Deadskins writer bashes

[gmac17]

wow, gotta give the guy props for showing up and responding logically and politely.

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

I have written many, many articles on the CBA and what is right and what is wrong about it. You can do a Google search, they're out there. This particular article focused on Wilson's comments on Snyder.

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Great. Then you should be able to come up with a more substantial article than "Ralph Wilson's a whiny B word."

 

Note that I'm not commenting on your other articles (which I shall look up), or your career in general, just THIS article: it sucked. I stand by that judgement. Even though you had a point, you could have supported it far better.

 

The judgement that you're a "bozo", though...I won't apologize, I'll just put it on hold until I read some other articles. And at the very least, you get props for showing up and defending yourself reasonably.

[RTandler]

Thanks, Rich. That was actually a classy thing to do.

 

You do, clearly, however, know nothing since you called our board a "very classy place". 

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Well, OK, what I really meant to say is that it doesn't totally suck.

 

Thanks, Dog

[jarthur31]

You are a fool if you believe that.  Do you even live in WNY???

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I don't live in WNY or a city where the industrial job base disappeared so rapidly but I understand Mr. Wilson's POV and everything PTR has discussed in such a way even a termite would understand.

 

It's a signal to the sports world, that if your population isn't X number, you wouldn't be able to support a team. Plus, you would have to have a fan base that cares (read: Devil Rays).

[ChasBB]

Well, I think that the writer makes some valid points. As I said in another posting, maybe Buffalo wouldn't be such a small market if it wasn't for greedy, small-minded politicians being up to their eyeballs in corruption and creating misguided taxes to drive both businesses and individuals out of the area. Sure, a lot of folks cannot take the weather, but that's not the only reason people leave. Many leave because there just aren't great numbers of good paying jobs and New York has heavy income taxes and our local "leaders" stuff their pockets with cash while local governments go broke. Buffalo would be a text-book case in a course called "How to create a small market 101". Drive everyone away and you have a small market. Let's attract people and business back to Buffalo and dump all of the needless misguided taxes and move back to at least a middle-market city that CAN support a NFL franchise WITHOUT revenue sharing!

[ChasBB]

I say we just become a dirty team -- load up with Conrad Dobler types and take out all of the "power" franchises top players and level the playing field!

[alg]

That's funny, because I used to go the games in the good ole' days ('90-'94) and tickets were a lot cheaper than they are today, and they STILL didn't sell out until the week of the game!  So the level of support today isn't any less than it was back then.

 

I know it's hard for people to keep facts straight, but ticket sales have nothing to do with what Ralph is crying about.  The Bills already sell out.  The problem is that the Bills can't keep up revenue-wise with these large-matket teams.  There aren't enough big corporate sponsors in WNY. 

 

This wasn't a problem when the NFL shared revenue equally.  But the new carpetbaggers like Kraft, Snyder, and Jones, don't believe in fair play.  They believe in "us first, screw the rest of ya!"  They want the NFL to be like MLB: 10 power franchises, and 22 punching bags.

 

THAT is what Wilson is sounding the alarm over.  The fundamental change in the NFL revenue formula.  It looks like either you don't get it, or you like to twist the truth so you can have a laugh at Ralph's expense.

 

PTR

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Well put, and thanks for saving me the trouble.

 

To those of you whining about Ralph, or accusing him of whining, just remember this: his efforts are directly related to keeping the NFL playing field equal. It is not about him making more or less money relative to yesterday. It is about him being able to spend for players and coaches on equal footing with the big market teams. You know, the guys who sell tickets to practice, and game day tics for 2x what Ralph can charge.

 

In Bills terms, for you slow learners, that mean......drum role please......KEEPING THE BILLS IN BUFFALO! If you are still unclear, no problem, we can explain it to you again when the Bills move to lala land.

[PatPatPatSack]

Well, OK, what I really meant to say is that it doesn't totally suck. 

 

Thanks, Dog

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Not totally anyway. Close to it somedays, though.

 

Cool to show and rock and roll with us. You might not be "da man" , but you is " a man".

 

imho

[olivier in france]

That's funny, because I used to go the games in the good ole' days ('90-'94) and tickets were a lot cheaper than they are today, and they STILL didn't sell out until the week of the game!  So the level of support today isn't any less than it was back then.

 

I know it's hard for people to keep facts straight, but ticket sales have nothing to do with what Ralph is crying about.  The Bills already sell out.  The problem is that the Bills can't keep up revenue-wise with these large-matket teams.  There aren't enough big corporate sponsors in WNY. 

