Buffalo Barbarian Posted June 23, 2011 Posted June 23, 2011 Anyone know what Russ Brandon said on WGR Today?
Dan III Posted June 23, 2011 Posted June 23, 2011 Anyone know what Russ Brandon said on WGR Today? http://www.wgr550.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=5355897
Cugalabanza Posted June 23, 2011 Posted June 23, 2011 He said his favorite movie of all time is... Top Gun That's all you really need to know. Putz!
Chas56 Posted June 23, 2011 Posted June 23, 2011 He said the Bills are moving to LA. Are you the same guy that was honking his horn and yelling while driving by the course as I was trying to putt last weekend?
ETD66SS Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 Are you the same guy that was honking his horn and yelling while driving by the course as I was trying to putt last weekend? Uhmmm, possibly...
BLZFAN4LIFE Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 He said his favorite movie of all time is... Top Gun That's all you really need to know. Putz! And that was the only piece of new information revealed in that interview. BTW, I wonder if Russ realizes this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OJSm6OdPhs&feature=related
Scrappy Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 (edited) He said that he's a Taurus, 5'11" & likes to para-sail naked. Edited June 24, 2011 by Scrappy
KOKBILLS Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 And that was the only piece of new information revealed in that interview. BTW, I wonder if Russ realizes this... youtube.com/watch?v=7OJSm6OdPhs&feature=related Well what exactly were you expecting? He said he listened to the Florio interview...He was pretty clear that he felt The Bills would be in Buffalo for a long, long, long time...He did completely shrug off the LA angle...Sure the Regional-strategy for The Bills is old news, but that does not make it untrue...I thought the interview was fine...Especially at a time where so much is up in the air...Simon asked everything he should have asked and Russ answered as best he could at the time...
White Linen Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 He said that he's a Taurus, 5'11" & likes to para-sail naked. I don't know what's more dumb, the post itself or the fact you had to edit it.
shoretalk Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 Well what exactly were you expecting? He said he listened to the Florio interview...He was pretty clear that he felt The Bills would be in Buffalo for a long, long, long time...He did completely shrug off the LA angle...Sure the Regional-strategy for The Bills is old news, but that does not make it untrue...I thought the interview was fine...Especially at a time where so much is up in the air...Simon asked everything he should have asked and Russ answered as best he could at the time... The good news is that Russ is making himself available for non-canned media moments and the bad news is that there are so many Sullivanesque alleged fans out there who don't want to accept anything from OBD as reality because it messes up their nightmares! There seems to be positive news related to the sale of luxury boxes from Rochester and Southern Ontario. In addition, he seemed truly enthusiastic about the Buddy/Chan show with the added future possibilities with Doug Whaley. There was talk about the entire scouting department (Ok, no Modrak apologies but from what he said it is clear that there was an understanding that we have been doing things wrong. (DUH!)). While not talking about Ralph's plans he stated he personally expects to be here with the team for another 15-20 years while stressing he is a local guy. Plus he talked about the uniforms! haha
BLZFAN4LIFE Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 The good news is that Russ is making himself available for non-canned media moments and the bad news is that there are so many Sullivanesque alleged fans out there who don't want to accept anything from OBD as reality because it messes up their nightmares! There seems to be positive news related to the sale of luxury boxes from Rochester and Southern Ontario. In addition, he seemed truly enthusiastic about the Buddy/Chan show with the added future possibilities with Doug Whaley. There was talk about the entire scouting department (Ok, no Modrak apologies but from what he said it is clear that there was an understanding that we have been doing things wrong. (DUH!)). While not talking about Ralph's plans he stated he personally expects to be here with the team for another 15-20 years while stressing he is a local guy. Plus he talked about the uniforms! haha Clearly reading comprehension is not your strong point. All of your points prove my statement correct. The segment was another illustration of why WGR is barely one step above college radio. It's total amateur hour over there. A bunch of starstruck lap dogs who lack the cojones to ask the tough questions. Brandon spoke like a true politician and deferred to Ralph's wishes when convenient.
Bill from NYC Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 Too bad he didn't declare himself the failure that he is and resign. He might be competent to manage a car wash.
