Ralphs Hall of Fame Chances

[alarmitall]

There is a reason that Ralph hasnt made it to the hall sooner.

Its because he continually makes poor choices of who to have run the organization. Other than Butler and Polian, who both put up with the drooling idiot for a few years it has been one clown after another. now we get Marv, with nothing left to do but tarnish his own image.

Yes i do think ralph deserves to be in, but....

[CoachChuckDickerson]

I remember life before I got laid, don't worry buddy, it'll happen someday.....maybe.

[Just Jack]

I remember life before I got laid, don't worry buddy, it'll happen someday.....maybe.

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[Sound_n_Fury]

There is a reason that Ralph hasnt made it to the hall sooner.

556877[/snapback]

 

Yeah, it's because owners are at the bottom of the pecking order when it comes to inductees. No conspriacy...just a numbers problem.

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

I would rather see Thurman at the podium in Canton this summer.

 

[TNBillFan]

There is a reason that Ralph hasnt made it to the hall sooner.

Its because he continually makes poor choices of who to have run the organization. Other than Butler and Polian, who both put up with the drooling idiot for a few years it has been one clown after another. now we get Marv, with nothing left to do but tarnish his own image.

Yes i do think ralph deserves to be in, but....

556877[/snapback]

 

Amazing. I guess, this "drooling idiot" must have simply lucked into becoming a self-made multimillionaire. He clearly has no clue how to run a business (i.e. the Buffalo Bills) given his track record for more decades than I care to remember. If you were a stockholder in the Bills, would you rather have some anonymous "clown" with a computer (or some uninvested newspaper guy) making decisions for the Bills or Ralph Wilson? After all, "fans" clearly have much more of their own net worth and personal reputations tied up with the team than the team's owner. Ridiculous.

 

It is a wonder to me how Ralph Wilson's unending loyalty to the City of Buffalo is continually disrespected by Buffalonians. Has it occurred to any of these geniuses that Mr. Wilson stayed in town over the same 40 years when half of Buffalo's population took off for greener pastures. This man deserves better than this kind of crap. Did anyone stop to consider who the team's President was when Polian and Butler were here?

 

P.S. Polian is among the best GMs in the NFL, but differences occur and he moved on. Get over it. He's got a great job and he's not coming back. Butler certainly recognized talent but he also helped spend the Bills into a decade of mediocrity because he failed to adjust to the cap. He was the last "glory years" GM, but that doesn't make him a great GM. The new team deserves the benefit of the doubt. Mr. Wilson is not a doddering old fool---especially with his own money.

[vegas55]

How could anybody argue Ralph for the hall of fame. Loyalty to the city of Buffalo is NOT a criteria for the Hall. His franchise has an overall record of less than .500; its been a laughing stock for many of the years of its existence. He fired the genius who assembled the super bowl teams. His franchise was such a mess that Jim Kelly chose the USFL over Buffalo, Tom Cousineau picked the CFL.

 

As to his loyalty to Buffalo; he paid about 100,000.00 for this franchise which is now worth 500 million. Thats ample reward for his "loyalty"

[apuszczalowski]

Yeah, Ralph is a drooling idiot cause he didn't try to get Polian to be the new GM. Unless you didn't notice, He is the GM of INDY, in other words already has a job that he may win a SB with this year. Maybe Ralph is a drooling idiot for not trying to go after Butler to replace Donahoe, he's only dead, he could still be the GM.

 

He hired Donahoe who was THE BEST CHOICE AT THAT TIME. I'm sure if Ralph had magical powers he could have looked into the future and saw it wouldn't worked out so he could have gotten someone else. Who knows in a few years Donahoe could be the GM of another team and be leading them to a super bowl and your gonna come on here saying Ralph in senile and dumb for not keeping him and why did we let him go.

 

Who knows what Marv will be like as GM. He is a very smart guy who could turn out to be a great GM, or he could wind up not being that great. But lets give him a chance. And enough with the "He's old, and senile" type of talk for Marv and Ralph. Ralph is still pretty good for his age, and Marv is probably sharper than most people on here and he's 80.

 

Ralph will be in the HOF, but alot of owners don't make it in until after they are no longer the owner.

[TNBillFan]

  How could anybody argue Ralph for the hall of fame. Loyalty to the city of Buffalo is NOT a criteria for the Hall. His franchise has an overall record of less than .500; its been a laughing stock for many of the years of its existence. He fired the genius who assembled the super bowl teams. His franchise was such a mess that Jim Kelly chose the USFL over Buffalo, Tom Cousineau picked the CFL.

 

As to his loyalty to Buffalo; he paid about 100,000.00 for this franchise which is now worth 500 million. Thats ample reward for his "loyalty"

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This is exactly what I'm talking about!

 

1) Come on vegas, what are the winning percentages for the other teams and how does Buffalo compare? Don't suggest that a stat is significant without putting it in context. Enquiring minds want to know.

