DarthICE

That's too bad about Gilchrist, he is one of Berman's favorites

Fans fear the team leaving. I don't. It is very tough to get owner approval these days to move a team. Many factors go into it including the fact we really haven't tapped this market fully yet. The bills made 39 million in profit last year. What if they fielded a competitive team? What if they hired a Qualified and successful GM, HC and assistants? They could easily increase ticket prices, sell naming rights and increase luxury box costs and still sell out every game. The NFL isn't going to just let a team up and move when it has the fan support that this team has. My concern right now is finding another owner. Many Billionaires and multi millionaires took hard hits when the stock market went south. Who can step up right now and own this team. Will they have the pockets to make it successful?

I will end my discussion with you on this subject with this, most of all I have said has been well publicized in the past. Many here posted links at the time and we have all discussed them at great length the events as they have unfolded over the years. As for the rest, I am repeating what I have been told first hand. You have your opinion of Wilson based on what you have been told and being around the man. I am basing mine on what I have been told and being around former players and personnel as well. You are not going to change your opinion, nor will I change mine. Lastly, being the professional you are I would ask you respect my opinion on the subject as I do yours.

Mark and his brother couldn't get along so Jerry put an end to it is what I am being told.

Where? Where is he going to move it? How is he going to get approval from the league? Sorry, many factors say this team is going no where any time soon.

This kid is never going to amount to anything in the NFL. His actions, from getting booted before Alabama's bowl game till now shows his true character. Its the turtle and the scorpion

Bills Vet, look at Carolina. Jerry Richardson has been going through health issues so his son is more involved. There is a plan in place should he die or can't run the team any longer. Ralph has no such plan, just leave it to his wife to sell when he dies. Also they have a clear cut GM in Hurney that runs the team, Jerry pretty much stays out of it. John Fox is allowed to coach that team as he sees fit. More often than not, they are successful. Let's bottom line this, there are those that will back Wilson no matter what, whatever he says is Gospel and there is nothing else to it. Ralph says it, its good enough for them and that is it as for as these people are concerned. Then there are those that have followed this team closely, listened to AJ Smith, John Butler, Tom Donahoe etal about how this is really ran behind the scenes and these reports differ greatly from what Ralph says. All have made mistakes but when you have person after person after person tell the same tale of what it is like to work under somone...there comes time when you gotta start believing. The facts are this hasn't been a winning organization under Wilson's ownership.17 winning seasons out of 49. Only 8 teams have a worse winning %. Most of those winning seasons can be attributed to Bill Polian who he lucked into. He hired the GM's and ok'ed the coaching hires. He has kept the personnel men here in place that have put the so called talent on the field. In the end, it is all on him and there is no getting around it. YES he might have had a problem when he turned things over to Donahoe, but one bad time isn't an excuse to go in a shell and refuse to hire a quality, proven GM and pay the going rate for a quality, proven HC. I will stand by what I was told and what I believe, nothing changes until Ralph is no longer owner.

See that is what gets me, 39 million in PROFIT. That means after all bills are paid including upkeep, staff, coaching etal....he MADE MILLIONS. He could take right now and spend 9 additional million of that profit and get a damn good HC, GM and additional staff, but refuses to do so.

I have been saying that for years. Why would anyone with Ralph's money and knowing him like we do ever pay large sums to try and improve this team? Fans are going to sell out the stadium even if we go 1-15. He has no incentive what so ever to do anything but put the cheapest product on the field.

Not unless ownership changes

Well, not bad for a 'small market team' eh?

I am in agreement with you. I have also followed the Bronco's some since High School and the way he has been acting is NOT like him at all. I honestly pray Bowlen isnt' starting to suffer from alzhiemers.

Well...from a pure football standpoint he is better than anything we have at CB.

You know right here on this board I made a HUGE Mistake. I really ripped Butler and even made a foolish comment something like 'he can burn in hell for what he did to the Bills' and I was wrong. I got to talk with some in the know and they passed on to me all Butler went through just to try and keep this team going while going through his last two years here. Yes the cap was messed up and would need to be fixed badly ( I believe when he left we were 13 million over) but that happens esp when trying to keep a winner going. Butler and AJ Smith went through hell here with Wilson the last couple of years and I for one can't blame them for leaving and YES you are right...the meddling was one thing, but the pathetic 1 million per year offer for a GM of Butlers talent was just insulting. You are also right, look at what JB and AJ have done in San Diego, they are at least a competitive team. Side note: I wish to apologize to all I offended when I made my John Butler remark(s). It wasn't till later did I hear and understand the entire story.

