Hating Ralph Wilson is like hating your mother or father

[Hazed and Amuzed]

If he actually wanted more money and didn't care about you, he WOULD HAVE MOVED THE TEAM FOR MORE MONEY.

 

If he only cared about money for himself, why would he not sell the team for 800 million dollars today and go spend some of it instead of leaving it ALL for his wife and kids?

 

Again, I think there are a huge amount of fans who simply don't ever take the time to think. Ralph wants to win. I guarantee you Ralph doesn't think that spending 10 million a year on Bill Cowher and giving up complete control of his team would get him a championship. He's probably completely wrong about that, but it's only because he's stupid. Not because he doesn't want to win. I would bet anything that if Ralph Wilson could BUY a Super Bowl for 10 million dollars he would do it in a second. But you can't.

 

He looks around the league and sees Daniel Snyder and says "Look at these idiots wasting money on big names."

 

Of course it's a dumb way to look at things but it's just the way it is. I guarantee you that Ralph thinks Dick Jauron can win him the Super Bowl next year with a few breaks.

 

It's just that Ralph Wilson has never really been all that football smart.

 

So if what your saying is correct then our team sucks because Ralph is stupid? That's still unacceptable. In what other business do you buy a product that sucks and justify it with "The guy who made this is stupid so it's okay"? His intentions may be good or may not be, I can't read his mind but I will say this: Where does the stupidity end? Can we just write off the last 22 seconds of the first half on Sunday by saying "Dick Jauron's just stupid so it's okay" or "Duke Preston's just an idiot so whatever"? People/Fans are tired of this Stupidity/Greed or whatever the cause of this 9 years of crap that has been the team we love. It's sad really that it's coming to people wishing for his death, although you would think that would be a wake up call to any rational person.

[Kelly the Dog]

The reason that he doesn't move the team is because he has a great deal in Buffalo. The fans eat up any line of bullsh** that he sells them and fill up the stadium every year. Hell, they even bent over and took it when he sold a few of their home games to Toronto. The fans of this team are pushovers and Ralph knows it.

 

Its not that he doesn't care about winning, mind you, its that winning is a distant second to the financial bottom line, and it appears to be becoming a more distant second every year that passes.

There is zero question he could make more money in his pocket in a different city. He had chances to do it over and over and over in the last 50 years. Cities like Seattle and Nashville and Charlotte and Phoenix, etc, were bending over backwards to bring teams to their cities and he could have made a TON of more money in a city like those at the time. It's only in the last 10 years with the exorbitant TV deals was it impossible to lose money.

[GG]

If he actually wanted more money and didn't care about you, he WOULD HAVE MOVED THE TEAM FOR MORE MONEY.

 

If he only cared about money for himself, why would he not sell the team for 800 million dollars today and go spend some of it instead of leaving it ALL for his wife and kids?

 

Have to disagree. You're missing out on the ego part, which is a common and most important ingredient of all NFL owners.

 

If Wilson was only about the money, he wouldn't have moved the team, but would have sold it a long time ago. But he hasn't, because he wants to own it and be in the ultimate private club in the US. That's the motivation - not just the money.

 

OTOH, he could have moved the team. But then he would need to become competitive. That's why keeping the team in Buffalo is the best deal that he can get. Keep up the mediocrity knowing that the region will sap it up and thank him for keeping the team around.

 

As long as he was providing the hope, the fans would be there because sports fandom works on emotion and attachment. There's very little rational thought that is ascribed to being a fan of a team - the term itself derived from "fanatic." But it's a delicate game to play because once you cross the line and insult the fans, the emotional part is gone and the decisions become more practical. It's like seeing yourself sober after a 30-day drunk binge.

 

The analogy to a parent is also off. It's like having a parent who gave you a roof and a meal. But the roof leaked and the food was slightly spoiled. You didn't know any better and were thankful that you had a roof and food. Until one day you walked into the parent's room and saw a good roof and a nice dinner with dessert. You may not wish that parent to die, but you move away from that home.

[DaGimp]

The "I'm done" people are not only pathetic, but liars. The "I hope he dies" people are worse.

