On Ralph being cheap

[cocamide]

After we found out that RW Jr. donated quite a bit of money to fund the medical research that will one day allow Everett to walk again, it became tough to call Ralph "cheap" anymore. However, after two more losses, he's once again a cheap, senile SOB. Without Ralph bailing out the Raiders and Patriots, the AFL would probably have folded, and who knows what the state of football in America would be like today.

The Bills' front office has certainly made some bad decisions in the last decade or so, but to think that Ralph's main objective is to save as much money as possible for selfish reasons is rediculous. I really don't know the rationale behind the "cash to the cap" philosophy, but I doubt the Bills are employing it so Ralph can fill his pockets.

Ralph has been a pretty bad owner lately, and the times have probably passed him by, but do you really think this organization sucks right now because he's being selfish and cheap, or because he just doesn't have a clue anymore?

[Jan Reimers]

Great Post. Ralph has kept the team in Buffalo all these years when there were MUCH greener pastures.

[justasportsfan]

He makes bad decisions.

was he cheap when he brought in Drew, Spikes and Fletcher? was he being cheap by signing guys like Dockery and Walker? Was he cheap in overpaying Kelsay and extending Schobel?

[eyedog]

His problem is he is cheap with paying for a top coaching staff. He always has been.
Then you have a bad front office in place and they compound the problem with their bad freeagents, bad contracts, bad draft picks, and wrong draft picks.

[Jan Reimers]

At 89, he's probably got a little dementia going on, but I think for the most part he's been one of the best small market team owners in the NFL.

Just check with the fans in Cleveland, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Houston, and Oakand-LA-Oakland. Ralph never jerked us around like that.

[justasportsfan]

His problem is he is cheap with paying for a top coaching staff. He always has been.
Then you have a bad front office in place and they compound the problem with their bad freeagents, bad contracts, bad draft picks, and wrong draft picks.

he wanted Sherman who would've cost more than Dick, no? Besides, he didn't HIre GW and MAlarkey. TD did.

[G. Host]

I really don't know the rationale behind the "cash to the cap" philosophy, but I doubt the Bills are employing it so Ralph can fill his pockets.

The rationale appears directly related to the new formula pushed by owners such as Jones, Kraft & Snyder. Some "fans" love their actions in their large markets so much they should change teams and ensure they pay top dollar to watch their team for the top bleacher once a year.

[cocamide]

His problem is he is cheap with paying for a top coaching staff. He always has been.
Then you have a bad front office in place and they compound the problem with their bad freeagents, bad contracts, bad draft picks, and wrong draft picks.

Please show me where the list of salaries for coaches can be found. Or, are you just assuming that our coaches aren't payed squat?

[cocamide]

At 89, he's probably got a little dementia going on, but I think for the most part he's been one of the best small market team owners in the NFL.

Just check with the fans in Cleveland, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Houston, and Oakand-LA-Oakland. Ralph never jerked us around like that.

Very good point. What happened in Cleveland made me sick. At least they and Houston got their teams back.

[eyedog]

he wanted Sherman who would've cost more than Dick, no? Besides, he didn't HIre GW and MAlarkey. TD did.

Exactly. He made an obvious bad hire in Donahoe who in turn made to obvious bad hires in FIRST time coaches. You think those two first timers were getting Cower/Parcells money ?

[mchurchfie]

Ralph has opened his wallet up pretty good on occasions. His biggest problem is having trust in his GMs. The only ones he do trust aren't that good. His biggest mistake was letting Polian go.

[justasportsfan]

Exactly. He made an obvious bad hire in Donahoe who in turn made to obvious bad hires in FIRST time coaches. You think those two first timers were getting Cower/Parcells money ?

But that wasn't his decision to go with them. He put total trust on TD. If TD told ralphy to hire a big named HC I'm almost sure Ralphy would've gone with it.

[justasportsfan]

His biggest mistake was letting Polian go.

His biggest mistake EVER.

[G. Host]

Exactly. He made an obvious bad hire in Donahoe who in turn made to obvious bad hires in FIRST time coaches. You think those two first timers were getting Cower/Parcells money ?

Obvious bad hire in Donahoe?
At the time the press and fans saying we were lucky to get him. You are evaluating decision with knowledge you have now.

[shelby]

Does Ralph really call the shots, or was that on Donahoe and now Marv?

[eyedog]

But that wasn't his decision to go with them. He put total trust on TD. If TD told ralphy to hire a big named HC I'm almost sure Ralphy would've gone with it.

Yeah right. Stop dreaming. You think any head coach is hired without Ralphs ok and without an ok on his salary.

[G. Host]

Ralph gave President slot to Donahoe; he never did that before. Donahoe called the shots.

Marv has always been a consensus builder; he got many opinions including Ralph's.

[eyedog]

Obvious bad hire in Donahoe?
At the time the press and fans saying we were lucky to get him. You are evaluating decision with knowledge you have now.

no ****. Of course I am evaluating it on now.

Remember, Donahoe was fired by Pitt who at the time were coming off some down years. Cowher proved he was the key piece amongest those two.

[G. Host]

no ****. Of course I am evaluating it on now.

Then it was not obvious and we should take what you say as if you are blind.

[justasportsfan]

Yeah right. Stop dreaming. You think any head coach is hired without Ralphs ok and without an ok on his salary.

Of course Ralphy has to approve it but you're making assumptions that they were hired because they were cheap and not because TD had a big influence in these hirings. Like I siad, he wanted Sherman but MArv wanted Dick. That tells me that $ wouldn't have mattered.