Michael Silver trashes Ralph Wilson

[BillsVet]

Ralph will forever be an anti-hero, both reviled and appreciated by Bills fans. He's the one who started it all in Buffalo, and the man who refuses to assure the fans about a long term solution to keeping the franchise here. While the latter may be rooted in financial reasons, many of his recent comments indicate his dissatisfaction with the region in general. On one hand, the average WNY'er can hardly blame him, but going out of the way to make fun of Buffalo at the Toronto press conference a few months ago was uncalled for.

 

Ralph's remains a PR nightmare who has complained about the same issues since the 60s. He was obviously correct about the recent CBA, though the way he's publicly voiced his opinion is what irks me. The NFL is hard of hearing when dealing with revenue sharing and other areas which hurt small market teams. At the same time, it's important for the league's survival that small markets are not completely shut out, which is what might happen if every team becomes unofficially charged with building new stadiums. On that matter, Ralph's right and you've got to give him credit for highlighting these issues.

[AKC]

I guess that pretty much says it all, considering I think Jerry Jones is probably the worst thing to have happened to pro football...well, ever. Certainly, at least since Pat Bowlen.

 

The fellatio he performs on Robert Kraft* is even worse than the Jerry Jones lick-off.

 

God forbid we had an owner like either of 'em. Kraft, Jones and any of 20 other owners would have packed us up and left Buff long ago.

[KOKBILLS]

Paul Brown died in 1991, so I seriously doubt he had anything to do with putting his name on a stadium that opened nine years later ...

 

Valid point...

[Lurker]

Paul Brown died in 1991, so I seriously doubt he had anything to do with putting his name on a stadium that opened nine years later ...

I suspect RW's referring to the mindset the Cincy city fathers took in honoring Pual Brown rather than selling out to some corporation:

 

"Bucking a recent trend, the city decided against selling the naming rights of the new stadium to a large corporation and named it after coaching legend Paul Brown, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who founded not only the Bengals in 1966, but also the Cleveland Browns in 1946."

[Dan]

Ralph will forever be an anti-hero, both reviled and appreciated by Bills fans. He's the one who started it all in Buffalo, and the man who refuses to assure the fans about a long term solution to keeping the franchise here. While the latter may be rooted in financial reasons, many of his recent comments indicate his dissatisfaction with the region in general. On one hand, the average WNY'er can hardly blame him, but going out of the way to make fun of Buffalo at the Toronto press conference a few months ago was uncalled for.

 

Ralph's remains a PR nightmare who has complained about the same issues since the 60s. He was obviously correct about the recent CBA, though the way he's publicly voiced his opinion is what irks me. The NFL is hard of hearing when dealing with revenue sharing and other areas which hurt small market teams. At the same time, it's important for the league's survival that small markets are not completely shut out, which is what might happen if every team becomes unofficially charged with building new stadiums. On that matter, Ralph's right and you've got to give him credit for highlighting these issues.

Why do people keep bringing this up. Ralph has kept the franchise in Buffalo for nearly 50 years. Is that not long term? He has said it will not move while he's alive. Is that not enough of a commitment? People are upset because he won't sell the team to someone to ensure they stay here after he dies. The problem with that is there is no guarantee, what so ever, that any new buyer - local or not - will keep the team in Buffalo. The only way to guarantee the team stay in Buffalo is for Ralph to continue to own it and stand his ground about not moving. Which he has done. Lori (I believe) posted an archived SI article a while back referring to the Bills as a potential relocation team back in the early 70's. I can just imagine people complaining then that Ralph should do something to keep the team in Buffalo. Well... he has and continues to. To ask more of him is to be the spoiled rich kid that just got a Benz and complains because it's not a Porsche.

 

I suggest that if anyone wants to ensure the Bills remain in Buffalo after Ralph's death, they should just go buy the team. Because if anyone else buys it, there's no guarantee of anything. Period.

[Gordio]

He does not cry poverty. He does not think it fair that these new stadiums are being built and these teams are pulling in millions that are not shared yet it raises the salary cap.

