agardin

Denver D is pretty good, the NE game notwithstanding. I don't like the Bills chances of even being competitive. Tebow has been really good at not turning it over and unless the Bills get 4 turnovers they will lose. The good news is that with every Bills loss the Jets SOS gets worse which may impact their ability to make the playoffs, if it goes down to tie breakers. So I have got that working for me.

I think a 90% capacity is reasonable. I know Bills fans like to think of Toronto as part of the Buffalo market when discussing Buffalo's market size as it pertains to possible relocation, but having the games blacked out in Toronto doesn't make a ton of sense. Toronto is 100 miles from Buffalo certainly outside the 75 mile radius and there is a matter that it is in a different country. Maybe they think we can take a boat across lake Ontario thereby putting Toronto within the 75 mile limit. Anyway, the new TV deal means that the actual attendance of these games is more important for TV optics than for than it is for its contribution to the bottom line.

Flutie and Tebow have a lot of similarities. Household college kids, Heismann winners with questions around their ability to play at the NFL. Flutie knows better than most that players like Tebow won't get an opportunity to learn and improve on the job. 6'4, 235 QBs with cannons get very long looks in the NFL. If Tebow doesn't win a playoff game his next stop will be the CFL as well. No matter the fan backlash, Fox and Elway will make Tebow gone. It is hard to believe that Rob Johnson took over from Flutie, after Flutie essentially saved the Bills franchise in WNY, but it happended. It will happen with Tebow as well if he doesn't do something in the playoffs. The NFL is far too rigid to see what they have in Tebow and cater to it. Ryan Leaf stays in the NFL for years after he is an obvious bust, Tebow will not be afforded that opportunity. Sad, I am pulling for him. Hard to imagine calling one of the greatest college payers of all time an underdog, but he is.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81e4d644/article/potential-franchisetag-numbers-highlighted-by-increase-for-dts Last years franchise tag numbers, average of top 3 WRs in the league, was at 11.5 million for this season. I would image it goes up from here, I like Johnson and I would like to resign him but you cant pay him the franchise number. Just because he is the the best on the Bills and he has some leverage doesn't mean you pay him as a top 3. Even for one year. I would pay him in the 7 million a year mark which sounds like what the Bills stance is. Good player, far from dominant. The only caveat is that the Bills likely have to overpay to lure a replacement player so the cost to replace Johnson with someone of equal skill might be higher. Here is the list of potential WR free agents. http://www.footballsfuture.com/2012/fa/wr.html

Not sure if this has been posted. Interesting read. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/kerry_byrne/11/29/tim.tebow/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t13_a2

I was at one of those games and Jenkins was unblockable. Of course Dick J went for it on fourth and then ran right at Jenkins. I sat back in my seat in disbelief and proceeded to curse for a minute.

I would say yes to Clausen, he stunk his first year at ND too and every year he got better. I know he sucked last year on a brutalteam but the Bills need a back up QB and could do worse than someone who has some game experience and upside. Clausen is a hard worker and is driven, the small amount the Bills would have to give up to get him would be worth it. He has an NFL arm and maybe in the right situation could be an NFL starter which is more than I can say for the Bills current backups.

s I would be one of those people. Live in Toronto but have seasons for the Ralph. The two games, one preason and one regular season cost the same as the entire season ticket package for Bufallo. Way too expensive and the Rogers Centre sucks. I am glad the Bills can add some revenue and if it adds more Bills fans in the GTA, great.

Maybe its time the Vikings gassed up the boat and headed for international waters.

I don't know if things have changed with the recent health care changes but I have heard that players lose their health insurance after a certain amount of time post retirement and then when they do have to go and get some, 'pre-existing conditions' render the policies extremely expensive if they can be purchased at all. So long term health care may not be the red herring after all. I am not American so I am not sure of all the facts on that one.

I would say that you draft with future production in mind, which I what I believe NFL teams do anyway, so I don't think draft boards would change too much one way or the other.

Not to get into general economic theory but...You might like this quote on 'trickel down' economic theory- " the less than elegant methaphor that if one feeds the horse enough oats, some will pass through the road to the sparrows " John Kenneth Galbriath.

Does your store have a revenue sharing agreement with its employees as well as salary caps, floors, franchise tags and retricted free agency? If not then the example is moot. Comparing 'real life ' business examples and the NFL is hard to do. IMO, that is why the owners and players will have a hard time garnering any public support, most of us just can't relate to billionaires v millionaires.

I would agree that the owners have more leverage but that would be eroded substanially if they can't get at their TV dollars this year. Debt on all those stadiums need to be serviced and if they don't have cash flow that could be difficult. I have no idea as to what Jerry owes on his stadium but if he has to renegotiate terms that could be very bad for him, after writing that I am not sure I don't want that to happen. Schadenfreude is not a likable emotion but when it comes to Jerry, I can't help myself.

All of these percentages are relevant because there is a salary cap and floor. If these caps didn't exist then it would be correct to compare them to normal businesses in terms of turning over financial records. The truth is that with a CBA and salary cap the players are not able to get the highest possible contracts. Sounds crazy but if there was an open market,no cap,no franchise tags and restrictions on player movement (as is the case in normal businesses) I am pretty sure players like Manning and Brady would actually make more. In a free and flowing market place, you are worth your marginal product, if you aren't being paid like that you would leave and if you were you would stay, ceteris paribus. This is not the case with the NFL. Don't get me wrong, I love the salary cap and the parity it produces. Without it, the Bills would be long gone or a farm team for the haves of the NFL, see MLB as an example.

