trolls_r_us Posted April 1, 2009 Posted April 1, 2009 Most of us remember this little gem. I did a quick google search to find it again. If you remember correctly, it got so big that even WGRZ did a story on it. What is interesting to me is reading it 2 years later and how so many elements of it seem true now based on what we know. REMEMBER, when this first came out there was no deal to play any games in Toronto... Coincidence? Maybe, but I personally don't believe in coincidences. At a meeting Tom Golisano dropped a bombshell about the nefarious Ralph Wilson. Golisano claims that Wilson's intentions all along have been to move the Bills to Toronto. Stay with me on this......there are businessmen in Toronto that are ready to plunk down mega-millions for the Bills and move them there. Wilson already let the NFL know of this (Apparently they can't stop him either). Golisano & the people from Rich Products offered Wilson a similar financial package but Wilson demurred....when they offered him more, he demurred again...& said he wouldn't sell the team to them no matter how much they offered; it's not about money. Wilson wants it to be his legacy that he be the first person to bring international play to the NFL. Still with me..? There's more.... Not to be dismayed, TG went to the NFL & has an agreement that when the Bills move, they cannot take their name with them, ala Baltimore Colts/Ravens. After the move to TO, Buffalo will be granted an expansion franchise with the promise that they build a new stadium & sell it out for 5 consecutive years. (the NFL wants a franchise in Buffalo because it's one of the original teams & has history in the league) TG agreed to do this & will build a DOMED stadium on the waterfront in Buffalo with a capacity of 60,000. In addition, Buffalo will be granted a Super Bowl in the future. The caveat to this is that Buffalo will be without a football team for 3-4 years. The wheels are already in motion & no one can stop it. TG says that RW is playing the game right now..ie: crying the blues about money, saying enjoy the team while it's here, not signing/keeping star players, etc. Next year or possibly the year after the BIlls will be gone. Willis McGahee may have let the cat out of the bag with his recent TO talk in Penthouse. Star players don't want to come to B-lo because they know RW is a tight ass. TG also said that if he ran the team he will not be such a cheapskate & would turn things around in a hurry like he did with the Sabres.
jax bill backer Posted April 1, 2009 Posted April 1, 2009 i believe Golisano will try to buy the team..
KollegeStudnet Posted April 1, 2009 Posted April 1, 2009 This is a great story, but if this was true or truthful...it would of been a bigger story and would of been HUGE...any reporter would have a field day with this story, however what reaches out to me is Golisano, Wilson and their intentions... The truth is....this rumor has way to much information....a person with this much information could capitalize on it and make money or just made it up... Wilson has made the Buffalo Bills an International Team...the only way it will survive is reaching out to the north... The Buffalo Bills are expanding their ground....They will not move from Western New York...They will eventually build a new facility...They will remain an NFL team as long as the NFL exists! With playing games in Toronto and creating a fan base their...the Buffalo Bills have moved from small-market franchise into one of the top 5 major markets in the league... ONE MORE NOTE: The only teams I see moving in the next 10 years are the Jaguars & the Oakland Raiders ***In fact, Al Davis has sold shares of the Raiders franchise to the same guy who is trying to build 60,000 plus stadium in L.A. and lure a franchise there!!!***
jax bill backer Posted April 1, 2009 Posted April 1, 2009 if the bills dont move.... build a new stadium then there is no difference with this team and New York, Dallas,
trolls_r_us Posted April 1, 2009 Author Posted April 1, 2009 funny how some people attack the poster rather than look at the post.... I did not make this up, dummy. Google search "Bills moving to Toronto." You will find this 2007 internet rumor which was emailed around and posted everywhere (including here at that time) to the point that Channel 2 sought out the people involved who all claimed it was just a rumor/hoax. Keep in mind this was all BEFORE the Bills "Toronto Series" where Rogers sat there with Ralph looking like a guy who just took your wife out on a date while you were on a business trip. However, interestingly enough, 2 years later, a lot of this seems true. I still don't believe the part about an expansion team though.... I find it interesting personally to look at these things with the benefit of some time...
