10 years ago today, RIP Mr Wilson

[Let's Go Buffalo]

Wow! I didn't realize it's been 10 years. Thanks for the memories, and R.I.P. Mr. Wilson.

[The Jokeman]

It feels like much longer than 10 years. Maybe a testament to how much better things been the last 6 or so years then the last 20 or so under Ralph.

2 hours ago, msw2112 said:

 

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.

It only turned out because the USFL failed. Had it not Frank Reich might have been our eventually starting QB and we'd all B word we took Mark Traynowicz and passed on Randall Cunningham.

[freddyjj]

4 reasons to toast Ralph

 

1. Brought AFL/NFL to WNY. 
2. Bailed out Raiders in AFL days
3. Saved the Patriots from going under too
4. Left $1.2 billion in his foundation to assist Detroit and BUF

Thanks Ralph!  RIP. 

[stuvian]

our stadium will always be the Ralph

[papazoid]

5 minutes ago, freddyjj said:

4 reasons to toast Ralph

 

1. Brought AFL/NFL to WNY. 
2. Bailed out Raiders in AFL days
3. Saved the Patriots from going under too
4. Left $1.2 billion in his foundation to assist Detroit and BUF

Thanks Ralph!  RIP. 

 

salute 

[PromoTheRobot]

13 hours ago, Irv said:

 

Wilson treated the Bills as his personal ATM.  

 

His team, his money.

Edited March 26 by PromoTheRobot

[Mark Vader]

17 hours ago, NORWOODS FOOT said:

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

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.

They wouldn't be in Buffalo if Bon Jovi got them.

[ProcessTruster]

21 hours 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. 

He would have resisted this new stadium boondoggle which will price out the fanbase.   For all his "Ralph is Cheap" faults, these faults would have kept this stadium debacle with its $20k PSL/ 300 dlr ticket price nightmare from happening and would have kept Bills Mafia actually in the stadium..

[NORWOODS FOOT]

6 hours ago, Mark Vader said:

They wouldn't be in Buffalo if Bon Jovi got them.

Right, Toronto. And can you imagine trying to attract free agents with Canadian taxes? What a mess.

 

If a team ever ends up in a country with high taxes, if I were the NFL, I would try to negotiate with that country to pay a different tax rate (maybe an average of all other teams) by arguing that being competitive is more lucrative.

[Beast]

On 3/25/2024 at 7:35 AM, 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. 

Is that true, though?

 

Expansion teams were handed out in the later 1960’s to Miami, Atlanta, Cincinnati and New Orleans. Buffalo hadn’t suffered any major economic collapse at that point. 
 

 

[SirAndrew]

On 3/26/2024 at 9:25 AM, NORWOODS FOOT said:

Right, Toronto. And can you imagine trying to attract free agents with Canadian taxes? What a mess.

 

If a team ever ends up in a country with high taxes, if I were the NFL, I would try to negotiate with that country to pay a different tax rate (maybe an average of all other teams) by arguing that being competitive is more lucrative.

I wonder if pro sports leagues already do that. Canada has MLB, NFL, and NHL. I’ve never heard any complaints about taxes in those leagues. 

[soflabillsfan1]

He never shut down the message board on Buffalobills.com.  Respect him for that.

[Bob Chandler's Hands]

On 3/25/2024 at 7:14 AM, Irv said:

 

Wilson treated the Bills as his personal ATM.  

It's almost like he owned the team

On 3/25/2024 at 8:58 PM, freddyjj said:

 

1. Left $1.2 billion in his foundation to assist Detroit and BUF

Thanks Ralph!  RIP. 

You're the first to bring this up. I think it's his biggest legacy. Thank you

[amprov56]

On 3/25/2024 at 9:58 PM, freddyjj said:

4 reasons to toast Ralph

 

1. Brought AFL/NFL to WNY. 
2. Bailed out Raiders in AFL days
3. Saved the Patriots from going under too
4. Left $1.2 billion in his foundation to assist Detroit and BUF

Thanks Ralph!  RIP. 