Hplarrm Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 Actually, for those who are already going through withdrawl because the usual Bills fix is not there, or for folks looking for nuggets as to what the bean counters (it certainly has not been the football guys who made judgments like Jimbo would get rewarded in his next FA contract which never happened) who really run the team. Its all really theoretical and hypothetical for us outside observers on this but I took from this "interview" that: 1. Mr. Ralph is pretty clearly still in charge. He made it clear that somethings are not appropriate for him to talk about and that Mr. Ralph is the decision-maker. In addition, it appears that he is steering clear of intruding in the boss's space not because he is afraid of some Alzheimer cover being blown and people will know that the beancounters run the store, but he pretty much gave Mr. Ralph credit for seeing how problematic the last CBA was when the team owners signed off on the deal. 2. On the small market/large marker issue he said clearly a couple of times that due to the success of the regional marketing strategy over the past decade (the St. John's Fisher work to penetrate Rochester and east and the # of S. Ontario season ticket holders which they obviously track means that the Bills market is one of the larger ones in the NFL. 3. The relationship with Rogers and Toronto is a good one and he had not problems declaring it a success so far. 4. He expects the labor dispute to be settled (he might have even said "soon" but he declined to make any predictions and I doubt he put a clock on it but would have to relisten to confirm- and though it is worth a listen by folks with the link above it clearly does not strike me as worth parsing his wording. He did "go out on a limb" though and declare it to be positive whenever the conflicting parties are talking and the current substantive talks are a positive sign. 5. He flat out said he expect the Bills to be in Buffalo for years (while no one can really predict when Mr. Ralph will die, it is interesting he was able to state this so flatly and without as far as this observer any apparent guile). 6. No substance on the team at all (it was clear that Simon and GR had agreed beforehand that they were not going to talk issues like free agency). That's what I think I heard which of import, actually the hypothetical (and what is really important which is why this interview was prompted more by keeping the unveiling of the new unis in the public eye) true meaning is unknown for sure. However, this is what I think what he MAY mean. A. Mr. Ralph has a succession plan which is unreleased or talked about, but given his age and if there was any insecurity at OBD that staying in Buffalo fully depended on Mr. Ralph being alive, one would actually see some sign of it the business deals, choice of schools for kids, home purchases and other more apparent long-term signs of the OBD infrastructure. The beancounters from the top on down are talking a "we are here for awhile" stance. Maybe they are all acting and fooling us rubes, but my sense is that the rats from a sinking ship action would show itself more if Mr. Ralph was actually showing signs of leaving, showing dottage, or telling the hierarchy do not plan for more than a couple of years for sure in Buffalo. Unless someone has real signs of the Bills leaving Dodge beyond the theory that there is more money to be found in other markets or that Mr. Ralph has publicly declared recently or even at all the team will be sold to the highest bidder (this is simply not true as any new owner MUST be approved by 70%+ of the team owners and if Muammar Dhaddafo was the high bidder he would not get the team as the NFL owners have a virtual veto over who will be a partner. B. The Bills place a higher value on cementing their hold on the Toronto market than they do on declaring small market poverty. They do both. Mr. Ralph s trying to get extra dollars from his NFL partner as a small market team. However, Brandon was quite clear that due to the regional strategy (with season ticket sales amid a horrendous record to back up this claim) the Bills are a larger market in the NFL. This is contradictory on its face but in terms of the business the Bills are presenting whatever face they choose in order to maximize the Bills take. So it is contradictory but also consistent. C. I think the large market argument is actually correct and in fact understates the fact that the true market is determined not by gate receipts but in terms of where the money truly comes from. Gate receipts (and related take such as local commercial sales, parking, beer, hot dogs, etc. is big money, it pales in size to the much bigger money of the TV contracts. I think the Buffalo Bills have a higher value as a connection to the original AFL than the 1/31st of the franchise money moving the team would bring. I think the Bills stay right here because this is where the money is (even if a new market brings new season ticket holders, new commercial deals, etc this benefit starts behind the eight ball of walking away from the cash produced by 45,000 season ticket holders (another metric Brandon is clearly aware of The rabid Bills fans actually do a lot to help the NFL tell a story and sale that story to new eyeballs in Mexico City, Tokyo, even Toronto and Beijing if we can do it. Alternately the NFL is going to be selling franchises to municipalities and selling them membership in an exclusive club while for several years the TV news is filled with stories of saddened and deserted Bills fans. I think that we see from the Sabres and the Maple Leafs that two teams (granted a different sport with a different history, stadium size, number of games etc) can exist in both cities at the same time. In fact, given the size of the Toronto market and the size of the WNY and the non-Toronto part of the Ontario market these areas could even make the fantasy case LA is making that it deserves 2 teams (it will not even have 1 as long as the blackout rules remain in place). Overall, the Russ interview made me feel more confident that the Bills are here to stay without regard to what Sully and Mike Florio are smoking today.
Scrappy Posted June 26, 2011 Posted June 26, 2011 I don't know what's more dumb, the post itself or the fact you had to edit it. The fact that you are dwelling on it.
Mark Long Beach Posted June 26, 2011 Posted June 26, 2011 Actually, for those who are already going through withdrawl because the usual Bills fix is not there, or for folks looking for nuggets as to what the bean counters (it certainly has not been the football guys who made judgments like Jimbo would get rewarded in his next FA contract which never happened) who really run the team. Its all really theoretical and hypothetical for us outside observers on this but I took from this "interview" that: 1. Mr. Ralph is pretty clearly still in charge.... Overall, the Russ interview made me feel more confident that the Bills are here to stay without regard to what Sully and Mike Florio are smoking today. Thanks for your write-up and interpretations! It was good and appreciated.
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