Bishop Hedd Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I haven't been a season ticket holder since 04 but here is this gentleman (we'll call him "Erik") calling me this evening at my local downtown watering hole, wondering if I'm interested in purchasing season tickets. Normally I'd hang up the phone but I wondered what angle he would take in trying to push his moribund product on a fan base that is a tad bit skeptical so I hung on. "Hello Bishop this is Erik from the Bills wondering if you would be interesting in purchasing season tickets for the '08 season?" Hiya Erik, as a fan that has attended games since the War Memorial period I'm always interested in my homeys but the off season scuttlebut and Mr. Wilson's flirtations with Toronto has left me wondering whether this team has any future here. "Excellent point Bishop and one that has been mentioned by others I've talked to. Let me be the first to tell you that the Bills' marketing approach to secure the Bills future in WNY includes expanding its' base into the Toronto market" Come again? "Well as I'm sure you know this is nothing new in the NFL. At one time Green Bay played almost half thier season in Milwaukee." Yeah but wasn't that back in say oh the seventies and eighties? And last I checked Milwaukee was in the same state and country as Green Bay. Was there a move afoot back then to pirate the Pack to Brewtown like there seems to be with Rogers and TO? "We'll only be playing one game a year there Bishop for the next five years, plus three presason games" he seemed to mention almost aplogetically. "In addition Bishop we won't have to play in England, Mexico, or Japan like some NFL times will have to do." Some consolation there Erik. I doubt very much the Jacksonville Jags are being courted to move to Birmingham UK. Well how about this Erik, why don't the Bills play five preseason games and three regs over the next five years. Maybe then I might be a little less nervous. Afterall the last time a Buffalo Major League franchise tried to expand its base across the border they wound up in San Diego so pardon me for being a little cynical. "Huh?" Nevermind, a little before your time. Is it difficult selling a team that has been pretty pathetic for the last eight years. That is to say what kind of product are you planning on putting on the field in the upcoming months? "Great you should that mention Bishop. We hope to fortify our already promising squad with a solid draft. Who would you like to see the Bills draft" A big strong WR (as I quickly recalled the stock answer I've heard countless times over the last month or so) "Excellent, so can we count on you as being part of our twelfth man next season Bishop" Uh....possibly. Can you guarentee me a Superbowl like Green Bay got after they were done with the Milwaukee experiment? "We can certainly try" Well then I'll be in touch. I wanted to tell the guy what an arsehole Ralph truly is (this after Erik telling me all the "wonderful" things Wilson has done for WNY) and I wanted to complain about the monumental blunder of the Bills for not deciding to be in the same division as Pittsburgh and Cleveland but the guy seemed so sincere. I'll probably be hearing from Erik again in the not too distant future...and again..and again...and again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Anderson's Lunch Pail Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 You're kind of miserable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bishop Hedd Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 You're kind of miserable Being a Bills fan with Ralph as owner how can I be anything but? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Anderson's Lunch Pail Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 To each his own; I'm perfectly happy as a Bills fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bishop Hedd Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 To each his own; I'm perfectly happy as a Bills fan. A Toronto Bills fan no doubt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfanmiami(oh) Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 Being a Bills fan with Ralph as owner how can I be anything but? Have I endured countess hours of frustration and given hard earned money to see heartbreak after heartbreak? Of course, as Bills fans we all have. Am I renewing my season tickets this year? Not even a question. I wouldn't trade my Sundays at the Ralph for anything even if it ends up costing a bunch after tickets, beer, food and gas. Those 8 (well now 7) Sundays are some of the most fun filled days of the year for me when I can enjoy good food, great company, and maybe even a great victory! The future of the team may be out of our hands for the most part, but while the team is here shouldn't we do everything we reasonably can to fight for them to stay? If the unthinkable happens, I will be devastated but might be able to take some scrap of satisfaction out of the fact that I enjoyed the team and the atmosphere that the Bills bring to WNY every Sunday as much as I could have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hindsight Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 To each his own; I'm perfectly happy as a Bills fan. As am i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bishop Hedd Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 Have I endured countess hours of frustration and given hard earned money to see heartbreak after heartbreak? Of course, as Bills fans we all have. Am I renewing my season tickets this year? Not even a question. I wouldn't trade my Sundays at the Ralph for anything even if it ends up costing a bunch after tickets, beer, food and gas. Those 8 (well now 7) Sundays are some of the most fun filled days of the year for me when I can enjoy good food, great company, and maybe even a great victory! The future of the team may be out of our hands for the most part, but while the team is here shouldn't we do everything we reasonably can to fight for them to stay? If the unthinkable happens, I will be devastated but might be able to take some scrap of satisfaction