BillsfaninFl

What is the most recent move you remember? And how is my statement about new franchises going to lesser cities incorrect? State your proof. What financial moves has Ralph made in the last 30 years? He has not sold, bought or reorganized any of his major investments in that time according to my research. However, I agree with your last statement. If Buffalo loses trhe Bills, it is unlikely that they would get another NFL team.

Ralph Wilson is not the devil. Nor is he devoted to the fans in Buffalo. He is simply a guy who plunked down 25 grand in a wise investment. Buffalo wasn't his first choice, and he probably wouldn't have taken it second if he knew that it would be a declining population with less industry over the next five decades. So forget about claiming he has any loyalty to western New York. The reality is that he may not have moved the team away because there was no juicy morsel out there just waiting to be picked off the vine. Indianapolis was a good move for the Baltimore Colts. Model then took the leftovers in Baltimore because he was fed up with trying (unsuccessfully) to fleece the Cleveland politicians. So what football paradise was out there in recent years? Certainly not Los Angeles. Back when the Raiders ownership moved there (after the Rams bolted), they learned the hard way that a big population doesn't necessarily mean a huge pricey stadium with filled seats and an adoring local government. It wasn't cheap to move back to Oakland. Want evidence? Since then, the expansion teams were placed in "lesser" cities. Yes, the NFL wants a team in L.A., but they can't seem to lure a sucker to fund it. Toronto is the same as L.A., in that it is not a city filled with passionate NFL fans. So it is questionable that any NFL team would seriously consider the financial risk of moving in recent years. And none have. Wilson is a rich man who made good decisions in his 40s and has been conservatively tending his investments ever since. He has not been a risk-taker for quite a while. That's the real reason why the Bills are still in Buffalo.

Whew! You scared me for a minute there. I thought I wouldn't be able to drink from the new helmet because it leaked.

Will it be... 1. Players win! Ticket prices to soar to keep teams profitable. 2. Owners win! Will raise ticket prices to pay for legal expenses incurred. 3. Everybody wins! Except the fans. 4. Nobody wins! Especially the fans. - or - what headline do you predict?

If you leave a Bills game and get stopped in traffic on the Thruway, and hop out and piss in the bushes along the road, you might be a Bills Fan. If while tailgating you give food to a complete stranger, you might be a Bills fan. If, no matter what happens in the future, you will always cherish your memories of attending games in Buffalo, you might be a Bills fan.

If he couldn't leave New York State at all, he can't play for any team. The Bills play nine out of sixteen games outside of New York. The rest of the league plays either zero or one game in New York.

tax write-off

I have to disagree with you. Recent Lucas sequels and prequels have been good. Wilson got lucky a few times between decades of bumbling. Actually, their similarity is based on the fiction they produce: George on the big screen and Ralph in his interviews.

You talking about his nine kids?

Now this is the kind of senseless post that distracts from serious evaluations of the Bills. I love it. Joejoebills, your life will be enriched if you are able to share your father's appreciation for this kind of humor. The much maligned city of Buffalo is filled with fans who have "paid their dues" over the years by having to tough it out when things go bad. That helps you to see the humor in almost anything. And a few laughs, or even a smile, is a lot better than giving up. Look how easily the pampered fans in Miami cried when their team stumbled. They don't have the stuff that makes Bills fans great. Only we can B word all we want and never lose the ability to suddenly billieve after that "hail Mary" pass succeeds.

History does not agree with you. No, one person cannot decide who will be the Pres, but that's a good thing. But there have been a number of close elections that might have had a different outcome if the people who didn't think their vote influences the results had voted.

That's 37. 38. If the day after the 2011 NFL draft ended, you started discussing the 2012 draft, you might be a Bills fan. 39. If you think Wilson kept the team in Buffalo because of his devotion to the fans in this city, you might be a Bills fan. (Not every owner has the guts to jump to another city. Also, veiled threats to move out if the stadium isn't full have happened way too much for this "desire to keep the team here" to be because of devotion.)

I didn't say the NFL now has the same elite teams every year. I said I would hate to see that happen. My comment about a trend toward that was in reference to the growing influence of the richest owners toward a lesser percentage of revenue sharing (of the total income) among the teams. As the league's revenue sharing becomes less of a priority, the potential is real for a huge financial gap in the future that would create less parity. This is especially true if there is more of an open market for signing players (something that could happen if the players have their way).