I have to be honest, the Bungles would have been better off just telling the fat ass to go back into the draft. I wouldn't have drafted this guy period.

Regardless of what they say, I think the No huddle is dead. They need to huddle up just to help the defense.

Well I respect your opinion and respect the vigor of your stance on this issue. But as I said, I too have heard from direct sources and I know what I have been told and will stand by it as well. I guess my friend we just agree to disagree And for the record I do apologize I feel my initial response WAS a little strong.

Do you know what it takes to move an NFL team these days? This team isn't going anywhere and that fear you just showed is why this team will always be a losing one. Ralph has no incentive at all to field a winner when you guys are afraid of the team moving. You will fill the stands even if the team goes 1-15 each year.

Love ya sweetie!

Lori can attest I am not Tom Donahe and she can also attest I have had VERY close ties to that organization. I stand by what I know to be fact.

Wishful thinking. The bickering bills were Probowlers and future Hall of Famers fighting. Not guys that would be lucky to start on most other teams.

Which is why I refer to him as scared and cheap. So what TD didn't work out. Go hire Ron Wolf who has been a drafting genius and worked in a small market. Quit being scared. Then quit being cheap. A few years ago (I think mularkey or williams era) ESPN or USAToday or someone put out coaches salaries and shockingly we were dead last. It is just known Ralph has NEVER put a priority on coaching. There are established, winning coaches sitting out there right now that we can have, but not for what Ralph pays. What I don't get is this, if I love this team so much and I am about 92 years old, I am gonna spend out the butt for one more shot. Cowher wants 7 mill per? So what? Pay the man and his staff! Bring in Ron Wolf and tell them both 'go buy what you need, here is the checkbook'. Man I would want to reward the fans with their loyalty, and hell even myself with one more realistic run. And when my butt meets my final reward then I can rest peacefully, and know my legacy was....I gave EVERYTHING I could to try and build a winner.

Marketing. 6.5 million to sell....20,000 more season tickets? To bring the fanbase back to the seats, vendors, parking, proshop etc? It was a marketing ploy my friend. I never said ralph was stupid, just egotistical, scared and cheap

Absolutely incorrect! He has been the most meddling owner in the NFL. This was well documented by AJ Smith, John Butler and Tom Donahoe. I remember after TD was canned how it made it out Ralph would call daily (sometimes many times a day) to check in on the franchise and see what all was going on. AJ Smith really let a lot come out when he and JB were out of here. You say you can't include Polian, I can. Try to understand this, BILL POLIAN is the reason we went to 4 straight superbowls. He is the man that talked Ralph out of taking Doug Flutie (when we still had the rights to Jim Kelly) and to take Bruce Smith #1 overall in 85'. If Ralph had his way, he would have had Flutie, and we wouldn't' have TWO Hall of Famers on this team! Bill Polian built this team into a winner, unfortunately he let his hot head get the best of him and he called Ralph's daughter a not so nice word which lead to his firing. Reality is, that was just the last nail in the coffin. Polian battled with Ralph over personnel, coaching and money decisions. Ralph and Littman didn't want to open up the purse strings when free agency started in about 1993 and Bill knew it would take money to compete in this new NFL. 17 winning seasons out of 49 is pathetic. You can thank Polian for about 8 of those himself. He is too egotistical (Get your name off the stadium Ralph and sell the naming rights), too scared (Hire another qualified GM like Ron Wolf and get out of his way) and too Cheap (hire a REAL, established HC and pay him the 6+ million he would command to coach this team) for this team to ever truly be successful. Now look, I can't speak for the character of the MAN per say, I have only met and talked to him twice very briefly, but as an owner he has been horrible and the record and dismay of this team speaks for its self.

Let me ask this. If you are a long time owner, making millions off a fan base that is too scared to stand up to you because of the fear of you moving the team, What motivation do you have to actually pay to field a winner? Ralph knows no matter how bad the team is, fans will come to the Ralph and pay JUST to keep them here. I have read it many times on several boards 'but he keeps the team here'. 'But I would rather have a crappy team than none at all...that would ruin my life' type stuff. This team isn't moving anywhere, when fans really do the research on how tough it is to move an NFL franchise (esp. one that hasn't even fully tapped the local resources fully yet) they would have much less fear. The NFL is not going to allow a franchise to move that sells as many seats consistantly as we do. If fans would buck up, not show up and hit ralph in the old pocket book for a season, watch how fast he makes changes