OUTSTANDING column by Dicesare

[patmoran2006]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/columns/story/618398.html

[THATHURMANATOR]

Yep.

[Jan Reimers]

DiCesare is right. I was appalled at the Bills' pathetic response to the latest Toronto scheme.

I have lost all respect for Ralph, and his empty promises. He is doing his absolute best to give the finger to the Bills' loyal fans and beleagured Erie County taxpayers, and to effect a move of this franchise upon his demise.

[homeslice5484]

i have tickets to canton, and i can guarantee you im booing if something does not happen soon with this, even if im the only one.

[THATHURMANATOR]

i have tickets to canton, and i can guarantee you im booing if something does not happen soon with this, even if im the only one.
Why even bother Going? Not against the boo but seems like a huge waist of time.

[homeslice5484]

cause i wanna see bruce, i dont care about ralph

[venis2k1]

As a former die hard Hartford Whalers fan, i can tell you, enjoy every game that you can.

I still hear Brass Bonanza in my sleep.

[methos4ever]

i have tickets to canton, and i can guarantee you im booing if something does not happen soon with this, even if im the only one.
So because Wilson has spent 60 years keeping the team here and now at the end of his ownership/time on this Earth he's preserved their future at the cost of a game you're going to boo him?

What's going to happen if the Bills do move? Will it just be a lifetime of blaming Wilson or looking to a new team to toss?

Every year, the Bills get about 20 mil or so from the state and as a New York, New Yorker when I lived there I didn't mind one bit my tax money helping out the team. That money now also goes to the Giants and Jets - is there equal railing about the legislatures that allow them to take your Erie dollars and place them in 'Joisey?

At the end of the day, if someone believes Wilson is the devil, or a carpetbagging, cheap old man, this post won't change that. I'm just saying we shouldn't just pitch fork and torch him in his last years on this Earth.

[homeslice5484]

its the fact that they continue to lie to us...and refuse to tell us anything. They say they didnt know about the poll in toronto to us...then they say they did to the media. Now it might be 2 games, etc. etc. Just tell us the truth, thats all we want.

Everytime something good happens, they find a way to ruin the excitement. Like when we beat miami 2 years ago at home in the rain and snow...a blowout, ralph goes on tv questioning the bills future. Way to ruin the victory.

Now we get TO, get excited...and the Toronto thing pops up again.

Just do us a favor Ralph and tell us the truth. You have done a lot for us, but we have done a lot for you.

[Michael82]

I read this article this morning at work and I agree with it 100%. He nailed it. **** Ralph and **** the Bills! If they are going to keep stringing us along, until we are down to 3-4 home games a year, they can kiss my ass! :mad:

[Ed]

As a former die hard Hartford Whalers fan, i can tell you, enjoy every game that you can.

I still hear Brass Bonanza in my sleep.
I'm a former die hard Whalers fan too, and there's nothing worse then losing your team. If the Bills end up moving, I might just have to give up being a pro sports fan all together.

[OpIv37]

So because Wilson has spent 60 years keeping the team here and now at the end of his ownership/time on this Earth he's preserved their future at the cost of a game you're going to boo him?

What's going to happen if the Bills do move? Will it just be a lifetime of blaming Wilson or looking to a new team to toss?

Every year, the Bills get about 20 mil or so from the state and as a New York, New Yorker when I lived there I didn't mind one bit my tax money helping out the team. That money now also goes to the Giants and Jets - is there equal railing about the legislatures that allow them to take your Erie dollars and place them in 'Joisey?

At the end of the day, if someone believes Wilson is the devil, or a carpetbagging, cheap old man, this post won't change that. I'm just saying we shouldn't just pitch fork and torch him in his last years on this Earth.

The reason people are busting out the pitchforks and torches is because the bolded statement is patently false. First, 2010 is the Bills' 50th anniversary. Before 1960, there was no Bills franchise and there was no pro football in Buffalo. Where you got 60 is beyond me.

Second, and more importantly, Ralph has NOT secured the future of this franchise. At best, he's kept the wolves at bay until he croaks. And depending on what happens with the uncapped season in 2010 and work stoppage in 2011, the Bills may not even last that long. Ralph has done NOTHING to ensure this team remains in Buffalo beyond the next 4 years (end of the Toronto deal and I believe the stadium lease as well, but I could be wrong about that).

Contrast this with another small-market owner: Lamar Hunt. He recently passed away and had a full succession plan aligned that guaranteed the Chiefs stay in KC for the foreseeable future.

Ralph's never won a SB, has had a pathetic franchise for the last 10 years and roughly 40 out of the last 50 years, and can no longer guarantee that our team will be in Buffalo for the long term. And we're supposed to cheer for him now? I don't think so.

[homeslice5484]

but he can guarantee its future...he just wont.

[ParanoidAndroid]

We can resurrect one of these franchises! :)

The Buffalo Niagaras
The Buffalo Prospects
The Buffalo All-Americans
The Buffalo Rangers
The Buffalo Bisons (AAFL)

[homeslice5484]

if the team lost, do u think we would get another one soon?

[OpIv37]

if the team lost, do u think we would get another one soon?

Depends- if the team were to go to LA or some other city far away, then there's a chance we could do the Cleveland/Houston thing and eventually get the team back.

If the team moves to Toronto, that's it- Buffalo will NEVER have another NFL franchise. Even now, the franchise is very regional, and the region simply doesn't have enough people or money to support two teams.

The only way there would ever be teams in both Buffalo and Toronto at the same time is if Buffalo became the next Silicon Valley-type boom town with an exploding population, and there is no indication that will happen any time soon. In fact, Buffalo's population is still on the decline.

[DynaPaul]

Man, he hit the nail right on the head right there...

[Michael82]

Man, he hit the nail right on the head right there...
yeah and if only the Bills were listening.... :sigh:

[MoormansDaMan]

i have tickets to canton, and i can guarantee you im booing if something does not happen soon with this, even if im the only one.
Make sure you keep your shoes on your feet!

[raphael120]

It's hard to keep rooting for this team knowing that you're pretty damn sure going to leave in 4 years.

[X-Era]

It's hard to keep rooting for this team knowing that you're pretty damn sure going to leave in 4 years.

Yep, thats what said 4 years ago too.

[Michael82]

It's hard to keep rooting for this team knowing that you're pretty damn sure going to leave in 4 years.
Especially when the money we spend on this team, goes right into Ralph's pockets... :ill:

[realdealryan]

Well what are we supposed to do? And then after they leave? I'm just going to have to commit totally to the Premier League.

[Michael82]

Well what are we supposed to do? And then after they leave? I'm just going to have to commit totally to the Premier League.
If the Buffalo Bills leave the NFL, I'm done with them for good and will become more of a college football fan and maybe get into the smaller leagues (I bet we could get a UFL team or something if we lose the Bills)

[Mr. Cynical]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/columns/story/618398.html
:clap:

[User Manuel]

It is nothing but regurgitation of conventional wisdom designed to feed the feeding frenzy of fear surrounding the thought of the Bills moving. I would have called it outstanding if Dicesare wrote something new and interesting.

[Historian]

It is nothing but regurgitation of conventional wisdom designed to feed the feeding frenzy of fear surrounding the thought of the Bills moving. I would have called it outstanding if Dicesare wrote something new and interesting.

Sort of like what Reg Dunlop did in Slap Shot?

Look what happened to them...

:ill:

[User Manuel]

Sort of like what Reg Dunlop did in Slap Shot?

Look what happened to them...

:ill:

"You can't put a bounty on a man's head. We could all get thrown in the clinker for this."