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hailed as a genius through the first 5 weeks, now the underlying problem. like the weather in Buffalo, wait a minute and it'll change. sheesh. jw

generalizations? they're facts. and you're wrong with your presumptions. From 1991-93, the Bills had a three-year run of 53,000 or more season-ticket holders. that included a team-best 57,132 in 1992. And yet, all those people couldn't sell out the Houston game later that season, nor the 29-23 home win over the LA Raiders the following year in the AFC divisional playoff. maybe, there was a Sabres game that night? and why should the number of season-ticket holders the team has or hasn't, affect what should have been one of the top tickets in town. in fact, Buffalo's population was significantly larger in the 1990s, then it is today. so how might that factor into your equation? ok, let's try this: why aren't the final three games of this season not close to being sellouts. the Bills were off to a surprising start, and yet there were -- prior to their loss to the Jets -- still some 57,000 seats unsold. might it have to to do with people not wanting to sit out in the stadium when the weather turns cold. i didn't see anyone enduring that problem through the first four games this season, three of which of those games were sellouts before the opener. of course, it wouldn't have to do anything with the weather traditionally being nicer before Thanksgiving, would it? well, of course not, because that would be some mere generalization. so tell me, oh great forecaster what the weather is going to be like on Dec. 4, Dec. 18, Dec. 24? and might that be a factor? jw

i provided you details. just because you don't agree with the facts i've laid out in this thread doesn't make them read any different. let me type this slowly for you: According to attendance figures included in the media guide, the Bills have had more difficulty selling out games past Thanksgiving -- whether they've been winning or losing, whether they're in the playoffs or not, and even when it comes to hosting playoff games -- than they've had at any other time of the season through the 1990s and 2000s. In fact, they sold out fewer games past Thanksgiving in the 1990s when the Bills were the AFC's winningest franchise, than they did this past decade that just ended, when the Bills enjoyed just one winning season. jw

hmmm, Charley Casserly provided the same opinions. ... curious coincidence or is someone at CBS ripping someone off at CBS? jw

uh, the blunder is your own. check your numbers. jw

what, i can go to a dozen joints in Buffalo and find an actual place that doesn't resemble some applebees or some fancy wine bar. the new sports bars are for the most part dreadful pom-pom palaces of over-priced beer, stale processed-cheesed finger foods and have the atmosphere of a shopping mall. if that's what you consider to be the cutting edge of today, then that's fine i guess. i prefer a bar, as opposed to a shiny theme park. but that's just me. jw

geez, at this rate, is a new billboard campaign out of the question? and people accuse us in the media for being hard. ... jw

the bills are tied for first atop the AFC East as the tiebreakers haven't been determined. it would be different had the Bills lost twice to the Jets or defeated the Pats twice. the teams, otherwise, are tied. jw

of course i'm correct. i essentially wrote the same story ... and was in the conference room with Jim Fink (the Biz Journal story author) interviewing Russ. and yet, i guess that's not enough for at least one poster (not you Ray) for questioning where i got this information, as if i made it up. ... i mean, really. Fact: The Bills have a difficult time selling out home games after Thanksgiving. Fact: They've had more post-Thanksgiving sellouts in the past 10 years than in the 1990s. Fact: They have about 57,000 seats left for their final three home games. Add it up and it's clear: Bills fans hardly seem to be the hearty sort, they'd prefer to stay in the comfort of their own home rather than venture out to the stadium when the weather turns nasty whether the team they root for is winning or losing, hosting a playoff game or Cleveland. jw

jw

but there were FEWER non-sellouts in December with a non-winning team than there were in the 1990s with a winning team. that's what makes this curious. marketing, shmarketing. a winning team needs no marketing. it should be able to sell itself, especially in a town where "fans" like to insist that they're all about winning and the Bills. as much as Buffalonians like to talk big about not minding the weather, they're a lot like most people, preferring to stay indoors for the most part once things turn brisk. jw good question. don't have time to dig into it as of now, as gotta work. but good question. jw

i disagree. for past 20 years ... and i haven't gone back further, it's historically been more difficult to sell tickets for games in December and beyond, whether the Bills are winning or losing, whether it's playoffs or not. the numbers state this. there's no getting around it. i don't know how this is debatable. jw

