Lurker Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 What in the world does Art Shell have to do with anything? 864319[/snapback] OMG!! Brain Cramp - 101. Upshaw of course...Damn them old Raiders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf Fub Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Call me crazy but if Wilson was really hinting that the Bills were about to leave town, the story would have made the front page. It wouldn't be burried on page D3. The man is being political and trying to get the best deal for his club. Let him do it and rest easy that the Bills aren't going anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Because he says that he can't pay out large bonuses when he surely can. As much as he wishes. He doesn't have the same amount of cash, he doesn't gross or net nearly the same amount, the other owners can throw around cash like at a tittie bar because they have more of it. But Ralph gets a lot of cash, grosses and nets a lot of cash, and can pay 15 million dollar bonuses to Nate Clements if he wishes and have no problems financially. Just not as easily. And without the assurances of the qualifiers, the gap will grow down the line. With the qualifiers, the Bills should easily be able compete. 864316[/snapback] The secret to being wealthy and/or competitive is to use other people's money...not you own. If one owner is spending his own funds and another is not, then the playing field is no longer level. Wouldn't matter if Ralph sold the team to TBG or Jacobs--that reality would still apply. The old revenue-sharing formula allowed small market teams to "use" the funds provided by the large markets. Jerry Jones and Snyder killed that model, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 shhhh..you are not supposed to read the whole article..just bits and pieces and then form your own opinion... 864067[/snapback] Sounds like you should work for a network news agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 OK i will leave the heavy thinking to a smart person like yourself.Please enlighten me to your vast knowledge of the situation so an ignorant person like myself can understand the situation better. 864237[/snapback] You don't need vast knowledge to understand that Ralph is using the microphone and press to get his point out. To read that article and immediately come to the conclusion that "That's it. They're leaving." is, at best, lazy thinking and smacks of a consistent doomsday attitude. It's clear you're another one of those great fans who thinks he's smells smoke and immediately starts running around uncontrollably yelling to everyone that the world is on fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggins Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I would no longer root for the Bills if they moved. I'd probably cry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loadofmularkey Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 OK i will leave the heavy thinking to a smart person like yourself.Please enlighten me to your vast knowledge of the situation so an ignorant person like myself can understand the situation better. 864237[/snapback] The title of the thread ("That's life. Looks like the Bills are good as gone") might have been a tiny bit drastic. Tiny bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albany,n.y. Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Soprano is the buyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HereComesTheReignAgain Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 If the Bills left, I'd leave. They are the main reason I went to school in Fredonia and stayed here after graduation. I love going to the games and really look forward to the home opener every year. Our economy is lousy and the taxes are horrid. The Bills are one of the few reasons remaining to love this town/area. I can only imagine what kind of impact the team leaving would have on the economy and psyche of WNY. 864210[/snapback] I agree completely. I don't know if it a sad reason to stay in the area, but it may be the biggest reason keeping me here. There are few things I enjoy more than going to the games with my father, and I could make much more money elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I wouldn't be surprised to learn Ralph has found a buyer for the Bills. It's finding a buyer who would want to keep the Bills in Buffalo given the new, lousy, CBA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 according to my sources, a wealthy business man has decided to buy the team. details coming... 864138[/snapback] Ralph would actually have to be looking for a buyer in order to find a buyer. He has never said he's looking to sell. If he did, it would have been front page news for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 IF the Bills were to move my interest in the NFL would go down 75 %. No more NFL Sunday Ticket for me. The overall product has gone downhill the last 10 years anyway. The Bills are the only thing keeping me interested. 