GA BILLS FAN

I don't want to make this a Brandon thread, but I would give Whaley/Marrone more time, I think Brandon has a substantial body of work with the Bills from which a new owner can make an informed assessment. I'll leave it at that, as to not hijack this thread

Bills would be a lock for Hard Knocks, too. If nothing else, at least it would be entertaining.

Your talking about NFL owners voting not the trustee's, correct ? Brandon would have too much to lose if he endorsed a specific bid ahead of the trustee's vote, right ? Imagine him endorsing Golisano and Jacobs winning the bid --- not sure that would bode well for his job security post-transition.

GT -- so, what has Trump done that approaches the sins of Wilf and Haslam anyway ? Mean tweets to Cuban ? . . . toying with Rosie O'Donnell ? badgering Obama ? . . . I tell you, the guy has a lot of enemies who go after him each and every day -- any sin, we know about, and I don't see any that are disqualifiers for an NFL owner

That's old news and wouldn't stand in the way of getting approved. NFL owners first and foremost want someone with the financial chops to buy the team AND someone without a "shady" background, given the issues recently with Haslam, Wilf and others. Trump clears both hurdles.

I think the Trump-haters are diminishing their own argument --- if you want to argue you don't want him as owner because you don't like his personality or style or politics or tweets etc. etc. --- do it all day, everyday --- that's your opinion and you all are entitled to want a certain type of owner with a certain style, personality and politics --- but please don't argue he inherited his wealth, or that he's not charitable, or that he's not intelligent or that his bankruptcies make him unsuccessful -- those are non-starters because the facts speak for themselves --- that's where I interjected myself into the argument -- to say the man isn't intelligent is inaccurate -- to say he failed at business because he filed for bankruptcy is inaccurate and to say he inherited his wealth is inaccurate ---- as many others has also pointed out -- most billionaires have egos, most have failed once if not more times and most are smarter than most of us on this board, even if they always don't sound like they are --- thahth While I agree, on the surface he'd have a harder time being approved vs. Jacobs, Pegula and Golisano -- he's the most pre-vetted of the candidates for ownership that are on the list and besides being opinionated and a publicity hound, there are no disqualifiers in his background --- another point to make, if he gets approved by the 4-member voting trust, the owners WILL approve him --- the issue DT will have is winning the bid and getting past the 4-member group, not the NFL owners approving him

My biggest issue with EJ is that he seems to be very mechanical in his play and not instinctive. I know that sounds vague, but I get the impression watching him last year that he tends to be almost robotic, I'm not sure if that is because he was unsure of himself, hesitant or simply rookie nerves. I love his arm strength, mobility and I think he has a quick delivery. Instincts and accuracy are the two areas I plan to watch closely to see if there is improvement.

I pointed out that Trump graduated from a prestigious university which says he is intelligent, and those are your counter arguments/posts ? Let's just say, the more you post, the more you are making my point. I'm done with you, NEXT!

If you don't think this community has an inferiority complex read some of the posts about this team and the folks just hoping it stays -- I don't know about all of you, I want this team to WIN ! --- Now that was insightful, how many times have you pulled that line out ? Lame

For the record, Trump graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Arguably, one of the best universities in the world. While being a billionaire isn't a qualifier for intelligence, I can guarantee you that getting in to Penn is, graduating, seals the deal. You Trump haters should stick with arguments you can defend and not try and belittle the guy for how he made his money, or his charitable endeavors or his intelligence, all which are impressive. Amazing, who do you people want as next owner, Jed Clampett ? the Kennedys ? the Pope ? --- billionaires become billionaires because they take risks, they are smart, they get lucky and they work hard and don't stop when they fail ---

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/trump-would-put-up-his-own-money-for-new-bills-stadium-if-bid-is-accepted-20140527?two-bills-drive Trump says he'll put up his own money for new stadium. A great saying "Failure is the mother of success"; take a look at the billionaires in this world and the large percentage of them that failed once, twice, three times or more before making it big.

Correct. "With the 32nd and final pick in the 1st round, the Cleveland Browns, with the pick they got from the Buffalo Bills select . . . " -- has a much better ring

Don't most billionaires reap the winnings for themselves, otherwise, how do they become billionaires ? Since when was it a disqualifier to get a head start by your father ? --- and since when was making millions / billions in real estate a bad thing ? --- I'm really confused --- If you want to argue politics, personality or temperament --- you'd get further with me, at least.

"The Cleveland Browns are now on the clock with the pick they acquired from the Buffalo Bills"

While he's not my 1st choice (Jacobs and Pegula are 1-2), he is 3rd on my list. While he is a caricature to a certain extent, he'd immediately put the Bills back on the NFL map. Right now, I hate to say it, the Bills are irrelevant in the NFL world outside of WNY/Southern Ontario and those thousands of transplants. No MNF or Sunday night football. Two, he would NEVER except losing the way this franchise has accepted it. I don't care what anyone says, a culture of winning starts at the top of EVERY organization, NFL franchises included. Lastly, he wouldn't let anyone push this team around or take pot shots at the team or Buffalo. While he is vicious, calculating and cut throat, he's the guy you want on your side in a fight. My impression of a lot of WNYers is a lot of "woe is me" syndrome and "as long as we have a team, that's good enough"; there's an inferiority complex --- I know Trump would demand a winning attitude of his FO and his players or they would be OUT. My only concern with him as owner is whether he would have the self-restraint, once he built a winning organization to be hands off -- but right now, he would do a lot more good than bad and I'm convinced he'd build a winning team.

