SuperKillerRobots
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I must admit that last offseason I would have jumped at the McNabb deal even with his low career completion percentage. But to see him benched in favor of Rex Grossman when the game is on the line speaks volumes about Shannan's confidence in this guy. It appears that deciding not to trade for him was the right move at this point.
Kelsey must go.
This makes Nix's statement about him after the first week (during his Monday Morning QB Club Speech). He was asked if a more vetern QB (like McNabb specifically) gets that win (against Miami) since McNabb was able to pull off that win with pretty bad statistics. Nix said something to the effect of "yeah, he's a vetern guy and that gives you certain advantages, but you're not going to win with that stat line very often. I'm not a big McNabb fan."
I thought that was telling because we had a shot at him (though reportedly he didn't want to come here) and we passed on him. I think it's pretty safe to say that I'd rather have Troup than McNabb this year. He might be better than what we have, but he's not the answer.
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I guess I'll be the contrarian. Kyle Williams is an undersized nose tackle. He plays with plenty of heart and will occasionally come up with a good play but he gets pushed around far too often. A NT should tie up at least 2 o-line men to allow the LBs to make plays. He rarely does that. Being last in the league in rush defense (by quite a bit) and another 274 rushing yards against tells the story.
I view him the same way I do Fitzpatrick, a player who is best suited as a valuable back-up.
I think what you have to understand with him is that he is playing out of position. He's not a top tier NT talent, but he is a top tier 3-tech talent. He's basically never asked to play two gaps when he's in the game and is always used as the penetrator. Even in the 4 man fronts, which they have started using more, he plays the 3 tech spot with the NT (Troup) playing 0 tech. I don't think Williams will ever be a great two gap NT for us, but he's a great change of pace player and would probably look even better if he wasn't the only good front 7 player. They still need Troup to take on two blockers for some of the time, but Williams has his place and does a great job of doing what he does.
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I am new to the board and I didn't realize we had a former Bill on this website. If this is true then Mr Wonderful is a complete idiot!
Hey Mr. Wonderful, you're a low class, no brained jerk.I suppose you think you're clever and cool and, you're no doubt clueless to the point where you're probably impressed w/ yourself.
Since you guys are new, I'll fill you in. This board gets a bunch of realyl great posters - former Bills, local and national sports writers - who have been or are on the verge of leaving because of the few posters who feel the need to call these people out in a very immature and ugly way. In most cases it's the constant berating by these posters that forces the good ones to leave. Hopefully if qwe get mroe respectful posters, who will denounce these idiots, our insiders will come back.
And yeah, Mr. Wonderful < Dick Jauran.
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There haven't been any real talk between the NFL and Magic Johnson but PFT (yes they're horrible rumor mongers) says that Magic Johnson is getting his money together and would be interested in bringing an NFL team to LA.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/10/20/magic-johnson-wants-to-bring-an-nfl-team-back-to-la/
The reason this worries me is there hasn't been any realistic ownership groups out there that could put together more than 1 Billion dollars to buy the Bills and move them to LA (You have to think about 900 mil to buy the team then atleast 500 mil to build a stadium)
But some people might not realize Magic is very successful business person, He runs Magic Johnson Enterprises, a company that has a net worth of $700 million. He owns his lines of movie theaters got into Starbucks early, has a food contracting business and has been able to build 100s of millions of dollars of net worth.
According to the article he now has about 100 million liquid.
100 million in cash means you can get financed for much more. Buying an NFL team is a safe bet any big money investment group would help finance a purchase. Its as much a sure thing as any investment, but they're just not going to hand out money they want a successful Business person. Magic Johnson with 100 million in cash would be a realistic start of an owner ship group.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Johnson#Media_figure_and_business_interests
Daniel Snyder finacied most of his purchase of the Redskins and he was less successfull than Magic.
