Ralph Wilsons Legacy

[Mikie2times]

As I sit here in what I consider to be the arm pit of Ohio, Toledo, a city of 276k, packed with probably as many restaurants as it has citizens. Median household income of 37k. How is that even possible? Then I look at Buffalo and go figure, exact same population and exact same median income. I also understand like any city outlying suburbs have more money. About double the median income, again, no different than Toledo. I also understand the impacts of Buffalo having Rochester, Syracuse, and Toronto close by. Toledo is blocked by the Lions about an hour north, Cleveland an hour and half east, but you aren't getting near a pro football team anywhere inside an hours drive. Again, not all that different on distance compared to the outside populations that support the Bills. This is probably the biggest edge Buffalo has in a debate of why they should have a pro football team vs a city like Toledo that is so similar. 

 

I'm 30 years into this, like Ralph, from the Detroit area. I understand Ralph was a cheap and meddling owner and he drove us bat crazy. That said, I don't think I have read one positive post about Ralph Wilson since Terry grabbed the torch. I don't see Bills fans as thankful for what Ralph gave us and that's not what I have come to associate myself with in being a Bills fan. We are a die hard, loyal, appreciative group.

 

Can we start appreciating Ralph for what he did and not the things he failed at doing? If the NFL picked a location for each team starting anew, Buffalo isn't on the list. They aren't even on the 2nd list. Ralph put Buffalo on the list and he kept us there. I don't care about the ways he failed. What he did for WNY is special and it should always be considered special. 

Edited July 11, 2021 by KzooMike

[Don Otreply]

Ralph was Ralph, warts and all, some good some bad, much like all the other humans on this rock. 

[Chandler#81]

??😳 

I don’t know of anyone here who’s old enough to personally know the history of the team, that doesn’t appreciate Ralphs’ commitment to WNY. But the warts are plenty.

*Routinely threatened to move the team

*Consistent meddling in the team operation with disastrous results

*Put friends in high places with little to no experience-including Head Coach!

*Notoriously cheap in contract negotiations 

 

Ralph, more than any one person, was singularly responsible for at least 30 years of terrible, often embarrassing football. At the root of it all, he wanted to own the Lions. (See our original uniforms) Under the gun to name a host city by Lamar Hunt, his Miami preference fell through and we were his default position. He never called Buffalo home and never wanted to. Yes, he was charitable. He was instrumental ($$) in keeping the AFL afloat. He brought us The Bills! He made sure the team would stay here following his death. For these actions alone, he’s a positive part of the WNY story. But the ‘Good’ legacy ends there.

 

I don’t miss him.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

12 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

Ralph, more than any one person, was singularly responsible for at least 30 years of terrible, often embarrassing football. At the root of it all, he wanted to own the Lions. (See our original uniforms) Under the gun to name a host city by Lamar Hunt, his Miami preference fell through and we were his default position. He never called Buffalo home and never wanted to. Yes, he was charitable. He was instrumental ($$) in keeping the AFL afloat. He brought us The Bills! He made sure the team would stay here following his death. For these actions alone, he’s a positive part of the WNY story. But the ‘Good’ legacy ends there.

 

I don’t miss him.

I do.  But then I compensate for wind and bad sighting of the bow.  I wonder if Staples has printed up that ream of Ralph portraits yet? 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Ridgewaycynic2013

[machine gun kelly]

Kzoo, first very thoughtful to honor Ralph’s memory, and yes, you’ll read negative comments that are so common, it’s not worth repeating as everyone knows the talking points.

 

Where I politely disagree with you is the positive remarks which are just as common regarding Ralph.

 

First, historically he had such a love of football and history, he made a point of naming the team after the 1940’s Bills from that naming contest (Buffalo Bill).

 

Second, he was an integral part of the formation of the foolish 8, and when Al Davis was broke and may have needed to fold on the Raiders, Ralph bailed him out. (I think 50k, but Chand or one of the guys can confirm).

 

He also was a principal in pushing for integration of the AFL into the NFL, and played hard ball in the draft and plucking off what would’ve been NFL talent.

 

Next, he was a staunch advocate of the revenue sharing that now exists in the NFL keeping at bay the Dallas, NY’s of the world maintaining the NFL brand is better with a balance of small market teams and regionalizing.

 

Some of the guys can elaborate, but I believe he was part of the owners along with Modell for the inception of MNF.

 

He had multiple opportunities to move the team when others did move like the Baltimore Colts, first Browns team to Baltimore, and so on.  I believe he was offered to move the team to Jax.

 

There are a lot more examples, but he loved Buffalonians so much he made it all, but impossible to move the team with the sale of it to Pegulas.  He also in his will with Mrs. Wilson’s approval set up foundations in Detroit and Buffalo for the $1.4 bil. For the sale.  Tell me Jerrah or that tool in Washington would do that upon his death.

 

Youre probably going to read a lot

more as you have several historians on this board who know the great things tje Wilson’s did for Buffalo.

 

He was cheap and meddling and held us back in many ways, but to say Bills fans don’t know the history or don’t appreciate anything about the Bills is not accurate.

Edited July 11, 2021 by machine gun kelly

[eSJayDee]

1st, as a philanthropist, I think Ralph was worthy of acclaim & reverence.  As an owner, let's just say he was a good business man.

I'd further like to point out, that when the AFL was forming, the 1950 census had Buffalo as like the 11th largest city in the country.  So, short of predicting New Yorks general economic & population decline, of unoccupied choices, at the time, it seemed like a prudent choice.