 

2) Name the franchises that have not spent time being a "laughing stock" over the last 40 years. How many can you name. Put this comment in context, too.

 

3) Can you think of anyone else who road the USFL to fame and immediate fortune other than Jim Kelly? How about Herschel Walker, Reggie White,.... Any others? Did they go there because the NFL teams with their rights were "messes" or did they make financial decisions. As for Cousineau, so what? What did he ever do after college to distinguish himself as a best of all timer?

 

4) What do you suppose $100,000. in 1960's money would be worth today and do you honestly believe Ralph Wilson's investment over the last 40+ years has been limited to his start up capital? Brilliant!

 

5) How many other franchises have been positivey affected by Ralph Wilson during the last 40 years? Ask Oakland if he helped them out. Check with Detroit. What about others? Can you name other owners who had as much influence on the league over the last four decades? There aren't too many. Most are in the Hall. You are right in part, it's not about Buffalo, its about his impact on the league.

 

6) Finally, if you had $500 Million (laughing heartily here) tied up in a small/struggling market like Buffalo would you leave it tied up there for the good of the community or would you cash it in by selling or moving the franchise rights (a scarce economic commodity) to a new, shiny, Sun Belt city where your investment could double again? Most would have gone long ago. He didn't.

 

I don't agree with all Ralph Wilson has done with the Bills but the man deserves the respect of Buffalo and its fans. His decisions also deserve the benefit of the doubt.

[KRC]

... alot of owners don't make it in until after they are no longer the owner.

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Actually, that would be incorrect:

 

Charles Bidwell: Class of 1967, died 1947. Owner until death. HOF did not exist at time of death.

Al Davis: Class of 1992. Still owner.

George Halas: Class of 1963. Owner until death in 1983.

Lamar Hunt: Class of 1972. Current owner of Chiefs.

Curley Lambeau: Class of 1963. Owner until 1953. Died 1965.

Tim Mara: Class of 1963. Died in 1959.

Wellington Mara: Class of 1997. Owner until death in 2005.

George Preston Marshall: Class of 1963. Owner until death in 1969.

Dan Reeves: Class of 1967. Owner until death in 1971.

Art Rooney: Class of 1964. Owner until death in 1988.

Dan Rooney: Class of 2000. Still owner.

 

So, the only people inducted after they were owners, was Charles Bidwell (HOF did not exist when he died), Tim Mara (HOF did not exist when he died) and Curley Lambeau (HOF did not exist when he retired).

[Fan in San Diego]

Amazing.  I guess, this "drooling idiot" must have simply lucked into becoming a self-made multimillionaire.  He clearly has no clue how to run a business (i.e. the Buffalo Bills) given his track record for more decades than I care to remember.  If you were a stockholder in the Bills, would you rather have some anonymous "clown" with a computer (or some uninvested newspaper guy) making decisions for the Bills or Ralph Wilson?  After all, "fans" clearly have much more of their own net worth and personal reputations tied up with the team than the team's owner.  Ridiculous.

 

It is a wonder to me how Ralph Wilson's unending loyalty to the City of Buffalo is continually disrespected by Buffalonians. Has it occurred to any of these geniuses that Mr. Wilson stayed in town over the same 40 years when half of Buffalo's population took off for greener pastures.  This man deserves better than this kind of crap.  Did anyone stop to consider who the team's President was when Polian and Butler were here? 

 

P.S. Polian is among the best GMs in the NFL, but differences occur and he moved on.  Get over it.  He's got a great job and he's not coming back.  Butler certainly recognized talent but he also helped spend the Bills into a decade of mediocrity because he failed to adjust to the cap.  He was the last "glory years" GM, but that doesn't make him a great GM.  The new team deserves the benefit of the doubt.  Mr. Wilson is not a doddering old fool---especially with his own money.

557039[/snapback]

 

Well said !

[apuszczalowski]

Actually, that would be incorrect:

 

Charles Bidwell: Class of 1967, died 1947. Owner until death. HOF did not exist at time of death.

Al Davis: Class of 1992. Still owner.

George Halas: Class of 1963. Owner until death in 1983.

Lamar Hunt: Class of 1972. Current owner of Chiefs.

Curley Lambeau: Class of 1963. Owner until 1953. Died 1965.

Tim Mara: Class of 1963. Died in 1959.

Wellington Mara: Class of 1997. Owner until death in 2005.

George Preston Marshall: Class of 1963. Owner until death in 1969.

Dan Reeves: Class of 1967. Owner until death in 1971.

Art Rooney: Class of 1964. Owner until death in 1988.

Dan Rooney: Class of 2000. Still owner.

 

So, the only people inducted after they were owners, was Charles Bidwell (HOF did not exist when he died), Tim Mara (HOF did not exist when he died) and Curley Lambeau (HOF did not exist when he retired).

557111[/snapback]

 

Good, you had stats to back it up. I didn't and I'm willing to admit that.