In May 1999, Snyder purchased the Redskins and Jack Kent Cooke Stadium for $800 million following the death of previous owner Jack Kent Cooke[citation needed]. At the time, it was the most expensive transaction in sporting history[citation needed]. The deal was financed largely through borrowed money, including $340 million borrowed from Société Générale and $155 million debt assumed on the stadium[citation needed]. Annual loan servicing costs are an estimated $50 million
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Snyder
I know this early but this is scary. This could be the first real threat in the creation of the LA Bills, (I propose LA Quakes)
No one can leverage $100mm into $1.5b, which is what it would take to buy the team, move them, and then build a stadium (at the least). An ownership team would need at least $500mm to get that loan.
Not saying it can't happen, just that you'd need 5 Magic Johnson's to make that purchase.
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Take a look at the linebackers we're using in our new 4-3 alignment:
Does this make sense to anyone? I have two specific questions:
1.) If the opponent is in a run set but passes anyway (play-action/audible/whatever), can this front stop them?
2.) If the opponent runs anyway, can this front stop them?
I think #1 is a massive, massive NO, and #2 is probably a no as well, but I'd like to see it in action first.
Nothing else has worked so far and I'm pretty sure this is just a sub package, so who cares? Maybe they'll get better at it and if not, we'll hopefully get soem ebtter players next year. Hell, maybe they even get better in all these packages as they play in them more: novel idea.
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I would tend to believe every jurisdiction has some form of public intoxication on the books. I would also assume that the cops will use it especially at times where the safety of the intoxicated individual or the public is in question. It is also likely used if the drunk is making a jack
of himself in the presence of the police. If you are leaving the bar at 2 AM intoxicated and minding your own business on your walk home or safely making it to a cab the cops are not likely to bother with you.Since when is their a legal limit to alcohol consumption not related to driving? Sicne there is no standardized relation to a blood alcohol level and the actual drunkenness of a person, how do you even say someone is drunk unless they are acting like it or smell like it?
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Oh yes please! I need a new highlight to erase my memory of Chad Pennington juking Eddie Robinson for a score.
That play still huants me. For everyone who says the Bills haven't bottomed out - that was the play. We've just never been able to get off the ground since then. In fact we probably deserve a decade of terrible football for that one play.
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One night with Jenn Streger.
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Ideally, the Bills will use a 2nd or 3rd round pick next year for an OT (presuming that the #1 pick is a QB). The information about position moves of the younger guys leads me to think that short of adding a player, the plan for the line with the existing personnel could be:
LT: Cordaro Howard
LG: Kraig Urbik
C: Eric Wood
RG: Ed Wang
RT: Andy Levitre
The only one that doesn't seem to fit the physical specs is Levitre, and some would argue he is the best lineman they have right now. Hopefully they add a true tackle in the draft and it's a good player (remember if they draft #1 or #2 they get the 33rd or 34th pick in round 2). If they did that, put Levitre back to LG and Urbik at RG and Wang is a depth player.
I think, with the current personnel, the line would be:
LT: Bell
LG: Levitre
C: Wood
RG: Urbik
RT: Howard/Wrotto
I might be in the minority here, but I think OL is third on the lsit of needs behind QB and OLB. A decent enough RT prospect could be had in the 3rd round, so that's kind of what I'm expecting. I think they're going to try to stick with Bell just so they can get the rest of the players in place while giving him enough time to prove himself capable or incapable. So far this year, he's not the worst player on the line and seems to be getting a little better each game. I'd like to see him next year, but I'd like him to have a little competition (maybe Wang?). If Bell becomes the weak link in the line, I'd say that's an improvement from where we are now.
I'm with Thoner on this. Bell is developing very well. He plays in space and against speed rushers as well as anyone I've seen this year. He needs some strength and to not take stupid penalities. But having a guy that can play on the island is something you can't coach up...D. Bell has the talent and is getting the playing time to refine it. I think he's doing fine right now. Draft a RT for sure. I don't think we need to burn a #1 on an LT.
But I'm not this optimistic about Bell. He's still a question mark, just less of one than other players on the team.
