richNjoisy

the numbers match up exactly on the nfl draft value chart

I agree about Ngata being the pick but not if brick or Hawk are on the board but it is moot, they won't be, so your prediction should hold true. Draft SHOULD go Bush - Williams - Leinart - Brick - Hawk - Davis - Young Then Bills select from Ngata - Bunkley - Huff - Justice I think they will go with Ngata I like the other three fine, though. The guy who might fall , in my opinion, is Davis. I would be ecstatic if they get Davis. A trade up MIGHT change the order a bit (Denver is salivating over Davis - to get him, they would have to trade with someone in 1-5 slots. Green Bay should be the match for the broncos (cheapest spot to get their guy). San Fran, unable to grab Davis might then go for Ngata but they might take Hawk then. Interesting how Hawk starts to slide south if Denver butts in........

you will find this interesting (I think): http://www.thehuddlereport.com/top100/index.shtml here is gosselin's "competition"! http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sub/mockdraft.html I cannot believe that Leinart will fall to number 7

I hear that google.com has $10 billion in funds due to their stock sale. Howsabout Google.com presents Buffalo Bills Stadium?

I hear that google.com is just sitting out there with $10 BILLION trying to figure out what to do with the dough. Google stadium may reek but for $5 mil per year for 50 years......it's yours!. payment in advance please. BTW...wanta buy a team as long as you keep it in WNY??? The Megamillion lotto is now at $220 mil. Almost enough to pay for that 35% myself (of course the lump sum is a weeeee bit less than that. and then there IS those durn taxes...... )

http://www.sportsoutlaw.com/mockdraft.html ..neveh gonna happen sigh

what you say may be true - but (I assume you are not a billionaire?) like the rest of us, we are not incredibly rich and, Ralph is a rare individual. One who has built himself up a tremendous fortune. Your assumption that he "could care less about making more money" MAY be true but I know I can't assess this for one second. To even be in his position, by defintion, makes him different from most people (and believe me most people want more money anyways!) but Ralph has been able to amass a fortune. To assume he doesn't want more is, in my opinion, a stretch. yeh yeh yeh - he already has enough money to buy himself a country (or two) but we can't presume to know what drives him. We simply can't. But - he will certainly like you fully supporting his position. So - please chime away!!! Write your congressman/woman. Like I said, I am not concerned if Ralph is "playing games" with people's heads. I am simply raising - as a possibility - that he IS playing games (to better his position). He's has done it before. He may be being totally forthright about his views on the current situation for small market teams or he may be being the shrewd businessman he has been his entire life.

strike me for my pessimistic view of family dynamics in the Wilson family but I am under the impression that the kids are none to ready to let their new mommy inherit all of daddy's moola upon his death. I suspect he has already established that upon his death his three girls get mucho inherito and that new momma is not in line to get anything close huge % (let alone 100%, aka Da Bilz). If the current Mrs. Wilson does inherit the Bills, then other than her wanting to bail out, then one would think the Bills in Buffalo are relatively safe. But, like I said, I doubt that she inherits the Bills 100%...or even 50%. my 2 cents ....

good post just to chime in, your point #3 is the key issue and represents the main unknown factor - even Clayton admits this is his article. Ralph has always been a shrewd businessman. Due to his age, he is obviously having to deal now with ageist views. How much he has actually "lost it" due to his age, cannot be accurately assessed by the likes of us (TBD crew and the media etc). What is clear is that Ralph wants to position his business (the Bills) as profitably as he can. How "real" his "concerns" are (in other words, how much is he deliberately crying wolf to use fear and misdirection to position himself , how much is he alerting people to real problems/unfairness/gotchas, how much he is simply losing it cannot be assessed by us) We simply don't know what the CBA actual has set in stone and what is still-to-be-determined. Your point about the naming rights is fair as well. Tell me this: Why are the naming rights of RWS assumed to be so much lower than , say, in DC or Philadelphia? How much does the name actually matter locally (as is assumed) vs nationally? Isn't the NFL a national (even world-wide) product? How much LESS value is a FritoLay Stadium in Buffalo worth than a Honda Stadium in San Francisco?? My opinion is WAAAAYYY too swayed by my emotions. I don't care what Ralph does or says if it helps make the Bills more lucrative and increases the chances of keeping them in Buffalo. Thus, keep on crying wolf Ralphie - you got my support (FWIW ) Go Bills!!! -RnJ

