19 replies to this topic

[buffalo_bills]

Hey Bills fans! Something has been on my mind recently regarding the future of this team in Buffalo and I would like to hear your opinions as well.

Outlining the situation, we have a 94 year old owner who is nearing the end of his life. When he passes, he has clearly stated that the team will be sold to the highest bidder.

Now, we all know the LA group has already begun building a billion-dollar stadium, and are looking for a team to relocate. If Ralph passes before another team can be bought out by this LA ownership group, I think this team is in grave danger of being moved to LA.

In that case, I highly doubt any local group would be able to outbid this multi-billion dollar ownership LA ownership group who have clearly stated that they want and will move a team to LA.

Saying this, do you believe that even when Ralph passes, our future will be secure? I certainly don't believe our team deserves to go anywhere. We are the most loyal fanbase in the NFL, and I would personally be heartbroken if this were to happen.

Anyway, have at it! Go Bills!

[Pondslider]

It's going to partly depend on if the county can get a lease together to at least make it harder to move the team before Ralph dies.  If there's no lease then it's probably over.

[mrags]

They are not going anywhere. Enough with these posts please. The do nothing but get people worked up. I for one am sick of them.

[drinkTHEkoolaid]

mrags, on 06 December 2012 - 12:49 AM, said:

They are not going anywhere. Enough with these posts please. The do nothing but get people worked up. I for one am sick of them.

I think they are valid concerns.  What assurances have we as fans ever been given by the organization for anything close to representing a plan to keep them in buffalo.

[Joe_the_6_pack]

I think theyre going to LA. Yes there are less supported franchises like jaguars but theyre not for sale. Bills are most likely next franchise for sale, I don't expect any favors from ralphs heirs for buffalo, and the economics of LA should exceed those of buffalo.

Edited by Joe_the_6_pack, 06 December 2012 - 01:45 AM.

[Keukasmallies]

Lately I've been thinking about the course of action RW is following:  He apparently will own the team until he passes away.  At that point things will change:  If RW has a plan in place, it may or may not be followed given the way things work in the settling of estates.  It seems to me that if RW truly has the passion for the Bills he proclaims, he would want to preside over the determination of the fate of the team NOW, so that his wishes were carried out and he could respond to decisions needed as the change of ownership occurred.  Curiouser and curiouser....

[8and8Forever]

Joe_the_6_pack, on 06 December 2012 - 01:45 AM, said:

I think theyre going to LA. Yes there are less supported franchises like jaguars but theyre not for sale. Bills are most likely next franchise for sale, I don't expect any favors from ralphs heirs for buffalo, and the economics of LA should exceed those of buffalo.

Ralph was clear that the team will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.   Now that the burden of building a $1b stadium has been lifted from an L.A. buyer, that clears the way to bid and win the Bills for L.A.  in all likelihood.   Bills go to the West, Chiefs go to the North, Ravens go to the East and your done.   this is a no brainer.   anyone who thinks the bills are staying is arguing that Ralph was lying.   Maybe he was.  We will see.

[Homey D. Clown]

mrags, on 06 December 2012 - 12:49 AM, said:

They are not going anywhere. Enough with these posts please. The do nothing but get people worked up. I for one am sick of them.

There is absolutely nothing to support your blind confidence.  There isn't another team more likely to move to LA than the Bills, thinking otherwise is just foolish.

[Metal Man]

8and8Forever, on 06 December 2012 - 07:41 AM, said:

Ralph was clear that the team will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.   Now that the burden of building a $1b stadium has been lifted from an L.A. buyer, that clears the way to bid and win the Bills for L.A.  in all likelihood.   Bills go to the West, Chiefs go to the North, Ravens go to the East and your done.   this is a no brainer.   anyone who thinks the bills are staying is arguing that Ralph was lying.   Maybe he was.  We will see.

That's an interesting divisional realignment theory.
I could see the KC move out but I would think they would move Cleveland instead to the East as to not break up the Pitt/Bal rivalry which is one of the best in football right now. Definitely makes for good discussion though I obviously don't want to see how it would play out.

[UConn James]

mrags, on 06 December 2012 - 12:49 AM, said:

They are not going anywhere. Enough with these posts please. The do nothing but get people worked up. I for one am sick of them.

You sound like a gomer during the Middle Ages saying that even tho the king has no children and has not named an heir, everything will fine. And in the all-too-predictable resulting civil war among fifteen guys who want to be come king, you get a battle-ax lodged in your head. But you can feel better because you deemed the topic to be verboten while the king could still do something.