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The fact that whitner is 9th in the league in tackles proves nothing other than the fact that our front seven is garbage and donte is tackling running backs after huge gains......he is terrible, don't even mention him and p willis in the same sentence......and if your not listening to the "whitner bashers" don't post anything about that joke of a safety........he looked real good against LT and the jets a few weeks ago
However you want to color it, he's one of the best defenders on a bad team. No question about that. Not the best mind you, but one of the best.
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If you can't handle criticism, you shouldn't be a writer producing opinion pieces for the public to consume.
If you can't handle what happens on an Internet-based message board, you shouldn't post on one.
If you think that someone saying that the opinion pieces you write and produce for public consumption are bad and feel that is "attacking" you, you probably aren't cut out for that line of work.
Don't put yourself in the public eye if you can't handle people disagreeing with your opinions/style/work product. How this is rocket science is beyond me.
You're right to a certain extent, but the issue I believe is that John, Tim, and Lori all used their real names and we all knew who they were. Your name here, akm0404 for instance, means nothing to anyone. We don't know who you are, nor who I am. It is nearly impossible to have any sort of reseasonable debate because one person is completely anonymous while the other has not only his/her name attached to it, but in some cases, part of their professional careers.
If someone on this board attacks me, I have absolutely no problem telling them that they're an idiot ir anything else along those lines because no one knows who either of us are. With these writers it's different. These guys can't really say anything that bad to you because they could lose their job or just be seen as unprofessional as a result of what tey say. I'm not going to get fired for anythign I say on here because no one knows who I am and no one knows where I work (or if I do for that matter).
The rule should be that if you want to really get into it with one of these writers - or anyone who uses their real name - you should have to use your own real name and list your employer. That might even it out a little bit.
That's the real problem. Why come here at all if there is no information? The endless crying that every news piece, whether it is opinion or reporting, is somehow flawed or insufficient is absurd. Reporters don't make the Buffalo Bills suck. The Bills make the Bills suck. Buy some perspective.
That might be the smartest thing anyone has ever said on this board. Ever.
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I have mixed feelings about Poz. He's one of our cornerstone players (hold on poz haters). But the question is what does that mean, and is that saying much?
Does that mean he's the best on a team totally lacking high end talent, but in comparison to other cornerstone LB's, really not very good? Or is he individually more talented than he's able to showcase because of those around him? And therefor just simply needs upgrades around him for his potential to materialize? I'll submit when Poz is out, this team is noticeably worse and misses him sorely on the field. But again I ask, does this mean he's missed because of how good he is, or because the rest of the team is just that bad?
These are the million dollar questions, and the heart of the debate.
My personal feelings are;
My heart tells me Poz can be an impact player if the supporting cast was better. But my brain tells me he just isn't a great talent. If you're great you're great, no matter who's around you. In fact your greatness elevates those around you, and they are the one's that look better because of you. If you can't inspire greatness out of others, how can you yourself be great? So in conclusion, I think Poz is a decent player. He's a good tackler and has a nose for the ball. He lacks the overall speed and strength needed to maximize his instincts. He's a hard working smart football player, that just doesn't have the god given skill set to be an impact Linebacker.
I think you're partly right about him. He's a good, not great, player and has both positives and negatives. I still think if we played a more traditional 2 gap 3-4 with a 0 tech NT, he'd play a lot better. He's limited in coverage to an extent, but not to the point of being a liability for the most part. He seems to blitz well enough when given the chance too. I think he's got to get re-signed because we don't have a chance of getting anyone to fill his spot considering all the other hoels we have. I'd much rather the Bills keep him and get better at OLB, which would make him look at lot better. There are only 2 or 3 MLBs in the league that would look good in our talent-less defense now, so I don't think it's fair to say he's part of the problem.
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Since it looks like the Bills will have the #1 pick or close to it, they should have their choice of any QB in the draft. Ralph seems to be saying that they plan to use the pick for a QB, so the question is:
Which QB SHOULD the Bills pick?
and
Which QB WILL the Bills pick?