Mark - I think you have been around long enough to remember when Ralph came off as a cheap, stingy bastard in WNY. Recent history has proven this wrong to some extent but my point is that he is quite capable of squeezing his players, the city and the state for $$. The fact that he has not done this recently has made some of us forgetful. My OPINION on the state of affairs is that Ralph has struck preemptively to sway public opinion and establish the not-yet-fixed details of the new CBA in his favor. While he is at it, he is also pressuring local and not-so-local politicians to get involved with the NFL CBA to some extent. I do believe he wants to keep the Bills in Buffalo but he also wants them to stay here competitively AND profitably. (The latter is a big reason for his maneuvers I grant ya! - but that is not a sin but shrewd business practice on his part). As to Nate, the Bills have gobs of room under the cap and have never been way under before for long. If they go into the season way under...it will be the first time in their history they have done so. Interestingly, a number of teams are under the cap this year. Nate is "cheap" right now (cost for his salary is not too bad for a player of his caliber). Holding out is his only option if he is unhappy but does this FORCE the Bills to trade him? I'd say no. Nate has to play to get paid and if he holds out , he not only loses a VERY lucrative year in his career, he also loses the "can't franchise more than twice in a row" rule (new). On the other hand, the Bills do have lots of room in the cap to pay him with. I see no reason to assume there is a significant problem yet. In a world where "rumors" are king, there have been none. Thus, neither side is even posturing yet. I think this means negotiations are ongoing. Nate not signing his contract is just part of the dance. I am not too worried yet and I do not expect them to trade him my 2 cents.....

PTR: could you clarify point #1? Are you saying that ANY new owner of the Bills would not get the extra moneys put aside for lower revenue teams? You are NOT, I assume, talking about the sharing of TV revenue and the like, correct? Do you , or does anyone at TBD, have any sense of how the majority of owners feel about the importance (or lack thereof) of the current makeup of the 32 team cities? I bring this up because Cleveland and Baltimore both lost teams and then got them back. I know that I LIKE the NFL to have no team s move and that the makeup of the curretn cities is "as it should be" or, in other words, makes the NFL what it is and should remain (rivalrys the big reason for this). I chimed in in a thread yesterday (started by Hammer) where I mentioned the need for STATE (NY) support for the Bills. Question: Do either the Jets or Giants pay any NYS tax and how does their presence in NJ impact NY? Correspondingly, what do the Bills give NYS? There was some differing of opinion on what the Bills mean to NYS outside of WNY. THAT is a huge issue IMO. Ralph is, is he not, appealing to those in power outside of WNY to enlist support for the Buffalo Bills remaining in Buffalo. I plan to retire near Buffalo in 12 years or so. Will my Bills still exist?? -RnJ

I agree to some extent but do any of us really think it is Erie County's responsibility to be the main "money squeeze" for the Bills? I am not sure what Ralph expects from meeting with Joel or anyone else in Erie County. The money to keep the Bills in Buffalo needs to come from: 1.) The STATE 2.) The Private sector and maybe with help from the NFL (although many of us are suspicious that the NFL prefers the Bils be elsewhere say......like LA?) I plan to buy that magamillions ticket tonight. Some I am chipping in. you betcha

My plan exactly this is why I keep buying lottery tickets. Megabucks is ay $162 mill right now. Could buy me a small piece of Da Bilz

I have us picking Huff but will be thrilled if they go with Davis. Some draftniks have davis going before # 8 (a few have Huff going earlier too). I believe in those scenarios that AJ Hawk is still there. Question John: If AJ is still there , do you take him?

At this point one month ago, I had my "likely" ontheboard/possible pick for the Bills a # 8 down to Ngata/Davis/Huff with Ngat being the "expert" favorite and Davis being my personal favorite. Although there has been some conjecture that one of the following 5 might drop to the Bills, I doubt it so let me remove the following names (assuming no Bills trade): Leinart/Bush/Mario Williams/Ferguson/AJ Hawk I also think Cutler and Young will be gone but it is possible one or both will be there. This leaves Ngata/Davis/Huff It seems to me that Huff is the best fit considering the Bills needs and the strength at the DT/OT and TE position after round 1 (not to mention the Bils already signed a DT, a TE and drafed a TE in round 3 last year). I wouldn't cry one tear if the Bills trade down (should Cutler or Young be there at 8) and then grab OT Winston Justice who's value has been on the rise. But, in any event, I am predicting we draft Huff at #8. -RnJ

Weiler usually is unreadable but, egad, I found his article informative and I agree with it although that part was easy since I am on the "let's give JP a real chance before we judge him" bandwagon. A real chance means - more than 2 seconds to throw 2/3 of the time, receivers that try on 2/3 ofthe plays, and a run game that averages over 3 yards per attempt.

I agree with this. During the Tampa game last year, I was almost mauled when I expressed my doubts about Eric's efforts during two pass attempts JP threw to him. It SEEMED to me on a sideline screen and then on the intercepted over the middle deep pass to Moulds, both times Eric made no effort to stretch and/or accelerate for the ball. Yes, both balls were poorly thrown but, in my opinion, Eric could have still caught the screen and could have tipped or maybe even have caught the over-the-middle pass. Anyone with a copy of the game - take a look at those plays and let me know if I am out to lunch. Another milder point is that JP and Evans did not seem to have this problem. Was it because JP threw better passes to Lee and not to Eric or was there less effort on Eric's part? I agree that losing Eric is sad and , when Eric plays to his best at his current ability, is a loss. But I am not sure he would play at that level with JP in there. I am still not sure because we are talking effort rather than ability which is very hard to know for sure. either way - good bye Eric. You were a great WR for the Bills. -RnJ

I just saw this on KFFL.com. This is a full week earlier than usual. In fact, this year I wasworried it would be announced later due to thedelay in free agnecy and the late draft date. great news. I fully expect the Bills to open on the road for the first time in 7 years. So, far, I only know they won't open in Miami. Seven other possibilities exist for road starts. (and four for a home game week 1)

This is my hope too - Young is there and someone not-too-far behind us is drooling for the guy. Would not Arizona, Cleveland or baltimore love to jump ahead of Detroit to draft Young - a box office bonanza and 'potential" franchise QB? at 10, 11, or 12 we could still get Ngata, Huff, Bunkley, or Davis any of whom would be great pickups plus we might snag a 2nd round pick for our troubles. Dallas might want to move up too but I would want them to be merciless before letting Jones and co. get our pick. I would want their 1st, a 1st day pick and their 1st rounder next year minimum for us to drop from 8 to 18.

I think you misread me - my Patriot example was under the premise, "IF the patriots had a high pick and a franchise QB was on the board, would they automatically select him?" I would say NO because Brady is young and very very very good. Most teams don't have a Brady (not rocket science ha ha) Anyway, I was only saying I am far from certain as to what the Bills would do if one of the big four QB's is on the board at #8. And I would not be one of the posters at TBD bashing the Bils if we end up with Cutler or Young as our 1st round pick. I understand the thinking - which is - to not let a potential Franchise QB get by you.

Let's see Brian - The Raiders current big weakness is DEFENSE but does that guarantee the raiders letting Vince Young or Jay Cutler slipping past them. I'd say no (they would not) As to people being "certain" the Bills would not draft a QB if one of the big four were on the board, I am far from certain of that. Why? The NFL "mantra" has always been, "If a potential franchise QB is on the board you ALWAYS take him". I feel that is a bit too strong a statement (for example, why would New England do such a thing?). My OPINION is that if Cutler or Young are on the board that the Bills will either draft him or trade down. I prefer the latter and , hopefully, they won't have to trade too far down. -RnJ

Is it possible that the illness to Lindy Ruff's daughter has affected the team's morale? Does anyone have an update on her condition? I heard the Ruff was not behind the bench for the Trasher game on Monday.

Has anyone checked the trade value in this deal? I did and Denver makes out like bandits They traded the 29th pick plus thier 3rd round pick this year and next year's 4th round pick and received Atlanta's 1st round pick : #15 The Atlanta pick is worth way more than what Denver gave up - not to mention that the 4th round pick next year is from a poorer draft class and Denver will PROBABLY (ha ha) be a good team next year. It still amazes me when teams devalue 1st round picks as much as they do. Especially this year when it apears the draft is a VERY good draft class.

The schedule was released last year on April 13th and the year before on April 15th. The draft is late this year which may delay the release of the schedule plus there will be the usual requests from the networks to have a flexible portion to the season (moving games in the latter half of the year to make primetime games "good" games etc). This "discussion" may also impact the release of the schedule. Bills have opened at home 6 straight years - we are so due to start on the road it's ridiculous. -RichNJoisy

billsdaily is reporting around $8 mil