This is how I've viewed the succession topic from the start. Now, we don't have physical wars over this stuff, but there's the analogy of it. We do it more civilized now with bank notes doing the talking, dirty deeds and coups des graces.

Ralph has been a bad king. He has left his people in the lurch in 'Après moi... la deluge' style. A good king settles things for his people, does his damndest to make sure they will be properly looked after when he is gone. Those who live for today and fail to publicly and thoroughly deliniate a plan of succession are not well remembered when things turn to stevestojan. Thise are bad kings. If Ralph has a care about his legacy and how he will be remembered in WNY beyond a moneybags who couldn't field a halfway decent team for 50 of his 60 years and fired the only guy who delivered greatness, he has to step up to the plate and pick a successor.

What worries me is the millions-$ gift to the HOF a couple of years ago with a wing of that building named for him and his enshrinement there.... Is THAT how he sees his legacy? Not as a living, breathing testament of a proud franchise that he helped anchor... but as a notable from a bygone era whose bust will collect dust, with Buffalo being only the most recent city that lost an NFL team because its population, economy, and importance declined.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again here, that while I don't wish ill on anyone, and for his loved ones, I hope Ralph has good years left.... there's a part of me that just wants whatever's going to happen, to just happen. I think the franchise will be better off without Ralph's involvement because you need a strong presence at the top these days. One voice that is in control, signs the paychecks and demands accountability. Old Man Syndrome has hit this franchise hard. I'm simply tired of living in the limbo, not knowing, while all the speculation builds toward LA and not having ANYTHING to point to as a way of saying, 'Oh yeah? Well, we've got THIS and we're going to be fine and we're going to be HERE.' It's like a Band-Aid being peeled off hair by hair when we all know that faster's better and it'll sting for a while but it'll be over.

Like last week in the shoutbox, Beerball or whatever mod/admin can give me even *more* Warning Points for having the audacity to say that Ralph will die, and that, given actuarial tables, the odds are that this is going to happen relatively soon. I'm NOT going to apologize for stating facts and having an opinion that's expressed as gracefully as this topic *can* be discussed.

Edited by UConn James, 06 December 2012 - 09:51 AM.

[Tu-Toned]

UConn James, on 06 December 2012 - 09:25 AM, said:

You sound like a gomer during the Middle Ages saying that even tho the king has no children and has not named an heir, everything will fine. And in the all-too-predictable resulting civil war among fifteen guys who want to be come king, you get a battle-ax lodged in your head. But you can feel better because you deemed the topic to be verboten while the king could still do something.

This is how I've viewed the succession topic from the start. Now, we don't have physical wars over this stuff, but there's the analogy of it. We do it more civilized now with bank notes doing the talking, dirty deeds and coups des graces.

Ralph has been a bad king. He has left his people in the lurch in 'Après moi... la deluge' style. A good king settles things for his people, does his damndest to make sure they will be properly looked after when he is gone. Those who live for today and fail to publicly and thoroughly deliniate a plan of succession are not well remembered when things turn to stevestojan. Thise are bad kings. If Ralph has a care about his legacy and how he will be remembered in WNY beyond a moneybags who couldn't field a halfway decent team for 50 of his 60 years and fired the only guy who delivered greatness, he has to step up to the plate and pick a successor.

What worries me is the millions-$ gift to the HOF a couple of years ago with a wing of that building named for him and his enshrinement there.... Is THAT how he sees his legacy? Not as a living, breathing testament of a proud franchise that he helped anchor... but as a notable from a bygone era whose bust will collect dust, with Buffalo being only the most recent city that lost an NFL team because its population, economy, and importance declined.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again here, that while I don't wish ill on anyone, and for his loved ones, I hope Ralph has good years left.... there's a part of me that just wants whatever's going to happen, to just happen. I think the franchise will be better off without Ralph's involvement because you need a strong presence at the top these days. One voice that is in control, signs the paychecks and demands accountability. Old Man Syndrome has hit this franchise hard. I'm simply tired of living in the limbo, not knowing, while all the speculation builds toward LA and not having ANYTHING to point to as a way of saying, 'Oh yeah? Well, we've got THIS and we're going to be fine and we're going to be HERE.' It's like a Band-Aid being peeled off hair by hair when we all know that faster's better and it'll sting for a while but it'll be over.

Beerball or whatever mod/admin can give me even *more* Warning Points for having the audacity to say that Ralph will die, and that, given actuarial tables, the odds are that this is going to happen relatively soon. I'm NOT going to apologize for stating facts and having an opinion that's expressed as gracefully as this topic *can* be discussed.