To start it off, I think the Bills should draft Christian Ponder from Florida State
But I think the Bills will pick Jake Locker from University of Washington
The only thing I hate mroe this season than the Bills being so bad is the fact that the 49ers are so bad. I think the Bills should draft Andrew Luck from Stanford, but after the 49ers manage to have the worst record this year, they will take him and we'll be forced into taking Locker. Here's hoping the 49ers turn it around.
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Torbor calls the meeting and is the only one to speak? WTF? I thought Nix re-upped Kelsay because he was such a locker room presence. Jeezus... 6m for a locker room guy? Nix must mean he sets a good example for all the other players for what he's trying to build... just keep your trap shut, don't B word, everything is good, and when Ralph tells you to fetch him a cup of coffee do it and do it quickly.
And Whitner? WTF? He didn't have anything to say? That dude can't keep his mouth shut. Torbor must have shoved both of his sockes in Whitners's pie hole.
Nothing I read said he called the meeting or was the only one to speak at it. It sounded like he was one of the most remembered speakers, but not the only one. I don't care that he spoke or was the main speaker, but I do wonder what Whitner and Kelsey had to say.
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There is no way I enter the draft with any posibility of a NFL player strike.
I would be out of football for one full year, maybe 2.No money and too much uncertainy.
I have great teamamtes at Stanford and I don't sit at home while my senior classmates play.
Sorry, its the same deal for any Junior QB in this years draft.
The Pros can wait!!
I thought you were going to finish that with, "... and the Bill shave the first overall pick, I'm back in the draft."
I agree completely that if there isn't going to be football in 2011, most college players will stay in school if they can. The only caveat to that would be if there were to be a normal as years past draft in 2011 - the last possible one before a potential rookie cap - which could get the more talented players to come out early in hopes that they get the last big rookie contracts. I really just hope that he comes out this year so we can take him.
By the way, thanks for coming back to the board.
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Just fill your shopping cart and leave us alone...
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I read a lot of talk about how Rex Ryan and the Jets were over-rated in the offseason. And yet, here they are, 4-1 and on top of the division. Also, they're probably playing some of the best defense in the NFL and yes, Mark Sanchez is looking as good as if not better than last year. So, how is it again that they're over-rated? It's just the Bills' luck that now there are THREE teams that have made radical improvement that need to be passed. Get used to the basement, folks. We'll be here for another ten years, methinks.
I still hate the Jets and I still don't think they're going to win the Super Bowl.
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I'll be there with 14 of my friends from high school and college. We're taking a yellow school bus - should be a good time. I bought the tickets for this date in the preseason thinking that this is one of the best chances for a win/possibility of getting the first win to warm weather ratio on the schedule.
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I would guess that the majority of posters on this board are under 50 years of age and quite a few became Bill's fans during the late 80's and 90's. I was following and rooting for this team since their inception and I can tell you that Ralph Wilson has always been a cheapskate and the "glory years" were simply due to Polian. In the 70's, for Pete's sake he made Harvey Johnson the head coach twice!
Wilson has a track record that proves what type of commitment he has... which is dedicated to the bottom line.
I will always support the Bills and this team absolutely stinks but there have been worse periods like the 70's. You should have heard the fans then. They HATED Wilson.
I never want to see the team leave but for those apologists of Wilson, I am afraid you are clueless.
I've said it before - I started watching football in the late 80s and early 90s (about when I was 10), so I'm pretty sure I'm biased. I've also dealt with the decision-makers in the franchise (including Wilson and Littman) for the past 5 years, so I know them in a little different light than the average fan.
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Evans will not get a 2nd round pick. And also our defense has allowed 125 points in 4 games.
Thats over 30 A GAME.
We need a real 3-4 OLB, not a converted 4-3 DE. This is as big a need on this team as QB, LT, RT, C, NT, ILB and WR. this team has maybe 10 players worth a damn. But the 3-4 is built on pressure on the QB, and we have none.
