SRQ_BillsFan Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 IMO it just doesnt matter anymore. If the team stays, we should be very appreciative of Mr Wilson. Even with everything set the way it currently is, him and his family (and the NFL) still could have "screwed us" if he/they wanted to. If their intentions were to have the team on a complete open market, the billionaires would/could make it so. The fact that the Bills will be secure here heading toward a century, is enough for me. I took many issues the way the team has been run, but it does not matter anymore and is not relevant. He is the father of the Bills. I was pretty outspoken here and to people in person how I thought he wasnt doing enough to protect Buffalo from relocation and in ways enhancing/boldening Toronto's/Rogers' NFL aspirations. Top bidder in no way can come from Buffalo (pre-Pegula days). But it looks like I will eat crow. If the team stays, Ill lead the bronze statue charge. Very well said.
jahnyc Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 I hope this is over soon and turns out the way we are all hoping with a new owner committed to keeping the team in Buffalo for the long-term. It will really allow us to focus on the play of the team (which may not be a good thing in the near-term). Interesting that before RW passed away, the sentiment seemed to be from most national reporters and others that the Bills would be sold and moved. Assuing this all works out the way it appears to be heading, they will end up being wrong. A lot of negativity surrounding the future of the team will be washed away with a new owner. This will help the team immensely.
jimmy10 Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 I hope this is over soon and turns out the way we are all hoping with a new owner committed to keeping the team in Buffalo for the long-term. It will really allow us to focus on the play of the team (which may not be a good thing in the near-term). Interesting that before RW passed away, the sentiment seemed to be from most national reporters and others that the Bills would be sold and moved. Assuing this all works out the way it appears to be heading, they will end up being wrong. A lot of negativity surrounding the future of the team will be washed away with a new owner. This will help the team immensely. Whether or not it helps the team remains to be seen, but it will make my own outlook a lot sunnier, I know that.
Jerry Jabber Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Michael Grange @michaelgrange 37m The Toronto group bidding for the Bills needed to be crazy to win it. They're not and won't: http://ow.ly/B5XdI John Wawrow @john_wawrow 7m odd, the guy chiding Buffalo media on reporting Golisano bidding on #Bills writes bids are due this week. Well, no. Monday is not this week.
GG Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Michael Grange @michaelgrange 37m The Toronto group bidding for the Bills needed to be crazy to win it. They're not and won't: http://ow.ly/B5XdI I wonder where have I heard that rationalization about the high improbability of moving the Bills out?
Kirby Jackson Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Is there anybody on this board that still believes that the Bills will (or even may) end up in Toronto?
Jerry Jabber Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Nope. Even when the lease runs out at the Ralph, the NFL relocation fee is around $400-$600M. So if the Bills sell for $1.1B, a new stadium will cost anywhere from $700M-$1B+, then add on the relocation fee, so the Toronto group would be looking at paying between $2.2B-$2.7B+, and that's if the league approves of the move which takes only 9 NFL owners to say "No."
A Dog Named Kelso Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 (edited) ^Agree with your comments, but, a question, didn't Ralph at one point say himself that the team would be sold to the highest bidder after he died ? I wonder, given all that we believe has transpired with the lease and the directives he gave to the 4 member trust, why he would have said that. Is there anybody on this board that still believes that the Bills will (or even may) end up in Toronto? He probably thought it was best to say this sort of thing to appease the other NFL owners and not have to deal with ramifications of saying "Sure I will take less to keep it in Buffalo". It seems pretty obvious now that he told certain people in confidence that the team wouldn't be moving. People like Kelly and Thomas have been adamant that there is a plan in place. Most chose(and perhaps still choose) to ignore them. Edited September 4, 2014 by A Dog Named Kelso
jimmy10 Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Michael Grange @michaelgrange 37m The Toronto group bidding for the Bills needed to be crazy to win it. They're not and won't: http://ow.ly/B5XdI That article appears on a website owned by Rogers Media. That should be one of the final nails for the Toronto Chicken Littles. I say "one of" because of course it ain't over 'til it's over. Terry gets struck by lightning, Trump dies in a freak toupee accident, then where are we?
bg17 Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Is there anybody on this board that still believes that the Bills will (or even may) end up in Toronto? Kellyto83TD knows two lawyers that think it could happen.
A Dog Named Kelso Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Kellyto83TD knows two lawyers that think it could happen. He knows of two layers that believe they could break the lease. But if the JBJ group had to give assurances to Morgan Stanley they don't have that information, do they? Without that how could they have such a belief? That article appears on a website owned by Rogers Media. That should be one of the final nails for the Toronto Chicken Littles. I say "one of" because of course it ain't over 'til it's over. Terry gets struck by lightning, Trump dies in a freak toupee accident, then where are we? Not sure it would be a freak accident,unless he is the freak.
Doc Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 ^Agree with your comments, but, a question, didn't Ralph at one point say himself that the team would be sold to the highest bidder after he died ? One sportswriter claimed that Ralph told him that, but it was never verified. I said it was BS when told about it and now feel vindicated. But now some people will need to find another boogeyman.
dwight in philly Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 One sportswriter claimed that Ralph told him that, but it was never verified. I said it was BS when told about it and now feel vindicated. But now some people will need to find another boogeyman. i actually heard him say that in an interview, but when you think about it, whar else could he say? he played along with the mindset of the owners and the media.. doesnt mean he meant it obviously.. but that is just my opinion..