rpcolosi Posted April 1, 2009 Posted April 1, 2009 funny how some people attack the poster rather than look at the post.... I did not make this up, dummy. Google search "Bills moving to Toronto." You will find this 2007 internet rumor which was emailed around and posted everywhere (including here at that time) to the point that Channel 2 sought out the people involved who all claimed it was just a rumor/hoax. Keep in mind this was all BEFORE the Bills "Toronto Series" where Rogers sat there with Ralph looking like a guy who just took your wife out on a date while you were on a business trip. However, interestingly enough, 2 years later, a lot of this seems true. I still don't believe the part about an expansion team though.... I find it interesting personally to look at these things with the benefit of some time... the NFL won't be expanding any time soon. but i would buy the fact Golisano will make a bid for them. There is a notion that buffalo doesn't have the money to buy them, but that is simply not true. we have 4 billionaires with ties to buffalo (the 2 rich brothers, 1 of which is in alabama, TG and Jacobs). the most likely scenario is a few of them buying the team together with TG being the majority share holder and someone like Jacobs or Rich being a minor player. The Bills can stay, it will just take proof to the NFL that Toronto fans are not heavily interested, that we can still sell out and that ownership can turn a small but possible profit.
blzrul Posted April 1, 2009 Posted April 1, 2009 If the Bills move to Toronto they will go from being a national, even global, butt of all jokes to total oblivion. I like Canada and all, but when it comes to sports if it ain't hockey, no-one pays attention much to Canadian teams. No-one outside Canada ... and I don't think Canadians give a rat's behind about US Football either. I don't know if it's a move to scare Buffalo, engage more fans from Canada (33% of game attendance in Orchard Park isn't enough)? or what. But the simple fact stands that if Ralph fielded a consistently good team he could jack up his prices, demand a new stadium, etc etc. A few years of glory long ago just don't cut it.
Haven Moses Posted April 1, 2009 Posted April 1, 2009 funny how some people attack the poster rather than look at the post.... I did not make this up, dummy. Google search "Bills moving to Toronto." You should google search "douche bag" to find more of your fine work.
jester43 Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 i believe wilson does want to move the bills to toronto. or he wouldn't be playing the games he is now. i'm still waiting for him to come out and say the bills aren't playing a 2nd home game up there next year, but the evil p.o.s. won't do it, will he?
Nick the Greek Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 as much as I'd love to see tom G buy the team, i dont think he'll ever do it. he wants his legacy to be one of children's hospital's (see Strong in rochester) or having acedemic buildings be named after him (see the Rochester Institute of Technology). buying the bills would be a drunkards dream though. I hope he does it
murra Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 I personally don't believe in coincidences. I need not read past that line.
trolls_r_us Posted April 2, 2009 Author Posted April 2, 2009 when it comes to billion dollar corporations such as an NFL team, there is no such thing as a coincidence when major moves start adding up. And AGAIN, for those like Haven Moses who cannot read, this is NOT MY WORK. Anyone who lives in WNY knows all about this rumor. They talked about it on WGR for about a week, it was on WGRZ and it was posted on almost every Bills-related message board.
Buftex Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 I believe it. Maybe the original story was a lucky guess by someone in 2007, but I believe, more than ever, that our Hall of Fame owner has every intention of insuring that his franchise plays all of their home games in Toronto, after he passes. All the signs are there... the Terrell Owens signing, to me, is a red flag...
Heitz Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 funny how some people attack the poster rather than look at the post.... Keep in mind this was all BEFORE the Bills "Toronto Series" where Rogers sat there with Ralph looking like a guy who just took your wife out on a date while you were on a business trip. However, interestingly enough, 2 years later, a lot of this seems true. Actually, very little of it seems true. Seriously, what "elements of it seem true now based on what we know". Sure the Bills are playing games in Toronto, but that's about the only thing in the story that you posted that's consistent with current reality - the city. But the other dozen pieces of speculation are just that. Just 'cause you found this in a search from 2007 doesn't make it so - there were rumors of the Bills moving to Toronto long before 2007... Also, with the NFL's recent talk of expanding to 17 or 18 games and giving EVERY team 1 or 2 neutral site games, suddenly the Bills playing one game a year doesn't seem that crazy. It's just ahead of its time.
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