 

It is an interesting arguement. I see it both ways. My guess is that these other owners who have huge debt loads because of them financing at least partially of their new stadiums, feel like why should we share our revenues from the corporate suites, extra revenues solely based on the building of the new stadiums with a guy that has played in a rent free/debt free stadium for the last 35 years & has not spent one dime on the stadium over that time frame? I actually see their point on that to an extent.

[krazykat]

Ralph is not in the HOF for some reason (which none of us outside of the NFL good ol boy network including me and you know with any certainty to justify more than fact-free theorizing). My guess is that specific reason is some wide enough held opinion among his fellow owners that this obvious honor has been denied to him (and appears that it will be until its a posthumous award).

 

Ralph has generated some common negative feeling among a large enough crowd in the NFL that they were able to deny him the honor after he was nominated several times and actually the negative feelings have hardened since then as he has not even be nominated for years.

 

Anger or disdain over what may be perceived as a rich guy constantly harping on the poverty of his smaller market franchise could well be the basis for this feeling though likely some specific acts such as him making a handshake deal with Jimbo which simply allowed him to ignore the salary cap may be it.

What has Ralph done practically PG to warrant inclusion into the Hall of Fame?

 

I realize that's sacrilege here, but seriously, what has he done besides buy a team for a song, then move it to the NFL as if that were some really tough decision and one formulated entirely by him?

 

His teams haven't won a championship in the NFL in almost 40 years! His having one one in the AFL, a league of 8 teams, isn't all that impressive since 6 of 8 teams in that league did in that decade, a couple even when the league was 10 teams. No on talks about San Diego, KC, or Houston in the same context with any credibility.

 

He's personally fired some of the best and brightest GMs in the business and ones that had a very good track record here and even better ones since leaving!

 

He's noted for meddling with the teams affairs, never producing anything giving fans reason to thank him and usually only giving fans reason to wish he had just minded his own senile business!

 

People say he's some great business man, but so what, he bought a team for $25,000, a real stretch in those days (sarcasm), it hit big so that he owns it outright. Kind of a no-brainer. Then he's been as cheap as cheap can be, personally hired some of the stupidest and/or most unqualified people in the business to run his team who in turn hired others equally unqualified and incompetent.

 

The one time in the history of the franchise where his team sustained any success it was purely by accident due to his then GM having a heart attack and his having to grasp at straws and making a lucky decision with Polian, whom he later fired because of a tiff that Polian had in the office with his daughter, who's been so marvelous at doing something good for this team. (more sarcasm)

 

I mean seriously, besides this dumb notion that he loves the people of Buffalo more than he does his own family, while living in Detroit and simultaneously having given the fans absolutely nothing on his own or as a direct result of one of his calculated decisions, what has he done that merits Hall entry?

[nucci]

It is an interesting arguement. I see it both ways. My guess is that these other owners who have huge debt loads because of them financing at least partially of their new stadiums, feel like why should we share our revenues from the corporate suites, extra revenues solely based on the building of the new stadiums with a guy that has played in a rent free/debt free stadium for the last 35 years & has not spent one dime on the stadium over that time frame? I actually see their point on that to an extent.

I agree with your last part and I'm not taking Wilson's side completely. I think the part that bothers him is that the cap is raised based on these extra revenues and that's where it hurts him. If the cap is increased by say $10M, it does not mean the Bills made any extra revenue to pay for that increase.

[nucci]

What has Ralph done practically PG to warrant inclusion into the Hall of Fame?

 

I realize that's sacrilege here, but seriously, what has he done besides buy a team for a song, then move it to the NFL as if that were some really tough decision and one formulated entirely by him?

 

His teams haven't won a championship in the NFL in almost 40 years! His having one one in the AFL, a league of 8 teams, isn't all that impressive since 6 of 8 teams in that league did in that decade, a couple even when the league was 10 teams. No on talks about San Diego, KC, or Houston in the same context with any credibility.

 

He's personally fired some of the best and brightest GMs in the business and ones that had a very good track record here and even better ones since leaving!

