Buftex

That is a valid point..but having the University involved could be seen as a negative by some NFL owners. Don't know that for sure, and it has been so long since I lived in WNY, so I may not be cognisent of everything. I can tell you though, I work at a major university (Texas). The university has put the kibosh on many outside ventures here in Austin. I realize it may not quite the same dynamic we are talking about with UB, NYS and the Bills... for example, on three different occaisions, since I have been in Austin, the Rolling Stones were in negotions to play the football stadium at UT. They had never once played here (the "live music capital of the world" they say!), but each time, complying with UT rules and regulations (I imagine), UT wanting a healthy cut of vendors intake, and limitiing alchohol sales, the band backed out. It has happened numerous times with large touring events. I just wonder how much the NFL would be willing to deal with this type of thing. I guess it works in Arizona, but that is still one of about 5 or 6 franchises that comes up as teams most likely to move. A lot will depend on how much the NFL really prioritizes keeping the Bills in Buffalo.

I did that on purpose...I had season tickets when it was Rich Stadium...it wasn't as outdated then as it is in the Ralph phase of its' existence. No disrespect to Mr Wilson, though, it will always be Rich Stadium to me. Even if they tear it down and re-name it the Hagaar Wrinkle Free Slacks For Men Stadium!

Glad I didn't see it. I don't even care about the autograph so much, just the jersey...but the way things are going in my life right now, the last thing i should be thinking about is buying a new jersey!

Mr WEO, you might argue that the location of the stadium, in Orchard Park, kind of limits its' use to a degree.

I am pretty conflicted on this issue. I love Rich Stadium (spent some of the best times of my life there), and for me, it is fine. However, when you go to games in other NFL stadiums, it is hard to overlook what a "dinosaur" the Ralph is. The kinds of rennovations it would take to make it comperable would not only be costly, but time prohibitive. And, as others have pointed out, where does the team play while those rennovations are taking place, or if the Ralph is torn down, and rebuilt in Orchard Park? The negative of the Bills moving from Orchard Park (beyond the economic shot that area would take) is that it could significantly change the Buffalo Bills game day experience. Going into the city, as opposed to "driving out to the boonies" are two very different things. I have been to 5 Houston Texans games over the years... gorgeous stadium, but the atmosphere outside, from my experience is just placid, compared to Orchard Park. I have had a similar feeling at most of the city based stadiums I have been to. Only New Orleans pulls it off, because the whole city is, essentially, in tailgate mode, most of the year. I believe OP plays a large part in that "college atmsophere" that so many point to, when they talk about game day in Buffalo. At the same time, I absolutely love the notion of the Bills playing in downtown Buffalo. Love it. Every time I go home, the last 10 years or so, I really do get the feeling that the city of Buffalo, is on the verge of turning the corner... imagine what having the stadium there would do for the downtown area. Just go down there to watch a Bisons game on some sunny night in July or August... the city is really picking up. I can imagine a great "synergy" (can't believe I am using that "word") with the Bills and Sabres being neighbors. I used to think the Niagra Falls option made a lot of sense too (prior to the Toronto series), but now i am not as keen on that idea. I relize the Bills draw a healthy number of fans from Canada, but surveys amongst Canadian Bills fans don't seem to indicate that the Stadium location is a concern to them. Ultimately, I am fine with whatever they do...as long as we got our team, playing in our city for years to come. I also think, a new stadium in downtown Buffalo (or perhaps Promos UB option) would do a lot to tie the franchise to the city for years to come.

Isn't this sort of what the Fan Aliance concept was/is? Though they weren't talking about fans outright owning the stadium, but fans putting up money to give a no-interest loan to a new perspective buyer, who will keep the team in Buffalo? I realize owning the stadium, and loaning money to build a stadium are different...but this arraingement would help to insure that the new owner does not move the team, as Promo mentioned, after the new stadium is built. Don't know if Buffalo could afford a new stadium, and all the up-keep, if there was no NFL team playing there. Personally, I love the idea of the Fan Alliance group. I suspect there are as many, if not more, ex-WNYers scattered around the country (like myself) who would love to be able to do something for the cause. Haven't lived in Buffalo since 1988, but I can't bare the notion of Buffalo without the Bills. For a few years, after I left, I still purchased my season tickets and would just give the tickets away...but somehow, that didn't feel the same. I could not afford, right now, to kick in some huge amount like $4,000, but some lower monthly payment to a fund would be perfect for me.

I had always had a fear that when Jim spoke about "keeping the Bills in Buffalo" for a long, long time, that Donald Trump might be part of that plan.

I feel much better now!

Well, they haven't really been trying to win since last season.... if that wasn't clear when Rolston was coach, it certainly has been since Nolan has been behind the bench...painful since the trade deadline... Sabres motto should be "It's not really losing, when your not trying to win!" Good catch. I guess the list I was looking at was from 2009.

According to Forbes, Golisano is worth 1.3 Billion, Bob Rich 1.8 Billion...though, I have to tell you, these numbers can vary a great deal from year to year...

Actually, I am not so sure of that. I thought that Golisanos interest in the Sabres was kind of born out of their affiliatin with the Rochester Amerks (at the time). He is certainly invested in WNY, but Rochester in particular, from what I understand.