D. Smith isn't helping his cause by using terms like Digg it, whats next, is he going to tell Goodell to 'sit on it' As for Kraft and Brady. Kraft should get on his knees and thank the good lord for what Brady has done for him. Sure he just extended him but he is the best player in the league, reigning MVP and the reason that Kraft is making as much money as he is. Also, Brady signed below market on the last contract so Kraft should take the higher road on this one.

I agree, the owners lawyer did say they would hand over the last 5 years of financial records to an agreed upon 3rd party as well as an audited annual for the 32 teams but there is likely more to it than that. The idea, from what I can tell, is that the rookie salary cap would be used to save the owners money but those savings wouldn't go to increase veteran salaries but to keep them the same for the next two years. I have a hard time rooting for either party in this situation but I am leaning towards the players. The only thing holding me back is I want whatever gives the Bills the best chance to stay in Buffalo. Not sure if either party really cares about small market teams, I suppose the owners of the small market teams do but you never know the motivations as more money to them simpy means a higher price when they sell to the new owners. I would say that the NHL strike a few years back did help the Sabres quite a bit, so I am hopeful that whatever the agreement within the NFL helps in that regard. Not holding my breath, just hopeful.

Didn't see it posted. Dear NFL Fan, When I wrote to you last on behalf of the NFL, we promised you that we would work tirelessly to find a collectively bargained solution to our differences with the players' union. Subsequent to that letter to you, we agreed that the fastest way to a fair agreement was for everyone to work together through a mediation process. For the last three weeks I have personally attended every session of mediation, which is a process our clubs sincerely believe in. Unfortunately, I have to tell you that earlier today the players' union walked away from mediation and collective bargaining and has initiated litigation against the clubs. In an effort to get a fair agreement now, our clubs offered a deal today that was, among other things, designed to have no adverse financial impact on veteran players in the early years, and would have met the players’ financial demands in the latter years of the agreement. The proposal we made included an offer to narrow the player compensation gap that existed in the negotiations by splitting the difference; guarantee a reallocation of savings from first-round rookies to veterans and retirees without negatively affecting compensation for rounds 2-7; no compensation reduction for veterans; implement new year-round health and safety rules; retain the current 16-4 season format for at least two years with any subsequent changes subject to the approval of the league and union; and establish a new legacy fund for retired players ($82 million contributed by the owners over the next two years). It was a deal that offered compromise, and would have ensured the well-being of our players and guaranteed the long-term future for the fans of the great game we all love so much. It was a deal where everyone would prosper. We remain committed to collective bargaining and the federal mediation process until an agreement is reached, and call on the union to return to negotiations immediately. NFL players, clubs, and fans want an agreement. The only place it can be reached is at the bargaining table. While we are disappointed with the union's actions, we remain steadfastly committed to reaching an agreement that serves the best interest of NFL players, clubs and fans, and thank you for your continued support of our League. First and foremost it is your passion for the game that drives us all, and we will not lose sight of this as we continue to work for a deal that works for everyone. Yours, Roger Goodell

5.4 forty is crazy slow. Can he feel the heat and step up or out and see down field and will he know the blitz is coming and be able to hit the hot receiver. These would be better skill sets but in todays NFL with eloborate blitz packages and over loads he could have some real trouble unless he plays behind the best O line and blocking RBs in the league. Sadly that does not describe the Bills. A 5.4/40 would likely make him one of the slowest Qbs in the league and that time will get worse not better with time.

I know that the blowback from his comments are negative from GMs, scouts and pundits but I wonder what owners actually think. Maybe Ralph would want an entertainer and an icon. Maybe he would like to sell more season tickets, more national coverage and more money all around. I am not so sure those comments would upset a number of owners. I am not saying Newton should be picked, but I am saying that the league is a business and plenty of draft picks bust. So an owner might be tempted to take a guy that can sell a few more jerseys and put fans in seats. Essentially, an owner would be riding the hype wave and who knows the guy might actually be good. I believe that Newton is likely a few years away but no one can argue that he doesn't have a ton of potential and due to certain unknowns a higher bust %.

great minds think alike, see my post two spots above. I think this is the scenario that the league and players will end up with it makes sense on a lot of levels and would produce the extra revenue the league is looking for.

How about the top 8 teams getting into the playoffs top 4 get a bye and the bottom 4 play a wild card game no division winner seeds. This would increase the revenues the NFL wants, it is only an extra game for two teams that would want to play them anyway, the ratings would be better which is the main revenue driver for the league and it would increase the number of games that may matter. Think about it, the BIlls may not be mathematically eliminated before Halloween. Sure, it would dilute the caliber of teams making the playoffs but the current system has problems see the Seahawks. Check out the top 8 from last year. I wouldn't mind if these teams made it in. http://www.nfl.com/standings?category=conf

I thought I heard at the combine that Marecic would likely play FB in the NFL. Not sure, it is just what Mayock was saying.

I too believe Clausen will be better next year. I know he didn't look good last year as a rookie but every year at ND Clausen improved dramatically. I am expecting the same thing to happen in Carolina. I believe that Clausen has the work ethic and drive to make it happen. I would also imagine that he isn't too happy with all this QB to Carolina talk and has a chip on his shoulder. I guess at the end of the day, if Clausen does get better and they draft Newton, the Panthers would be in a enviable position. Could be a Brees/Rivers situation.