Jump to content

Would you change team name if you had the power?


Recommended Posts

4 minutes ago, Stampede said:

Even as a child I couldn't understand why the team would want a name that is associated with someone who in reality slaughtered buffalo (bison). It's like accepting a self-imposed curse. I've always thought the team should go with no nickname so I agree. And let's have a real buffalo as a mascot like the University of Colorado and get rid of Billy! A real buffalo running onto the field to the rumble of the Stampede Drumline representing the strength of the city of Buffalo. AWSOME!

“Hey, I just stepped in bison dung!”  ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the contrary, 'the Bills' may be best name in the NFL.  Because virtually nobody (except established fans) knows what the name refers to, it is in the abstract realm and thus can be anything you make of it.  So, whereas a Lion is a lion

and a Cowboy is a cowboy, a Bill is up to you...and to you...and to you.  That's why 'the Bills' make me want to shout!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, PlayoffsPlease said:

How do you feel about the Browns name? 

It's also puzzling on the surface (especially given the helmet color), but it makes a lot more sense to people when you explain the origin. Even without the origin, there are numerous other major sports franchises that are just colors, so it's not as strange as Bills.

Edited by The Bills Blog
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ralph Wilson chose the name the Bills from the World football team Buffalo Bills just post WW2 as we had a team in the late 40’s.  You can thank George Halas of the Bears for being the reason we were not granted the ability to join the NFL.  He was so passionate about the Bills and Buffalo, he was instrumental in the start of the foolish 8 and the AFL, basically saying screw you NFL, and screw Halas.  Then he bailed out Al Davis who was going bankrupt and almost had the Raiders fold up their tent in the early 60’s.  He then was helpful in poaching top college players from the NFL to go to the AFL.  That is the reason why the Bills were a big part of the NFL eventually caving and had the AFL roll into the NFL as the AFC.

 

Beyond that he was the catalyst among other owners to share TV revenue as Rozelle and others knew small market teams were necessary to grow the league vs. jack offs like Jerah ( sorry mods for the remark ) to slant towards only large market teams.  He also rebuffed several efforts to move the team.

 

To change the name is not right.  It’s only my opinion, but I’m 51 and my team is the BUFFALO BILLS.  To change it would be like changing the Packers, Chiefs, Bears, Giants, and so on.  We’re part of NFL history and I like many of you absolutely love our team and it’s name.  I’m not calling anyone out at all for throwing out the idea and understand some of those names are cool, but it’s not us.  We are the Bills and I’m proud of our team through thick and thin.  We have a long history which includes before my time AFL champions back to back in the 60’s and even though we lost, no team has ever gone to 4 straight SB’s.  Not the Steelers, Patriots, Vikings, Cowboys, etc.  

 

Again, please don’t think I am slamming anyone who floated the idea of changing the name.  I just love my team the way it is and where it is ( yes, I know poor grammar and syntax).

  • Like (+1) 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, The Bills Blog said:

...

On the surface, "I'm a Bills fan" makes no sense to people. It might be the most confusing team name in sports. Bills? "Is the team named after people named Bill?" Buffalo Bill isn't widely known enough for it to be obvious, especially since he's not associated with the city of Buffalo. There's also a weird element with Buffalo Bill getting his name due to his talent for KILLING the animal on our helmet... It's all really odd.

 

Heres what you -and other neophytes- fail to understand. This isn’t a U.S. City sponsored organization. The NFL, more so than other pro sports, is entirely a rich persons privately owned sports club. Think Polo. 2 small groups of financially successful business men founded these sports organizations. One a hundred years ago, the other 60 years ago. It’s THEIR toy. They name the team, pay the team and decide where the team will play. On occasion, they move their club to other locations and sometimes rename them. It’s entirely THEIR gig. Sports fans in the cities they currently reside can come out and watch the team by giving the owner their money. When they sell their ownership to another gazillionaire, the new guy can do whatever he wants with the club. Sure, there’s raging animosity from the people of the city they’re located in and local gubment feign mild protest in a token dance of defense for their constituents, but it’s never mattered to the club owners and they always win out. In our case, RJW wanted in on a new league venture in the late ‘50’s because he and his 7 cohorts were continually shot down in their personal bids to buy an existing club, as the sport grew in national interest. His family had a financial stake in his hometown team, the Lions. His initial desire was to locate his “foolish” endeavor in Miami so he could get away from the wrath of northern weather. He was unsuccessful securing the Orange Bowl to play in and time was almost up for being IN on the new League. He knew the Buffalo Bills -yes, that was their name, once belonged to the AAFC (where the Rams & Browns came from) and had an old but functional and unused stadium. Again, the clock was striking midnight on ‘In or Out’, so he jumped -and resurrected the name for local interest. Note: the city’s fans (read; your great grandpa) loved their team and were sure they’d be included in the merger with the big time NFL, only to be kicked in the teeth at the final tally as the League consequently folded. 

 

So that’s why we’re the Bills. RJW saw and loved Buffalo Bill Cody as a youngster with his Wild West traveling show and drew comparisons to his new traveling show. 

 

Yeah, anyone not from the area who inquires about our silly name doesn’t want to hear this long-winded, accurate explanation, so don’t bother. You’ll lose them with ‘way back in the 1950’s’. Just shrug and say ‘we’re lucky to have them.’

 

To the OP, GETOFFMYLAWN!

 

867954EE-AF0B-4503-8853-88CD0D224DD9.jpeg

  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

You can thank George Halas of the Bears for being the reason we were not granted the ability to join the NFL.  

 

Prior to that, you can thank Dan Reeves and Bert Bell for why the Bills of the AAFC were not absorbed into the NFL in 1950.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Each month when my wife and I pay our bills I (usually) grumble and say ,”Why should we pay them, they haven’t been playing very well?”  So maybe they should be the Buffalo Money Owed.

Maybe the logo can be a dollar sign with wings to signify that the money is flying away.

 

Since every game broadcast includes the obligatory scenes of chicken wings and Niagara Falls, the name should be the Buffalo Wings and Falls. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That would be like calling money the “ Dollar Steve” and it would be dumb. It is the “Dollar Bill”  it’s not the “Buffalo Steve’s” it’s the “Buffalo Bills”  get your head outta your...  DC Tom needs to have his talk with you.

 

Go Bills!!!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...