Homey D. Clown
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Posts posted by Homey D. Clown
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I had mentioned several months ago in one of these threads that Golisano had made a statement like this, but to respond to some comments about ralph wilson, I think it's not rational to look at what he did to keep the team in Buffalo in the past, but rather what is he doing now.
What he is doing now is holding on to his team till he passes, and not planning on anything other than an auction to the highest bidder. That doesn't sound like a great plan to me, and if you think this team has no chance of relocating, you're seriously kidding yourselves.
It's great to keep a positive outlook on what will happen post ralph, but it really drives me nuts when I hear and read people saying Ralph is doing what he can to ensure this team stays here. Make no mistake about it, the only thing he is ensuring is that his survivors don't get hit with capital gains taxes, sorry of the truth rains on your optimism.
The best I can do with this situation is hope for the best, but expect the worst, but I am in now way thanking Ralph any longer.
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what a tool...
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Sadly, this thread echos many statements made by me and other people on this board, but for some reason there is a tremendous amount of support around here that will disagree and say you should be so lucky to even have the team still, and that you should be thanking him for keeping the team in WNY all these years.
It's funny I was literally thinking exactly what the OP said this morning, and how it feels like the wheels at one bills drive are stuck in the mud, but not at T-Pegville.
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read some of the NY Giants boards, they think he is the 2nd coming of Urlacher. I however don't see him as that good, but a team without depth will never be great, and he is a good starter, but a great backup, plus with better personnel around him, he may even prove to me he's better than that. Right now it's too hard to assess his abilities when he's out of the lineup due to injury, or playing out of position when blockers can get through our front line.
Regardless of your view of his game, this team will not be better off without him on the team, and that's really the bottom line.
structure his pay to be more incentive based, and keep him, but this is the Buffalo Bills, and he will be gone. Nobody loses talent like the Buffalo Bills.
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I guess you could take exception with the tone or the writing style but I still think his assessment is right on the money. I think he relied on a little sensationalism to try to drive home a rather obvious point that people seem to be ignoring. I will honestly be shocked and happy if Merriman makes any significant contribution on the field. My best and wildest hope is that he is as good as a Chris Kelsay. A no name plugger that just occupies space but does not shine in any way.
By the way. The Broncos are my 3rd favorite team now. Light in the pants Von Miller might have been ok too but Darues is the huge athletic presence that our undersized and slow defense needs.
Buddy wasn't here to make the call but the thing with Ralph that kills me is that he took a few million dollar flier on a has been like Merriman but he won't pay an extra million to renegotiate and resign a proven probowler. Just doesn't make sense.
yeah me too on Von Miller, I was calling him Aaron Maybin part2. I guess what got me on the article was how basic and pointless it was to write on a topic so irrelevant and "matter of Fact" that it just felt like high school paper journalism. With Shawn Merriman, I am also in the camp of low expectations with the hope of being pleasantly surprised, as are a vast majority of Bills fans, which made his article look even more amateur.
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What in Merriman's performance in the last 3 years gives you optimism?
Love your signature by the way. Dareus hasn't played a down yet but so far Carolina is my second favorite team.
I'm not optimistic really, I just didn't care for the amount of negative bias he showed in his article. Basically, it's much easier to write an article based on recent historical performances, rather that speculate on the possibility of him returning to some level of previous form. Then, he might be wrong, and everyone who writes about sports these days write as if they're never wrong, because if they're articles tend to be, then media masses won't think much of their opinion. It was a lame-ass weak minded approach to something that will probably come true anyway, and instead of being objective, he can say "I told you so Bills fans"
And thanks on the sig comment, I was shaking in my boots thinking the Bills might have gotten stuck with Vince Young Part 2...
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A first for the NFL. Nice to see a season ticket holder get the project.
Before the Ralph is cheap talk starts this is a County project.
Ralph is cheap, he's making the county pay for it.