There are a number of players in the NFL Hall of Fame who would be "average" if they played (and were in their prime) today. There was not the number of players seeking NFL jobs back then, the pay was not as ludicrous, the resources for getting/keeping in shape were not available, it was not a year-round occupation, etc. But the competition was great and the fans were highly entertained. So it's not necessarily so that the NFL would be boring without the supermen of today. That doesn't mean that I don't want the best players available, I do. But that's because if you offer me fine wine instead of rotgut I will certainly choose the better product. My point is that it's silly to say that without 300 pound giants who can outrun all of us, the NFL would be unentertaining. But those who have stated here that if the league becomes dominated every year by the same few rich teams it will no longer be entertaining are right. So, given the fact that it must financially worthwhile for both the owners and the players to continue, the key point in my opinion is maintaining parity. Other sports are a distant second to the NFL in my mind, because the few dominant teams are the elite almost every year. I would hate to see that be the case in the NFL and frankly have been disturbed by a trend toward that in recent years. So, who do I want to win this fight? I want the fans to win by being able to watch competitive games. As long as that happens, I don't care if the league structure stays the same or changes. Everyone can argue about the many things influencing this, and good points have been made. But I just hope that the end result gives us fans what we deserve.

In view of this revelation, does anyone now not understand why the owners will never disclose their finances? There is corruption, secrets and hard to answer questions in any organization where there are huge sums of money involved. The only exception is Mother Teresa, who forgot the number of her secret Swiss Bank Account (just kidding).

Well stated. There are two discussions going on here. Some participants are offering what they think might happen and others are reacting with what they want to happen. Both valid topics, but they keep swirling around in the same posts.

I have often thought about that. You are probably right.

Thanks. I was out of the country and missed that discussion.

First Adrian Peterson says the NFL is modern-day slavery, then Rashad Mendenhall agrees with him. But Mendenhall goes further by blasting people for being happy that the killer of thousands of Americans has finally got his just reward. He chastises us for hating a man (Osama Bin Laden) who we haven't heard speak. Actually, the World has heard him speak several times and boast about the killings he planned and funded. Rashad doesn't believe that the highjacked planes took down the World Trade Center on 9/11. He mentions that we haven't heard the other side of the story. Then, after he loses an endorsement deal he acts like his comments were misinterpreted. In a way, it's humorous that these young men get a lot of money and a little fame, then shoot themself in the foot. It's sad, too. Mendenhall is probably a fine young man who is wrong about a few things, but has a right to express his thoughts. As a result, there will be a lot of people who hate him. I don't hate anyone, I didn't dance in the street when I heard about Bin Laden's death. But I believe it was a just end for a criminal who promoted the killing a lot of people during the last fifteen years, including a large number of his own people. But the point is celebrities can be their own worst enemies by hurting their reputation. And beyond the PR, it can hit them financially. For example, Michael Vick lost a lot of money by missing NFL time during the peak of his career. It's sad.

No. The team that drafted them still has their rights. Several players have gone to the CFL or other leagues, but if they come to the NFL the drafting team still has exclusive rights. Jim Kelly was an example of that situation.

There is a new breed of owners in the NFL. Forget about the cultural rules that used to be considered. The new owners who push the league around (Jones, Snyder, etc.) don't care about whether the NFL will be going strong in 20 years. They want as much money as they can get, now. Toronto will have a team, even if it will eventually fail. Just like Los Angeles will have another team even if it will eventually fail.

Good job Edward's Arm. I find it interesting that Ralph Wilson said, "Tom does a good job, but he doesn't make the last call. He puts the [draft] board up. But it comes down to making the last decision. That's not Tom." Doesn't this sound like Wilson saying it's not Modrak's fault that the Bills have drafted so poorly? Then what was the reason for firing Modrak? Of course, Wilson has regularly put his foot in his mouth in recent years, so this is nothing unusual. I'm glad they dumped Modrak, but if he's not among the final decision makers, the problem has not been solved.

There's a rumor going around that he got permission from the league to wear a special uniform when he plays: sumo wrestler.

Some good points made here from both sides of the aisle. I believe they drafted for size and got it. I hope Dareus has a Ray Lewis mentality throughout his career, instead of what happened with the former TE, then LT, who got a big head and his performance declined. "He who must not be named" will never reach his potential. But Marcell has a chance to be a great one for the Bills for a long time. I can't say this was a great draft, but at least it doesn't smell bad as of today. Williams (OL), McCargo and Maybin had an odor from day one. So maybe it will turn out to be a good draft. Let's hope. But don't expect too much from our new rookies. I would have liked to see more additions to the front seven on defense, but maybe a couple of the BDs will end up being fitures on this team. I sure hope the Bills will find a way to get a decent pass-catching tight end and another defensive end who can rush the passer before the season starts (via whatever method). Regarding next season, I believe they will do better because... 1. This is the team's second season with the Chan and Company system. 2. Our young offensive linemen are maturing. 3. We are bound to win a couple of additional games compared to the record number that we let slip away last year.