May Day 10

the key with being a 'shill' for a team(s) is how the content is developed and presented. the way that Sabres show is presented is lazy and terrible. If you are going to sit back, conceive hairbrained ideas on the spot, and take callers and argue with them with the team's point of view its an unlistenable disaster. Murphy's show is so much better because instead of pushing agendas, the content is pre-developed. Lots of interviews. Murphy is intelligent so he can monologue about the team and football for swaths of time... and they leave the Bills bubble and discuss the entire NFL. They can have plenty of content with so much access to both organizations. Then you have the Bandits. Possibly UB Sports. Canisius and Niagara B-Ball and Football. St Bonaventure B-Ball. Bisons/Redwings/Skychiefs. Syracuse University stuff, Amerks, Elmira Jackals, Erie Otters, High School Sports, try to push East in NY and South into PA... Then feature shows on any number of those and the Bills... A Sports desk. You name it. The possibilities are endless and would be a dream for me to watch all the time. They can pull it off. Ted Black is a big broadcast guy I believe. I just dont know the monetary logistics of launching a network (or carrying a foxsports/comcast network name), how much production is compared to viewership, ads, and if it costs to carry all those events and stuff. I also believe subscription television is on the verge of being completely changed in the next 5 years or so to more of an internet/subscription/on demand based thing.

I believe he runs sort of live gambling show in Vegas or something. They gotta also show old ecw and aussie football late at night

or else what, McNair?

Any aspirations anyone in that room had in moving the Bills anywhere (Toronto) was likely dashed shortly after Wilson died and rumblings that Pegula was being discussed at owners meetings. There is likely a plan B now or a few possible plan Bs that now all include the Bills staying in Buffalo with Pegula as owner.

So sponsors are going to start pressuring the nfl into decisions on who plays and who doesnt? Budweiser basically markets and delivers poison

miami takeover

no. Kelly basically "owns" part of the Bills anyway in the way of his legacy. He is probably their most recognizable alum (besides OJ). We do know Pegula is motivated to provide an open door for alumni to be involved.

well one thing he learned with the Sabres was the damage letting a guy walk for nothing will do. I know with the NFL the deadline is a lot earlier, and teams will not quite as easily toss draft picks around... but any way that they can maximize assets as opposed to just letting them walk away will be explored

I loooooove that sports gambling show. It's straight out of sketch comedy

I agree. I believe a heck of a lot of this result is due to timing and the presence and interest of Pegula However, the out of town bidders from LA, that Chicago family, and probably others were turned away and Toronto kind of restricted itself for a reason, and I think Ralph's family/trust had an assist in that and probably direct instruction, legal or otherwise from Mr Wilson. Without Pegula though, this could have been a lot more hairy... but in that case, we could have possibly seen Jacobs/his kid get more serious along with Golisano, Gundlach, etc. Bottom line is, Mr Wilson created this team here. Agreed to a deal that locked them into WNY which was the difference when he passed and the team was sold. And it looks like the team will be here as far as you can see. The Wilsons made a killing, but could have sold everyone out for a lot more. Mr Wilson as a 93 year old man could have said "year to year lease or pound sand" and I'm not sure the County could have really made him do otherwise.

werent the reports saying Pegula's name was being talked about at the owners meetings in March (or early April?) months before Pegula was even reported to be interested in the franchise?

i go to Philly a lot. I made note of it and will never go to this place. Low class move by the co-owner. McCoy can tip whatever he chooses.

I saw the balloon and the "explosion". That was cool. Very cool without power. Worst part was power was restored briefly, I went to a packed bathroom when the power went out... we are talking Howe Caverns darkness.

agreed

I agree GG. Sullivan actually has writing talent, but chooses to be cynical all the time which many people hate. Bucky is just a transparent axe grinding troll and Harrington followed suit.

Its a lottery. Maybe 2% of people there will cross the line and/or be physically aggressive. Its easy to placate people around you by being cool, poking fun at your own team, buying someone a beer... but at some point you have to roll the dice with the masses and get a burger, go to the bathroom, or leave the stadium. Its just not worth it in a 'rabid' stadium. Somewhere with a rabid following going to a place like Arizona or Jax or Miami is fine because you have sheer numbers

Right next to the pats' cheating tapes?

many/most Sabres fans at the time were very much ready and clamoring for Regier and Ruff to be sent packing and one of the reasons Pegula had as much hype as he had.... But then the team caught fire that spring and completely muddied the water.