 

Ralph Wilson is old, and (very) misguided, and stubborn, and that's it. He loves the Bills at least as much and likely more than you do. Without him, Buffalo simply does not have a team. It's almost inarguable. If he really was only about money, he could have sold or moved the team for WAY more of it. He probably could tomorrow if he wanted to.

 

The fact is, he's like your parent. He brought you into this world as a Bills fan. He was responsible for that. He kept the roof over your head for about 50 years. He, almost alone, was responsible for that. And whatever else he does, he deserves that respect. Even your love and admiration, like you would for a parent.

 

Unless, of course, your parent did something criminal to you, and deserves your hatred. Which Ralph didn't and has never come close to.

 

All he did was be misguided, erratic, contradictory, and make a long storied string of bad personnel decisions while running his business. That's it.

 

I hate the Jauron move. I didn't like it from day one, although I gave him a few benefits of the doubt. The problem IS at the top, meaning Ralph. It's unconscionable that he will pay Derrick Dockery 7 million a year but won't pay a good coach, who is twice as important to his team and success, half that.

 

But that's just Ralph being dumb. He isn't even all that cheap, he's just erratic, misguided and stubborn. And he's been that way since day one.

 

But he's your football dad and mom. You're going to have huge disagreements over the years with him. He's messed with the family business and he's kept it from becoming a major success like the neighbor's business down the street by some unbelievably boneheaded managerial moves, that's for sure. But he's kept it moving, he's kept it in town, and he's responsible for pretty much the most important things in your (football) life: The team, the town, the colors, the dream.

 

He may be the most misguided owner in the entire league. And he's getting older and more ornery and making even less sense than he did before.

 

In fact, as I said before, the smartest thing he has said in several years is "I don't understand it" about the CBA.

 

But he's still your dad. And you don't want him to move. And he's kept the family and family business intact, despite his repeated, ill-advised, misguided blunders.

 

He's owed your respect not your hatred.

He's not my Dad, buddy! If he was, I'd make him give me a few mill and kick him to the curb

[Kelly the Dog]

And there is a perfectly justifiable reason to hate the man.

 

There is no way on this Earth that any sane, non-doddering human being who grasps the most rudimentary of football concepts watches that season finale abortion against NE* and thinks that the coaches on the field can win a Super Bowl next year "with a few breaks" without those breaks being the necks of half the coaching staff.

 

Look, I'll still watch them next year because I don't want to have to go to church with my wife, but watching this team consistently re-define mediocrity is on the owner of this team, and right now, I not only hate him, but he can go !@#$ himself for thinking he's close to making a run.

Well, that was my point. If you can hate your own parent for being old and stupid.

 

Ooops, well in your case...

[Kelly the Dog]

So if what your saying is correct then our team sucks because Ralph is stupid? That's still unacceptable. In what other business do you buy a product that sucks and justify it with "The guy who made this is stupid so it's okay"? His intentions may be good or may not be, I can't read his mind but I will say this: Where does the stupidity end? Can we just write off the last 22 seconds of the first half on Sunday by saying "Dick Jauron's just stupid so it's okay" or "Duke Preston's just an idiot so whatever"? People/Fans are tired of this Stupidity/Greed or whatever the cause of this 9 years of crap that has been the team we love. It's sad really that it's coming to people wishing for his death, although you would think that would be a wake up call to any rational person.

Actually, the point is, which would you prefer? The Buffalo Bills to have a slight chance of winning, or the Los Angeles Bills to have a much better chance of winning? That's the point of the entire thread. That's what I mean by being the parent.

[Gavin in Va Beach]

There is zero question he could make more money in his pocket in a different city. He had chances to do it over and over and over in the last 50 years. Cities like Seattle and Nashville and Charlotte and Phoenix, etc, were bending over backwards to bring teams to their cities and he could have made a TON of more money in a city like those at the time. It's only in the last 10 years with the exorbitant TV deals was it impossible to lose money.

 

The only reason he hasn't moved the team is because he's old, and old people fear change. Buffalo is a broken-in 30 year-old Lay-Z-Boy to Ralph right now and even though he probably knows deep down that a new leather recliner with a built in massager and heater would be better for him, he still can't bear to get rid of his 30 year-old Lay-Z-Boy.

