Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

[Mad Max]

Some people seem to think that one of the main reasons the team sucks is due to Ralph's lack of spending on talent. I disagree with that notion, and the signing of guys like Evans, Dockery, and Stroud to big money deals bears that out.

Check out this link, it's very eye opening. Notice that the Bills are in the middle of the pack, not near the bottom in 2010 spending. Also take not of how many winning organizations have lower (sometimes significantly) lower payrolls than do the Bills. Now obviously these payrolls are going to fluctuate year over year, but the one thing that remains consistent even if you search back a few years is that the Bills spending remains in the middle of the pack (and within only 6-7 million of the next several higher spending teams).

2010- http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Sports/nfl-salaries.php

2009 and prior- http://content.usatoday.com/sports/f...spx?Loc=Vanity

So when winning organizations can continually spend less than the Bills, it's not cheapness, just very poor team building.

[Billz_fan]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

I think you answered your own question "B"

[GreedoII]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

Ralph doesn't know his head from his ass anymore. He doesn't make these decisions but he has someone make them for him since he has no clue anymore. I'm sure it's that POS Littmin or Brandon. Who knows. Ralph will be riding the pine very soon. I'll take my chances on this team then. Now though...who gives a crap. Thank goodness for fantasy and gambling.

[Night Train]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

Let's see.

Ralph puts down 10 grand for a team in 1959.

51 years later it's worth over 900 Million, according to Forbes.

Incompetent, he is not.

With the TV revenue, he completely understands that you can make a boatload of $$ in the NFL, whether you win or not.

[Zero]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

Let's see.

Ralph puts down 10 grand for a team in 1959.

51 years later it's worth over 900 Million, according to Forbes.

Incompetent, he is not.

With the TV revenue, he completely understands that you can make a boatload of $$ in the NFL, whether you win or not.

Agreed on him being a competant BUSINESS MAN. He's made money hand over fist. As an NFL owner, however, he is grossly incompetant and was lucky to have had success in 90's.

[YardRat]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

I'm pretty sure his buy-in was 25k, not that 15k means anything compared to the current value of the franchise.

Contrary to popular opinion, I believe Ralph trusts the people he surrounds himself with too much, and can be a bit gullible with his loyalty.

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

Both.

And a third in to the mix...lucky.

[don137]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

While Ralph has a history of being cheap I do not think that has been the case and the main problem the last 10 years.

I think it is a combination of things. Ralph meddles too much as an owner and good football executives do not like it unless you way over pay for them (ie. Parcells in Dallas). Its not like Ralph is telling people who to draft but he has a history of meddling and saying who should start. Great coaches do not want that. This hurts Buffalo from landing great coaches.

He does not hire the right people to run the organization. To be succesful you need a great GM, scouts and coaching staff. Ralph has never had success hiring the right front office people. While he did spend money on Donohoe it was soon realized Donohoe had the supporting cast around him in Pittsburgh that helped him overcome his deficiencies. His deficiecies were exposed in Buffalo. Ever since the front office and coaching staff has been a laughing stock putting marketing people in football positions, hiring Levy who had the right concept of needed to be done but just brought in the wrong players and coaching staff. Jauron who seemed to have the final say in drafting players kept making lousy picks.
It all starts at the top and I cannot think of an owner that has made more bad decisions in the last 10 years than Ralph Wilson.

[Historian]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

Ralph's old school, not just football, but in business.

He does things with a handshake.

It's admirable. Unfortunately, that doesn't translate to wins in the modern cut-throat NFL.

And while he's pretty much almost always ponied up for the players, he simply does not like to pay for coaching talent. Assistants as well as HCs.

[Cleve]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

Western NY loves the Bills in spite of Ralph Wilson, not because of him. And the great love and loyalty for the Bills makes the team a huge money maker. Yes, Wilson has made a lot of money with the Bills. But how much would that have changed had someone other than Ralph Wilson owned them?

And Wilson's football decisions have been mostly poor ones, particularly in front office and coaching hiring - as Historian pointed out, he just won't pay for quality coaching. I have no idea how many back to back losing seasons the team needs to suffer before Wilson finally realizes there's a REASON that winning teams spend big bucks on the coaches.

[Night Train]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

Western NY loves the Bills in spite of Ralph Wilson, not because of him. And the great love and loyalty for the Bills makes the team a huge money maker. Yes, Wilson has made a lot of money with the Bills. But how much would that have changed had someone other than Ralph Wilson owned them?

And Wilson's football decisions have been mostly poor ones, particularly in front office and coaching hiring - as Historian pointed out, he just won't pay for quality coaching. I have no idea how many back to back losing seasons the team needs to suffer before Wilson finally realizes there's a REASON that winning teams spend big bucks on the coaches.

He doesn't like strong willed, football savy individuals who will tell him to bud out of football decisions. This is why Dick Gallagher, Saban, Chuck Knox & Polian bolted.

They didn't like his constant meddling and he's one of the worst owners,in that respect.

[Night Train]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

In addition, he finally did take some advice 10 years back and turn things over to a supposed football man, Donahoe.

TD screwed it up and now the horrified Wilson will never give away control until the day he dies. He reverted back to cronie/yes man hires and is just making it worse.

[SabreEleven]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

Why Bill Polian wind up leaving? Did he not get along with Ralph?

[OpIv37]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

He's incompetent when it comes to picking players.

The reason he's incompetent when it comes to picking players is because he's cheap when it comes to coaches and FO personnel, so his cheapness creates a lack of competent football personnel within the organization.

[BuffaloBlitz83]

Re: Is Ralph cheap or just an incompetent Executive?

Ralph is a POS