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How some of these guys get a gig writing articles is mind boggling. I know there isn't much to write about right now, but I wasted my time reading what amounted to blatantly biased opinion. The internet has definitely watered down the quality of journalism, and this article is a prime example of someone writing an article based solely on a conversation he probably had with someone standing next to him at the urinals.
Seriously mind boggling... Bucky has my mind sufficiently boggled.
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show me the baby.
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Hmmm...let's see...
2011 'League Season' will begin on July 28th; Bills training camp scheduled to open at SJF on July 29th. Coincidental? I think not.
With so much money at stake for both players and owners, did anyone really think - deep down - that a new CBA wouldn't get done in time?
I like sneeky little facts like this, I hope you're right, this offseason has been killing me.
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Good article, but i'm still very hesitant to get excited.
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I don't think he is maroon.....taupe, chartreuse, with a touch of salmon....but not maroon
I was thinking Burnt Sienna
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regardless of what you think of him his message was very well presented to probably the biggest collection of egomaniacs on the planet, and while most of them will let it filter through their earholes, the speech contained excellent advice. If you don't sprinkle some humour in these types of speeches, people simply tune it out.
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any two starting right tackles, or all of them for that matter, but put all the names into a hat and take your pick.
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Poz may not be the best LB in the league but why can't anyone realize what we have in the guy? he could start on 30 teams in the NFL, if not 32.
I agree, he is a guy that would look completely different with some help from the front 4
Interesting that Donte is nowhere to be found on the list....
I would have found it interesting if he were on that list. You see, there's not a lot of roster room for a guy who can't cover a tight end and has a twitter addiction.
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anyone who watched the Bills could make a strong argument in favor of Fred Jackson and Stevie Johnson, but nobody in the national media saw them play, and their noteworthy contributions only led to soul crushing losses more often than not.
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this article may not have been unearthed if not for the lockout lol.. but I am doing the same so....
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Let me ask you this: What does the city of Buffalo get out of the Bills now? The team plays in the county. Now Erie County would lose out if a new stadium was built in Niagara County. But once the lease is done they can't stop it.
As far as developing Buffalo as a tourist destination, you are starting from zero. Actually you are starting from less than zero because you have to overcome the negative rep the name "Buffalo" carries. You could build Disneyland at the Buffalo waterfront but people will still think "eww, Buffalo." Also HSBC Arena has shown that building a sports venue does not automatically bring development. I mean you have 50+ events a year at HSBC and there is still nothing else there but a hole in the ground!
Right now Niagara Falls, NY is a festering zit of a town. But the name "Niagara Falls" is recognized world wide. It's still thought of as a tourist destination, even though most of the tourists go to Canada. Putting a complex like I described in the Falls gives incentive to draw some of those tourists back to the USA side, and opens up potential new revenue for the Bills. And don't forget that NF is 30 minutes closer to metro Toronto. This will strengthen the claim on that market for the Bills.
Another option that I'm sure would not be liked by most of us would be to build the stadium in NF, Canada. There is very little land available in the tourist area, and it's probably very expensive to boot. But it would make a terrific location. There's a lot more room at the intersection of the QEW and the 420.
Having the Bills in in Canada would suck but it would not be the end of the world, at least not to me. Crossing the border would be a hassle, but there are ways to make it easier. For example season ticket holders could be pre-screened by customs and allowed to use express lanes at border crossings. But if you have a DUI or another felony on your record you might be able to get into Canada and that would suck.
PTR
The only way My concept would make sense to improve downtown buffalo would be to link the above ground subaway system to it, build or incorporate other railway facilities to allow for a rail based approach to downtown, along with serious waterfront improvements with parks, shopping, and a decent resort styled Hotel area, similar to what is happening in downtown Kansas City.