 

He's noted for meddling with the teams affairs, never producing anything giving fans reason to thank him and usually only giving fans reason to wish he had just minded his own senile business!

 

People say he's some great business man, but so what, he bought a team for $25,000, a real stretch in those days (sarcasm), it hit big so that he owns it outright. Kind of a no-brainer. Then he's been as cheap as cheap can be, personally hired some of the stupidest and/or most unqualified people in the business to run his team who in turn hired others equally unqualified and incompetent.

 

The one time in the history of the franchise where his team sustained any success it was purely by accident due to his then GM having a heart attack and his having to grasp at straws and making a lucky decision with Polian, whom he later fired because of a tiff that Polian had in the office with his daughter, who's been so marvelous at doing something good for this team. (more sarcasm)

 

I mean seriously, besides this dumb notion that he loves the people of Buffalo more than he does his own family, while living in Detroit and simultaneously having given the fans absolutely nothing on his own or as a direct result of one of his calculated decisions, what has he done that merits Hall entry?

He lent the Pats and Raiders hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep them running and was involved in TV negotiations with the networks and the AFL. He was also involved with the AFL-NFL merger. Maybe this is not enough for the HOF but don't say he not done anything to help Pro Football.

[Gordio]

I agree with your last part and I'm not taking Wilson's side completely. I think the part that bothers him is that the cap is raised based on these extra revenues and that's where it hurts him. If the cap is increased by say $10M, it does not mean the Bills made any extra revenue to pay for that increase.

 

 

That is a good point. That is where I agree with Wilson. The cap should only be based on the revenue that is equally shared. The only point I was trying to make was it has got to rub some of these owners the wrong way that Wilson is always crying(in their mind) for a handout yet is probably the only team in the NFL that does not carry any debt load.

[tombstone56]

MY only comment to this is "who the hell is MICHEAL SILVER?/ AND WHAT DOES ANYONE CARE WHAT KIND OF

 

BS opinion he has?? As for the unnamed owners comment .. If a billionaire or m illionaire doesn't have the balls to

 

go on record for what he says ,then hes either a total coward or the article is total bull****!!

[krazykat]

He lent the Pats and Raiders hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep them running and was involved in TV negotiations with the networks and the AFL. He was also involved with the AFL-NFL merger. Maybe this is not enough for the HOF but don't say he not done anything to help Pro Football.

Inconsequential IMO. Look at the list of owners that have made the Hall of Fame and their credentials.

 

If that's it, then it's weak at best.

[krazykat]

MY only comment to this is "who the hell is MICHEAL SILVER?/ AND WHAT DOES ANYONE CARE WHAT KIND OF

 

BS opinion he has?? As for the unnamed owners comment .. If a billionaire or m illionaire doesn't have the balls to

 

go on record for what he says ,then hes either a total coward or the article is total bull****!!

Right, just like Wilson's been so "open and honest" with us, right.

 

Screw Wilson. He's no friend of Buffalonians!

[Golden Wheels]

Well, this explains Silver's comments on Wilson: he thinks Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones are the top two owners in the NFL. He just wuvs em!

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AlUh...o&type=lgns

[Lori]

Inconsequential IMO. Look at the list of owners that have made the Hall of Fame and their credentials.

 

If that's it, then it's weak at best.

All right, let's do just that. The dates represent their period of ownership, not total service to the franchise:

Charles Bidwill - Chicago Cardinals, 1933-47

The Cardinals were permanent cellar dwellers when the senior Bidwill owned them, with only two above-.500 records in 14 seasons. They finally broke through in the 1947 season, winning their only NFL championship eight months after Bidwill died. Claim to fame? He bailed out George Halas in 1932.

 

Al Davis - Oakland/LA/Oakland Raiders, 1966 - present

He's in on the basis of forcing the AFL-NFL merger. He wouldn't have had a team to do it with if not for Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.

 

George Halas - Decatur Staleys/Chicago Staleys/ Chicago Bears, 1920-1983

No argument with this one.

 

Lamar Hunt - Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs, 1959-2006

Or this one.

 

Curly Lambeau - Green Bay Packers, 1919-1949

Tim Mara - New York Giants, 1925-1959

Wellington Mara - New York Giants, 1959-2005

Or these three.

 

George Preston Marshall - Boston Braves/Boston Redskins/Washington Redskins, 1932-69

Provided several leaguewide innovations, and won two NFL championships. Also believed to be one of the chief movers behind locking black players out of the league for the better part of two decades, he finally integrated his team only after the federal government threatened to deny them the use of D.C. Stadium. "We'll start signing Negroes," Marshall said, "when the Harlem Globetrotters start signing whites." One of the most famous lines in sports writing was penned by the Post's Shirley Povich after Cleveland drubbed Washington in a 1960 game. Povich wrote, "Jim Brown, born ineligible to play for the Redskins, integrated their end zone three times yesterday."

 

Dan Reeves - Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams, 1941-1971

Moved the Rams to the West Coast, and was the first owner to employ a scouting staff. In 1946, he signed Kenny Washington, who became the first black player in the league since 1932. That alone should have been enough to get him into the Hall.

 

Art Rooney - Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers, 1933-1988

Dan Rooney - Pittsburgh Steelers, 1955-present

Tough to remember that the Steelers were a laughingstock before they hired Chuck Noll, no?

 

Comparing Wilson to Halas, Mara, and Lambeau is like stacking every future middle linebacker up against Dick Butkus -- held to that standard, NOBODY would get in. Is it your contention that no current owner deserves to be enshrined? Because Wilson has made it further than any of them in recent years' balloting.

[krazykat]

All right, let's do just that. The dates represent their period of ownership, not total service to the franchise:

Charles Bidwill - Chicago Cardinals, 1933-47

The Cardinals were permanent cellar dwellers when the senior Bidwill owned them, with only two above-.500 records in 14 seasons. They finally broke through in the 1947 season, winning their only NFL championship eight months after Bidwill died. Claim to fame? He bailed out George Halas in 1932.

 

Al Davis - Oakland/LA/Oakland Raiders, 1966 - present

He's in on the basis of forcing the AFL-NFL merger. He wouldn't have had a team to do it with if not for Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.

 

George Halas - Decatur Staleys/Chicago Staleys/ Chicago Bears, 1920-1983

No argument with this one.

 

Lamar Hunt - Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs, 1959-2006

Or this one.

 

Curly Lambeau - Green Bay Packers, 1919-1949

Tim Mara - New York Giants, 1925-1959

Wellington Mara - New York Giants, 1959-2005

Or these three.

 

George Preston Marshall - Boston Braves/Boston Redskins/Washington Redskins, 1932-69

Provided several leaguewide innovations, and won two NFL championships. Also believed to be one of the chief movers behind locking black players out of the league for the better part of two decades, he finally integrated his team only after the federal government threatened to deny them the use of D.C. Stadium. "We'll start signing Negroes," Marshall said, "when the Harlem Globetrotters start signing whites." One of the most famous lines in sports writing was penned by the Post's Shirley Povich after Cleveland drubbed Washington in a 1960 game. Povich wrote, "Jim Brown, born ineligible to play for the Redskins, integrated their end zone three times yesterday."

 

Dan Reeves - Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams, 1941-1971

Moved the Rams to the West Coast, and was the first owner to employ a scouting staff. In 1946, he signed Kenny Washington, who became the first black player in the league since 1932. That alone should have been enough to get him into the Hall.

 

Art Rooney - Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers, 1933-1988

Dan Rooney - Pittsburgh Steelers, 1955-present

Tough to remember that the Steelers were a laughingstock before they hired Chuck Noll, no?

 

Comparing Wilson to Halas, Mara, and Lambeau is like stacking every future middle linebacker up against Dick Butkus -- held to that standard, NOBODY would get in. Is it your contention that no current owner deserves to be enshrined? Because Wilson has made it further than any of them in recent years' balloting.

Yes, let's.

 

First of all it's not even a reasonable comp to include anyone from primarily before the modern NFL era of at least 14 games and in Wilson's same era. So let's start in the 60s then which dismisses just about everyone but Davis, Halas, Hunt, Mara, and the Rooneys.

 

We agree on Halas as would anyone. Apparently we agree on Mara too.

 

You say that Davis would not have been anything without Wilson and what a joke that is. Davis head coached the Raiders to an overall winning record after coaching at other levels. He was also the commissioner of the AFL that everyone here touts so highly when discussing Bills football lore. This is straight out of Wikipedia:

 

With Davis in control, the Raiders became one of the most successful teams in all of professional sports. From 1967 to 1985 the team won 13 division championships, one AFL championship (1967), three Super Bowls (XI, XV, & XVIII) and made 15 playoff appearances.

 

I can see how that would be insignificant here.

 

Right, and in your mind he shouldn't have been inducted I suppose. OK. Frankly all credibility of yours just got entirely washed down the tubes, but hell, join the group.

 

The adored AFL here wouldn't have even existed for Wilson to have a team if not for Hunt! From Wikipedia on Hunt:

 

Today's "descendants" from the AFL, the Patriots, Bills, Jets, Titans, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, Dolphins and Bengals would not have existed if it hadn’t been for Lamar Hunt. What’s more, the NFL’s Cowboys, created specifically to drive the AFL out of Dallas, would not have existed. Neither would the Vikings, an NFL franchise that was given to Max Winter to pull out of the original eight-team American Football League; nor would the Falcons, which the NFL gave to Rankin Smith to deter him from the AFL’s Miami franchise. And neither would the Saints, whose franchise was granted by the NFL after certain Louisiana congressmen pushed the AFL-NFL merger to completion. Thus, fourteen professional football teams would not have existed in fourteen cities today, if Lamar Hunt had not had the vision and the courage to “fight the establishment”.

 

That leaves the Rooneys. I will agree that they are the weakest of the owners that made it, nevertheless, if you read up on them you will find their list of accomplishments no worse than Wilson's yet far more extensive. But you know what, they have 5 SB wins under their belts to 0 for Wilson and the ownership of each has a lot to do with it too. When they meddled they won, when Wilson meddles, everyone suffers from the team to the fans. That's all you should need to know.

 

Otherwise, Wilson never played or even coached pro ball. You say that Davis wouldn't have been anything without Wilson, but that's hogwash. And believe me, I can't stand Davis today. He's a fossil that should have sold his team years ago and has no credibility left. But that doesn't erase his list of achievements to date.

 

Carry on!

[krazykat]

Meanwhile, here is Wikipedia's write up of Wilson which is absurdly short in comparison to anyone I mentioned above.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Wilson

 

It also lacks substance and is composed all but entirely of administrative horsesh--.

[Dan]

Yes, let's.

 

First of all it's not even a reasonable comp to include anyone from primarily before the modern NFL era of at least 14 games and in Wilson's same era. So let's start in the 60s then which dismisses just about everyone but Davis, Halas, Hunt, Mara, and the Rooneys.

 

....

Carry on!

Brilliant response! Let's just eliminate half of the counter argument because it suits my purposes better. Followed right up with:

 

Meanwhile, here is Wikipedia's write up of Wilson which is absurdly short in comparison to anyone I mentioned above.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Wilson

 

It also lacks substance and is composed all but entirely of administrative horsesh--.

 

Because we all know the length and quality of a Wikipedia entry correlates with a person's accomplishments and contribution to the world. Again, excellent response. I believe your work here is done.

[Lori]

"You say that Davis wouldn't have been anything without Wilson, but that's hogwash."

 

The Raiders wouldn't have !@#$ing EXISTED past 1965 without Wilson.

 

You also didn't answer my question, but that's not a surprise.

 

Carry on ...

[MikeInABQ]

Bills fans who criticize Ralph for his "whining" about revenue sharing being too little....do they not realize that, without such "whining", The Bills would be in their fifth year in Los Angeles right now? I mean, their third year in a city who took them after the fickle and retarded LA fans forced them to move from THERE? Please, let's all lambaste a guy who kept the small market teams from playing musical cities. Awesome. Terrific.