out of the fact that I enjoyed the team and the atmosphere that the Bills bring to WNY every Sunday as much as I could have. As an atmosphere/party thing nothing beats it. I'm in total agreement with that otherwise I wouldn't be hangin' at the ECC lot two, three times every fall in addition to the two road games I take in a year, hanging with other Bills fans in Cleveland last year or Memphis in '97. I'm looking at this from "Erik's" perspective: how do you sell a bad team with an uncertain future? It must be like working for the Montreal Expos in 2004 (ok, a bit of an exaggeration I'll admit) asking some schlump who maybe purchased seats in Jarry Park back in '76 "Jean Guy! Voudriez-vouz acheter des billets de Expos?!?" "Erik" struggled to make it seem that he was enthused about the Bills prospects but peel away the veneer and I could sense he felt like we all do around here...we're living on borrowed time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Anderson's Lunch Pail Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 As an atmosphere/party thing nothing beats it. I'm in total agreement with that otherwise I wouldn't be hangin' at the ECC lot two, three times every fall in addition to the two road games I take in a year, hanging with other Bills fans in Cleveland last year or Memphis in '97. I'm looking at this from "Erik's" perspective: how do you sell a bad team with an uncertain future? It must be like working for the Montreal Expos in 2004 (ok, a bit of an exaggeration I'll admit) asking some schlump who maybe purchased seats in Jarry Park back in '76 "Jean Guy! Voudriez-vouz acheter des billets de Expos?!?" "Erik" struggled to make it seem that he was enthused about the Bills prospects but peel away the veneer and I could sense he felt like we all do around here...we're living on borrowed time. Well I don't think that's the right attitude. If something ever happens to the team, "Erik" will survive. If you want to be a downer and give the guy trying to do his job a hard time, whatever. But the Bills are in Buffalo now. I won't have the attitude that they're gone before anything even happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draft Maniac Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I haven't been a season ticket holder since 04 but here is this gentleman (we'll call him "Erik") calling me this evening at my local downtown watering hole, wondering if I'm interested in purchasing season tickets. Normally I'd hang up the phone but I wondered what angle he would take in trying to push his moribund product on a fan base that is a tad bit skeptical so I hung on. "Hello Bishop this is Erik from the Bills wondering if you would be interesting in purchasing season tickets for the '08 season?" Hiya Erik, as a fan that has attended games since the War Memorial period I'm always interested in my homeys but the off season scuttlebut and Mr. Wilson's flirtations with Toronto has left me wondering whether this team has any future here. "Excellent point Bishop and one that has been mentioned by others I've talked to. Let me be the first to tell you that the Bills' marketing approach to secure the Bills future in WNY includes expanding its' base into the Toronto market" Come again? "Well as I'm sure you know this is nothing new in the NFL. At one time Green Bay played almost half thier season in Milwaukee." Yeah but wasn't that back in say oh the seventies and eighties? And last I checked Milwaukee was in the same state and country as Green Bay. Was there a move afoot back then to pirate the Pack to Brewtown like there seems to be with Rogers and TO? "We'll only be playing one game a year there Bishop for the next five years, plus three presason games" he seemed to mention almost aplogetically. "In addition Bishop we won't have to play in England, Mexico, or Japan like some NFL times will have to do." Some consolation there Erik. I doubt very much the Jacksonville Jags are being courted to move to Birmingham UK. Well how about this Erik, why don't the Bills play five preseason games and three regs over the next five years. Maybe then I might be a little less nervous. Afterall the last time a Buffalo Major League franchise tried to expand its base across the border they wound up in San Diego so pardon me for being a little cynical. "Huh?" Nevermind, a little before your time. Is it difficult selling a team that has been pretty pathetic for the last eight years. That is to say what kind of product are you planning on putting on the field in the upcoming months? "Great you should that mention Bishop. We hope to fortify our already promising squad with a solid draft. Who would you like to see the Bills draft" A big strong WR (as I quickly recalled the stock answer I've heard countless times over the last month or so) "Excellent, so can we count on you as being part of our twelfth man next season Bishop" Uh....possibly. Can you guarentee me a Superbowl like Green Bay got after they were done with the Milwaukee experiment? "We can certainly try" Well then I'll be in touch. I wanted to tell the guy what an arsehole Ralph truly is (this after Erik telling me all the "wonderful" things Wilson has done for WNY) and I wanted to complain about the monumental blunder of the Bills for not deciding to be in the same division as Pittsburgh and Cleveland but the guy seemed so sincere. I'll probably be hearing from Erik again in the not too distant future...and again..and again...and again Glad you won't be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 You're a miserable piece of shiit fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HereComesTheReignAgain Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 Glad you won't be there. That makes two of us! I could just imagine the great fun Bishop would be at a tailgate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HereComesTheReignAgain Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I haven't been a season ticket holder since 04 but here is this gentleman (we'll call him "Erik") calling me this evening at my local downtown watering hole, wondering if I'm