Please be more speific and explain your true sentiments.

[chris heff]

You guys do realize that there is no stadium, no construction started or even planned and AEG is for sale.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

UConn James, on 06 December 2012 - 09:25 AM, said:

Like last week in the shoutbox, Beerball or whatever mod/admin can give me even *more* Warning Points for having the audacity to say that Ralph will die, and that, given actuarial tables, the odds are that this is going to happen relatively soon. I'm NOT going to apologize for stating facts and having an opinion that's expressed as gracefully as this topic *can* be discussed.

I CAN'T HEAR YOU - CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER?

[dbringer]

I sure would like to see this lease situation settled sooner rather than later.  The silence is deafening...

[BillnutinHouston]

\GoBillsInDallas/, on 06 December 2012 - 10:18 AM, said:

I CAN'T HEAR YOU - CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER?

Wow - a post with commentary but no link?

[dundy249]

BillnutinHouston, on 06 December 2012 - 01:44 PM, said:

Wow - a post with commentary but no link?

What I could not hear you.

[BuffBill]

mrags, on 06 December 2012 - 12:49 AM, said:

They are not going anywhere. Enough with these posts please. The do nothing but get people worked up. I for one am sick of them.

If you are that sick of these posts, and it is a valid post whether you want to open your eyes and believe it or not, what will you do if they move?  You will really be sick then.

UConn James, on 06 December 2012 - 09:25 AM, said:

You sound like a gomer during the Middle Ages saying that even tho the king has no children and has not named an heir, everything will fine. And in the all-too-predictable resulting civil war among fifteen guys who want to be come king, you get a battle-ax lodged in your head. But you can feel better because you deemed the topic to be verboten while the king could still do something.

This is how I've viewed the succession topic from the start. Now, we don't have physical wars over this stuff, but there's the analogy of it. We do it more civilized now with bank notes doing the talking, dirty deeds and coups des graces.

Ralph has been a bad king. He has left his people in the lurch in 'Après moi... la deluge' style. A good king settles things for his people, does his damndest to make sure they will be properly looked after when he is gone. Those who live for today and fail to publicly and thoroughly deliniate a plan of succession are not well remembered when things turn to stevestojan. Thise are bad kings. If Ralph has a care about his legacy and how he will be remembered in WNY beyond a moneybags who couldn't field a halfway decent team for 50 of his 60 years and fired the only guy who delivered greatness, he has to step up to the plate and pick a successor.

What worries me is the millions-$ gift to the HOF a couple of years ago with a wing of that building named for him and his enshrinement there.... Is THAT how he sees his legacy? Not as a living, breathing testament of a proud franchise that he helped anchor... but as a notable from a bygone era whose bust will collect dust, with Buffalo being only the most recent city that lost an NFL team because its population, economy, and importance declined.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again here, that while I don't wish ill on anyone, and for his loved ones, I hope Ralph has good years left.... there's a part of me that just wants whatever's going to happen, to just happen. I think the franchise will be better off without Ralph's involvement because you need a strong presence at the top these days. One voice that is in control, signs the paychecks and demands accountability. Old Man Syndrome has hit this franchise hard. I'm simply tired of living in the limbo, not knowing, while all the speculation builds toward LA and not having ANYTHING to point to as a way of saying, 'Oh yeah? Well, we've got THIS and we're going to be fine and we're going to be HERE.' It's like a Band-Aid being peeled off hair by hair when we all know that faster's better and it'll sting for a while but it'll be over.

Like last week in the shoutbox, Beerball or whatever mod/admin can give me even *more* Warning Points for having the audacity to say that Ralph will die, and that, given actuarial tables, the odds are that this is going to happen relatively soon. I'm NOT going to apologize for stating facts and having an opinion that's expressed as gracefully as this topic *can* be discussed.

I would agree that it does seem that when you become an Admin on this board you get a can of helium to inflate your ego and sphere between your shoulders (and probably the box set of Gunsmoke so you can act like Marshall Dillon), but the caps? Really?  Most of can read the normal size print just fine.

[Mr. Wonderful]

I keep reading Ralph Wilson will sell the Bills to the highest bidder.  Do we have confirmation on that?  Has he said that publicly?   How do we not know he won't sell to a buyer that agrees to keep the team in Buffalo?

[EndZoneCrew]

I have been on this board too long.  This has to be the 543rd thread on this EXACT topic

[Just Jack]

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