I agree with you on one point, if they simply plopped a stadium downtown, that would yield you exactly what HSBC did, not much. I have been listening to talks of waterfront access improvements since I was a kid, and it's nauseating how nothing ever gets done. It's actually criminal to let this city rot like a dead corpse, but nobody seems to really care in NYS government. Allowing a new stadium to be built somewhere else, if that becomes an option for a new owner willing to keep the team a Buffalo based franchise would be devastating. The difference between travelling to Buffalo from Toronto is neglegible, and I can't stress it enough that the city of Buffalo is long overdue for some moral invigoration and some positive developments. For too long the city has been on the losing end of every deal.
Yes, Niagara falls makes very good sense, no questions there, but the long term impact to the city of Buffalo economically and as a destination for businesses, travel and conferences would be very bad, something I don't really see it could recover from.
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I love the circular reference in the first post, but someone needs to post a comment in the linked thread the link to this one stating the same.
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that was the one thing I didn't care for(logo and bills on the jersey), but wasn't a deal breaker for me. I also would have liked the logos as large as the ones they replace on the red helmets, and I am a take it or leave it on the widening of the helmet striping. Everything else I loved, and really hope the blue pants do not make a return, the all white look is just so classic.
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My support for a NF complex has zippo to do with what city I think deserves a bump. It has to do with building off tourism. Right now the Canadian side of the Falls is where the action is. But NF CAN will never have an NFL team. On game days the US side will be the place to be.
But then you can host other events: a college bowl game, a Final Four, Frozen Four, major concerts, a stadium NHL game between the Leafs and Sabres, and (dare I dream it???) A SUPER BOWL!! Then on non-event days you develop an "NFL Experience" type of attraction, stadium tours, a Bills museum, etc. All this just steps away from one of the natural wonders of the world.
What you want to create is a synergy between the two side of the Falls. You can't ignore all that is happening on the CAN side. It's almost like a mini-Vegas. You want to be close to that while developing your own attractions. Plus imagine the sex appeal to prospective free agents visiting the Bills.
PTR
I can't argue with this logic, and it's exactly what the NF area could benefit from, but what then does the city of Buffalo get left with? How then can the city benefit from the team that bears it's name when it clearly has very little to draw visitors? I can't compete with the falls idea. but I see a very similar concept working for downtown Buffalo, where a very beautiful waterfront, shopping, extended access via subway, and expand the subway rail system to outlying areas, and allow the stadium to revive other railway landmarks.
Since the falls is trying to develop the area as a gambling destination, I can't agree with adding all the above mentioned attractions to that area when continued casino and resort area development could be the reason to visit, and your concept of hosting finals, superbowls and other high profile events becomes the reason you visit Buffalo. The drive into the Buffalo area on the canadian side is wide open and not very long relatively speaking when you are coming in from Toronto. The city of Buffalo sorely needs all the reasons you mentioned to help bolster it's economy, and reason to visit as opposed to not developing a pretty nice view of the lake.
My vision sees more recreational use of the waterfront along with the prospect of having a venue that could draw tons of other attractions. People and players would have a reason to want to play for a city where they can work and play in a very useful natural resource. So sum up because we have the same views for each city that we are supporting here is that I think the falls area already has something to build on, where the Buffalo downtown district needs something bigger to develop a new identity.
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If they do build at the Falls it should be as close to the Rainbow Bridge as possible for a number of reasons. 1) So that Canadians can tailgate on their side then walk to the stadium 2) The stadium should be part of a larger complex with a hotel/convention center/entertainment complex. It should be all tied into the Falls tourist area. If you built it along the 190 you might as well build it in Batavia or keep it in Orchard Park.
To respond to McKinley's point...You build at the Falls to create a tourist attraction that is part of the famous Niagara Falls. Why? To be able to generate more income. As Ralph says, there is no more local money to get. Any new money needs to come from outside WNY: from Toronto or tourism. Building in downtown Buffalo would do little to develop the city. Look at HSBC arena. What impact has that building had on development?
