uncle flap

Of course an astute fellow such as yourself knows this, but so that others aren't misled I must admit that handsome devil is not me, but is actually Ralph Wilson sporting his Navy uniform: http://static.nfl.co...lson_pg_600.jpg

Thx! and I agree. I certainly would've welcomed Britt, but there are plenty of other intriguing options. Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet 4m Kenny Britt’s deal with the #Rams is worth $1.4M base, but incentives could take it to $2.9M, source says.

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk 41s Rams sign WR Kenny Britt to one year deal. League source.

1. Since you already decided a quote from 3 years ago has no bearing on this topic, I doubt reminding you of Pegula's quote about owning the Sabres will further bolster my case that there is a substantial emotional and civic contingent to the topic, and to my contention that it is not simply about the money. Does 3 weeks ago count as "these days?" Because that's when the Bills decided to postpone the Toronto series - which is also widely understood to be a precursor to canceling the remainder of the series altogether. If it were all about the money as you say, I doubt the Bills would have cut that cord, despite not making as much money as they had in the previous deal. 2. Do you actually not know how a new stadium could be funded? Or are you contending that it couldn't be? I personally don't know what parties would contribute and to what extent those parties would respectively contribute in terms of percentages, as we don't know the location/design/cost of a new stadium. However, Buffalo and WNY is on the upswing, the population has finally stopped its trickling decline, and Cuomo is sending boatloads of cash here. I think it's interesting that Ciminelli is developing the RiverBend project and has been named to the New Stadium Working Group by the Bills. The state has ponied up millions over the years for stadium upgrades and renovations. I don't think it's a stretch for them to do the same for a new stadium, or a retrofit, if either of those options are on the table. 3. Who are the fans and politicians claiming that they/we can't afford higher ticket prices? With few exceptions, I've seen the opposite, at least in the sense that a common sentiment among fans is "I would be willing to pay X amount more per ticket if it meant that the Bills stayed in Buffalo." The Sabres put together a couple good runs and now they have a waiting list for season tickets, and generally a lucrative secondary market. The Bills could certainly do the same. People with more expertise than you or I will determine whether or not there will be PSLs; and if there are PSL, what they will cost. I won't speculate on what people can and can't afford, but I have no reason to think that they couldn't afford an increase. I'm not rich by any means, but as you originally proposed in this very thread, I would certainly give up going out to dinner a couple times a year if those few hundred dollars meant I could keep my season tickets, and so would every fan that I know. I pay what I pay for season tickets because that's what they cost. If they cost more, I'd pay more. Fortunately for me, it wouldn't be a hardship. I get that your contention is that most people aren't like me and couldn't afford an increase in ticket prices, but I don't know what you're basing that on. Same with your apparent contention that the state can't afford to subsidize a stadium. They certainly could, and although it's totally valid to think that they wouldn't, outside of an on-the-record statement eliminating that possibility, I'll remain optimistic.

Furthermore, if "the bottom line is MONEY," why didn't Ralph Wilson move the team?

Gundlach has said he would buy the Bills to keep them in Buffalo. http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2011/05/26/bills-draw-another-interested-buyer/

Trust ≠ Will The terms of a will are public and the terms of a trust are not. I'm curious as to why you would jump to the conclusions that you've made in this post, considering every news item covering this topic has failed to report your assertions and even flat out contradicted some.

The members of the trust have not been named publicly but from what I hear the three primary members are Littmann, Brandon, and Erkie Kailbourne.

Are you familiar with the Buffalo Fan Alliance? http://www.buffalofanalliance.org/buffalofan/The_BFA_Plan.html

RIP

Dr. StrangeRuss or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Con

Not that it's a total deal breaker, but the Panthers are pretty tight against the cap. They're already gonna have to do some restructuring and/or make some cuts just to be able to sign their draft picks, and Britt may not want to wait around while they iron all that out.

I'm a big fan of Desean Jackson but I want Marquise Goodwin to fill that role. Not that Jackson can't put up a decent fight for a jump ball, but Britt is more of a Red Zone threat and adds another dimension (namely size) that the Bills currently lack.

They took Whitner instead of Jay Cutler because they had JP Losman. They took Leodis instead of Flacco because they had Tent Edwards. They passed on a buttload of QBs because of Fitz. Hell, I love Dareus but when you need a QB and are sitting at #3 overall there are a variety of moves that can be made to get *someone* that's likely to be better than Fitz. Then Kaepernick fell in their lap and they still passed. Gailey was running a pistol and Kaepernick passed for over 2000 yards and rushed for over 1000 yards three straight seasons out of the pistol. W T F Forgive me if I don't give Bills QBs the longest leash. I've already said that EJ should start this coming year no matter when/if they draft another QB. But passing on one of the top prospects better be because they think that prospect will be a bust, not because they need to wait and see about EJ. Hope is for the fans. The FO needs to be pragmatic.

I agree with Beerball wrt not passing on a guy they like. I outlined the likely possibilities regarding EJ's trajectory in another thread a while back but I think it bears repeating here: Furthermore, say that the Bills pass on a guy they like this year but find themselves in need of a QB next year. But what if there isn't a QB that they like in the draft? We can name names about who we expect to be there, but the Bills might not have a high enough draft pick, or some prospect breaks his back, or whatever. So then they're back where they started. If I'm the Bills, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Passing on QBs because they think hope they got their guy might be the single most detrimental factor when looking at the lack of playoff appearances over the past decade. Having Clowney or Mack or Watkins or your choice of the OTs is not going to get the team very far without a QB. Of course teams need blue chip talent in areas besides QB to win, but unless you're doing everything you can to get a top tier QB, your team is spinning its wheels. The Bills are in prime position to "burn" a pick on a QB. With a young core, if it turns out they're lacking a non-QB blue chipper, well, that's what free agency is for. ... tl;dr Don't pass on a QB you like if you aren't 100% positive that you've got a bona fide franchise QB. The position is too important. It's far easier to fill other holes later in the draft or free agency.