 

If he were in his 40's-50's and still this cheap, the Bills would have been long gone.

 

'Eff Ralph Wilson. I'd take Danny Snyder as an owner over him. He may not jack about football and his ego definitely blinds him to his many shortcomings, but at least the little bastard is trying his damndest to win. Ralph just chuckles after each loss and checks to see when the next bingo game starts up.

[BuffaloRebound]

There is zero question he could make more money in his pocket in a different city. He had chances to do it over and over and over in the last 50 years. Cities like Seattle and Nashville and Charlotte and Phoenix, etc, were bending over backwards to bring teams to their cities and he could have made a TON of more money in a city like those at the time. It's only in the last 10 years with the exorbitant TV deals was it impossible to lose money.

 

Do you honestly believe Ralph ever lost money one year on the Bills? Arguments about him turning down more money to move are irrelevant now. No city/state is going to put $1 of taxpayer money into building a new stadium for $1billion NFL fanchises. Regardless, the way the NFL is structured now, Ralph's Buffalo franchise is not worth significantly less than places he could have moved to like Seattle, Tennessee, Carolina, or Arizona.

[SDS]

Stupid people don't understand stupidity.

 

 

That reminds me of an early 90's comedy bit by the "Punk Comedian" or whatever his name was...

 

"This one is for the stupid people out there! You know who you are!

 

[pause]

 

or maybe you don't know who you are?!"

[Coach Tuesday]

I agree that he cares about his product.

 

I am not certain, however, that he cares as much ABOUT WINNING as the fans do. That is not to say that he's all about making money, either. But true Bills fans like those of us on this Board wake up every morning fresh from dreams of winning the Superbowl. It's all we care about. When the Bills win on Sunday, our spirits are lifted for the week. When they lose, even our closest loved ones don't want to be around us much before Tuesday (hence my moniker). And I'm just not sure that Ralph has that same, life-or-death passion for WINNING GAMES that the fan base is infused with.

[Brandon]

OTOH, he could have moved the team. But then he would need to become competitive. That's why keeping the team in Buffalo is the best deal that he can get. Keep up the mediocrity knowing that the region will sap it up and thank him for keeping the team around.

 

As long as he was providing the hope, the fans would be there because sports fandom works on emotion and attachment. There's very little rational thought that is ascribed to being a fan of a team - the term itself derived from "fanatic." But it's a delicate game to play because once you cross the line and insult the fans, the emotional part is gone and the decisions become more practical. It's like seeing yourself sober after a 30-day drunk binge.

 

Exactly. Even if its not quite ideal, Ralph still has a very sweet deal going in Buffalo. He can put a mediocre product on the field every year, and every year be virtually guaranteed to put well over 60,000 butts in the stadium for every home game. That's probably not going to happen in a new city. He's going to have to field a winner, so in the longer term, it may not be such a good financial deal under those circumstances, and I suspect its why he never moved the team (speaking of ego, I also think he also wants his name in the HOF badly, and if he moves the Bills, that'll never happen). Plus, if he needs to, he can even sell off a few home games for some extra cash (something that should be completely unacceptable to any fan) and the fans will even bend over and grab their ankles for that, too.

[Kelly the Dog]

Have to disagree. You're missing out on the ego part, which is a common and most important ingredient of all NFL owners.

 

If Wilson was only about the money, he wouldn't have moved the team, but would have sold it a long time ago. But he hasn't, because he wants to own it and be in the ultimate private club in the US. That's the motivation - not just the money.

 

OTOH, he could have moved the team. But then he would need to become competitive. That's why keeping the team in Buffalo is the best deal that he can get. Keep up the mediocrity knowing that the region will sap it up and thank him for keeping the team around.

 

As long as he was providing the hope, the fans would be there because sports fandom works on emotion and attachment. There's very little rational thought that is ascribed to being a fan of a team - the term itself derived from "fanatic." But it's a delicate game to play because once you cross the line and insult the fans, the emotional part is gone and the decisions become more practical. It's like seeing yourself sober after a 30-day drunk binge.