PTR
Thats a good point, but given the state of Buffalo's convention venue I just see it as something that is just as sorely needed in the Buffalo downtown district as well(your multicomplex idea) if not this type of idea to help Bufflao, then you have to begin thinking that Niagara Falls is a more worthy district and BUffalo left to continue to decay simply because it's not as close to toronto or has a view of the falling water, I just don't see it that way. There's simply nothing being done to make the downtown area a destination for anything and I don't see why people are quick to write it off.
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If a stadium should be built anywhere it should be downtown on the waterfront. It makes very little sense to me to build a stadium anywhere else. The buffalo waterfront could really use a world class domed facility, and the peace bridge project could be bundled with this concept in mind. The Bills are Buffalo's asset, why improve another cities downtown area when Buffalo itself needs it just as badly?
I don't see why this keeps coming up so often when this team's only selling point for keeping the team in WNY to a new owner is a fully paid for facility that has been maintained by the county.
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Not asking anyone to LIKE sharing our Bills with Toronto, but try to think with your head and not with your heart, just for a minute, and answer these questions:
Can you honestly say you disagree with a business strategy that calls for regionalizing the franchise?
Who are we to say "no" to regionalizing yet demand a payroll that rivals the big NFL markets? Do you really think you can have it both ways? Do we have a "right" to the Bills forever?
Say YOU buy the Bills. What legitimate BUSINESS strategy for the franchise will you pursue that keeps the team in WNY long term, and does NOT include regionalizing?
Discuss.
I am all for regionalizing the team, but unless you realize the actual population of the WNY area, you'd understand this is not a small farm town, but a moderately sized city with proximity to several large markets, such as Toronto. The city has supported the team with season ticket sales that exceeded any other era in the teams history despite a weakened local economy. Teams share revenue on several different levels, and the location of the team is almost a non issue.
The WNY area does lack a strong corporate presence, but playing a game or 2 in another city doesn't fix anything that getting partnerships from Toronto based business couldn't fix. How about selling some luxury suites and advertising or naming rights, instead of moving games away from the city? To me that's been the biggest black eye and flop than any other move in team history. It's simply dumb, and an easy cash grab, but it takes effort to actually sell things, and what could have been done was sell the idea of sponsoring the team in a great, historic and gothic old city where you could spend a weekend catching a game while benefiting from getting some national advertising. Funny how that didn't happen, but seems so logical to do.
This team operates in a stadium maintained by the county, is paid for, and has low operating costs with plenty of shared NFL money to spend each year. The fact that Ralph Wilson has been crying poverty for 40 years has really skewed the reality that this team is more than capable of operating very well right where it is.
I am all for regionalizing the teams fan base, just not playing games all over the place, that dilutes the team's identity. They are the Buffalo Bills, and there's nothing wrong with selling your product to other nearby cities. Ralph Wilson makes a truck-load of money every year, and it's very hard to think the team needs to play elsewhere to be profitable when they already are now.
What's your favorite moment....
in The Stadium Wall Archives
Posted
Seriously, and not with any vindictive motivation:
#1 - seeing a coaching staff grow a sack and flat out dump Trent Edwards. Cap'n check down would never develop, and enough time was wasted on hoping. He had a strong arm and nice accuracy, but happy feet and ZERO confidence.
#2 - trading Marshawn Lynch for a busted helmet and a half empty roll of ankle tape. This was probably the best thing this team has done in more than 20 years, actually getting rid of below average talent early enough instead of "hoping" the guy develops. I will of course be stunned if he even gets a third of the touches in Seattle, and honestly expect him to be cut or traded. Nothing personal here, I just never saw him as a great runner.
#3 - drafting Marcel Dareus. This feels a lot like the bruce Smith pick, and the team will only be better with him on the roster.
#4 - Discovering the talents of Freddie Jackson. This guy can flat out play, and the Bills found him. I honestly hold my chest out knowing he plays for us, and that alone should probably qualify him as my #1, but I just can't ever not smile wildly on the dumping of the Cap'n.
#5 - The last second, game winning touchdown pass to Peerless Price in Houston in '06. ahh the optimism of Losman developing into a great QB... man that was a good day.