OK Bill's fans start practicing your lines "Maybe next year" and "It's the official's fault, they are against us" and "It's because of all the injuries" Practice now and you'll be in good shape this coming season!
It's another piece of the puzzle. I hope Mario flattens Tom Brady twice each time we play them. Ralph Wilson said he'd like to see the Bills make the play-offs again. They better hurry it up!
Seriously.....$100,000,000 for a new player!!!! Maybe if he can turn water into wine, part Lake Erie or turn back time for Ralph Wilson.
Next week the drumbeat will start for the state and county to cough up hundreds of millions to re-furbish the county to keep the cherished "Bills" here in Buffalo. God forbid the team leaves. If "uncle Ralph" can afford to pay $100,000,000 for a player he can afford to pay for whatever for the stadium.
Buffalo is the third poorest city in the country with schools literally crumbling, no money to pay teachers, firemen, police back pay that has been due them and people here are cheering this nonsense.
....This just in from the news wire.....Shawn Merriman and Mario Williams have collided with each other on the playing field. Both have sustained season ending injuries. The cause of the accident is being blamed on extremely large egos. Film at 11.
lol...Ah, the bills haters have surfaced. Kinda weak to pick on the team at the bottom, don't you think? Anyway, I love this move. They needed a guy like this. As long as he can stay healthy, along with the rest of the D, the bills will have a very good defense this year. I'm just concerned about the inconsistency of the offense.
Ed- The NFL is a multi-billion dollar business. The pay these guys get seems ridiculous to us, however, it is what there profession yields. Love it or hate it, if you were an NFL employee, you would demand the same money. Most of the people who complain about those fat salaries are the same people buying tickets, apparel, and everything that has to do with the NFL, which is ultimately what pays those salaries. If player salaries is such a huge problem, everyone should boycott the NFL...causing its value to plummet..causing players to not want to play...causing the league to fail and shut down...putting millions of blue collar workers out of a job. Go Bills!
Matt, I don't care what the players are paid, if the owner wants to pay whatever out of his pocket that's his affair. However, as a taxpayer I do object to having to pick up the tab for the venue, it's maintenance and improvements. My point is that if Ralph Wilson has the cash to pay those kinds of salaries he can afford to pay for the stadium.
"If player salaries is such a huge problem, everyone should boycott the NFL...causing its value to plummet..causing players to not want to play...causing the league to fail and shut down...putting millions of blue collar workers out of a job". How does the failure of the NFL put millions of blue collar workers out of a job? That's like saying if Ralph Wilson switched to re-usable cloth diapers from Depends, the adult diaper industry will collapse and the country will go into another "Great Depression".
There's more to life than living vicariously through a sports team.Cities that have "lost" NFL teams didn't disappear, Baltimore has done just fine without the Colts and Buffalo would do just fine without the Bills.
"How does the failure of the NFL put millions of blue collar workers out of a job?" Really? I mean, the thousands of people who work at the 31 stadiums, people who make the apparel (which may arguably be the largest sector of the business), vendors..u can go on and on with jobs that are dependent on the NFL. Living vicariously? It's a form of entertainment that people enjoy being a part of. Im sure there's more to life than a lot of things you care about, too. That point is completely ridiculous. And Baltimore has done fine without the colts because they now have the ravens! Dont understand that point, there's still an NFL team there.
As for your first point, I guess I really don't have the knowledge to argue that. I'm not sure how the revenue sharing in the NFL works or how any of the money is distributed throughout the NFL...I am a fan of Green Bay's system, though.
Sour grapes. I'm a (Super Bowl Champions) Giants fan and a Bills Season Ticket holder, and I have never seen more cry babies. I have supported the Bills with my fandom and cash since I first moved here. Sorry Ed, I disagree with you on this in one regard, Having a major sports franchise (or two or three) is a huge thing in a community. Not just for morale, but for business as well. I challenge you to find any high volume business owner, where relationships makes the profit, who doesn't have some kind of seating, or box in these venues. It's apart of the lure to do business.
Also....There's more to life than living vicariously through a sports team.Cities that have "lost" NFL teams didn't disappear, Baltimore has done just fine without the Colts and Buffalo would do just fine without the Bills.
Uh...that's because Baltimore has the Ravens. Baltimore was devastated when the Colts left and nearly spent two decades trying to bring a team back. Just saying.
Most of the apparel is manufactured outside the U.S. just look at the labels or better yet go to New Era store financed by the Erie County Industrial Agency and see how many of your official team caps are made here in the U.S.
Now if Erie County wants to buy the team I'd say sure let's look at the numbers....but no wait the NFL won't allow true public ownership or participation. All this amounts to is a welfare system for the well-heeled team owners. The NFL is more than willing to take the local taxpayers money but refuses public input.
I can't see how successful having the "Bill" is as a draw to bring in business to the area. Businesses have been leaving the area and there is no real end in sight. Businesses look at school systems and infrastructure when looking to relocate and Buffalo fails on both counts.
Baltimore was not devastated when the Colts left and in the two decades that followed enjoyed a renascence with the long-term development of the waterfront and harbor. If anything the exit of the colts freed up money for development.
Baltimore was not devastated when the Colts left and in the two decades that followed enjoyed a renascence with the long-term development of the waterfront and harbor. If anything the exit of the colts freed up money for development.
LOL So just to be clear, ED. Baltimore would not have had these developments because the Colts weren't there? That is so ridiculously thin! The ENTIRE city of Baltimore wouldn't have been able to afford development BECAUSE the Colts were in town? How much was their subsidy? Also, you do realize that they built M&T just six years later Downtown right? So, if they weren't devastated and didn't care...then why did they build a brand new stadium?
Ed, you don't like football. I get it. I also agree with you that taxpayers are on the line way too much, but your examples are poor.
I did not say that Baltimore would not have been able to afford development because the Colts were in the town, my point is that the Colts leaving had little or no effect on the local economy or its collective self-esteem. Nor did I say the people of Baltimore didn't care. My statement was in reply to to nonsense that Buffalo will be devastated when and if the team leaves for greener pastures. I would be happy to have Erie County enjoy the same arrangement that the people of Green Bay has with the team, which can't happen because the NFL won't let it happen. To think that if Ralph Wilson can't leverage a deal out of the county that puts money in his pocket or he dies in the mean time the Bills are going to be a permanent fixture here is delusional.
I'm a long time Patriots fan but a long term opponent of businesses who take the taxpayers money without allowing the taxpayers a voice when it comes to how their monies are spent. If Ralph Wilson can afford to pay one player $100,000,000 then he can afford to use his money to keep the stadium they play in up to date. The bottom line is New York State and Erie County Buffalo can not afford the luxury of subsidizing a group of very wealthy individuals, this is little more than welfare for millionaires.
Ed, I noticed that you were uncharacteristically mute on tax breaks for the multiBillion dollar, multinational, conglomerate, Pepsico, and one of the first to bring up potential tax dollars being spent on a LOCAL revenue producing sports team.
I am generally opposed to tax breaks for any " multimillion dollar, multinational, conglomerate" unless there is a real benefit to the host community. I was not aware of whatever tax breaks Pepsico may have received so I won't comment. I am aware of the proposed improvements to the stadium in Hamburg and the potential costs that will be borne directly by the taxpayers and under the present economic circumstances we simply can not afford it.
I have yet to see any evidence that the money generated by the team justifies the cost to the taxpayers. The notion that sports fans deprived of the Bills as a local team will stop spending their money locally at bars to watch the game on Sunday or Monday night or stop ordering pizza and buying their favorite beverage to enjoy with friends is nonsense. Where to go to on game night or game day? Right down to the local joint just like you usually do drinking pictures of beer with your friends and coaching from the sidelines the same as I do. If I owned a local bar or pizza joint I would think this might be a blessing in disguise.
The original question of what effect will Mario Williams have on the Bills, I come back to thinking it will have about the same effect that Ralph Wilson changing to reusable cloth diapers from Depends will have on the sales of adult diapers.....little or none.
I'm a long time Patriots fan but a long term opponent of businesses who take the taxpayers money without allowing the taxpayers a voice when it comes to how their monies are spent.
Ok, but this is incorrect. The states actually vote on a deal. The monies must be spent exactly how that deal is written. Now it is not put up for a public vote referrendum, but it is voted on by your elected officials. Also, the average stadium is placed on a 30 year bond. Between ticket sales, fees and players and coches salary taxes the state and local government usually collect the money of the yearly payments. Now does the state use this to pay it back? I have no clue, because it does put money back in. The NFL is a non-for-profit, but not the teams.
When you say that people will not be devestated or heartbroken...how do you know?
Phil, once the bond is approved by any of the state agencies or authorities it is induced and the funds are given to the recipient with few if any control or monitoring. If a bond is induced after the public votes on the issue there are more controls but few methods of enforcement. The best example are the IDAs that offer tax abatement through Payment in Lieu of Tax (PILOT) programs that purport to encourage new industry but have become ready sources of tax reduction and low interest funding with the promise of jobs to the host communities. The monies for the stadium finance relies on the promise of a share of the revenue from and continued presence of a single tenant who can easily depart at the end of the term. I believe that an ownership position by the taxpayers in this particular situation is the only way to insure that the interests of the taxpayers are protected for the long term, but the NFL is not and will not be willing to allow a Green Bay type ownership of the Bills. Having said that, I truly believe that the best thing is to look at the team like one would look at a luxury automobile, if you can't afford it buy it don't lease it. This community can't afford to buy it and at the end of the you still don't own it.
Like every multi million dollar business, the taxpayers eat some of the costs to have the team, or some other city will be more than happy to foot the bill.
OK Bill's fans start
OK Bill's fans start practicing your lines "Maybe next year" and "It's the official's fault, they are against us" and "It's because of all the injuries" Practice now and you'll be in good shape this coming season!
Howard can we make personal
Howard can we make personal attacks on an organization....( like maybe a nearby NFL team )?
It's another piece of the
It's another piece of the puzzle. I hope Mario flattens Tom Brady twice each time we play them. Ralph Wilson said he'd like to see the Bills make the play-offs again. They better hurry it up!
Seriously.....$100,000,000
Seriously.....$100,000,000 for a new player!!!! Maybe if he can turn water into wine, part Lake Erie or turn back time for Ralph Wilson.
Next week the drumbeat will start for the state and county to cough up hundreds of millions to re-furbish the county to keep the cherished "Bills" here in Buffalo. God forbid the team leaves. If "uncle Ralph" can afford to pay $100,000,000 for a player he can afford to pay for whatever for the stadium.
Buffalo is the third poorest city in the country with schools literally crumbling, no money to pay teachers, firemen, police back pay that has been due them and people here are cheering this nonsense.
....This just in from the
....This just in from the news wire.....Shawn Merriman and Mario Williams have collided with each other on the playing field. Both have sustained season ending injuries. The cause of the accident is being blamed on extremely large egos. Film at 11.
lol...Ah, the bills haters
lol...Ah, the bills haters have surfaced. Kinda weak to pick on the team at the bottom, don't you think? Anyway, I love this move. They needed a guy like this. As long as he can stay healthy, along with the rest of the D, the bills will have a very good defense this year. I'm just concerned about the inconsistency of the offense.
Ed- The NFL is a multi-billion dollar business. The pay these guys get seems ridiculous to us, however, it is what there profession yields. Love it or hate it, if you were an NFL employee, you would demand the same money. Most of the people who complain about those fat salaries are the same people buying tickets, apparel, and everything that has to do with the NFL, which is ultimately what pays those salaries. If player salaries is such a huge problem, everyone should boycott the NFL...causing its value to plummet..causing players to not want to play...causing the league to fail and shut down...putting millions of blue collar workers out of a job. Go Bills!
Matt, I don't care what the
Matt, I don't care what the players are paid, if the owner wants to pay whatever out of his pocket that's his affair. However, as a taxpayer I do object to having to pick up the tab for the venue, it's maintenance and improvements. My point is that if Ralph Wilson has the cash to pay those kinds of salaries he can afford to pay for the stadium.
"If player salaries is such a huge problem, everyone should boycott the NFL...causing its value to plummet..causing players to not want to play...causing the league to fail and shut down...putting millions of blue collar workers out of a job". How does the failure of the NFL put millions of blue collar workers out of a job? That's like saying if Ralph Wilson switched to re-usable cloth diapers from Depends, the adult diaper industry will collapse and the country will go into another "Great Depression".
There's more to life than living vicariously through a sports team.Cities that have "lost" NFL teams didn't disappear, Baltimore has done just fine without the Colts and Buffalo would do just fine without the Bills.
"How does the failure of the
"How does the failure of the NFL put millions of blue collar workers out of a job?" Really? I mean, the thousands of people who work at the 31 stadiums, people who make the apparel (which may arguably be the largest sector of the business), vendors..u can go on and on with jobs that are dependent on the NFL. Living vicariously? It's a form of entertainment that people enjoy being a part of. Im sure there's more to life than a lot of things you care about, too. That point is completely ridiculous. And Baltimore has done fine without the colts because they now have the ravens! Dont understand that point, there's still an NFL team there.
As for your first point, I
As for your first point, I guess I really don't have the knowledge to argue that. I'm not sure how the revenue sharing in the NFL works or how any of the money is distributed throughout the NFL...I am a fan of Green Bay's system, though.
So, in the spirit of the poll
So, in the spirit of the poll question....I think this signing greatly improves the defense..Time will tell on how well the rest of the team does.
Sour grapes. I'm a (Super
Sour grapes. I'm a (Super Bowl Champions) Giants fan and a Bills Season Ticket holder, and I have never seen more cry babies. I have supported the Bills with my fandom and cash since I first moved here. Sorry Ed, I disagree with you on this in one regard, Having a major sports franchise (or two or three) is a huge thing in a community. Not just for morale, but for business as well. I challenge you to find any high volume business owner, where relationships makes the profit, who doesn't have some kind of seating, or box in these venues. It's apart of the lure to do business.
Also....There's more to life than living vicariously through a sports team.Cities that have "lost" NFL teams didn't disappear, Baltimore has done just fine without the Colts and Buffalo would do just fine without the Bills.
Uh...that's because Baltimore has the Ravens. Baltimore was devastated when the Colts left and nearly spent two decades trying to bring a team back. Just saying.
Most of the apparel is
Most of the apparel is manufactured outside the U.S. just look at the labels or better yet go to New Era store financed by the Erie County Industrial Agency and see how many of your official team caps are made here in the U.S.
Now if Erie County wants to buy the team I'd say sure let's look at the numbers....but no wait the NFL won't allow true public ownership or participation. All this amounts to is a welfare system for the well-heeled team owners. The NFL is more than willing to take the local taxpayers money but refuses public input.
I can't see how successful
I can't see how successful having the "Bill" is as a draw to bring in business to the area. Businesses have been leaving the area and there is no real end in sight. Businesses look at school systems and infrastructure when looking to relocate and Buffalo fails on both counts.
Baltimore was not devastated when the Colts left and in the two decades that followed enjoyed a renascence with the long-term development of the waterfront and harbor. If anything the exit of the colts freed up money for development.
They'll probably sell lots of
They'll probably sell lots of PepsiCo yoghurt drinks made with real Russian milk at the each game.
