Canadian Bills Fan Posted November 15, 2013 Posted November 15, 2013 ralph has never been cheap. he hasn't always spent his money or picked his GM's wisely. his commitment to WNY as evidenced by low ticket prices and the fact they are still here speaks volumes. was one of only two owners who correctly spoke out against the previous CBA. likely saved the AFL from folding by financially backing the Raiders and Patriots. I could go on and on. all that's left for sainthood is his estate plan to secure the team in WNY upon his passing and cement his legacy. god bless Ralph Wilson and may he live to 120. Here here!! CBF
LB3 Posted November 15, 2013 Posted November 15, 2013 I enjoy the sentiment in your post, but can you please support the bold statement? I can't find the stats now being at work and not knowing exactly where to find the them but I seem to remember us perpetually being near the top of the league in cap space availability since the end of our golden days. Another poster is right that it could be due to bad management decisions or players not wanting to come or stay here. Such as letting talent go rather than paying them (i.e. Winfield, Greer, Clements...maybe we are just really averse to paying db's). It has just seemed like we were always hesitant to jump into the fray for top level talent (until Mario) and maybe it is a misconception on my part that it was him being stingy. It was hard not to think so always having that extra cap room. I believe that the new CBA will no longer allow teams to save money through the cap because they are required to use 88.8% of the cap and 90% in the future. But as I said before. Thank you Ralph.
thebandit27 Posted November 15, 2013 Posted November 15, 2013 I can't find the stats now being at work and not knowing exactly where to find the them but I seem to remember us perpetually being near the top of the league in cap space availability since the end of our golden days. Another poster is right that it could be due to bad management decisions or players not wanting to come or stay here. Such as letting talent go rather than paying them (i.e. Winfield, Greer, Clements...maybe we are just really averse to paying db's). It has just seemed like we were always hesitant to jump into the fray for top level talent (until Mario) and maybe it is a misconception on my part that it was him being stingy. It was hard not to think so always having that extra cap room. I believe that the new CBA will no longer allow teams to save money through the cap because they are required to use 88.8% of the cap and 90% in the future. But as I said before. Thank you Ralph. Gotcha...I charted it in the past, and the team has been all over the map salary cap wise since 2000. Some years top 5, some bottom 5, some right in the middle. You are absolutely correct that it simply comes down to money poorly spent (i.e. signing McGee over Greer, paying both Dockery & Walker boatloads of cash instead of Peters, giving Kelsay two monster contracts, etc.) and not necessarily money not spent. I do think that the team is doing a much better job with that now, vis a vis not paying exorbitant money to Poz or Whitner, signing Wood & Urbik for less than $2M/year more than Levitre got from Tennessee, etc.
LB3 Posted November 15, 2013 Posted November 15, 2013 I do think that the team is doing a much better job with that now, vis a vis not paying exorbitant money to Poz or Whitner, signing Wood & Urbik for less than $2M/year more than Levitre got from Tennessee, etc. Agreed. Although I will admit that when Colin Brown was starting I would have personally begged Levitre to come back.
thebandit27 Posted November 15, 2013 Posted November 15, 2013 Agreed. Although I will admit that when Colin Brown was starting I would have personally begged Levitre to come back. Yes...grievous error in evaluation that; at least they made a change relatively early in the season. Hoping they corral a passable alternative in the off-season. I mean, the LG doesn't need to be an all-pro playing between Wood and Glenn, so a mid-tier FA or 3rd round pick would probably suffice.
wnysteel Posted November 15, 2013 Posted November 15, 2013 i think the nfl has told teams to not let games get blacked out. miami and jacksonville said at the beginning of the year they would buy out unsold tickets. one way or another, the blackouts will be ending....my opinion.
ExiledInIllinois Posted November 15, 2013 Posted November 15, 2013 (edited) It supposed to be close to 70 in Chicago, but weekend will be a total washout starting on Saturday in the west... Buffalo should pick up the thundershowers on Sunday... Then the bottom will fall out for Monday & Tuesday and back into the 40's... So bring your foul weather gear and be prepared to get wet. Hope it holds off and hits us late, that way BFLO will get it later and possibly miss the game. Bears game is gonna be a sure washout... Edited November 15, 2013 by ExiledInIllinois
Nick the Greek Posted November 16, 2013 Posted November 16, 2013 I am glad I am now in another market and don't have to deal with the stress of blackouts. Same here man, it's great. I feel bad for the poor suckers in WNY tho
thebandit27 Posted November 16, 2013 Posted November 16, 2013 Same here man, it's great. I feel bad for the poor suckers in WNY tho No poor suckers here...there's over a million people in the Greater Buffalo Area; practically anyone that wants to see the game can do so at their own will. I never have to worry about missing the game either.