[Beast]

Always thankful for Ralph. I cursed his name many times but I have a hometown football team to root for because of the man. (and the Pegula's)

Edited July 11, 2021 by Beast

[Rico]

1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said:

??😳 

I don’t know of anyone here who’s old enough to personally know the history of the team, that doesn’t appreciate Ralphs’ commitment to WNY. But the warts are plenty.

*Routinely threatened to move the team

*Consistent meddling in the team operation with disastrous results

*Put friends in high places with little to no experience-including Head Coach!

*Notoriously cheap in contract negotiations 

 

Ralph, more than any one person, was singularly responsible for at least 30 years of terrible, often embarrassing football. At the root of it all, he wanted to own the Lions. (See our original uniforms) Under the gun to name a host city by Lamar Hunt, his Miami preference fell through and we were his default position. He never called Buffalo home and never wanted to. Yes, he was charitable. He was instrumental ($$) in keeping the AFL afloat. He brought us The Bills! He made sure the team would stay here following his death. For these actions alone, he’s a positive part of the WNY story. But the ‘Good’ legacy ends there.

 

I don’t miss him.

Can you please pin this post to the top of this board? 

[WIDE LEFT]

I never understand the concept of giving thanks & praise to Wilson for “keeping” the Bills in Buffalo. His $25,000 investment in the Bills turned into  a billion dollar + financial bonanza for him. Isn’t that thanks enough. So many people have done so much more and received far far less in financial award for their efforts & sacrifice. One of the cheapest, most meddlesome owners in NFL history reaped much more than he deserved.

[TroutDog]

Any negativity isn’t a knock on the man, it’s a knock on the owner. The simple fact is, Ralph was not a very good owner. 
 

As mentioned, he did some great things for the game but for the Bills it was too few and far between. 

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

Sure lost a lot of football games

[Victory Formation]

I think he should be honored for keeping the team in Buffalo, but I think many folks had an axe to grind with him because he seemingly cared more about money and not winning. Most of us were simply grateful to have a team, regardless of whether we were contenders or not. It is true that we were perennial losers under him, but all in all, I do think Terry is a better owner, but I must also acknowledge that without Ralph there is no Bills. 

[SoCal Deek]

I’ve been a Bills fan since almost the very beginning. I can understand some of the Ralph frustration but I’ve always put it in perspective. He was extremely loyal to WNY, and that above all else is really all that matters. He started a tiny minor league club in a run down rust belt City with no idea that just ten years later he’d own an NFL franchise worth many millions. He loved football and loved the idea he could own a team. Unfortunately the financial aspect of an area like WNY is somewhat land locked and shifting demographics through the years made it much worse (thank god for revenue sharing). Just about any other owner picks the team up and moves to ‘greener’ pastures. If not for Ralph Wilson this team would no longer be the Buffalo Bills….period.

Edited July 11, 2021 by SoCal Deek

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

2 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

*Routinely threatened to move the team

*Consistent meddling in the team operation with disastrous results

*Put friends in high places with little to no experience-including Head Coach!

*Notoriously cheap in contract negotiations

—— Hoodwinker 

Brought in Doug Flutie to entice Canadians to fill the seat in OP. 
 

The Little Engine That Could! already had a solid “localized” fan base. 

—— what wasn’t there to be excited about?

 

Todd Collins, Billy Joe Hobert, Billy Joe Tolliver and Alex VanPelt and then there was Rob Johnson 
l liked Dough Boy AVP but he was a solid #2  at best. 

 

 

Long Live the Chroise!!!!

[Charles Romes]

The poison pill he created to save the team at a cost of half a $B to his family will not be forgotten. 

[Mr. WEO]

Ralph didn't want Buffalo.  He wanted to start an AFL team in Miami but Hunt turned him down.  Hunt wanted Pat McGroder, the guy who actually was trying to get an NFL team to Buffalo for years, to own an AFL franchise in Buffalo.  McGroder balked because he really wanted an NFL team and figured the threat of a rival league would convince the NFL to put a team in Buff.  The NFL didn't.  So McGroder and Ralph got together and formed the AFL Bills.

 

This sums it up:

 

"O. J. Simpson later noted of his contract negotiations with the Bills that when Simpson's agent told Wilson of Simpson's potential to make the team a championship contender, Wilson shot back "What good would a championship do me? All that means is everybody wants a raise."

 

 

[Patrick Duffy]

As I became a big fan in the mid-late 80's, A part of RW legacy to me will always be the 4 Super Bowl appearances I guess, then kinda jjust went down hill from there. Always thankful for him though for everything he did with putting the team in Buffalo.

Edited July 11, 2021 by Patrick_Duffy

[PromoTheRobot]

Stop at Tony Packo's and grab two Hungarians and a side of pierogis for me.

[WhoTom]

1 hour ago, Mr. WEO said:

"O. J. Simpson later noted of his contract negotiations with the Bills that when Simpson's agent told Wilson of Simpson's potential to make the team a championship contender, Wilson shot back "What good would a championship do me? All that means is everybody wants a raise."

 

I don't think of OJ as a reliable source.

 

 

[Patrick Duffy]

8 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

I don't think of OJ as a reliable source.

 

 

Lol, yeah but would it surprise you much if Ralph did say something like that? Or could you potentially see him possibly saying something like that?