If the team doesnt show improvement this season, why not play the long game with executives who have a track record? Why roll the dice on unprovens? NFL teams dont need to take a decade to build. Seattle and San Francisco installed culture changing figures and were up and running within 1 or 2 years (and Seattle completely whiffed on the LB from Wake Forest forget his name). Denver too I recall picking ahead of us and got into gear swiftly (and they whiffed on Tebow). Teams go from top 5 in the draft to playoff teams left and right and the Bills sit there always with excuses and scapegoats. We will see what happens with this season though. I still see a 6-10 season staring at us. They would be crazy not to install a new structure if thats the case again.

its just really funny because for like 12 reasons, this is the one game that this wont/cant work. Honoring Wilson Honoring Kelly's recovery Pegula/Ownership 1-0 Opening Day One of the Three nice weather home games we will get

there are only 712 tickets on stubhub right now and other than 2 sales, the cheapest tickets are $160 plus fees.

Pegula got kicked around pretty bad for retaining Ruff and Regier for so/too long

this isnt based on reality. So the team employee (just a marketing guy I guess?) convinced/fooled all the billionaires to make less money in Buffalo? Sorry, those with the gold make the rules. That's Ralph Wilson and Terry Pegula. Have the NFL owners ever rejected a lease agreement between one of its clubs and Government when money is getting handed over? Its not pitchforks and torches. Its a terrible football organization who has finished last place 6 times in a row in a 4 team Division now under this man's leadership. If anyone has been scapegoating its the Bills organization whenever somebody leaves (Levy Modrak, Guy, Nix, Jauron, Gailey, etc). One skin of the teeth win does not convince me all is well. We will see how this season goes, but anywhere short of a huge step forward we need an overhaul up top. Not to mention Pegula put faith in questionable management with the Sabres (who actually had a track record that included some success) and it blew up in his face and he was just killed publicly and by the media. It also cost 2-3 years from the goal.

I think people are vastly overstating Russ' responsibility of the Bills staying in Buffalo. The billionaires make all the rules and the politicians do their best to keep them at bay. The Lease and NRA was a joint agreement between Wilson, Erie, and NYS. I also dont know if his "marketing genius" cant be replaced fairly easily. Its NFL football. Its Buffalo. RWS is a great party. People will go. I dont go because Russ Brandon did anything. My 10 friends I go with dont either. So he moved training camp to his alma mater. Whooptee doo. I would have done the same thing in his position. We also had terribly conceived pajama uniforms and Toronto Series as well. There are hundreds if not thousands of sports business types who can make NFL teams profitable. If Brandon does anything, he angers me as a fan using his December sellouts and "manufactured sellouts", and pointing to ticket sales 25 years ago as leverage publicly while in the midst of 6 consecutive last place seasons. I wouldnt hate it if they walled him off into a strict Ted Black role. Never to be mistaked for on-field influence again. No more war rooms, no more speaking about the makeup of the roster, no more scouting with a laptop during games, no more on the field in coaches gear at practice. That all ends. So opposite of Brandon (if he accepts) his diminished Ted Black role, we need a football man in. Dont know exactly who. That man determines the fate of Whaley and the coaching staff. This man will be responsible for all pro and college scouting, analytics, player development, contracts (if he wants a cap guy thats cool or defer it completely to Whaley), etc... No subtractions will be made anytime soon though. If anything, Pegula may install some management on top of what exists (maybe Littman and Overdorf resign?). After the season is when changes will/would be made.

No doubt... but Goodell said the relocation discussion/vote would be completely separate and later if necessary. The owner will be vetted based on his credentials, and as far as we know, Pegula's are immaculate. I have little doubt power brokers in the NFL were planning to some degree to slide the Bills to Toronto once Mr Wilson passed. The lease/NRA, the timing of Mr Wilson's passing, and the presence of Terry Pegula made it impossible and I am sure they moved on to plan B some time ago. My theory is: Magic Johnson and pals will make Davis an offer he cant refuse. Kroenke will move the Rams to LA. We will see a Meadowlands-type facility in LA which will be the West Coast jerry world. Then we will see San Diego leverage St Louis into seeing who will build a stadium first. Then after that, we will hear of expansion between Toronto, London, San Diego/St Louis loser, and San Jose/Oakland... whichever 2 cities gets the best stadium together with the best lease deal and owner(s) willing to pay a premium for entry into the league.