Is Ralph a competent owner?

[Mr. Cynical]

After the re-hiring of Marv and more importantly DICK, I've lost any faith that Ralph has what it takes to get the Bills back to respectability.

Personally I think if it wasn't for Polian, this team would never have made it to the Super Bowl and would be considered along with the bottom tier teams.

4 winning seasons between the merger (1970) and the promotion of Polian (1985).

5 winning seasons in the 12 years after Polian (1994-2005), although two of them were with the team he built, including Levy. So really you have 3 winning seasons in 12 years post-Polian. (2 with Fade, 1 with Moolarkey)

So that's 7 winning years in 35 without Bill. He caught lightning in a bottle with Polian and Levy. That's it. And that's probably why he brought Levy back because he had nowhere else to turn.

He did a good job of establishing a fan base in a small community but it is definitely time for a new owner. I just hope that doesn't mean a move, which it probably does.

[Drive 4 Five]

My God. When you put it that way. But I think Wilson loves Buffalo and the citizens of western NY. That makes it hard for me to say that it is time for a new owner.

[Drive 4 Five]

In today's NFL, where you have to have a GAZILLION dollars, and the willingness to dish out whatever it takes to get the best coaches, the best players, he seems way out of his league. As for judging what kind of owner he is or isn't, I think it comes down to the fact that maybe he doesn't have the kind of money the Jerry Jones' and the Bob Krafts of the football world possess. In that respect, maybe he is doing the best with what he has. What else can you ask for?

[Mr. Cynical]

I'm not bashing the person. He is an upstanding guy and cares about the community. I'm just talking about his ability to own/run a football team.

Now, you can look at the Lions and say they've won one playoff game in 52 years and say, "hey, the Bills aren't as bad as THAT". But that's a meager consolation IMO.

I think firing Bill was probably the biggest mistake this side of the Walker trade. I know there was friction between Polian and Littman, but it is quite clear who should have been let go from a winning perspective. He was our single best chance to continue on the road to victory.

I hear you about the money. But money doesn't always mean victories either as the Redskins have proven.

[Night Train]

Lets see. He invested 25 grand in an AFL franchise in 1960. It's now worth 712 Mil, according to Forbes.

I can't wait to be that delusional.

[The_Philster]

ESPN was making fun of him for how he didn't completely understand the provisions of the new CBA in the 45 minutes he had to digest it. Yet haven't some owners started questioning their votes since they actually had time to understand it themselves. Says to me that an 87-year old Wilson is more competent than those guys who voted quickly just to get the CBA extended rather than learn what they were signing

[Mr. Cynical]

Lets see. He invested 25 grand in an AFL franchise in 1960. It's now worth 712 Mil, according to Forbes.

I can't wait to be that delusional.

Competent businessman and competent owner are not necessarily the same thing. How much has Ford made with the Lions, a team that has won one playoff game in 52 years? Yet would you say he was a good owner? Has he put a winning team on the field?

[Mr. Cynical]

ESPN was making fun of him for how he didn't completely understand the provisions of the new CBA in the 45 minutes he had to digest it. Yet haven't some owners started questioning their votes since they actually had time to understand it themselves. Says to me that an 87-year old Wilson is more competent than those guys who voted quickly just to get the CBA extended rather than learn what they were signing

The sign of a competent owner is keeping the team profitable AND putting a winning product on the field. Outside of his promotion of Polian he hasn't done that. He's made money, sure. That's the sign of a competent *businessman*. I never questioned his business sense. But his football and personnel sense has a great deal to be questioned as my previous post shows.

[That Guy]

I'm not even talking about a successful or competent owner... but if an owner puts a lot of the money he makes from football back into football.. that to me is a 'good' owner. I think that's questionable in Ralph's case (though I could never know for sure).

[Bill Brasky]

I don't think he is dilusional or incompetent, but his ability to bring in the proper talent to help this organization compete at a high level is not up to par with most of the other owners/orgs.

Anybody who turns a 25k investment into 700+ million is no idiot, but the way he's ran the organization and how he's essentially penny-pinched to get to 700 million should say something...

Cynical, I'm glad you pointed out the losing that this organization and the fans constantly endure. Outside of the late 80s, early 90s, and the 2 title years pre-dating the Super Bowl, this team has pretty much sucked the rest of the time, which many fans tend to ignore or forget.