864166[/snapback] I agree. Remember the NBA Braves? I was a big NBA fan. Once they left, I never watched another basketball game again. A few people mention Toronto. Toronto has the wealth they could support a team. Also close enough the Bills die-hards could still go see them. Wouldn't be the worse thing to happen. Wonder if my taxes go down if they leave? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DE Bills Fan Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Ralphie linky Anyone else think that this article spells the end of the Bills? I find it very troublesome, and it makes me nervous. 864120[/snapback] THE BILLS IN BUFFALO ARE HISTORY. WHOMEVER PURCHASES THE CANNOT RECOUP HIS INVESTMENT OR SERVICE THEIR DEBT LOAD WITHOUT GARNERING MUCH MORE REVENUE. SINCE THE BILLS CANNOT REASONABLY RAISE TICKET PRICES OR GET HIGH PAYING CORPORATE SPONSORE, ITS GAME OVER. AS SOON AS RALPH PASSES, HIS DAUGHTER WILL SELL THE TEAM TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 THE BILLS IN BUFFALO ARE HISTORY. WHOMEVER PURCHASES THE CANNOT RECOUP HIS INVESTMENT OR SERVICE THEIR DEBT LOAD WITHOUT GARNERING MUCH MORE REVENUE. SINCE THE BILLS CANNOT REASONABLY RAISE TICKET PRICES OR GET HIGH PAYING CORPORATE SPONSORE, ITS GAME OVER. AS SOON AS RALPH PASSES, HIS DAUGHTER WILL SELL THE TEAM TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. 864370[/snapback] I'm sorry. Did you say something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 The secret to being wealthy and/or competitive is to use other people's money...not you own. If one owner is spending his own funds and another is not, then the playing field is no longer level. Wouldn't matter if Ralph sold the team to TBG or Jacobs--that reality would still apply. The old revenue-sharing formula allowed small market teams to "use" the funds provided by the large markets. Jerry Jones and Snyder killed that model, IMO. 864336[/snapback] He's not throwing around his own money, he's throwing around a portion of the profits he makes from being in the NFL. The same way that Snyder is. It's just that Snyder makes 50 million more. This year the monies paid in cash to each owner exceeded the salary cap by something like seven million. The Bills were an additional eight or so million under the cap. That is 15 million right there for a signing bonus before one ticket is sold, one beer, one parking spot, one hat or jersey. That is tens of millions. That is before the seven mil the Bills get from boxes. That is before the multi-millions each team is paid by the NFL in cash by the sponsorships deals which are never publicized but outrageous. Ralph pays himself 5 million salary, too, according to WGR. Ralph takes in tens and tens of millions in cash and his expenses are just for travel and the front office/running of the team. The difference is, in simple terms, that the Daniel Snyders of the world have 70-100+ million in cash to pay out 20 mil in bonuses and the Ralph Wilsons of the world have 40 million in cash to pay out 20 million in bonuses. And remember, which no one seems to want to do, that when you pay out 15 million in bonuses that is 15 million LESS you spend on salary in the next five or so years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjeff215 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 The Bills are one of the few reasons remaining to love this town/area. I couldn't disagree more. After living down South for the past ten years, I miss it more than ever. A two-hour commute, ass neighbors, crowding, sprawl, traffic. I'd pay to make that all disappear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 DOOMED!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 THE BILLS IN BUFFALO ARE HISTORY. WHOMEVER PURCHASES THE CANNOT RECOUP HIS INVESTMENT OR SERVICE THEIR DEBT LOAD WITHOUT GARNERING MUCH MORE REVENUE. SINCE THE BILLS CANNOT REASONABLY RAISE TICKET PRICES OR GET HIGH PAYING CORPORATE SPONSORE, ITS GAME OVER. AS SOON AS RALPH PASSES, HIS DAUGHTER WILL SELL THE TEAM TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. 864370[/snapback] And you know this exactly how? What if the 'highest bidder' happens to be from WNY, or Ralph stipulates in his will that 'best efforts' must be made to keep the team here? I mean, what exactly is your inspiration for this metaphysical certitude that you feel compelled to scream at us? (I think your 'caps lock' key is stuck.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loadofmularkey Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 THE BILLS IN BUFFALO ARE HISTORY. WHOMEVER PURCHASES THE CANNOT RECOUP HIS INVESTMENT OR SERVICE THEIR DEBT LOAD WITHOUT GARNERING MUCH MORE REVENUE. SINCE THE BILLS CANNOT REASONABLY RAISE TICKET PRICES OR GET HIGH PAYING CORPORATE SPONSORE, ITS GAME OVER. AS SOON AS RALPH PASSES, HIS DAUGHTER WILL SELL THE TEAM TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. 864370[/snapback] What? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Oh man! All of this without the NFL being involved in evaluating the owner as required? WOW! What a scoop! according to my sources, a wealthy business man has decided to buy the team. details coming... 864138[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts