Dan

I have to fall on the side that likes this signing. I never thought Price was as bad as people made him out to be, plus it looks as though its another very favorable contract. The thing I like so far is that all our free agent signings are relatively young, have something to prove, and are coming in at very reasonable prices. If one or two or three don't pan out, they get cut and no big cap hit. Alternatively, if one or two work out they're here for several years at a great price. Another thing, it definitely seems like there's a plan in place. Marv's not just signing anyone that comes along or some big name just to fill seats. Now, granted, I'm not sure what the plan is; but I get the distinct impression that there's a method to the madness. So, I say another good move.

In reading the latest news article Ralph says, "As to my succession, I don't know what I'm going to do now," he said "Before, I was going to sell the team or something, but I don't know now. This has changed everything." Could it be that Ralph is making all this fuss, because he was planning to sell the team. However, the new "qualifiers" make it difficult because a new owner would lose the revenue sharing if they stayed in Buffalo. ?? So now his potential buyers are getting cold feet.

That is an awful lot of supposition, assumption and just plain old guessin.

I couldn't make it. But just a suggestion - If you can get 100+ to attend, you could make signs with Bengals logos, Cleveland logos, etc. and give the appearance of multiple team's fans representing. I'd also suggest anti-CBA signs (CBA=End of Small Markets), rather than just Bills signs. Might have more of an appeal in other cities.

I agree. That's how I interpret that comment.

That's the completely wrong attitude, in my opinion. The Bills are not a luxury at all. The Bills are an integral part of WNY as well as being integral to WNY's economic revocery. I agree, you can't tax people like mad to keep the team there. But, I also thing that's what underlies alot of Ralph's concerns. He's more than knowledgeable about what it takes to run and maintain a franchise in Buffalo, and the last thing he needs is for the league to pass policies that hinder his efforts and make it harder to keep the team there.

Again, I still haveto very much disagree with you. First of all, I don't just care because its the Bills. I was quite pissed when the league let Cleveland lose its team and never considered them the LA Raiders, but always the Oakland Raiders. I think that's one of the better things Tags has done is try to put an end to all the moving around of teams. If you care anything at all about the NFL and the Bills, then you want teams to stay where they are. You want the rivalries and the tradition. And you want small market teams to be competitive with large market teams. I agree you probably won't get new teams into small market areas, suc as Buffalo. I lived in Memphis for 6 years and watched them try to get team. There were alot of reasons they didn't get a team, but I'm sure one of them was connected to Memphis being a smaller market and somehow making that work. Free Market or not, the NFL enjoys the success that it does because of its Revenue Sharing and Salary Caps. Thes two poicies more than any other, I believe, help to keep all teams on a level playing field, personnel-wise. Which, in turn, leads to all teams being equally matched, i.e. parity. Because all teams have a shot, not to mention its a relatively short season (only 16 games) in comparison to other sports, combined with the fact that only a relatively small portion of teams make the postseason, all means each game does matter. Therefore, you want to watch every week, because week one is just as important as week 6 or week 14. Hence, TV ratings/revenue are great. If they change the league such that many of the teams have no way of competing, how many years before people begin to give up hope and stop watching games? When that happens, ratings will drop and so will the money from the TV companies. The league has been extremely well managed and marketed over the years. Such that it is the premier sport in the US. However, I can assure you that if it changes and the haves and havenots diverge from one another, the league may still make money, but it'll loose everything it has built up.

Do I even need to respond to this?? So you're advocating that the NFL become baseball, where the richest team in the richest market has all the money, buys all the players and most every year buys the World Series. The idea behind revenue sharing is to keep the League strong, balanced and competitive. Without that, you'd have about 2 or 3 teams taking turns at winning the Superbowl each year. And what has become one of the greatest worldwide spectacles each year would loose its luster and be replaced in the ratings by Survivor. Revenue sharing is perhaps the biggest reason the NFL has become the most popular american sportt today. So you're right. Why share your money with less profitable clubs? To hell with Clevland, Buffalo, etc. It'll be a great ride for a few years, but get rid of the smaller market teams and the league becomes a shell of itself in less than 10 years.

I can remember, growing up in TN in the 80's, getting Bills information was next to impossible. Other than the occasional little snippets on Sunday, there was nothing. The advent of the interent has made my Bill's following all inclusive. In fact, I read so much Buffalo newspaper, I should probably pay taxes. However, I fail to see how any of this has to do with the Bills current situation regarding a move or losing money. If anything, all this added exposure would seem to make the Bills more money. Look at my house and you'd see all the Bills' gear - surely some of that money feeds back to the organization.

May I suggest dusting that letter off, and sending it to Gov. Pataki.

I would have rather read that Jauron told the players... they better be fighting, because some of them will have to be cut and only fighters and guys that want to play and win will make it past those cuts. Rather, than telling them to calm down and walk away.

I'd agree with him. Ricky doesn't have a problem at all with drugs. Actually, he enjoys them quite often.

I still fail to see the big name, big money free agents that we missed on. I agree we didn't sign alot of big FA talent. But who out there was really worth big money AND would have greatly improved this team?

True. And I suppose we could debate who's the best lineman. But, why not just take the best lineman? Not the second best lineman. It seems like at 8 we have a better chance at taking the best player that fits our needs.

Why would we trade with a team so they can move up and take a player that we want/need?

I tend to agree with you. Given our cap room, any failure to sign Clements would be a clear indication that the Bills are not interested in building a winning team, but rather field a bunch of guys - paving the way for apathy and moving to greener pastures. Clements may not be the best corner in the league, but he's clearly a good player and a proven starter.

I really like our schedule. 1. All 1pm starts. Provides consistency, plus this is the best time to play AND watch football. 2. A good mix of supposed hard and easy games. A few teams we should beat if we have any illusions that we're a decent team. Throw in a few teams that, if we beat; we can build off of and grow confidence in our players and staff. 3. A mid season buy. I hate the buy in week 3. 4. Multiple home games in December! Bring on the snow. There's nothing worse than playing the Dolphins in Dec. in Miami. I'm starting to feel more optimistic about this season.

But you're missing the true beauty of this. If we take Young and give him a year to learn because he can never get on the field. We'll likely have the first pick in 2007. Then we can draft Quinn (unless someone else wins the Rosebowl next year) and declare Young a bust.

Incorrect. Without the Buffalo Bills, football would be just like all other sports, something I MAY watch during the playoffs and Superbowl. On the plus side I'd be talking to my wife or working on my house right now, instead of sitting on a football message board. Damn, my life would suck.

If Young is so special and all that, why not just trade away 3 or 4 picks and move up to #2 and take him? If we have 10 picks; and we trade 4 picks, that still leaves us with 5 picks after we get Young. We're gonna suck this year, right? So, why do we need any picks in the draft? I say trade them all, if needed. As long as we get Young, all our problems will be solved and we'll see Jordanesque moves for years to come.

Having lived in or been closely affiliated with several towns that wanted and/or got a major sports franchise (Memphis, Nashville, Houston, Charlotte), I can tell you that keeping the Bills in Buffalo definitely has to be an integral part of the City's future. If the Bills leave, the city will regret it for years. I agree, a pro team doesn't fix the schools, or the crime rate or anything like that. However, when you're trying to build a city and/or attract business, having a major sports team is huge. The Bills may not bring in tons of cash to downtown Buffalo, but I have no doubt what so ever that they bring enormous money into the 'area". Just think about it, how many 100's of millions of dollars does it take to run the team - where does the majority of that money go? To Buffalo and the surrounding area. Look at all the businesses in thearea that benefit each Sunday. Yes, there may be other more important issues that face a declining metropolitan area. But a major sports franchise, such as the Bills, is integral to the viability of the area and ultimately fixing those other issues.

Amen.

So if you were in Houston... would you be a Titans fan now, and not a Texans fan??

Has anyone of the other smaller market teams wieghed in on this yet? Theoretically, they've had time to review the documents by now as well. And why does this seem to affect Buffalo more than anyone else? (Or am I just living with blinders on? Totally, possible since I don't read anything about any other tr]eam.) Is it just because of Ralph and the impending change of ownership?

If the Bills leave Buffalo, life as I know it would be over. I could care less what they'd call them in LA or anywhere else. I follow the Bills because my roots are in Buffalo, not because I like the colors or the name or anything nonsensical like that. I MIGHT continue to follow football, but there'd be no passion or allegiance to any team. My life would become meaningless and I'd die a lonely death in some remote forested region muttering obscure stats and names that no one no longer remembers.