Archives for March 30, 2014

‘They can’t let the team get away. We won’t be able to attract another franchise like bigger markets in Houston or Baltimore. This team means so much to the region, not just Buffalo.’

‘Most owners and NFL executives stayed away due to the private nature of the service. The same went for former Bills players. The only one seen in attendance was Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas.’

‘It’s always been assumed that Ralph blocked the election of Lou Saban and Cookie Gilchrist from inclusion on the Bills’ Wall of Fame. I don’t recall an outright Wilson veto, but on more than one occasion, Ralph would explain why he felt Saban did not deserve to be honored. It was because Lou had walked out on the team twice, and Ralph viewed that as disloyalty.’

‘ut let’s not kid ourselves. The economics of the NFL long ago whizzed past our smaller-market, economically stagnant burg.’

‘How could these Super Bowl Bills have envisioned a week like this? Mourning their beloved owner? Praying for their beloved leader? Circling the wagons one more time? Jill Kelly’s blog post about her husband was like a punch to the gut.’

‘Polancarz said the $130 million project, which is being funded by New York state, Erie County and the Bills, is almost 50 percent complete, though everywhere you look there’s upheaval.’

‘In a league whose wealthiest franchises are now valued at more than $1.5 billion, the cost of buying and financing an NFL team requires vast resources and steady revenue from a vibrant corporate partnership base. Good luck finding that in the rust belt.’

‘The new owner will have to figure out a way to keep the team viable while making enough money to pay the debt service taken on after purchasing the team.’

‘Six years may seem like a long time to get things settled in western New York. Then again, 19 seasons have gone by pretty quickly in St. Louis.’

‘In public testimonies and in their book Without a Word, the Kellys have described how Jill became a Christian when Hunter was 2 years old. But a bitter, unfaithful Jim left the couple’s marriage seemingly doomed after Hunter’s death. During marriage counseling, he became a believer himself. Today, it’s next to impossible to find a spoken or written word by the couple that doesn’t mention God.’

‘It’s funny when you think about it. Ralph was once considered a member of the “Foolish Club” and Jim once never wanted to play here. And, somehow, “foolish” and “never wanted to” got together and made magic happen. And, as I run through the streets of our great city, I know what keeps my heavy heart going is the belief that someday, it might happen again.’