10 years ago today, RIP Mr Wilson

[Just Jack]

 

[Doc Brown]

Ralph is cheap.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

26 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

Ralph is cheap.

Still.

 

 

[Gregg]

Once again thank you for bringing pro football to WNY and for keeping the team in Buffalo then OP all of these years. Without Ralph there would be no Buffalo Bills. 

[machine gun kelly]

4 minutes ago, Gregg said:

Once again thank you for bringing pro football to WNY and for keeping the team in Buffalo then OP all of these years. Without Ralph there would be no Buffalo Bills. 

I just saw this and couldn’t agree more.  He had a lot flaws, but his loyalty to a small market city, vs. making a killing selling the team multiple times was a gem.  In the end his family made the call they only wanted a billionaire who had ties to Buffalo like the Pegulas.

[Gregg]

Just now, machine gun kelly said:

I just saw this and couldn’t agree more.  He had a lot flaws, but his loyalty to a small market city, vs. making a killing selling the team multiple times was a gem.  In the end his family made the call they only wanted a billionaire who had ties to Buffalo like the Pegulas.

 

That's right. Even in death he did what he could to make sure the team stays here. In the end he did it. Team stayed in OP and now with a new stadium on the way the long-term future to stay in OP is on solid ground.

[Bills!Win!]

I have a quick question - when Ralph Wilson was alive, whose idea was it to rename Rich Stadium to “Ralph Wilson Stadium?” That seems kind of conceited 

[NORWOODS FOOT]

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126966963/ralph-cookerly-wilson

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

 

That's right. Even in death he did what he could to make sure the team stays here. In the end he did it. Team stayed in OP and now with a new stadium on the way the long-term future to stay in OP is on solid ground.

And they didn’t sell to Trump or Bon Jovi… could you imagine? Not a political statement, but I don’t think the team would be the same if they had.

[PastaJoe]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

Once again thank you for bringing pro football to WNY and for keeping the team in Buffalo then OP all of these years. Without Ralph there would be no Buffalo Bills. 

Buffalo was Ralph’s second choice after his attempt to start a team in Miami fell through.

[Just Jack]

25 minutes ago, Bills!Win! said:

I have a quick question - when Ralph Wilson was alive, whose idea was it to rename Rich Stadium to “Ralph Wilson Stadium?” That seems kind of conceited 

 

New York State or Erie County, I forgot which one, since they owned it.  Interesting footnote, the field house, when it was first built was the Ralph Wilson Fieldhouse.  

Edited March 25 by Just Jack

[Irv]

2 hours ago, Just Jack said:

 

 

Wilson treated the Bills as his personal ATM.  

[TheyCallMeAndy]

50 minutes ago, Bills!Win! said:

I have a quick question - when Ralph Wilson was alive, whose idea was it to rename Rich Stadium to “Ralph Wilson Stadium?” That seems kind of conceited 

Legend has it he named the stadium after his dad, that’s why it wasn’t Ralph Wilson Jr Stadium 

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

 

That's right. Even in death he did what he could to make sure the team stays here. In the end he did it. Team stayed in OP and now with a new stadium on the way the long-term future to stay in OP is on solid ground.

If I recall, this wasn’t true. He let the team go to the highest bidder, who was Pegs. Johnny Bonny Jovi wanted to move the team and actively tried to acquire them. 
 

I’m sure he was a nice guy in his personal life, but let’s not pretend he wasn’t a 💩 owner, especially once he hit 75+. 

[Buffalo Super Fan]

8 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

Ralph is cheap.

So was his Buffalo Bills tickets. I would take Ralph Wilson back as Bills owner any time over the clown show the Bills have become now with PSL’s and not winning the big games in the playoffs anymore. At least cheap Raph Wilson won two AFL championships in year 4 and 5 of his ownership and got the Bills to 4 Super Bowl games at reasonable working class ticket prices this Western New York area could afford. Plus he donated a lot of money to Buffalo after his passing so there was decency with Ralph Wilson that fought the Jerry Jones. Now Terry Pegula has hitched the Bills wagon to Legends Jerry Jones who is a snake. Ralph Wilson’s would never have done that because Ralph Wilson had decency and realized this Western New York areas limitations. I ask how much is enough Terry Pegula? I miss both Ralph Wilson and the Knox Brothers they had decency as Buffalo team owners and far more successful and don’t forget tickets were cheaper in my opinion. Go Bills! Let’s Go Buffalo 

[boater]

6 hours ago, Irv said:

 

Wilson treated the Bills as his personal ATM.  

Is that said in jest? That just has be be said in jest because it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

 

Thanks for the laughs.

[Saxum]

6 hours ago, Irv said:

 

Wilson treated the Bills as his personal ATM.  

 

Considering he donated most of it that is very wrong.  He used to be largest donor to WNY Hospital System.  My sister was a nurse and saw him come in to help out and most of his donations were not reported on.

[BuffaloBill]

Hard to believe that 10 years has passed. Thank you Ralph.

[oldmanfan]

8 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

I have a quick question - when Ralph Wilson was alive, whose idea was it to rename Rich Stadium to “Ralph Wilson Stadium?” That seems kind of conceited 

The county.

[msw2112]

8 hours ago, PastaJoe said:

Buffalo was Ralph’s second choice after his attempt to start a team in Miami fell through.

 

I believe that's correct.  But once established in Buffalo, he kept the team here and remained loyal to it throughout his life and even after his death.

 

Buffalo was not Jim Kelly's first choice either, but look how that turned out.

[ColoradoBills]

[CowgirlsFan]

RIP

 

Thank you for your contribution to the game of football 🏈