I really want the team to draft Luck - I think he's going to be a good one. I have been thinking about the basic question of whether we need a QB or OLB more. If you look at any good 3-4 team, their OLBs (at least one) can play in all situations. He can seal the edge against the run msot of the time, drop back and cover a TE in enough situations to make him effective, and he can rush the passer to an acceptable point.
If there were two guys available at 1 (assuming we get that pick) one the stud QB, the other the stud OLB, I don't know who I'd take. The QB would obviously be a good call, but the OLB might be the lynchpin in the defense. One guy who can do all that from one spot would be a hell of an upgrade.
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So game film is extensively? evaluated and the decision is made in the offseason to waive Incognito and keep Jamon Meredith. So Icognito is a starter on a very good Dolphin O Line, and Meredith, being entirely useless through trainig camp and into the season, is finally, finally cut.
Who is making these talent evaluations? (its a rhetoric question)
Having Incognito doesn't do anything to help us with tackles. The tackles are terrible, but the interior linemen are fine. No need to keep Incognito on the bench, especially considering his penchant for getting flagged (was it once or twice last night?). I'm surprised at how bad Meredith played actually. He made Cornell Green look like a good option.
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We will be taking a QB, or at least that's the common perception.
So far its obvious the management has no interest in bringing in decent players, or keeping decent players.
Likely, our line stays the same, or somehow gets worse. We lose Lynch to free-agency, and Freddie is getting old. Spiller looks to be not very useful outside of the return game.
We draft a stud QB.
Likely we will draft Leaf vs Manning, but lets say we get the Manning... do you think he will be any good here? And if he is, do you think the Bills would actually re-sign him when his rookie contract is up?
Prediction: We choose the "wrong" QB. Keep our ****ty line. And the QB gets released within 2-3 years. Just look at our history of first round busts over recent years. (yes, I know it's early to call Spiller a bust, but it's looking like he's not really ready for anything but returns)
If we get the 1st pick in the draft, I hope Luck declares and we take him. I think he's the real deal. My fear is SF finds a way to get the pick ahead of us again and we end up with the next Lynch instead of Willis. If Luck were guaranteed to come out this year, I would almost be OK with tanking the season.
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Myth 1: Buddy Nix Knows How To Build A Football Team.
Buddy Nix is a professional scout. His entire career has consisted of, to paraphrase Bill Parcells, picking the groceries. He has never, as far as we know, designed the menu or the recipes. There is a difference. It is one thing to be able to identify talented players; it is quite another thing to construct a franchise. For the latter, you need to understand so many more things, including coaching (and coach selection), scheme, the competitive landscape, the salary cap, and player development. Why folks just assume Nix can do all of those things has always eluded me - he has never done it before. Just because some scouts have done it successfully (Polian, Butler) doesn't mean all of them can. And so far in Nix's GM tenure, it appears that he cannot team-build. His coaching selections, the ill-advised switch to a 3-4, and the failure to acquire a capable starting offensive line are all evidence that he fails in this department.
Myth 2: The Chargers Are A Model NFL Franchise.
This one is more controversial, but IMO it's a myth. The Chargers have been somewhat lucky, in part due to their weak division and in part because they have hit on some quality draft picks (that, you CAN thank Nix for). However, in terms of team-building, they have been somewhat dysfunctional. While they've achieved success relative to the Bills, if you look at the path that has gotten them here there have been numerous curious decisions. To name some examples: firing Schotty after his success; drafting 3 elite running backs in a short timespan (LT, Turner, Matthews) - and then paying Sproles $8 million; playing chicken with their best players and clubhouse leaders; jettisoning Brees and drafting Rivers in his place, draft "misses" on WRs, etc. Again, this one is open to debate. The reason I raise it is because one of the most popular refrains we hear at TSW is that Nix is the architect of a great team. I take issue with both of those points - I think Nix was not the architect, and that San Diego has succeeded despite serious dysfunction.
Myth 3: Nix and Gailey Are On The Same Page.