Good stuff man. Hard to argue anything here without nit picking. Add some pics/video and you got yourself your own blog!

I gotta chime in again. The scheme or philosophy had nothing to do with CJ's "struggles" last year. I put that in quotes bc despite being banged up he still had a 4.6 ypc which was tied for 9th among RBs. Then, consider that that 4.6 ypc is good for a tie for 4th among RBs with over 200 carries. Also, don't forget that he was 15th overall in rushing yards (FJ was 16th)... All on a team with inexperienced QBs and a makeshift O line. But those "excuses" aside, had he been fully healthy, he would've been even better. It's not like Fred was better and CJ just stunk. Freddie had some more receiving yards, but like I mentioned upthread- the book is out on Spiller. Defenses aren't going to give up all those screens to him when they are keying on on him and no one else. Riddle me this: If you're facing the Bills- don't you have a safety or LB "spying" CJ just in case they call a screen or a swing pass? I'd rather give Chandler or SJ room in the middle because even if EJ makes the right read, both of those guys are getting caught from behind. I'm not trying to put this all on EJ, but until he proves that he can hurt defenses in a variety of ways, defenses are going to key on the run game, and CJ in particular. Is CJ expendable? Sure, but only in the sense most NFL RBs are to varying degrees. Certainly not because of his particular "fit" to the scheme or philosophy. Is CJ worth a huge extension? Probably not, but not because he isn't talented or doesn't fit on the Bills. It's because good teams can rely on their QB and can get by with an adequate RB or two. If the Bills can sign him to a reasonable extension, great. He's one of my favorite Bills and I'd hate to see him go. I think most of us are on the same page here, but I can't get with the idea that the offense was bad because CJ isn't that good, or that he's a poor fit. CJ didn't seem that good because the offense as a whole wasn't that good.

Three things, IMO. 3. Defenses completely keying on CJ knowing that there is an unstable QB (pick any of the 3) behind an unstable line. Not mention the inexperienced and/or banged up receivers. People are conflating cause and effect here. CJ looked bad because the offense as a whole was bad. The offense wasn't bad because CJ was bad. If EJ can develop into even a slightly above average QB, CJ (and by extension, the offense as a whole) will look a lot better.

I mean Vincent definitely hit him and injured him, and Losman had the red no contact jersey on. But there were rumblings that Vincent did it because Losman was sort of showing up the D on his scrambles bc he knew they couldn't hit him.

Vincent allegedly hit Losman too hard in practice and injured him.

Another YOGRT I'd like to see the Bills bring in is Eben Britton, if Chicago lets him walk.

To the bolded: I think you're exactly right, if you mean "we" as in "we, the fans." The silver lining is that the Bills will be in good cap shape for the foreseeable future, even if they make a bunch of seemingly expensive signings. Totally agree, but so do most GMs. With revenues and the cap soaring, those bargain FAs look less and less like bargains - at least to us as fans.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Carpenter re-signed in the next couple days. I'm sure they have an offer for him on the table, and he is just doing his own due diligence to make sure some other team doesn't come calling with something substantially better. Same with Chandler. Someone *might* throw a huge contract his way, but unless some other team blows him away with an offer (unlikely), he will re-sign too. I think you're right about the mid-tier LB and/or OL, but like I mentioned in another thread, they might cost a little more than we fans would expect.

I too have a hunch that they are looking to move up, and I think it would be for Manziel, Watkins, or Mack. I want Watkins the most out of those three, but I think they'd have to get St Louis's #2 overall pick to guarantee that they get him, and that price would be too high, IMO. If Watkins is still on the board at #5, I think it wouldn't be too tough to make a deal with the Raiders. Give them #9 and #41 and the deal's done. I'd be cool with giving up the Bills second rounder if they can eliminate some of their holes in FA. If they can do the following, they will be in good shape to strictly do BPA in the middle and late rounds of the draft: A.) re-sign Byrd (still think there's a very good possibility of that), B.) add an ILB (if they lose Moats), C.) re-sign Chandler (or don't, Moeaki, Smith, and Gragg should be serviceable. Also, I don't think Ebron or any of the other "move" TEs in the draft are locks to be game changers), D.) add some OL (There are plenty of guys out there besides the "names" that would be instant upgrades. Hairston is allegedly ready to go as well, so I'm hopeful Whaley can get the OL fixed without too much trouble). In the above scenario, I could see the Bills getting a decent RB in the third (Andre Williams?), and maybe some D line and secondary depth. And a punter for good measure.

You are correct, sir. Despite my personal feelings about Spikes, I would welcome him because he would indeed be a great fit. I agree that they most likely won't overspend for a part time LB, however with the cap rising and the recent installation of a cap floor, the term "overspend" is becoming more and more relative. As is the phrase "team friendly." Anyway, I'm not advocating that they should sign Spikes to a seemingly exorbitant contract, but the Bills may be on his short list considering Pepper Johnson's arrival and the opportunity to get after the Pats* twice a year. So I can envision him signing here for an amount that most of us would consider too high, while forgetting the oft made argument re: Byrd that in many cases today's contracts will look like bargains in the near future. Obviously with the cap and revenues rising, player salaries will as well. I just picture much more of a variety among compensations for positions traditionally considered on the lower tier- 2 down LB, TE, S, and G, for example. Teams have to spend their money *somewhere*, so I won't be surprised when the Bills spend "too much" on a two down LB or any other position deemed as a need - especially considering how much space the Bills currently have at their disposal.