Last time I checked (about 3 years ago) Pegula was worth 3.5 Billion dollars,according to Forbes. That would make him one of the 5 or 6 most valuable owners in the NFL. He made his fortunes in the oil fracking business. Not a big fan of that... incidentally, I read that Ralph Wilsons net worth was somewhere in the same ball-park. The Sabres are chump change for him (though, to his credit, he puts much more into them...not necessarily with the best results). He can afford it, and then some. He has invested a considerable amount of money in downtown Buffalo, with the Sabres and Harbour Center. If he did buy the team, it might be safe to imagine that downtown stadium after all...

The two team ownership issue, I believe, is not an issue, if the owner has multiple teams in the same market.

Just as not to start antoher thread, ran across this...pretty cool little video.... damn you Chandler#81, you have me obsessing over a Jim Kelly Gamblers jersey the last few weeks!

Donald Trump as owner of the Bills: "Buffalo, yer fired!" And then he would probably have some reality show on the G4 channel (or something like that) where different cities make a pitch for the team. If you want the team to stay in Buffalo, he is not the guy you want. The guy is perenially losing money with bad ideas...if he didn't move the team himself to cash in, he would no doubt sell them to the highest bidder, no matter where they were.

I'd rather have Bon Jovi. Trump is a freaking !@#$. I don't think he would have any qualms about moving the team at his first opportunity. Like others have said, I also have doubts as to whether the other NFL owners would approve him. My first option (of the known people who might be candidates) is Pegula.

What was his answer?

I guess there really isn't a point in going back and forth on this... go be offended then... it seems that many here can't understand the difference between a news reporter, and a columnist. You are right, the point of the column was to illustrate that the old fashioned newspaper still has a place in the world of "news". Seems like you are really reading way more into in than that. He clearly says that you can't beat television coverage for live events, that are unfolding in front of you ... but for putting a story into its' larger, more significant context, print journalism is still the best. And again, you are making some false equivalency between the hatchet job that somebody did on Ralph Wilson, in a neighboring city, the day he died, and somebody extolling the virtues of journalism in covering an story as significant as the passing of Ralph Wilson. You really can't see a huge difference between these articles? Really? Simon isn't a sports writer, he is an arts entertainment writer. He is doing his job, of critiquing the local media coverage of the passing of Ralph Wilson.

I have not read the comics, though I have a few friends who have. They had mentioned, way back, that what happens to Carl is pretty pivitol in the overall story....I was thinking it was an instance where the comic and tv show would differentiate...though it wasn't super graphic on tv (I think it is in the comic?), I was actually pretty shocked that they "went there", given the shows near universal appeal. I gather that all the "Carl haters" are going to be seeing a lot more of him in the coming season.

Oh boy... we are a hyper-sensitive lot aren't we? If you read the column, Simon clearly extolls the virtue of current electronic media as well...it seems like panties are in a wad over absolutely nothing. Comparing this to the Toronto article about Wilson (as somebody did here) just shows that people really have lost the abiltiy to keep things in perspective. Simon isn't even patting himself on the back, but giving a nod to fellow columnists at the Buffalo News.

Okay, I guess I can agree that it may not be the best column ever written. But, I think the sentiment came through, that a story like with the scope of the death of Ralph Wilson, especially on the local level, can get the respect it deserves in old-fashioned print media, as opposed to modern journalism. I happen to agree with him. Forgive me if I jumped the gun, for saying you didn't understand... I guess i am just puzzled as to why somebody started a thread about a "classless" article about Mr Wilson, from the Buffalo News. As I said, and it seems you agree, at least on this point, the column wasn't at all disrespectful to Mr Wilson. It was simply harkening back to the days when journalists had time enough to think about what they were writing, rather than just running stream of consciousness with whatever comes across the twittersphere...as has been pointed out, all too often, the source of a piece of news becomes as big as the story itself. Simon has been writing for the Buffalo News for close to 40 years, I would guess. For as long as I can remember. He isn't a sports guy. Perhaps he is guilty of tooting his own (or the Buffalo News) horn to a degree...but don't forget, his column is about media and entertainment... I guess I just find it odd that people find this so offensive. I suspect Ralph Wilson might have agreed with Simon.

Lost in all of this... driving recklessly, or trying to "get even" with somebody on the road is dangerous, and can have repecussions you never expected. This video is archival proof of that. It is never a good idea.

I actually thought the article was pretty good...and I really didn't find it disrespectful to Ralph Wilson in the slightest. I think those who are finding it offensive in some way, are taking it out of context a bit. It is a far cry from the Toronto Star article posted the day Wilson passed away. Yeah, no offense mrags, but I think you are missing the point.

I would have been much more surprised if that did not happen.

While on the surface your comment seems full of cold truth...I think you are a little off. Sure, as you and Buffalo Barbarian point out, money is the ultimate factor, but why do you think Cleveland got another team, pretty quickly after losing the one they had? If fans there hadn't been as vocal and supportive of the Browns, and cried as loudly as they did when they left, would the NFL have been in such a hurry to appease them? If fans in the area demonstrate apathy about their team leaving, the league is much more likely to be apathetic toward the negative impact losing the team would have on the area. Sadly, one of the greatest champions small market teams had in the modern NFL just passed on. I think there are a lot more than you realize. Do we even know who owns about 2/3 of the teams in the NFL? As was pointed out, time and again, in the coverage of Mr Wilson's death, as opposed to the days of the "foolish club", most modern NFL owners are men who are investors in the NFL first..their NFL team is not normally their first business concern. As was said Ralph Wilson was a "sportsman"... to these other guys, their NFL team is just a hobby.