Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

[Devin]

I hate reading/posting this stuff but as it is Bills related and was on ESPN....

They interviewed RW before mini-camp today I guess it was and hes now saying that he can only promise the Bills will be here in 2006.

The way I see things going I am making no commitments as to how long the team will be here.

Wilson told the reporter he can only say the Bills will be in Buffalo for 2006.

I had always thought the worst case scenario was a few years. I didnt realize it was now being spoke of as next year.

ESPN doesnt have a link, but if you go to ESPN.com NFL section on the right where they have little video clips they show it.

[Bill Brasky]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Just confirms that yesterday was him planting the seed for an exit strategy. Way to save face Ralph.

[YardRat]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Ralph's a smart man...he is going to get his way with revenue sharing when everything is said and done.

[The_Philster]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Just confirms that yesterday was him planting the seed for an exit strategy. Way to save face Ralph.

more like it confirms that Ralph knows he doesn't have much time left. If he passed away today, it'd likely be too soon to move the franchise for anyone but that's all that would be a lock.

[ICE74129]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Ralph's a smart man...he is going to get his way with revenue sharing when everything is said and done.

How do you figure? Only one stood with him. Then his PC further pisses off fellow owners and the NFL. What happens when some of them tell ralph 'We will listen when you aren't owner of the Bills any longer'?

[ICE74129]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

more like it confirms that Ralph knows he doesn't have much time left. If he passed away today, it'd likely be too soon to move the franchise for anyone but that's all that would be a lock.

If he died today, there are at least two groups and G himself that would step up and buy the team from the family. They wouldn't go anywhere.

The only real 'Threat' of them leaving or folding is under Ralphs ownership. The best thing that could happen is Ralph not being owner any longer.

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Just confirms that yesterday was him planting the seed for an exit strategy. Way to save face Ralph.

Actually is dosn't, but if one made the assumption during the PC, that person would also continue to make that assumption now.

[ICE74129]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Actually is dosn't, but if one made the assumption during the PC, that person would also continue to make that assumption now.

Doc I will be honest, Ralph hears the reaper speaking in his ear. Ralph wants old school where football is the main thing, marketing, money etc is 2nd. Sorry, those days are gone. Go watch College ball if you want that.

Ralph wont' be here but maybe 3 more years and be able to handle this team. With each PC he rambles more, seems more lost etc. And I'm sorry to say it, but I don't see a 90 year old being able to handle this team.

The best thing he could do is sell.

[Bill Brasky]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Actually is dosn't, but if one made the assumption during the PC, that person would also continue to make that assumption now.

Ok, so what assumption does it lead to? I hate posts like this that do nothing but tell people how they're wrong, yet offer little insight to personal opinions.

"He can't be competitive here for much longer"...

yet he doesn't want to ask the state for help, he doesn't want a handout, he doesn't want a new stadium, he doesn't want to sell.

WTF are we suppossed to assume? That by *****ing like a little girl the NFL and the other 30 owners that voted against him are all the sudden going to change their mind and fix everything to accomodate 1 crabby owner?

Please, instead of telling me I'm wrong, tell me why you're right?

Apparently you haven't read my countless other threads/posts saying that I don't think the team will move....

but after listening to this guy hold a public *****fest instead of offering a solution to the problem, it doesn't make me very confident.

[The_Philster]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

If he died today, there are at least two groups and G himself that would step up and buy the team from the family. They wouldn't go anywhere.

The only real 'Threat' of them leaving or folding is under Ralphs ownership. The best thing that could happen is Ralph not being owner any longer.

so you're saying Ralph is a bold-faced liar? Ralph won't move the team...he's stated that countless times.
If this deal where someone buying a team goes through, then it doesn't matter if Donald Trump bought the team...they still wouldn't keep it in Buffalo because they'd be losing money on it without revenue sharing!

[Mr. Pink]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

so you're saying Ralph is a bold-faced liar? Ralph won't move the team...he's stated that countless times.