curiously enough, the Bills announced attendance for the "Comeback" game was 75,141. not sure if that counted as a sellout (i wasn't here), but it's some 5,000 fewer than other home games. move forward to 1994, the Bills entered the final month with a 7-6 record, with back-to-back home games: the first of which drew 66,500 against Minnesota and the second which drew 56,784 against New England. i think these two help discount the fact that Bills fans failed to show up because games were "meaningless," no? heck, 70,213 showed up for Jim Kelly's last game when capacity was over 78,000. odd, eh? jw

well, if anyone cared to read my story here is it it's all there. jw

heck, i don't get the NFL network, hasn't bothered me. jw

Bills fans for all their hearty winter weather reputation have never entirely "warmed" to going to the Ralph in December. Of their 14 non-sellouts from 2000-10, eight of them were in December and nine after Thanksgiving. According to Bills, the numbers for December were even worse in the 1990s when the team was actually winning. just providing some perspective. jw

you realize it would be a lot easier -- and you would get less flak from me and other posters -- if for once you limited a response to one link or less (preferably) and maybe a paragraph for once. who has the time to read this? jw

well, i didn't contribute the graf on the Rams, if that's what you're asking. jw

see, that's the problem with a place that calls itself a "real sports bar" and yet has the gall to have some fancy food on its website, and even a link for "reservations." in my opinion, real sports bars don't call themselves that, they just adopt the feel of one. real sports bars also don't take reservations. they have something called "regulars" who have gone there for years. real sports bars don't have "Facebook," ads on their websites. heck, real sports bars don't have websites. i'm sure it's clean. jw

there really are no good bars in toronto, particularly downtown. they're all stylized pubs, with fancy decorations and overpriced beer. two potential exceptions: The Upfront on Front street east of the St. Lawrence Market, and Betty's on King or Queen (can't remember as took a cab there with a friend who likes the place) -- near the Toronto Sun building. otherwise, you're stuck picking from a buncha Farts and Ferkins, which has grown into a chain that's sucked the life out of any uniqueness in the city. used to be a great drinking palace up on Bloor, called the "Brunswick House," though last time i passed by in May, the place was closed. jw

the media did. he didn't answer, noting "i don't think there are assurances in anything other than if we continue to do our part." and by that, he returned to the fans continuing their support and the need for stadium improvements. Roger has to walk a fine line here because, like all of us, he doesn't know what the future holds, and doesn't want to be pinned down to making guarantees he can't deliver upon. let's remember that though Roger has influence, there are 31 other owners out there with their own agendas. jw

what's wrong with this move, really? keep in mind, Rex Ryan has gotten far more out of Maybin than two Bills coaches and defensive coordinators could over two seasons. and the fact that Maybin proved to be a standup guy in going on the conference call with Buffalo-area media showed that he could keep his emotions in check is more proof that there's something to him. he could've blown. in fact, he was given numerous chances to. and yet he didn't. good for him. and if this is the case, he should be rewarded for it. good for Rex. jw

was just gonna look for that piece, which i wrote yesterday evening, which included the Schobel stuff. thanks. jw

i'm sorry, that's just wrong cbiscuit. in a bid to right what's clearly a wrong in regards to this incredible tin-eared heresy, well, i provide you with this bonmot from an actual band that mattered and still matters: God, what a mess, on the ladder of success Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung Dreams unfulfilled, graduate unskilled It beats pickin' cotton and waitin' to be forgotten We are the sons of no one, bastards of young We are the sons of no one, bastards of young The daughters and the sons Clean your baby womb, trash that baby boom Elvis in the ground, there'll ain't no beer tonight Income tax deduction, what a hell of a function It beats pickin' cotton and waitin' to be forgotten We are the sons of no one, bastards of young We are the sons of no one, bastards of young The daughters and the sons Unwillingness to claim us, ya got no war to name us The ones who love us best are the ones we'll lay to rest And visit their graves on holidays at best The ones who love us least are the ones we'll die to please If it's any consolation, I don't begin to understand them We are the sons of no one, bastards of young -- Paul Westerberg, Bob Stinson, Tommy Stinson, Chris Mars (the mighty, mighty 'Mats). jw

if by "sweet" you mean suck, yes. and if by "buy" you mean "burn," well, of course. jw