This is another popular one. But it got tosses out of the window down 53 flights yesterday, when the announcers during the game relayed Gailey's comment to them before the game to the effect that, "Our offensive line just isn't big or physical enough for us to do what we want to do on offense." Oh realllllly? And what was done this offseason to fix that critical problem? You'd think that if Nix and Gailey were truly together on everything, at a minimum Gailey would've pushed for (and gotten) more help with the key foundation of the offense he was hired to implement. Similarly, do you think that if Nix understood how little Spiller was going to be used in this offense, he would've burned a high draft pick on him? I tend to doubt it.
Myth 4: The Bills' Problem Is Poor Drafting.
Sorry, this is a myth. The Bills have had decent success in the draft over the past decade. The problem, unfortunately, has been horrible player development and horrible coaching. There are players on this team who would be very solid, productive role players - if not stars - for other teams in this league, had they been drafted into quality organizations with experienced, coherent coaching and schemes, as well as strength and conditioning. As much as folks here beat up on Lynch, Whitner, Poz, and even Kelsay, these are players who can play in this League. Their careers have been ruined by this cesspool of an organization.
Myth 5: The Bills Are Rebuilding.
This is the saddest myth of all of them. Folks, there is just no evidence that the Bills are "building" anything here. If you want to see an organization that is successfully rebuilding, take a look at Pioli's Chiefs. Specifically, look how many of his 2010 draft picks are playing key roles. By contrast, none of our 2010 draft picks are even playing, let alone playing a roll. This team continues to get beat at the point of attack, wear down late in games, and make mental mistakes. The key foundation of any NFL team - the offensive and defensive lines - continues to be a trainwreck. There is no NFL-caliber QB on the roster. This team is not rebuilding - it is re-doing. Sorry to say it, but it's just the truth.
Good thing none of this is subjective - oh wait...
These types of statements can't be proven or dis-proven.
I like this statement, which is not a Myth:
The Buffalo Bills, holders of a 0-4 record and some of the worst offensive and defensive rankings in the league, are playing like the worst team in the league. I dare someone to counter that statement!
How do you know Nix can't build a team? When was the last time he failed? Who's actually built a Super Bowl team four weeks into the season and 15 games before the actual SuperBowl?
How do you knwo the Chargers aren't a model franchise? Were they ever? Why? What makes a team a model franchise? Were the Bills one in the early 90s?
How do you know if Buddy and Chan are on the same page or not? Have you been sitting in meetings or are you trying to devine this information from the brief sound bites you hear through the media?
How can you say the Bills haven't drafted poorly the past 10 years? Especially in the 1st round?
Why do you say the Bills aren't re-building? I just don't get what you're trying to say there.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to tell you there is a ligth at the end of the tunnel or that we're going to win 10 games next year, but I think your post is too subjective to make any points and poorly thought out.
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I have been reading this forum and other Bills sites for a few years now and have recently decided to post some thoughts of my own.
I have been a Bills fan since I was old enough to understand the game, which has been since the early to mid 70’s. You see I was born and raised in the greater Buffalo area so I really had no choice, I was steeped in the Bills for all of my formative years, my parents, friends, friend’s parents, and everyone I knew were Bills fans and we all lived and died with the Bills. I like to say that the scar tissue on my heart has scar tissue on it from being let down so many times. I moved away from Western New York in the early 90’s living in places like North Carolina, Washington, and Baltimore. I have spent a sports fan’s lifetime dealing with the ridicule, the look of pity when someone finds out that I am a Bills fan, the “Wide Right” knuckleheads, and all the rest.
Over the past few years (read last 10 years) I have been getting progressively less tolerant of the product I was seeing, I was getting more and more fed up with the fact the I was spending the money on the NFL Sunday ticket so I could watch break down after break down, buying the hats and the jerseys, and the T’s only to find myself looking in my closet trying to decide if it was worth the ridicule I knew was coming if I wore that stuff out in public… (See, there is a down side to moving away from Buffalo.)