Art Modell flat out said two days before announcing the move to Baltimore that he'd never leave Cleveland also. So take the comments with a grain of a salt.

[The_Philster]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Art Modell flat out said two days before announcing the move to Baltimore that he'd never leave Cleveland also. So take the comments with a grain of a salt.

Ralph and Art were close friends...and he voted against that move. Ralph's been the biggest proponent against franchise free agency. Until Ralph gives me reason to believe he's a lying piece of crap like some are accusing him of being, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Listen to Ralph's words and think about them. He is trying to use a public forum to get a message across to the Jones' and Synder's of the world. The fact is the NFL is working on destroying what made the league great. Pete Rozelle is likely turning over in his grave seeing what the league has become.

As for Ralph moving the team, I just don't see Ralph having the time and energy to move the team when he is almost 90. For all of the complaining people do about his competance, they sure seem to think he can negotiate a deal with LA to move this team. When he dies, all bets are off. There is no doubt about that.

Finally, where will this team move? Maybe LA. But are they ready? Would the NFL accept the Rose Bowl as a stadium? Other than that there are no options, with the unlikely destination of San Antonio.

[Bill Brasky]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Listen to Ralph's words and think about them. He is trying to use a public forum to get a message across to the Jones' and Synder's of the world. The fact is the NFL is working on destroying what made the league great. Pete Rozelle is likely turning over in his grave seeing what the league has become.

As for Ralph moving the team, I just don't see Ralph having the time and energy to move the team when he is almost 90. For all of the complaining people do about his competance, they sure seem to think he can negotiate a deal with LA to move this team. When he dies, all bets are off. There is no doubt about that.

Finally, where will this team move? Maybe LA. But are they ready? Would the NFL accept the Rose Bowl as a stadium? Other than that there are no options, with the unlikely destination of San Antonio.

Good post. I am not sold on the relocation to LA. If they were dying for a team they would have put one in the Coliseum or Rose Bowl by now... point is, they want a new stadium before a team. The NFL even considered expanding but the city cannot get it's ass in gear and get a suitable stadium so that idea was dumped. Other cities around the country that can "support" an NFL team don't have the logistics in place to realistically do it within the next few years anyways.

It takes time to build a stadium. Cities like Portland, LA, San Antonio, Vegas... they don't even have plans or an infastructure set up yet. Those things take a lot of time to do.

Sadly, Ralphs points are going to fall on deaf ears. Those guys could care less about what Ralph or any other owner says that is not on their side. For them, it's about money, not about the game, and they could care less what happens to everyone else. To them, they want money in their pocket, and winning comes secondary. They can buy a trophy anyways, it's the Steinbrenner approach. The more money you make, the easier it is to buy a trophy.

They will start seeing the effects of their greed sooner rather than later when fans stop going to the games because they can't afford to.

[Night Train]

Re: Did anyone see the report on ESPN?

Listen to Ralph's words and think about them. He is trying to use a public forum to get a message across to the Jones' and Synder's of the world. The fact is the NFL is working on destroying what made the league great. Pete Rozelle is likely turning over in his grave seeing what the league has become.

As for Ralph moving the team, I just don't see Ralph having the time and energy to move the team when he is almost 90. For all of the complaining people do about his competance, they sure seem to think he can negotiate a deal with LA to move this team. When he dies, all bets are off. There is no doubt about that.

Finally, where will this team move? Maybe LA. But are they ready? Would the NFL accept the Rose Bowl as a stadium? Other than that there are no options, with the unlikely destination of San Antonio.

That's exactly the way I see it. The NFL does not have several cities begging for a team. They've failed twice in LA, even though they're dying to get back there for the market size ( it may fail again ).

We are just guessing at the post Ralph era. He may be considering passing it on to Mary, his wife. Taxes can be negotiated. Why invent scenerio's ? Let it play out and maybe enough people will rise up and improve the situation.