Excellent post with facts and lots of class!

49 minutes ago, soflabillsfan1 said:

He never shut down the message board on Buffalobills.com.  Respect him for that.

How could we continue without the NFL expertise found in the Bills mafia?

[Augie]

RIP

 

Ralph and I had a rather close relationship. I was back in WNY for a game and having dinner at the Creekview restaurant on Main St in Williamsville. I go to the men’s room just as he’s coming out of the door not paying attention (it’s a bit tight, if you’ve ever been there). I think the close call startled us both just a little bit. The next day I go into the stadium early when crowds are still light, and I almost get run over on the concourse by this little Pope-Mobile thing with Ralph inside! I don’t know if he grabbed the wheel and aimed at me or just ordered the driver!  (It was actually rather close!) 

 

I would have picked up their dinner tab if I could have, but he was on his way out. It may sound silly paying for a billionaire’s dinner, but to me it was the gesture that counted. 

 

For all the people who say Ralph is cheap, I say what he saved, he gave to important charities in his home towns. So, there’s that….. 

 

 

 

Edited March 27 by Augie

[Wacka]

His foundation made major contribution to the Hospice in Cheektowaga and is paying for the restoration of Riverside Park.

Edited March 27 by Wacka

[RyanC883]

On 3/25/2024 at 3:30 PM, Buffalo Super Fan said:

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 

Terrible comparison pitting one against another.  And it’s called inflation—tickets get more expensive.  Enables better players via FA.  Perhaps you don’t like winning?  Terry also is involved with charitable endeavors. Owning a team is about winning,  both attempted that. 

[NORWOODS FOOT]

On 3/27/2024 at 4:36 PM, Punching Bag said:

 

 

High taxes are relative.  Some countries in Europe have very high tax rates.   They also have other benefits like universal healthcare and 16 month pay calendars.

 

 

Image atrribution: https://taxfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Europe_PIT_Top_Rates_24-2048x1769.png

Yes, the taxes are relative to the benefits provided for sure. The challenge under these systems, it seems to me, is keeping the agencies providing the services accountable to provide quality care. Who has the power to hold a governmental agency accountable?
 

But that’s really the challenge under any system it seems to me. For example, with corporations wielding so much (bought and paid for) power in the US, and there often only being a small handful of choices (take health insurance, for example) I’m not sure these private institutions are held very accountable either. Total sidebar/mind dump…

 

But yes, I agree with your main point: if you receive quality service that you actually utilize then the higher taxes can be a wash.

[Saxum]

7 minutes ago, NORWOODS FOOT said:

Yes, the taxes are relative to the benefits provided for sure. The challenge under these systems, it seems to me, is keeping the agencies providing the services accountable to provide quality care. Who has the power to hold a governmental agency accountable?
 

But that’s really the challenge under any system it seems to me. For example, with corporations wielding so much (bought and paid for) power in the US, and there often only being a small handful of choices (take health insurance, for example) I’m not sure these private institutions are held very accountable either. Total sidebar/mind dump…

 

But yes, I agree with your main point: if you receive quality service that you actually utilize then the higher taxes can be a wash.

 

Actually I was being sarcastic.  Teams have their own physicians so most players will not be taking advantage of healthcare system and 16 month pay calendar is used by countries like Greece who have restrictions on spending to borrow money but unable to resist pressure on pay.  I think a great amount of the taxes for benefits players play overseas would be wasted.  The same disparity exists in US between states in US which certainly gives some teams advantages recruiting free agents whose first priority is how much they (and their agent) is paid but NFL does not try to balance that.

 

And I am very familiar with need for insurance since I had a stroke and overnight stay costs $28K without them telling how much each thing they do costs before they do it. I do not purchase items from supermarkets without knowing price ahead of time and hospitals do not allow it but fortunately some states have statures resisting them from charging for the moon except for anesthesiologists. 

[oldmanfan]

One of the most historically important people in WNY history