BillnutinHouston

Were you aware that the Buffalo Fan Alliance posted an open letter on its website, seeking signatures to a letter urging the NFL to keep the Bills in Buffalo? Most likely not - currently there's only fewer than 1,800 signatures. I wonder if the paltry number is due to poor marketing or because people fear being solicited by the BFA. The open letter can be found at http://www.buffalofanalliance.org/.

This. Speaking logically and not as a fan, being angry in advance of winning is really not justifiable. AFTER we start winning, then we can raise our fingers - our index fingers.

Funny, it reads like a Regier thread.

Is this still a Bills thread? Go Bills.

Most likely he was at MD Anderson Cancer Center, which is considered to be a world class facility. He's getting the best care possible.

Interesting note from the Kryk article: “Recognize something, though,” Ganis said. “The (Wilson) family and the trust can change the process any time they choose to. This is not a public bid. This is not a publicly traded company. They don’t have to follow (U.S.) Security and Exchange Commission rules, they are not going through some legal auction process, and they are not a public entity. “So they can set the ground rules, change the ground rules, halt the process or accelerate the process any time they choose to.” So if the trust prefers a certain bidder, and that bidder offers a satisfactory price at the get-go, it can end the process without notice — and choose that bidder.

Fair enough observation, but didn't he break the story, and if so shouldn't he get credit? Regardless of whether or not he broke the story, I do think that TG added to the story with his observation that Greenberg's decision to take Pegula on as a client is significant in that it signals that Greenberg sizes Pegula up to be a likely front runner. Not a TG fan by any means, but let's give props where they're due.

Pegula continues to operate the way the NFL likes - quiet, unassuming, methodical and highly liquid. You have to really like his chances.

Well, Kryk on WGR this morning said that Toronto bidders (at least Rogers) "may" be backing off because of "whispers" that the trust is only seeking bids that include long term plans in Buffalo. The audio is posted on GR's On-demand audio section, but I wasn't able to link it here. I want to take Kryk at his word, but his audio sounded to me like speculation rather than solid reporting.

Not only will Watkins start in Soldier Field on opening day, but they will have plays in especially for him. I expect at least one WR screen per half.

Who needs a Bills sale or even a season? Just keep these great threads coming and I'm fully entertained.

Link?

It all depends on EJ's development. I think Gabriel makes too much of the impact of the defensive coordinator/scheme change.

Agreed! I tried and failed tonight as well.

So EJ and Sammy not having chemistry yet is news? To me it would be news if they DID have chemistry at this stage. It's just early summer website fodder.

But he also said that if needed, the State and County will do what they have to do.

im not a statistician, but I don't believe this is true. If you flip a coin 10 times and it lands on heads all 10 times, the 11th flip is still a 50-50 chance of landing on heads.

My sense about this group is the same. They may be feeling their way, but solid.

Great info Brawndo, thanks. Hmmm now that is interesting. Something's clearly afoot. To me this group out of the gate had the appearance of a thoughtful, substantive group and the fact that they're maintaining a low profile at this juncture must be for a clear strategic purpose.

I think I agree with this. The silence and waiting is painful.

Yea good point. If he's still in campaign mode, he probably can't say much.

Don't get me wrong, I heartily applaud the BFA founders for their efforts to develop their financing concepts and build their Board of Directors with new Hall of Famers. But am I the only one who is surprised at the low profile being kept by the BFA at this critical point in time? Should they not be actively soliciting contributions, or are they quietly working in the shadows with prospective ownership groups? Have they tried pursuing these discussions and discovered that anyone known to have contact with this group would be perceived as a financial lightweight and therefore have a strike (or 2 or 3) against them? I can say that months ago I emailed the BFA to ask whether contributions would be tax deductible, and never even got a reply. If the BFA's financial contributions have been determined to be meaningless in the sale process, would it be helpful for them to at least put out an online petition of some kind to give voice to how Bills fans would react over the next several years to a sale to an out-of-town buyer? I'm not a fan of online polls but would an expression of Bills fans' reactions to such a sale, in advance, have a psychological or even deterrent effect on the workings of either the trust or the league, or even potential bidders? Sorry for all the questions, I just find the speculation fascinating.

My daughter's boyfriend grew up in Chicago and is a Bears fan, but he knows better than to talk smack. I'm still debating whether to even allow him over on week 1 to watch the game.

No. NYS paid $54 million, the county contributed $41 million and the Bills covered $35 million. http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2012/12/22/3793990/buffalo-bills-stadium-improvements

Would be fascinating to know if the NDA precludes a process that allows for give and take among bidders and the trustees. I would think that an interactive process between bidder and trustees works to the benefit of the trust. I'd also think the NDA is designed solely to protect the parties from disclosure of information outside of the main players. The question is, does it prevent the explicit or implicit sharing of proptrietary bid information of one group with another? Even if it does, there are ways... Hopefully this is when Pegula gets Golisano on the phone and asks for a little help.