Doc Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 i actually heard him say that in an interview, but when you think about it, whar else could he say? he played along with the mindset of the owners and the media.. doesnt mean he meant it obviously.. but that is just my opinion. Well if he did say it, like you intimated, he obviously didn't mean it.
dwight in philly Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 (edited) Well if he did say it, like you intimated, he obviously didn't mean it. exactly... but i am quite sure that is where the apprehension stems from.. it was just perpetuated in various outlets, probably around the time of the announcement of the toronto series Edited September 4, 2014 by dwight in philly
Kelly the Dog Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 i actually heard him say that in an interview, but when you think about it, whar else could he say? he played along with the mindset of the owners and the media.. doesnt mean he meant it obviously.. but that is just my opinion.. He did say something to that affect, but I thought then like you, and have always thought, of course he is going to say something like that. He just left out the second part of the sentence, "It's going to go to the highest bidder, that keeps the team in Buffalo."
dwight in philly Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 He did say something to that affect, but I thought then like you, and have always thought, of course he is going to say something like that. He just left out the second part of the sentence, "It's going to go to the highest bidder, that keeps the team in Buffalo." yep.. again, i think he may have wanted some anxiety among the fans (which obviously we have lived with which seems like forever).. but in the end, i hope it turns out as lots of us have come to believe..
May Day 10 Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 May Day, we've certainly had our differences of opinion but I have to say, classy post. thanks, dude. We all have our MB arguments, but we all have a lot in common when it comes to the Bills. Ill admit I have been living in a constant state of paranoia about the team's future here (clouds every game I go to wondering how many are left). The current state of things I was desperate to see changed because before long I feared the fans would become very apathetic and we would indeed look like a terrible fanbase. Plus the clock may have been ticking until goodbye and I felt like we needed a few good years to put our fanaticism on display. Early on I thought we were just "lucky" with the timing of everything and stand a chance, but as the process has gone along, it does seem like there is/was some degree of care by the Wilsons to preserve the team for us. And by "some degree", they are likely sacrificing hundreds of millions. Looking at the reports that the Chicago group, the LA group, and the neutered Toronto group have been turned away is pretty telling IMO. The one part I cant figure out is why Wilson didnt/wouldnt say more to relieve our anxiety about the future. I get part of his business acumen was to lean on the County/State a good deal and can see him having a mantra to not show his hand... but I would have liked for the fans to know what the intent was and be able to properly thank him while he was alive. It got to the point he couldnt come out for half time during (Hanson's?) wall of fame ceremony because (we assumed) the fear was he would be received poorly in his own building. This is all assuming this process goes where it seems to be obviously heading. We need to call for Pegula to swiftly honor RCW (I would bet he wont require calls to do so).
Kelly the Dog Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 yep.. again, i think he may have wanted some anxiety among the fans (which obviously we have lived with which seems like forever).. but in the end, i hope it turns out as lots of us have come to believe.. Why would he do it to have some anxiety with the fans? He would do it for the sale of the team, to make any potential owner realize or believe they were going to have to pay top dollar for it. The one part I cant figure out is why Wilson didnt/wouldnt say more to relieve our anxiety about the future. I get part of his business acumen was to lean on the County/State a good deal and can see him having a mantra to not show his hand... but I would have liked for the fans to know what the intent was and be able to properly thank him while he was alive. It got to the point he couldnt come out for half time during (Hanson's?) wall of fame ceremony because (we assumed) the fear was he would be received poorly in his own building. Again, it's blatantly obvious; it would potentially hurt the sale. He wanted, and should have wanted for Pegula or Jacobs or Rich or Golisano or Gundlach to fight over the team and bid against each other to jack the price up. Or someone from outside that had a boatload of money from another city but would keep the team in Buffalo like he did.
dwight in philly Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 thanks, dude. We all have our MB arguments, but we all have a lot in common when it comes to the Bills. Ill admit I have been living in a constant state of paranoia about the team's future here (clouds every game I go to wondering how many are left). The current state of things I was desperate to see changed because before long I feared the fans would become very apathetic and we would indeed look like a terrible fanbase. Plus the clock may have been ticking until goodbye and I felt like we needed a few good years to put our fanaticism on display. Early on I thought we were just "lucky" with the timing of everything and stand a chance, but as the process has gone along, it does seem like there is/was some degree of care by the Wilsons to preserve the team for us. And by "some degree", they are likely sacrificing hundreds of millions. Looking at the reports that the Chicago group, the LA group, and the neutered Toronto group have been turned away is pretty telling IMO. The one part I cant figure out is why Wilson didnt/wouldnt say more to relieve our anxiety about the future. I get part of his business acumen was to lean on the County/State a good deal and can see him having a mantra to not show his hand... but I would have liked for the fans to know what the intent was and be able to properly thank him while he was alive. It got to the point he couldnt come out for half time during (Hanson's?) wall of fame ceremony because (we assumed) the fear was he would be received poorly in his own building. This is all assuming this process goes where it seems to be obviously heading. We need to call for Pegula to swiftly honor RCW (I would bet he wont require calls to do so). i agree.. all the intrigue could have been avoided.. that being said, who cares now.. if it all works out in the end.. all the sale scenerios have been gone over i e: selling to a local buyer before he died.. that would have made it easier if in the end, the price was close, based on the way this has been conducted, he may have gotten more!
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