interested in purchasing season tickets. Normally I'd hang up the phone but I wondered what angle he would take in trying to push his moribund product on a fan base that is a tad bit skeptical so I hung on. I'll probably be hearing from Erik again in the not too distant future...and again..and again...and again You hassled a kid trying to drum up support for the Bills and brag about it on a Bills forum. Aren't you cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bishop Hedd Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 You hassled a kid trying to drum up support for the Bills and brag about it on a Bills forum. Aren't you cool! I guess maybe you missed that part where I said he called me...on my cell yet. I guess we got the 'tards like eryn the ball-less wonder and chicken feathers from PPP here. I'm continually amazed how some people will swallow everything this franchise throws at them without question for the sole reason that we should feel so privileged to have a team. It's that kind of attitude that has allowed Wilson and company to chew up this area and spit us out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElMarko Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 What we need to be told as Bills fans is the definition of "viable." That is the word said over and over and over again by the Bills brass. Viable? Isn't a business that profits in the millions of dollars and grows tremendously in net worth EVERY year the very definition of viable? Smart football minds say a strong product on the field is the best way to make your team more viable. Certainly making your team play an extra "away" game once per year - in the very season (i.e. outdoors in winter, in Buffalo) where your home field advantage helps the most, doesn't help the team on the field. I have been a strong supporter of Ralph Wilson over the years - but this boils down to him being upset over not making as much PROFIT as Jimmy Jones or the other big-market teams. As a long time season ticket holder - and Erie County tax payer - I'm severely bothered by this. I do understand that a football organization is a business and is allowed - and should - make a profit. But many other business decisions can be made to make this team more viable. Making your team play an additional away game - at a time when you are experiencing 95% sell-outs at your real home - just doesn't make sense. Especially putting the game in a city with the most fair weather fans ever. Go to mid-week Blue Jays game next week - you'll have about 15,000 empty seats to choose from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bishop Hedd Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 What we need to be told as Bills fans is the definition of "viable." That is the word said over and over and over again by the Bills brass. Viable? Isn't a business that profits in the millions of dollars and grows tremendously in net worth EVERY year the very definition of viable? Smart football minds say a strong product on the field is the best way to make your team more viable. Certainly making your team play an extra "away" game once per year - in the very season (i.e. outdoors in winter, in Buffalo) where your home field advantage helps the most, doesn't help the team on the field. I have been a strong supporter of Ralph Wilson over the years - but this boils down to him being upset over not making as much PROFIT as Jimmy Jones or the other big-market teams. As a long time season ticket holder - and Erie County tax payer - I'm severely bothered by this. I do understand that a football organization is a business and is allowed - and should - make a profit. But many other business decisions can be made to make this team more viable. Making your team play an additional away game - at a time when you are experiencing 95% sell-outs at your real home - just doesn't make sense. Especially putting the game in a city with the most fair weather fans ever. Go to mid-week Blue Jays game next week - you'll have about 15,000 empty seats to choose from. But of course nobody here really questions the Bills motives in playing that game in a 50,000 seat stadium in front of fans who really just want their own team. The non-analytical fan just thinks that "hey, maybe they are trying to expand their market" when everybody knows that when you attend a Bills game you probably have a Torontonian sitting behind you, in front of you, or next to you. The Bills marketing strategy has seemed to work the last decade but how long does Wilson count on the fans being gullible idiots before they start to sense something's amiss. Does anybody expect the product this year to be any better than the dreadful product they put on the field last year? Like I said I'm not even sure Erik does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 You're kind of miserable That's like saying Paris Hilton is kind of a whore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 Noun: douchebag [doosh bag] 1. A small syringe with detachable nozzles; used for vaginal lavage and enemas 2. (slang) An insult similar to "a--hole" or "jerk". The metaphor of identifying a person as a douchebag is intended to associate a variety of negative qualities, specifically arrogance and malice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bishop Hedd Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 Noun: douchebag [doosh bag]1. A small syringe with detachable nozzles; used for vaginal lavage and enemas 2. (slang) An insult similar to "a--hole" or "jerk". The metaphor of identifying a person as a douchebag is intended to associate a variety of negative qualities, specifically arrogance and malice. I'm curious as to why you would describe yourself that way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I'm continually amazed how some people will swallow everything this franchise throws at them without question for the sole reason that we should feel so privileged to have a team. Ooh, the irony coming from a big government liberal. Parody........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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