 

The analogy to a parent is also off. It's like having a parent who gave you a roof and a meal. But the roof leaked and the food was slightly spoiled. You didn't know any better and were thankful that you had a roof and food. Until one day you walked into the parent's room and saw a good roof and a nice dinner with dessert. You may not wish that parent to die, but you move away from that home.

First, I didn't mean sell it. I meant move it to greener pastures like a Modell. I totally agree with the ego part, and I totally agree with the fact that he wants it both ways.

 

My mother didn't want to spend an extra 3 cents on a can of corn, would waste 5 cents in gas to save 3 cents on a bargain, and was unbelievably cheap in countless ways. And yet she gave extravagantly to charity, on birthdays, on trips around the world for other people. Those two things didn't go together. Was she incredibly cheap or ridiculously generous?

 

I happen to put a ton of my emotional attachment in the Bills because of Buffalo. It's my hometown and my city and even though I don't live there I love it as much as I possibly can. And I love the team. I HATE Ralph's decision. I think he's made an incredible string of them. But I only question his intelligence, not his love for the team. I even think he loves the fans, he just doesn't understand them.

 

I also think that the Bills will go on some kind of run next year and 99.9% of you losers will be back cheering like crazy.

Until the collapse.

[dave mcbride]

First, I didn't mean sell it. I meant move it to greener pastures like a Modell. I totally agree with the ego part, and I totally agree with the fact that he wants it both ways.

 

My mother didn't want to spend an extra 3 cents on a can of corn, would waste 5 cents in gas to save 3 cents on a bargain, and was unbelievably cheap in countless ways. And yet she gave extravagantly to charity, on birthdays, on trips around the world for other people. Those two things didn't go together. Was she incredibly cheap or ridiculously generous?

 

I happen to put a ton of my emotional attachment in the Bills because of Buffalo. It's my hometown and my city and even though I don't live there I love it as much as I possibly can. And I love the team. I HATE Ralph's decision. I think he's made an incredible string of them. But I only question his intelligence, not his love for the team. I even think he loves the fans, he just doesn't understand them.

 

I also think that the Bills will go on some kind of run next year and 99.9% of you losers will be back cheering like crazy.

Until the collapse.

Bud Adams is probably the better model.

[lacoy38]

The "I'm done" people are not only pathetic, but liars. The "I hope he dies" people are worse.

 

Ralph Wilson is old, and (very) misguided, and stubborn, and that's it. He loves the Bills at least as much and likely more than you do. Without him, Buffalo simply does not have a team. It's almost inarguable. If he really was only about money, he could have sold or moved the team for WAY more of it. He probably could tomorrow if he wanted to.

 

The fact is, he's like your parent. He brought you into this world as a Bills fan. He was responsible for that. He kept the roof over your head for about 50 years. He, almost alone, was responsible for that. And whatever else he does, he deserves that respect. Even your love and admiration, like you would for a parent.

 

Unless, of course, your parent did something criminal to you, and deserves your hatred. Which Ralph didn't and has never come close to.

 

All he did was be misguided, erratic, contradictory, and make a long storied string of bad personnel decisions while running his business. That's it.

 

I hate the Jauron move. I didn't like it from day one, although I gave him a few benefits of the doubt. The problem IS at the top, meaning Ralph. It's unconscionable that he will pay Derrick Dockery 7 million a year but won't pay a good coach, who is twice as important to his team and success, half that.

 

But that's just Ralph being dumb. He isn't even all that cheap, he's just erratic, misguided and stubborn. And he's been that way since day one.

 

But he's your football dad and mom. You're going to have huge disagreements over the years with him. He's messed with the family business and he's kept it from becoming a major success like the neighbor's business down the street by some unbelievably boneheaded managerial moves, that's for sure. But he's kept it moving, he's kept it in town, and he's responsible for pretty much the most important things in your (football) life: The team, the town, the colors, the dream.

 

He may be the most misguided owner in the entire league. And he's getting older and more ornery and making even less sense than he did before.

 

In fact, as I said before, the smartest thing he has said in several years is "I don't understand it" about the CBA.