OvrOfficiousJerk Posted November 16, 2013 Posted November 16, 2013 (edited) It's not just buffalo. It happens to every team in the league that doesn't sell out games. The "threats" don't happen in those cities tough because they know people don't care. They have better things to do than go to football games. And to that list I would add Cleveland; not that they don't care, but that threats don't happen. The NFL probably would bend the rules in their case because of the Modell robbery but each time I've been to Brownies stadium, I've been underwhelmed by the attendance. The crowd I saw in 2008 was pretty good (the year after they almost made the playoffs) but I've been to a game per year since then and there were blocks of empty seats every time. Once they got my phone number (after the US men's soccer game there, no less), they've been hounding me to buy tix. Yet, there hasn't been a threat of a blackout since 2009. I wouldn't be surprised if most NFL markets fudge their numbers, and I really don't hold it against Buffalo that the Bills have been close to blacking out. Edited November 16, 2013 by OvrOfficiousJerk
mrags Posted November 16, 2013 Posted November 16, 2013 No poor suckers here...there's over a million people in the Greater Buffalo Area; practically anyone that wants to see the game can do so at their own will. I never have to worry about missing the game either. yup. I feel sorry for the poor suckers in places like NYC, Dallas, DC that have to pay PSLs and more for one game than I pay for an entire season.
CodeMonkey Posted November 16, 2013 Posted November 16, 2013 yup. I feel sorry for the poor suckers in places like NYC, Dallas, DC that have to pay PSLs and more for one game than I pay for an entire season. You get what you pay for?
Fisher Bills Posted November 16, 2013 Posted November 16, 2013 I'll be there! me to! squish the fish!
Tcali Posted November 16, 2013 Posted November 16, 2013 First try fielding a legitimate team in over a decade and than we can decide if the blackouts are a penalty or a blessing. It's time to wake up Ralph or maybe reboot the Bills el presidente, Russ Castro. The blackouts are a blessing.
mrags Posted November 17, 2013 Posted November 17, 2013 You get what you pay for? really? All the years of Romo looking like a toolbox? The Billion dollar Skins teams that did absolutely nothing? The Jets? Really? For many years these teams have been a joke yet their fans fork out more for 1 ticket than pay for my entire season. And regardless, what I pay for is an NFL game 7 games a year. Regardless how bad the team is or not, the NFL experience is worth every penny. Unlike in places like Dallas and NYC where a tailgating experience is a beer tent with a bunch of other rich dummies that don't even know who their teams players are.
papazoid Posted November 28, 2013 Posted November 28, 2013 (edited) Bengals-Chargers becomes first blackout of the 2013 season Its the first game of the 2013 season to be blacked out, after 12 weeks of having every contest televised in the corresponding local market. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/28/bengals-chargers-becomes-first-blackout-of-the-2013-season/ Edited November 28, 2013 by papazoid
bbb Posted November 29, 2013 Posted November 29, 2013 Bengals-Chargers becomes first blackout of the 2013 season Its the first game of the 2013 season to be blacked out, after 12 weeks of having every contest televised in the corresponding local market. http://profootballta...he-2013-season/ San Diego always has trouble selling tickets when the weather gets so nasty in December
CodeMonkey Posted November 29, 2013 Posted November 29, 2013 really? All the years of Romo looking like a toolbox? The Billion dollar Skins teams that did absolutely nothing? The Jets? Really? For many years these teams have been a joke yet their fans fork out more for 1 ticket than pay for my entire season. And regardless, what I pay for is an NFL game 7 games a year. Regardless how bad the team is or not, the NFL experience is worth every penny. Unlike in places like Dallas and NYC where a tailgating experience is a beer tent with a bunch of other rich dummies that don't even know who their teams players are. If what you are looking for is tailgating and the quality of play on the field does not matter. Then absolutely the cheap ticket prices and great parking lot atmosphere in Buffalo has been perfect for you.
plenzmd1 Posted November 29, 2013 Posted November 29, 2013 Bengals-Chargers becomes first blackout of the 2013 season Its the first game of the 2013 season to be blacked out, after 12 weeks of having every contest televised in the corresponding local market. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/28/bengals-chargers-becomes-first-blackout-of-the-2013-season/ I just saw this as well...absolutely amazing. They are right in the hunt, have 4 out of their last 5 at home....wow. Guess that is why they will be the LA Chargers...
machine gun kelly Posted November 29, 2013 Posted November 29, 2013 i cannot imagine the MIami game selling out. Talk about a meaningless game. What a snoozer. In 30 deg temps. There will be a about 14 fans in the stands. How do you say the Miami game is meaningless? We win Atlanta, TB, and Jags, and we walk into that game 7/7. We also go on a four game winning streak. Fill the stadium, hammer the dolphins, and we walk into the finale in Foxboro with a 5 game winning streak, and yes we could still sneak into the playoffs with a win. i know that one is a long shot but there is a chance. The Pats may have already wrapped up the second seed and sit some of the baged up players. Wouldn't you like to have a winning record again, and finish the year with a 6 game winning streak. Even if we don't make the playoffs, we are relevant nationally, and we add some tools next year. The difference in drafting between 7-9 and 9-7 is not that much, but a team with pride is something special. Don't you think Byrd (who we need ) is more motivated to take a reasonable offer knowing he's coming back to a playoff team, with a decent cost of living in Buffalo? If I lived in Buffalo and had a 7-7 record, with as much as I hated the Dolphins growing up wouldn't miss that game. Besides, cold weather is the best to watch games. I hope there is a huge snowstorm in the second half like the one about a decade ago when Eric Moulds went off against the Fish. SQUISH THE FISH!
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