cgang

They showed the Lion's dedication to Ford Sr. before the Monday night game. I think it is very likely.

Kirby, thanks so much for everything. I hardly ever post, but I've learned a ton from you and others as I frantically keep hitting F5. Question for you or others... my understanding is that there will be a negotiation stage before the winning bidder is chosen. Other than price, can you think of any other factors that would be negotiated? It's not like buying a house where you have a list of things to fix up before the close, is there? I can think of a close where the trust puts money into an escrow to correct certain deficiencies maybe (back taxes, outstanding debts of the franchise, outstanding lawsuits maybe, etc.) discovered during the due diligence process, but I am trying to figure out what else there would be to negotiate. Thoughts anyone?

1.375b. With El Pegual spending the remaining 400m or so from his 1.75b land sale on a new stadium with a private consortium to include Delaware North (with some contribution, but not much, by the State, which won't matter much to El Magnifico).

George Thorogood.

Agree with all of this. Golisano admitted when he bought the team team that he did not now much at all about hockey. His intent was to keep the team in Buffalo and right-size the organization. We can quibble all we want about spending on players (and no doubt he was more strict than Pegula currently is), but the fact is he left the organization better off than it was before he bought them, sold it to another guy committed to keeping the team in Buffalo too, and actually turned a profit on that sale to boot (although probably not as much if he sold the franchise to someone seeking to move it). True, he did much of this while he had some political ambitions, but there is no way to view his potential bid as anything but positive if you are seeking to keep the team in WNY. I don't know if he knows and is more of a fan of football, but I think the prospect of him bidding is a great development for WNY (much better than the Bon Jovi nonsense).

It would be good to have a poll of where the stadium location stadium location will be. We could plot each location on google maps (understanding that I recall AECOM studying only 4 possible sites for Gov. Cuomo). Plus OP plus any other locations we can think of. I am having trouble keeping track of where those specific locations might be and I've been away from the area so am not as familiar with the area as I used to be. And I am a technological moron to be skilled enought to set up a poll. LOL

+1. Also, I read this article the day Ralph passed. I got fired up, then realized that the writer was a classless POS. So that made me feel better to just disregard his drivel.

RIP Ralph. So many memories and such a big heart. My thoughts and prayers to Ralph and his family and the entire Bills Nation. And to you, Ralph, may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Truly one in a million with such a passion for the game and a really good sense of humor. From Ralph's Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech (http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/6595/ralph-wilson-s-hall-of-fame-speech) "...In the fall of 1959, I read in the paper where a young champ named Lamar Hunt and Bud Adams were starting a new professional football league. Lamar lived in Dallas, and he couldn't get an expansion franchise from the NFL. So I decided to start my own league. I happened to have a winter home in Miami, which was one of the prospective sites that I read in the paper. So I called Lamar and told him of my interest. And he said, well, if you're interested, you better get down here right away, because there are other people that are likewise interested. So I flew down the next day, and he granted me the Miami franchise. And we both went down to talk to the city fathers, and see if we could lease the Orange Bowl. It was the only place to play football in those days. The city fathers would not let a new league lease the Orange Bowl, because they had a bad time with another new league that came before us. So I flew home and forgot about it. About four or five days later I got a call from Lamar, and he said, Ralph, we need an eighth franchise to balance out this new league. One from the east and one from the west. And I'll give you your choice of five different cities where you can place your franchise. And I picked Buffalo. It was a lucky pick, because over the years, they have supported the team in Buffalo beyond our fondest dreams. And without the support, I wouldn't be on this platform tonight... The AFL started the new season in 1960. We played our first game in old War Memorial Stadium downtown which seated about 35,000, which was enough. And the first season in the exhibition we were playing terrible. Now towards the end of the exhibition season, we were playing the New York Titans. Now it's the New York Jets. And my friends in the stands said, Wilson, why don't you go down and talk to the team. You're behind 21-7. You can't do any worse. You've had a lousy start in your games up to date. And I said what am I gonna tell them? Well, tell them something. So at their urging, I went down and walked into our locker room, and there was our head coach, Buster Ramsey. With that expression on his face -- what are you doing in here? I said I want to talk to the team, Buster said. "Go ahead, talk to them." And I gave that team one of the most inspiring fight talks. It was reminiscent of maybe Newt Rockney or Vince Lombardi. And we lost the game 51-7. Shortly there after, Buster said to me, hey, Ralph, next time talk to the other team."

done (my first avatar too). Stay strong Jim. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Kinda getting emotional here, really happy for Andre. My favorite Bill and really well deserved. Congrats Andre!!

Damn! Isn't any other team going after udfa's? Seems we're getting all the promising ones (except Scott). BTW, thanks for the write ups 26corner!

