Archives for December 22, 2012

‘The Dolphins on Friday ruled receiver Davone Bess out because of a back injury, while listing fellow wideout Brian Hartline as questionable, also because of a back injury. Hartline, who has 1,002 receiving yards on the season, was a limited participant in Friday’s practice after sitting out Thursday.’

‘Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, a former mayor of Rochester and lifelong Bills fan who was among the key negotiators in the deal, said, “The Buffalo Bills never wanted to leave.”‘

‘With a 94-year-old owner, a stadium in need of massive renovations and a league hungry for teams in Los Angeles, the stadium buyout clause was reason to pause.’

‘”I’ve been here for four years now, so we consider ourselves part of this community. Just to see the impact the Bills have on everybody – when we’re playing well, the smiles everybody has on their faces, when we’re not playing well kind of the drag and the lull – you feel it in the community. I know the people live and die by how we perform, live and breathe the Buffalo Bills, so this is why this is such a big agreement.”‘

‘”At least they’re here for 10 years, anyway,” he said. “Now all they’ve got to do is get a winning product on the field. … I figured they’d get it done.”‘

‘”Generally, the league doesn’t get involved in these talks, but the governor thought it was helpful. Goodell is a native Western New Yorker, and the governor appealed to his hometown sense. They developed a very good rapport,” the official said of Cuomo and Goodell, who grew up in Jamestown and had already expressed a desire to see the Bills stay put.’

‘One way or another, the new lease puts the Bills on more solid ground. I’m not sure about a new stadium. I wonder if they floated that idea to appease the fan base. They don’t have much to sell next season. Dangling the thought of a spanking-new downtown stadium might give desperate fans a brief, renewed sense of optimism about the team.’

‘In fact, the latest lease agreement and its “penalty” offer no guarantee that the Wilson heirs or a prospective purchaser won’t move the team to Los Angeles and suffer the penalty. But the issue is about more than money. Losing the Buffalo Bills would be a devastating blow to Western New York, and that is simply unacceptable.’

‘”It’s a significant step in securing the long term future of the Bills in western New York,” Brandon said of the new lease. “Our commitment now is for the renovation of Ralph Wilson Stadium. What’s exciting is that as a committed group of leaders we’re going to look into the potential for a new stadium in the next decade or so and see if it makes sense. We’re committed to doing that all hands on deck.”‘

‘Proving that it’s much easier to get a stadium than a team to “conform to the accepted standards of an NFL franchise,” a lease deal that seemed on the rocks just a few months ago was hammered out by Bills and government officials.’

‘Indeed, a collective sigh of relief could be heard coming from western New York on Friday morning when the loyal football-crazed zealots in the area were welcomed with the news that the franchise had agreed to a 10-year lease to remain in the Buffalo area.’

‘Toronto is an NFL town, not a Bills town. There is more Cowboys, Steelers and Packers support in the GTA than there is for the Bills. Those Bills fans who do live in Toronto go to Orchard Park to watch their team while enjoying a much better game day experience.’

‘The team’s lease at Ralph Wilson Stadium is due to expire in 2013. The renovation price tag is placed at $130 million, with the Bills paying some $35 million. New York state will pick up $54 million of the remaining $95 million and Erie County the other $41 million. Initial renovation costs were expected to top $200 million.’

‘”They can’t move,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, a key figure in the lease negotiations. “We believe it is iron-clad.”‘

‘The second-oldest NFL facility, San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, is in its last season as the home of the 49ers. The team is scheduled to move into Santa Clara Stadium next fall, pushing Ralph Wilson up to fifth-oldest on the NFL list.’