. As a side effect, the team is probably going to be terrible for a year or two. Assuming all scouting and development is the same.... who has a better chance at being a better team and scooping up pro bowlers? The Browns with 36 draft picks (many of them 1sts-3rds) over '16-'18 as well as unprecedented maneuverability under the cap? Or the Bills' 20 picks over that span, cash-strapped, and doing just enough to stay in the #7-#14 draft position? Also, I also do not believe Wilson's Bills in the 2000s were geared to win.... however, I think he enjoyed staying in mediocrity. Was just enough to keep the fans off his back for 3 year stretches. They were comfortable where they were, which is why there was never a major change since the Donahoe hire 1000 years ago. For some reason, Pegula maintained the same management team, and it isnt surprising they act the same and get the same results

The Titans as well

I have Season Tix, and I would absolutely renew go to the same number of games (usually 6 and skip the meaningless frigid December/Holiday ones).

This is how I feel, and how I have felt for what seems like an eternity. The Bills have been a leaky dam throughout this drought. They are good enough about plugging holes on the fly, but as they plug them, new ones pop up.... and depth always bites them. The offense and defense kind of teeter-totter back and forth. Trading up focusing on a position or player is another franchise-undermining symptom. This has gotten them nowhere, save maybe one or two meaningful December games over the course of the 2000s This gives me an appreciation for what the Browns are doing. They tore their dam down completely... then started to build it from the foundation up, taking their time, trying to increase the likelihood of building a much more sustainable dam. I know 'tanking' is a dirty word, and I don't think it would work in the NFL. The Browns' 2016 record was a byproduct of their organizational enema, tearing it down to the studs. They have Hue in there who has time and assurance to build his program. The Titans also did this to a degree and it started to pay off last season and they are setting up for the long-term. A bold long term plan would be so refreshing to see from the Bills. I wouldn't mind only a few wins over the course of a couple seasons.

His own words as acting team president: "the brand has been tarnished". Since then, the time that he promised to fix everything and create a "synergistic" and "forward-thinking" organization... the franchise and brand has gotten even more tarnished if that were possible

he is the cat with 9 lives

They werent chasing 1-15. The goal was to clear the deck and accumulate assets with the long-view in mind. Like has been posted, they have 22 picks in the next 2 drafts, and just had 14 in 2016. The Bills have done the opposite of that... traded up in the draft for little value and spent foolishly. It has gotten them nowhere. The Browns have a real opportunity to build a solid football team, possibly as soon as 2018

How are people not understanding that this is a good deal for Cleveland? Getting Osweiler doesnt put them against the cap in any way, nor are the committed to him. They are free to do what they want with him, pretty much penalty-free as far as competing goes. They landed a 2nd pick in 2018 and a 6th for a 4th. They keep accumulating picks, and when the time comes, they will have many options dealing with their bountiful cap space. They werent spending to the cap this season, and the plan is not to compete as of yet. This 'costs' them nothing as they need to get to the cap floor They are doing what the Bills should be doing. Tear it down to the studs, accumulate picks and quantity, look at a 3-5 year plan (currently in year 2), with the goal of being a perennial contender for a decade+

This. It is very intelligent, and I wish the Bills were thinking like this and rebuilding this way as opposed to chasing 8-8

basically got a 2nd round pick to eat a contract and get closer to the cap floor while they rebuild from the ground up. Smart.

I really like Williams. I hope he finds success in whatever he does. If he does retire soon... I believe he could have a future in football in the way of broadcasting or administrative. He is a bright, likable guy

pass happy league, and the Bills ignore WR, CB, and S