That slow mo part of the video is hilarious. LMAO!!

Sabres, because I can't use the "Ralph is Cheap" excuse on Pegula, they have spent a ton of money, and they have absolutely nothing to show for it. Why they kept Darcy after canning Ruff is a mystery and I have no idea what the long term plan is. It is a mess. But I have to say........ The Bills are a very close second. I am down on both.

more "confirmation": http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8827684/mike-pettine-hired-buffalo-bills

I'm making the pilgrimage from Northern VA with my 12 yr old son, just like last year for the meaningless Denver game-- weather looks good for a Friday drive up and Monday drive back. The only things worth going to see are Spiller and Gilmore. If 'ole goatee sits Spiller or limits him to 2 carries, I'll be pretty pissed (but not surprised LOL!). Hammer- I'll see you at your lot. No way would I ever park at the Stadium. I like the idea of everyone moving to one side of the stadium (visitors side) and mooning them midway through the 3rd. Or just flipping them off at the count of 3.

Paradise by the Dashboard Light. (Meatloaf) "So now I'm praying for the end of time, so I can end my time with you...."

How does he dispose of 15000 tickets- does he put them on stubhub or maybe give them to charity? Also, where is Russell's? I would like to check it out next time I'm in WNY visiting my family.

After the Sabres fiasco last year when we were at the bottom in January and I looked back at my predictions, I suddenly realized that I was an idiot. I do not want to make the same mistake twice. But if I do, whatever lingering doubts I have that I am an idiot will end and I would be able to say, without question, that I really am an idiot.

Well played sir! LOL

Here you go: www.spotrac.com/draft-tracker/nfl/ None of the 3rd rounders picked before him have signed.

+1. For me, Hammer's in particular.

He has a degree in sociology. Which is moderately more practical than my degree in history and philosophy.

Only 12 picks in the 3rd round have been signed as of today, and none of the 3rd round guys picked before TJ have signed. Link: http://www.spotrac.com/draft-tracker/nfl/ So he is tracking what appears to be the norm. Nothing to be concerned about yet... I am glad he is at OTAs though.

I was curious about TJ's contract status too and figured I would see how he compares to the other 3rd rounders. Of the 32 third round picks, only 11 have been signed. No player picked before TJ in the third round have been signed. Linky: http://www.spotrac.com/draft-tracker/nfl/ So nothing seems to be amiss. I am guessing there is a little bit of discussion/posturing going on as to his real value-- agent probably saying he is a third round and should be paid as a top tier third rounder and the Bills saying... but, wait, he is really more of a project and while we believe in him he isn't as polished as the top tier third rounders. Pure conjecture on my part. By the way, the Bills have kept pace with, if not are leading its AFC East peers, in signing progress. Miami only has its 6th and 7th rounders signed, Cheatriots* still need to sign one of its 1st rounders and its 3rd, and the Jests need to sign its 3rd and 7th.

I took my son to his first Bills game last December against the Broncos. He was two weeks until his 12th birthday and it was fine. It was a fantastic experience actually. We tailgated at Hammer's Lot, playing catch on a perfect December day in the open space right next to the lot. He wanted Pinto Ron's autograph and we got that too (shortly before we saw him get covered in ketchup and mustard). He still has that autograph on his bookshelf (Ken signed it on a paper plate). We sat in awesome seats that I bought from Casino2U (30 yard line, lower bowl). No issues with the crowd, all behaved perfectly well. What I am trying to say is that we had a fantastic experience. And as a result of that, my son has shown a greater interest in the Bills (he was making some tentative moves to becoming a Giants fan, cringe). We saw some of the draft together and he wants to go back to a game this Fall. It is something that we can both share, and that's all that matters. I may be a bit more liberal in terms of parenting, but I never felt that my son was seeing something inappropriate for his age. We tailgated, had a cook out, played catch, and saw a great game. Yeah, people were drinking (including me by the way) but in no way did I feel that was something out of the ordinary or damaging to my son. At no time did I feel that, wow, he should be a bit older to go to those things. I am not sure I would take him to an opposing stadium though. I guess if they were playing the Redskins, I wouldn't have a problem. But absolutely no way would I take him to an Eagles game in Philly. By the way, my wife and I did take our son to a preseason Redskins game when he was about 8 months old. We were stupid... had no idea what we were getting into and I would not ever do that again for kids of such a young age. The crowd was fine but we were concerned about the noise blasting through the stadium (Fed Ex field can get pretty loud). We wound up leaving our seats after the 1st quarter and we watched a little of the game in a more sheltered area where the noise was a bit diminished but wound up leaving for good at the half. Just my two cents... Having children is the toughest and most rewarding thing sometimes and to be sure it is never dull. Congratulations in advance on your new arrival!