Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

[Dr. Lecter]

Metro Buffalo can expect a new charitable windfall worth hundreds of millions of dollars thanks to the generosity of Ralph C. Wilson Jr., the late founder of the Buffalo Bills.

Wilson’s estate recently agreed to sell the Bills to Terry and Kim Pegula for $1.4 billion, and an informed source told The Buffalo News on Friday that a large portion of that money will go to the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation.

What’s more, the source said that Wilson instructed that the money be spent only in Detroit – his hometown – and Buffalo.

The source also told The News the foundation will be aggressive in supporting charitable causes in Buffalo and that its endowment will dwarf that of the Buffalo-based John R. Oishei Foundation, which describes itself as the area’s largest private foundation, with more than $300 million in assets.

“This just seals Ralph Wilson’s legacy as just a great benefactor for Buffalo and Western New York,” said Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat who said he received word of Wilson’s latest and largest gift to Buffalo a few days ago. “This is huge.”

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said: “This leaves me breathless, and all that can be said, from the bottom of our hearts, is: Thank you, Ralph.”

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/ralph-wilsons-gift-to-buffalo-20141003

But, but, but Ralph is a greedy bastard who does not care about Buffalo

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bi...ffalo-20141003

But, but, but Ralph is a greedy bastard who does not care about Buffalo

Obviously this is only a ploy to protect his legacy

[Luisito23]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

Gotta love Mr. Wilson.

[BertSquirtgum]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

Yay Ralph

[WagonCircler]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

I had issues with the way Ralph ran the team, but it was personality clashes and his tendency to surround himself with cronies and yes-men that drove me crazy.

But there have been dozens and dozens of stories over the years about Ralph's personal generosity.

This is a fantastic thing. That it "dwarfs the O'Shei Foundation" is really saying something.

[jimmifli]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

Ralph was a millionaire that owned a billion dollar asset with no liquidity. He wasn't cheap out of spite, he just didn't have the resources to compete in the modern NFL. That doesn't make him a bad guy or uncaring, it's just the truth. The consequence was that the Bills suffered a lower probability of fielding a winning team during since the last two CBAs. As a fan I would have been better off had he sold the team a decade ago, but in the end he is still an amazingly positive force in WNY history.

[Downinfloflo]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

Could he have taken the money with him?

[GvilleBills]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

Rip Ralph

[Night Train]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

He had the football acumen of my cat but as a human being, it was well known he was top shelf. I met him at a country club in Florida some 20 years back and he talked my ear off. Heart of gold.

[YardRat]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

Ralph was a millionaire that owned a billion dollar asset with no liquidity. He wasn't cheap out of spite, he just didn't have the resources to compete in the modern NFL. That doesn't make him a bad guy or uncaring, it's just the truth. The consequence was that the Bills suffered a lower probability of fielding a winning team during since the last two CBAs. As a fan I would have been better off had he sold the team a decade ago, but in the end he is still an amazingly positive force in WNY history.

Ralph wanted to pass as owner of the Buffalo Bills. I'm OK with that, it's more than a fair trade-off of 'take' for what he 'gave'.

[justasportsfan]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

Ralph is cheap ..... But he had a plan

[YardRat]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

He had the football acumen of my cat but as a human being, it was well known he was top shelf. I met him at a country club in Florida some 20 years back and he talked my ear off. Heart of gold.

He forgot more about football and the NFL than probably 90% of the current owners ever knew, collectively. As a matter of fact, that was proven when the previous CBA was passed.

[HAMMER]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

What a man, the NFL has lost some legends in the last few years.

[OpIv37]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bi...ffalo-20141003

But, but, but Ralph is a greedy bastard who does not care about Buffalo

I don't remember anyone calling him greedy. Cheap, yes, but not greedy.

[OpIv37]

Re: Ralph Wilson’s gift to Buffalo

He forgot more about football and the NFL than probably 90% of the current owners ever knew, collectively. As a matter of fact, that was proven when the previous CBA was passed.

He did not know anything about football. He knew about running a business and making money. The results on the field prove that.

And he didn't vote against the CBA because he was some kind of genius. in his own words, he "didn't understand it." I don't know why people insist on giving him credit for being confused. And even if you insist on giving him credit for it, once again, a CBA is an employer/employee agreement. It's business and not football.