All of this got me to thinking long and hard about my Fan status with the Bills…how many times do you touch the pretty orange flame???
After much consideration I have come to the conclusion that what I am seeing today is no different than what I have been seeing my whole life.
Let me explain.
Since 1960 the Bills are 354-397-8. They have always been a sub 500 team, even when they are good and make it to the postseason they are still a sub 500 team (14-15 in post season play)
In team history (50 years) they have only had 22 seasons of 500 or better… and 12 of those were in the Levy era where we lost playoff game after playoff game and super bowl after super bowl…arguably the hardest time to be a Bills fan. And I do not see any evidence that the owner wants to change anything
Ralph Wilson and the Bills reminds me of the store in town that has been there for years and everyone wonders how the owner stays in business, no set business hours, little to no stock on the shelves, place hasn’t been cleaned in years, it seems the owner puts in just enough work to keep the doors open and little else. And he is happy to live that life.
So now I have taken a step back, I am still a Bills fan, just not like I used to be. I won’t buy the swag, I don’t get the Sunday ticket anymore, and I will only go to a game if I win a ticket. The Bills are actually playing here in Baltimore this year…my friend has offered me his extra ticket… I am still not sure if I will go or not. If I do I won’t wear any of my gear, I may have embraced my new Bills fan attitude of quiet desperation, but I still don’t feel like hearing it from a stadium full of Ravens fans.
I will close with a quote from the Book Sh*t My Dad Says.
“No, I'm not a pessimist. At some point the world sh*ts on everybody. Pretending it ain't sh*t makes you an idiot, not an optimist."
I hear what you're saying here, but I'm just not there yet. I'm still pretty optimistic about the Bills going forward and probably have another decade of whatever comes in me. The reason for that optimism I think, is that I started watching football during the late 80s, just when the Bills were getting good. I then had the pleasure of watching probably the best era of Bills football - with a dominant offense and big play defense. They were fun as hell to watch! At that point, after watching those games in the early 90s, I didn't understand that the Bills could even lose - it seemed like the Bills could will themselves into winning games and getting into the playoffs. It's kind of like how I look at Indy now - they're just a great team to watch and root for.
I think what's happened to me after all those years of watching those great teams is that it still hasn't hit me that they can be as bad as they are. I'm not saying I have a shrine to Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas in a closet in my house and still wear zubas outside the hosue, but it's hard for me to forget the good times and even harder for me to think that they won't come back.
Bills Bonds - An Idea for Helping to Keep the Bills in Buffalo
in The Stadium Wall Archives
Posted
Good idea. I think you're biggest problem is going to be your target market of buyers for these bonds. Someone said we'd need 800,000 people to give $1,000 each, and we'd have $800mm. That is an unrealiztic number if you are planning on marketing these to fans. Normally in a bond issue, the company/group issuing the bonds meets with prospective investment banks to pick the one with the lowest fees/best deal. Once the financial institution is picked, an agreement is setup where that institution agrees to issue so many bonds on behalf of the company/group and guarantees buyers for those bonds. Usually those buyers are hedge funds, large companies, wealth managers, or very wealthy individuals who buy the bonds based on their debt appetite and the tier of the bond (i.e. rate of return versus order of default absorbtion of the debt). The buys are done in large chunks for the most part, since the more transactions that occur, the more it costs the financial institution to sell the bonds.
In your scenario, there would be multiple small transactions to fund the bond purchases. This would most likely cause the price of the transaction to increase because of how many individual transactions would have to be made. Also, finding 800k people willing to fork over $1k each is not easy. There probably are not that many people over the age of 30 in WNY, regardless of whether they have the money to invest or not. Even $150mm is a lot to get in $1k increments.
Also, when these transactions occur, the financial institution has a set amount of time to sell all the bonds before the deal goes bust and the company/group behind the issue walks away (usually at cost to the financial institution). For this reason alone, it might be difficult to get a financial isntitution to sign on.