 

But he's still your dad. And you don't want him to move. And he's kept the family and family business intact, despite his repeated, ill-advised, misguided blunders.

 

He's owed your respect not your hatred.

he's taken advantage of a loyal fan base that continues to support a losing team, he's an opportunist, he sells memories by retiring numbers of guys like Reed and Tasker but has no interest in getting those types of players back in buffalo, as long as the seats are filled.

[SDS]

He looks around the league and sees Daniel Snyder and says "Look at these idiots wasting money on big names."

 

It think this line of argument has two main points:

 

1. Ralph is perpetually behind the price/performance curve. When he is ready to spend $1M on a coach - the market is $3M. When he is ready to spend $2M - the market is $6M. Many people are like this.

 

2. Ralph may just look at the statistics and think that the risk/reward for trying to win a championship is too great. And he may be right. 32 teams - 1 winner. Much easier to try and be a 0.500 team then to chase marginal wins with ever greater resources - only to be home on SB Sunday with 30 other teams.

[Greybeard]

If he actually wanted more money and didn't care about you, he WOULD HAVE MOVED THE TEAM FOR MORE MONEY.

 

If he only cared about money for himself, why would he not sell the team for 800 million dollars today and go spend some of it instead of leaving it ALL for his wife and kids?

 

Again, I think there are a huge amount of fans who simply don't ever take the time to think. Ralph wants to win. I guarantee you Ralph doesn't think that spending 10 million a year on Bill Cowher and giving up complete control of his team would get him a championship. He's probably completely wrong about that, but it's only because he's stupid. Not because he doesn't want to win. I would bet anything that if Ralph Wilson could BUY a Super Bowl for 10 million dollars (more than the cost of a Cowher) he would do it in a second. But you can't.

 

He looks around the league and sees Daniel Snyder and says "Look at these idiots wasting money on big names."

 

Of course it's a dumb way to look at things but it's just the way it is. I guarantee you that Ralph thinks Dick Jauron can win him the Super Bowl next year with a few breaks.

 

It's just that Ralph Wilson has never really been all that football smart.

 

This is a nice group of posts Kelly. For some reason there are fans that think having an NFL franchise in Buffalo is like living in the Garden of Eden. As you said above, the reality is Ralph could make more money in a lot of other cities and he has had the opportunity to do so, yet he remains in Buffalo.

 

But since there are multiple threads, all telling us what Ralph thinks, I give you my thoughts. Supposedly, from reading threads here, there is some kind of exclusion on inheritance in 2009. My bet is Ralph figured he would roll the dice and see if he could live to 2009, in which case, if he does pass this year, his kids actually get the franchise.

 

If he lives longer he will have to have an alternate plan. One of Ralph's big worries is if his kids inherit the team, they will have to pay a huge amount of tax on the Capital Gains, and they just won't have that kind of money. This somewhat puts them in the control of others. I doubt Ralph wants that to happen. So I wouldn't be too surprised if after this year, Ralph becomes more open to the idea of selling.

 

If Ralph was Modell or Irsay, the Bills would have been long gone. No matter what RW's inadequacies have been, the fans of Buffalo are dam lucky to have him.

[Kelly the Dog]

It think this line of argument has two main points:

 

1. Ralph is perpetually behind the price/performance curve. When he is ready to spend $1M on a coach - the market is $3M. When he is ready to spend $2M - the market is $6M. Many people are like this.

 

2. Ralph may just look at the statistics and think that the risk/reward for trying to win a championship is too great. And he may be right. 32 teams - 1 winner. Much easier to try and be a 0.500 team then to chase marginal wins with ever greater resources - only to be home on SB Sunday with 30 other teams.

Totally agree on point one. Point two not so much.

 

The thing is, all of these losers that complain so much about Ralph being cheap, if they were in his position would be spending all kinds of their own money on big name coaches and players and STILL lose like Ralphie, only they'd be broke, too.

[mead107]

Without Ralph , none of us would be here right now talking Buffalo football .

[Justice]

RW doesn't deserve the $700 million plus his family will be getting when he passes.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Without Ralph , none of us would be here right now talking Buffalo football .

 

Which, in retrospect, wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.