[Mitchy moo]

Ralph needs to step down, I brought this up by mentioning his eventual death and people lost it. I never said I wanted him to die, I just said that when he dies the Bills will have a chance to compete again and not until then. He is never going to step down until he cannot move or breath, so we wait it out.

I was hopeful that someone could convince him but the word out is he won't listen to anyone about anything. He reminds me of old gramps, I will tell him the new way and he said hey when your hungry you eat, basic stuff. God rest your soul gramps, god rest.

[Slim]

Yes he probably is impotent.

[vicmantak]

His background talks by itself. He is more than a competent issue.
Money and big names are not everything in this world.
Just look what Cuba is doing in the WBC.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AvHFMhmlYn_D3KjBtoQ3zkcRvLYF?slug=jp-lazo031806&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[Mr. Cynical]

Cynical, I'm glad you pointed out the losing that this organization and the fans constantly endure. Outside of the late 80s, early 90s, and the 2 title years pre-dating the Super Bowl, this team has pretty much sucked the rest of the time, which many fans tend to ignore or forget.

I sometimes forget myself. I mean, when you dominate and go to 4 straight SBs, that can tend to color memories. But facts are facts - Ralph has had one good "era" (1988-1994) in 35 years. It's time for a change. Buffalo has too good a fan base and deserves better.

[YardRat]

Ralph's a competent owner...his biggest 'flaw' is that he turns the team over to people he trusts, and they're the ones who 'f' it up.

McGroder forever, Butler and Donohoe post-Polian. Bill is the only one that didn't screw Ralph over, and even Donohoe is debatable because even though he never achieved the play offs he certainly cleaned up the cap mess left behing when Butler defected to San Diego.

Let's not forget, in the 60's when the team was fresh and Ralph was probably more of a 'hands-on' owner he built a mini-dynasty in Buffalo with two consecutive AFL championships and a team that probably should've been the AFL representative in the first Super Bowl.

[Night Train]

I don't think he is dilusional or incompetent, but his ability to bring in the proper talent to help this organization compete at a high level is not up to par with most of the other owners/orgs.

Anybody who turns a 25k investment into 700+ million is no idiot, but the way he's ran the organization and how he's essentially penny-pinched to get to 700 million should say something...

Cynical, I'm glad you pointed out the losing that this organization and the fans constantly endure. Outside of the late 80s, early 90s, and the 2 title years pre-dating the Super Bowl, this team has pretty much sucked the rest of the time, which many fans tend to ignore or forget.


You forgot the Chuck Knox years, or maybe you're too young to ignore or forget. The early 70's weren't bad with OJ. Guess you had to be there to remember.

I started going to games in the 1960's and don't need anyone to give me a history lesson on the Bills. I know what I'm dealing with in when talking about Ralph. I'm as aware of his shortcomings as much as anyone. :shakeno:

[Mr. Cynical]

You forgot the Chuck Knox years, or maybe you're too young to ignore or forget. The early 70's weren't bad with OJ. Guess you had to be there to remember.

Knox: 37-43 overall; 2 winning seasons ('80-'81),
"early 70s" (1970-1973): 17-37-2, 1 winning season ('73)

[patmoran2006]

His background talks by itself. He is more than a competent issue.
Money and big names are not everything in this world.
Just look what Cuba is doing in the WBC.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AvHFMhmlYn_D3KjBtoQ3zkcRvLYF?slug=jp-lazo031806&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

If there any football players in Cuba and they're cheap. I"ll bet marv levy finds them.

[Night Train]

Knox: 37-43 overall; 2 winning seasons ('80-'81),
"early 70s" (1970-1973): 17-37-2, 1 winning season ('73)

You have an answer for everything and I'm not impressed whatsoever. Like I said, I know how bad this tean has been over the last 40 + years. The fact that I'm still a fan with positive thoughts seems to annoy you.

How sad. Misery loves company. Sorry. I'm not part of the self loathing generation.

and the ignore list grows yet again...

[ddaryl]

I'll stand blindly by Ralph, because any other NFL owner would've moved the team a long time ago.

[Mr. Cynical]

You have an answer for everything

Glad you finally realized that. :up: