zow2 Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Reading Sully's article today and this board just cemented that. It's amazing how the community affection for Ralph has just crashed and burned. It would not have surprised me if Ralph had fired Dick and hired Rod Marinelli just to say F-U to Bills fans !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Many people have thought he is a bumbling idiot for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Ralph- From beloved owner and HOF material Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albany,n.y. Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 The only decade in Bills history that at some point we weren't a laughingstock was the 1990s. Ralph was hated at various times in the 60s, 70s, 80s & 2000s. The only differences are Ralph is older & the team hasn't reached anything like the depths that the 1968, 1971, 1976-7 and 1984-5 teams did. The worst we've been this decade is 2001's 3-13 and we've been mediocre ever since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bufcomments Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 The Ralph MY View First of all I would like to THANK him for keeping the team in Buffalo. I really mean that Second The Wilson of the 90's and the Wilson of today are 2 different people it seems He really did spend the money to try to win a super Bowl You have to give him credit for that Third It seems to me now that he is just happy going to the games and being competitive the desire to win it all has passed him maybe Maybe he realizes the his time is short and the Team needs a few more years to get there and he may not be around to see it I hope im wrong because if there is an organization or city that deserves a Super Bowl win is BUFFALO Maybe he has given up on winning it all His keeping Jauron is one of his dumbest moves yet I hope it works out i really do But with all the other really good coaches out there that can do more with this team, I doubt that he even cares anymore Bills fans are getting the shaft on this one He still deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, just of what he did in the AFL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 The Wilson of the 1990's was the same as the Wilson of all the other decades, only luckier....he hired on the cheap again (Polian and Levy, an unheard of that nobody cared about, and a retread that nobody wanted) and was lucky it worked out...the team was rewareded, via the draft, with some amazing draft picks (Kelly, Thomas, Reed, Smith etc) that Polian and Butler were largely responsible for. This is the same rainbow Ralph has been chasing for 48 years...and it makes him feel justified in being cheap now...strange that every successful management/coach realtionship that Ralph built through the Bills (with the exception of Marv) has ended bitterly...Ralph got lucky, and couldn't stay out of his own way...I wouldn't be upset made it to the HOF, but I wouldn't cry if he doesn't. He deserves some credit for his key role in establishing the AFL, but as the Bills owner, eh...not so much. I think most people who have followed this team since the 1960's, 1970's and pre-Jim Kelly 1980's, know the score...if I had beome a Bills fan in the 1990's (and I am not faulting anyone, believe me, they were great!) this last decade of futility wouldn't seem so alien to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Endzone Animal Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Ralph has never been beloved, and for much of his time as owner completely reviled. For a short time in the early 90's he was liked because the team had a good run, but that's long gone. Now, it has gone from reviled to rejected, and many will shun his product as a result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bufcomments Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 The Wilson of the 1990's was the same as the Wilson of all the other decades, only luckier....he hired on the cheap again (Polian and Levy, an unheard of that nobody cared about, and a retread that nobody wanted) and was lucky it worked out...the team was rewareded, via the draft, with some amazing draft picks (Kelly, Thomas, Reed, Smith etc) that Polian and Butler were largely responsible for. This is the same rainbow Ralph has been chasing for 48 years...and it makes him feel justified in being cheap now...strange that every successful management/coach realtionship that Ralph built through the Bills (with the exception of Marv) has ended bitterly...Ralph got lucky, and couldn't stay out of his own way...I wouldn't be upset made it to the HOF, but I wouldn't cry if he doesn't. He deserves some credit for his key role in establishing the AFL, but as the Bills owner, eh...not so much. I think most people who have followed this team since the 1960's, 1970's and pre-Jim Kelly 1980's, know the score...if I had beome a Bills fan in the 1990's (and I am not faulting anyone, believe me, they were great!) this last decade of futility wouldn't seem so alien to me. I agree with most of this but He had to sign Jim Kelly to a big contract, remember Kelly didnt want to come here at first.. Had to pony up to get Bennett Resigning Bruce Smith, Andre and Thurman Getting Lofton That wasnt cheap to do True Bill Polian was the mastermind but Ralph had to sign the checks So he wasnt always cheap Notice the only time he wasnt cheap was when the Bills were truly close to winning it all Makes you think he would know what it takes to field an AFC champ Ive been a fan since the early 70's and your right Ralph is cheap to a fault But the only time he truly spent money was when we was close in the 90's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Ralph has never been beloved, and for much of his time as owner completely reviled. For a short time in the early 90's he was liked because the team had a good run, but that's long gone. Now, it has gone from reviled to rejected, and many will shun his product as a result. Actually, I'd have to say that Ralph was indeed beloved for quite a while. The common belief is that the real rift between Ralph and most of the fans didn't come until the Donahoe regime started unraveling, when Ralph canned him and decided to keep Mularkey. Then when Mularkey tucked tail and ran (he might have said "I'm done" first, ), he hired the guy that nobody wanted. So, if "never" really means "for about 35 years", then I have to agree with at least that one portion of a statement. Keep in mind he did bail out two original AFL franchises with his money. I bet their fans appreciated that, and I'm sure Bills' fans appreciated his bringing the team here. Now, as for the "many" that will shun his product, how do you quantify that? There will be those that quit going to games, and there will be those that start going to games. The former will be greater in number than the latter, but how significant a drop will you really see? It's been said that the minority often speak the loudest, you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pozitive51 Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I belive Polian was a somewhat successfull in getting Wilson to spend during the 90's. This most likely was a contributor to their relationship and Polian going South. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Andre Reed needs to pass him in the HOF voting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 It is a double edge sword my friend... Double edge sword... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChimp Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Ralph has never been beloved, and for much of his time as owner completely reviled. For a short time in the early 90's he was liked because the team had a good run, but that's long gone. Now, it has gone from reviled to rejected, and many will shun his product as a result. No they won't. Watch. That stupid stadium's gonna still be packed. And everyone will leave grumbling about how they felt jipped. As if they weren't warned. And Ralph will still live in Detroit and have no reason to care what happens in Buffalo. And taterhill's tailgate will still have the best brats around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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