 

This wasn't a problem when the NFL shared revenue equally.  But the new carpetbaggers like Kraft, Snyder, and Jones, don't believe in fair play.  They believe in "us first, screw the rest of ya!"  They want the NFL to be like MLB: 10 power franchises, and 22 punching bags.

 

THAT is what Wilson is sounding the alarm over.  The fundamental change in the NFL revenue formula.  It looks like either you don't get it, or you like to twist the truth so you can have a laugh at Ralph's expense.

 

PTR

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you are perfectly right!!!

 

for the ones with (very) short memories here's a fact:

 

i went to the famous "Houston Game" buying my ticket at the stadium boot the day of the game and it was 20 dollars!

 

So it's crazy to think the support has declined when there is actually 75,000 people buying 100 dollars tickets to watch a second tier team ...

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Hey Folks,

 

I'm the one who wrote the article, and since at least one of you and possible more have emailed me in resonse, let me just answer to a few points raised here:

 

Right, I agree. Had Wilson not called Snyder out by name I would have left him alone.

 

Believe me, Wilson did not need to shine any flashlight. We've seen what Snyder has done in regards to jacking up prices, turning game day at the stadium into a 4-hour trip into Ad World, and making a hash out of the football operation for five years before hiring back Joe Gibbs. Those of us in DC know Snyder all too well and are scared to death of what he might do when Gibbs retires again, for good.

 

As to the first part, the site that the article appeared on is owned by, and I am paid by, FoxSports.com. That doesn't make it better than the Buffalo paper, but it's not my own website. As to the second part, my wife probably would agree with you sometimes.

 

Don't have any idea what TQM is, I've never read it so I couldn't steal from it. Not that I'm above borrowing a good one-liner from time to time, but this was not one of those times.

 

Nope, not the case for the Redskins anyway. The stuff you read about them having to play with 20 rookies turned out to pure nonsense. They got enough veterans to redo their deals so that they wouldn't have had to cut any more players than they ended up cutting anyway. True, they would not have been as active in free agency as they were, but Snyder did not go along with the agreement to avert cap hell.

 

I can't speak for Snyder, but I'm not upset. Kind of sad, really, but not upset. And Snyder is just using the tools at his disposal, too.

 

Once again, I will point out that Jones and Snyder--along with 28 other owners--did ultimately vote to keep the salary cap, the main driver of parity, and to share what to them will be tens of millions of dollars annualy with the leagues other teams.

 

I have written many, many articles on the CBA and what is right and what is wrong about it. You can do a Google search, they're out there. This particular article focused on Wilson's comments on Snyder.

 

As to the first part, uh, did you read the article? Because this was in it:

 

So, yes, this "clown" has heard of the BCS. But the disparity in revenue between, say, Michigan and Wake Forest is much, much greater than the disparity in revenue between the Redskins and the Bills and if you don't believe that I think we'll have to reevaluate who is cluess. As to the second part, again, my wife would probably agree.

 

I put my email address at the top of such articles and find the boards that link to my articles because I want to hear what people think about them. I appreciate your comments, even the disparaging ones

 

Thanks for letting me visit your board, it looks like a very classy place.

 

Rich Tandler

http://www.WarpathInsiders.com

WarpathInsiders@comcast.net

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That took some huevos, man. Way to go. Wish more "journalists" had the guts to do what you just did. Good on ya!

[shibuya]

Hey Folks,

 

I'm the one who wrote the article, and since at least one of you and possible more have emailed me in resonse, let me just answer to a few points raised here:

 

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I sincerely hope you can understand why we are upset with those who paint Ralph as thr bad guy. I see over zealous owners who over pay everything they do with little care of what effect it has on so many of us who just want to keep our team.

 

Ralph is protecting our interest for the long term, and there is a definite long term concern here for the leagues smaller markets.

As I have said before... You remove the Bills from Buffalo, I will never watch NFL football again. I have no loyalty to the game of football, just to the Bills. I won't be alone, unfortunately most of this country doesn't care about Buffalo, or the economics of other small markets. They only care about themselves and what effects them today.

 

SO I raise my middle finger and tell the rest of the NFL (those who feel Buffalo is a problem) to kiss my hairy @ss

[StuckinRedskinland]

I have to laugh at any reporter here in DC who stands up for Ol Danny Boy. He cried how he always loved the Skins and remembered being a child and watching the games. He reembered what it was to be a skins fan. So first thing he does once he buys is beloved team, he CHARGES his fellow fans ADMISSION to the open practices. I remember the press wanted to bouycott the Skins actually Danny's practices. The "Old Guard" would never have dreamed of doing this. But "Stupid is as stupid does" and now they defend this guy like he was a god. fact is most Skins fan hate Snyder as much as any other fan. It is really funny how a Skins /Cowboy game has now changed into a Snyder / Jones game. The "new guard" has nothng but money and that what makes the world go round. A change in times and a change in values. It is sad but Buffalo may not be DC, but thats why I love it. Dc is full of back stabbers and money. But try to get a decent meal at 1 am here, or affordable housing.

 

Now I have to take my blood pressure pills. Thanks Danny !!!!

[ieatcrayonz]

Screw the Skins and Snyder.  Buffalo can support a team as it has proven.  It just may not be able to compete in a revenue war with teams in a megalopolis such as Washington,  N. Va or Dallas-Fort Worth.  We'll see how in favor of a free market Snyder and Jones are when the NFL proposes new franchises in N. Va or in Fort Worth.

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In sports like in anything some people will do anything for one more dollar. Snyder, Jones, Nike, you name it. It will catch up with them.

[RTandler]

So first thing he does once he buys is beloved team, he CHARGES his fellow fans ADMISSION to the open practices. I remember the press wanted to bouycott the Skins actually Danny's practices.

The admission for training camp was for one year and it was pretty much dropped about halfway through that one camp as they gave out vouchers to come back on another day for free to everyone as they were leaving. That was six years ago. He made a mistake, he learned from it, and has moved on.

[RTandler]

I sincerely hope you can understand why we are upset with those who paint Ralph as thr bad guy. I see over zealous owners who over pay everything they do with little care of what effect it has on so many of us who just want to keep our team.

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Once again, it was Wilson who was pointing fingers and naming names and questioning values, not Snyder, not Jones. And, in my opinion, the chances of Buffalo retaining the team will start to improve greatly the moment that Wilson realizes that the NFL landscape has changed, the CBA is what it is, and that he needs to figure out a way to make it work. The Packers are doing just fine in a smaller city that also isn't home to many Fortune 500 corporations. They can do it because the deal in reality and realize that is' not 1975 any more. If and when Wilson does that, the Bills have a chance of being saved. If he puts his energy and hopes on Congressional hearings and the like, the LA Bills aren't too many years away.

[Eventual Champs]

It's a free market economy type of mentality applied to the NFL. If you can make more money somewhere else, you should be able to do that. I dont' really have a problem with that. Just have to find a way to stay competitive and deal with it.

 

I just wonder if this dude would be singing the same song if the movement towards overseas outsourcing of IT positions continues to trend and take jobs from DC. How about the steel industry - hope you don't have a problem with that buddy as the Japanese can make it cheaper and companies can make more profit. How about welfare, let's get rid of that, why should we prop people up who need help?

 

I know I'm not comparing apples to apples, but the philospohy is the same and I know the very liberal Washington Post would not support any of the above.

[Orton's Arm]

That’s not anyone’s fault, it’s just the way that things are. The Redskins and the Cowboys could pour all kinds of money into the Bills and that wouldn’t change these facts. If the city of Buffalo can’t support an NFL team, it’s certainly not up to the cities of Washington, Boston, and Dallas to do it for them.

Supporting an NFL team just got a lot more expensive, thanks to the actions taken by 30 of the 32 teams. The owners should have--but did not--hold the line on the percentage of revenues players received. The owners' failure created a cost that teams like Washington and New England could afford, and that the Bills could not afford.

 

You mention the idea of the Bills moving. One of the reasons for football's success, at both the college and professional levels, is its history and tradition. A losing team in a new city (think Arizona Cardinals) won't do as much good for the league as a losing team that stayed in place, such as the Bills. There will always be losing teams somewhere, so it's important to the league as a whole for such teams to attract the same fan interest the 5-11 Bills did.

 

While revenue disparities exist among college teams, these disparities don't cause teams to move from one city to another. As a result, college football fans are able to develop lifelong emotional bonds with the teams they root for. This type of emotional bond is what's at stake with the new collective bargaining agreement. To the extent teams are forced to become nomadic mercenaries for hire by the most generous available city, fan loyalty to the league as a whole will gradually erode. This will hurt all the owners, including Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones.

[JDG]

http://redskins.scout.com/2/519169.html

No one picks on our team's owner or hometown paper but us.

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This has to be one of the dumbest things ever written.....

[Guest BackInDaDay]

This has to be one of the dumbest things ever written.....

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No one picks on scribo or scribo's posts but us.

[JDG]

No one picks on scribo or scribo's posts but us.

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;-) Although actually I meant that the linked article itself was perhaps one of the dumbest things ever written.....