LewPort71 Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 from Buffalo News on July 4 http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/723196.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Nice article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Philster Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Kind of a shame he won't be emcee as well...wonder who they're gonna get? I've never seen an induction without him as emcee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewHampshireBillsFan Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Although we have never won the SB, Wilson is in many ways a classy guy. Compare his HOF induction to Belicheat* or Brady* some day when all anyone will be thinking is that they cheated to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Thanks a lot. Great article. He'd better put in the stuff about the loans to other AFL teams Ralph made to keep them afloat. This is in no way a criticism of Berman because so many people do it, but I am so tired of the word "humbled" being used. You've just been granted a great honor how does that make anyone feel "humble"? IMO, a much better word is "honored" JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Although we have never won the SB, Wilson is in many ways a classy guy. Compare his HOF induction to Belicheat* or Brady* some day when all anyone will be thinking is that they cheated to win. Al Davis! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Nice article, thanks for bringing attention to it. I still can't believe professional journalists are questioning Ralph's decision to choose Berman. He's a great choice, if for no other reason than he's the guy Ralph wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewHampshireBillsFan Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Nice article, thanks for bringing attention to it. I still can't believe professional journalists are questioning Ralph's decision to choose Berman. He's a great choice, if for no other reason than he's the guy Ralph wants. Its the perfect choice. Face it, outside of Buffalo and die-hard NFL fans most people don't know much about RW or don't know anything about him. For fans to see Chris Berman talk about RW suddenly makes RW seem important and contemporary. To see another old geezer up there like Felser talk about RW doesn't help RW look relevant at all. And from a Bills diehard fan point of view Berman is one of the few nationwide commentators who gets what it means to be a Bills fan, all the passion and pathos of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwws9999 Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Nice article, thanks for bringing attention to it. I still can't believe professional journalists are questioning Ralph's decision to choose Berman. He's a great choice, if for no other reason than he's the guy Ralph wants. i still can't believe that idiot ralph is getting in the hall of fame. being introduced by berman is only fitting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VJ91 Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 from Buffalo News on July 4 http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/723196.html Almost 25 years before this 24 hour non-stop media blitz we have today, with 5 different ESPN channels, the NFL Network and the internet to keep us tuned in to the NFL year round, there was.........Chris Berman and Tom Jackson, doing "Prime Time" every Sunday night.......and everyone and everything else tied for second place. I happened to be experiencing my most rabbid Bills - fan years the same time "Boomer & Tommy" made "Prime Time" the best NFL game highlights show in the history of the NFL. Well you know who else was a rabbid Bills fan his entire adult life? Ralph Wilson. Ralph and I, and every other Bills fan in the world were stunned and "humbled" by the fact that Chris Berman, the very best NFL studio commentator of that day, decided to take on the Buffalo Bills as his totally biased favorite team, as far back as 1987, when the Bills were just beginning to get good. And we have loved it ever since. Bill Polian may have brought that talent into Buffalo, but it was Chris Berman who showcased that talent to the rest of the country talking them up and admitting how much he liked those teams. Chris Berman is still out there, talking up the NFL like none other, and still joining Tommy for the watered down version of "Prime Time" called "The Blitz." But 20 to 25 year ago he was The Man on ESPN, and the Bills were His Team. The '64 and '65 AFL Champions are still the only real Championships the Bills have ever won, and those teams will always be held in the highest regard. They were built like true NFL styled teams of the 60's, and could very well have beaten the NFL Champions of those years if the game had existed back then. (What a game the '64 Bills vs. the '64 Browns would have been - Cookie Gilchrist vs. Jim Brown!) But those 4 straight AFC Championship teams will always be considered the best Bills teams of all time, and Chris Berman played a special role during those special years. No wonder Ralph called on him. I am not the least bit surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 To see another old geezer up there like Felser talk about RW doesn't help RW look relevant at all. I like Boomer, but Marv would have been a good choice as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 As I've stated previously, I love the choice. Relinguising the ceremony's emcee gig by accepting the honor to present, recognizing the importance of an effective -yet pithy- presentation, my expectations are very high for an endearing and enduring tribute to the Father of the Bills from this now legendary sports journalist. His love of, respect for and common-guy appoach to sports, coupled with imagination and comedic timing in concert with true homage, could rival Jimbo's 'no dry eyes' induction. Congrats, Ralph! Go Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FluffHead Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 any idea who the emcee will be since berman will not be doing it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 any idea who the emcee will be since berman will not be doing it? I don't, but I'd be surprized if it isn't weighing on Berman. For NFL fans, there isn't a bigger gig than HOF M.C. I would think it's a privilage you wouldn't want to give up, once adorned with it. JMO, but I'd like to see Madden, as a 1 timer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRC Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 any idea who the emcee will be since berman will not be doing it? If it is Rich Eisen, I am going to have to hurt someone. I made the mistake of watching the NFL Network coverage last year. NEVER again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Trey Wingo! Seriously, if it is another ESPN person, maybe Bob Golic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 i still can't believe that idiot ralph is getting in the hall of fame. being introduced by berman is only fitting Ralph is far from an idiot. I'm guessing you are much closer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 If it is Rich Eisen, I am going to have to hurt someone. I made the mistake of watching the NFL Network coverage last year. NEVER again. They can do better than Eisen, I hope. But I would take Eisen in a heartbeat, if the alternative is Kenny Mayne. Edit: Bob Ley might be a good choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRC Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 They can do better than Eisen, I hope. But I would take Eisen in a heartbeat, if the alternative is Kenny Mayne. Edit: Bob Ley might be a good choice. They can definitely do better, but I fear that it will be Eisen. He did the HOF selection stuff and I am guessing NFL Network will want their presence and not ESPN. I am not sure how the contracts work, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 They can definitely do better, but I fear that it will be Eisen. He did the HOF selection stuff and I am guessing NFL Network will want their presence and not ESPN. I am not sure how the contracts work, however. Your fears have been realized. Eisen it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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