Wow, that hit a nerve. Sounds personal. I guess the Jacobs boys don't stand high in your regard since their daddy gave them a hand up and they also (like Trump) graduated from some of the top schools in the country. Highly successfully and educated owners need not apply. So, who's left in your book ?

I think you are basing your opinion on an image cultivated by Trump's adversaries. I've spent time studying the guy and his business practices, both while at grad school as well as over the past decade plus. Whether you like him as a person or his politics or you don't, he is as legit as they come as a business guy. When it comes to real estate he is second to none, negotiations, there's few better than him. I'd love to see him as owner negotiating terms for a new stadium with the state and local authorities, he'd run circles around those clowns. As for player contracts, we'd finally have a heavy weight in the room. Accountability, watch out, there would be no way Trump would put up with 15 years of losing, no way. You want to attract a Tier 1 or A-list HC, I want Trump in the room making the pitch. You Trump haters have to look paste his politics, the hair and the occasional odd tweet and circle one word that is in his BIO, he is a WINNER !

I've yet to see a national journalist say it was a good trade. All involved agree Watkins is a great prospect, but, besides this board, vast majority of opinions are the Bills paid too much. In the end, it has to play out before it can be properly judged, but right now, I think it's fair to say, they paid too much. It would have been the same had the Patriots drafted Brady in 1st round, bad pick at the time, but in the end it would have worked out. I think we should accept those two facts, i.e. right now, it looks like the Bills paid too much, but, we won't know for a year or two.

Toronto has always scared me, however, I don't see the energy right now to move team or sell to group that might move team. Toronto, has to realize, this is their shot, and I suspect they will be "all in" on their bid. If they don't get the Bills it's highly unlikely they get a franchise, since Bills would argue it's part of their protected territory. It would be like putting a team in OKC, Portland or Columbus --- too close to existing NFL markets that depend on pulling support.

I gotta side with the media outrage on this one --- Cleveland and their FO/HC look like buffoons -- it's not like they didn't know when they drafted Manziel that there would be a media feeding frenzy --- if they didn't want that as part of their team, they should have drafted the next player on their board and passed on Manziel --- so, they control the rookie camp and Manziel goes to Vegas with Gronk --- you going to try and control the national entertainment media ? the paparazzi ? ---- I'm not a Manziel fan -- but, I'm all for letting Johnny be Johnny, hop on board and enjoy the ride, if your not willing to do that, then you should have drafted someone else --- so, t

Loved the Richardson pick, followed Baylor football closely this past year -- watched every game -- know this, Baylor plays the most up tempo offense in the country and despite he being a bit overweight, still held his own in that system, including their first 4 games in 100+ degree heat -- to me, this is all about getting him in top notch shape -- do that and he'll be a steal ---

Time will tell exactly how much Ralph did to keep the team in Buffalo, entirely premature to cast such a harsh vote. At this point, we have the lease, which clearly prevents short term movement and a ton of speculation on the trust and what it says or doesn't say about limitations --- having the Mary's on the voting trust is a sign Ralph wanted folks he trusted to make final call, I think that was his way of making sure team stayed here -- I also think he had some potential owners pre-vetted by NFL -- as for the implication of selling the team at market (say $1billion) vs. at a "hometown" discount, say $700M --- I think it's irrelevant to the operating philosophy of the new owner --- I suspect the new owner is buying the team to join the club and for love of football and Buffalo --- not to make money ---- BTW, I can never use return and create spacing in my posts, either -- not sure why ?

I figured no pre-arranged sale, I was thinking more of a pre-arranged, pre-approved list that Ralph might have provided the trust of individuals who he knew was interested and could direct them --- probably grasping at straws here, but, in my mind, the best indication that the team will be sold to local interests is that fact that the two Mary's are on voting trust -- no way does Ralph put those family members in position to have to vote to move team -- and, no way, do those two vote for a non-local buyer, regardless of their bid --- IMO

At Ralph's behest ? . . . . could that mean some pre-arranged sale or at least pre-arranged control of process, whereby Ralph provided NFL with list of a few owners he was comfortable with ?

I think this is GREAT news, not that Golisano himself would be great, but it's great that there is FINALLY a local guy with more than enough money/resources to buy the team and keep it here. I'm sure there will be others. As for Golisano, first, perspectives change, his interest in the Sabres, as many have pointed out, were purely to keep the team from moving and to stabilize the franchise, otherwise, he'd still own them. With the Bills, maybe his heart is in it or maybe he will simply buy the team, secure long term lease and patiently shop for the right long term local ownership, like what he did with Sabres. Everybody should just relax, take a deep breath and let other names surface and take a different perspective on TG.