Baltimore was not devastated
Baltimore was not devastated when the Colts left and in the two decades that followed enjoyed a renascence with the long-term development of the waterfront and harbor. If anything the exit of the colts freed up money for development.
LOL So just to be clear, ED. Baltimore would not have had these developments because the Colts weren't there? That is so ridiculously thin! The ENTIRE city of Baltimore wouldn't have been able to afford development BECAUSE the Colts were in town? How much was their subsidy? Also, you do realize that they built M&T just six years later Downtown right? So, if they weren't devastated and didn't care...then why did they build a brand new stadium?
Ed, you don't like football. I get it. I also agree with you that taxpayers are on the line way too much, but your examples are poor.
I did not say that Baltimore
I did not say that Baltimore would not have been able to afford development because the Colts were in the town, my point is that the Colts leaving had little or no effect on the local economy or its collective self-esteem. Nor did I say the people of Baltimore didn't care. My statement was in reply to to nonsense that Buffalo will be devastated when and if the team leaves for greener pastures. I would be happy to have Erie County enjoy the same arrangement that the people of Green Bay has with the team, which can't happen because the NFL won't let it happen. To think that if Ralph Wilson can't leverage a deal out of the county that puts money in his pocket or he dies in the mean time the Bills are going to be a permanent fixture here is delusional.
I'm a long time Patriots fan but a long term opponent of businesses who take the taxpayers money without allowing the taxpayers a voice when it comes to how their monies are spent. If Ralph Wilson can afford to pay one player $100,000,000 then he can afford to use his money to keep the stadium they play in up to date. The bottom line is New York State and Erie County Buffalo can not afford the luxury of subsidizing a group of very wealthy individuals, this is little more than welfare for millionaires.
Ed, I noticed that you were
Ed, I noticed that you were uncharacteristically mute on tax breaks for the multiBillion dollar, multinational, conglomerate, Pepsico, and one of the first to bring up potential tax dollars being spent on a LOCAL revenue producing sports team.
?
I am generally opposed to tax
I am generally opposed to tax breaks for any " multimillion dollar, multinational, conglomerate" unless there is a real benefit to the host community. I was not aware of whatever tax breaks Pepsico may have received so I won't comment. I am aware of the proposed improvements to the stadium in Hamburg and the potential costs that will be borne directly by the taxpayers and under the present economic circumstances we simply can not afford it.
I have yet to see any evidence that the money generated by the team justifies the cost to the taxpayers. The notion that sports fans deprived of the Bills as a local team will stop spending their money locally at bars to watch the game on Sunday or Monday night or stop ordering pizza and buying their favorite beverage to enjoy with friends is nonsense. Where to go to on game night or game day? Right down to the local joint just like you usually do drinking pictures of beer with your friends and coaching from the sidelines the same as I do. If I owned a local bar or pizza joint I would think this might be a blessing in disguise.
The original question of what effect will Mario Williams have on the Bills, I come back to thinking it will have about the same effect that Ralph Wilson changing to reusable cloth diapers from Depends will have on the sales of adult diapers.....little or none.
I'm a long time Patriots fan
I'm a long time Patriots fan but a long term opponent of businesses who take the taxpayers money without allowing the taxpayers a voice when it comes to how their monies are spent.
Ok, but this is incorrect. The states actually vote on a deal. The monies must be spent exactly how that deal is written. Now it is not put up for a public vote referrendum, but it is voted on by your elected officials. Also, the average stadium is placed on a 30 year bond. Between ticket sales, fees and players and coches salary taxes the state and local government usually collect the money of the yearly payments. Now does the state use this to pay it back? I have no clue, because it does put money back in. The NFL is a non-for-profit, but not the teams.
When you say that people will not be devestated or heartbroken...how do you know?
Phil, once the bond is
Phil, once the bond is approved by any of the state agencies or authorities it is induced and the funds are given to the recipient with few if any control or monitoring. If a bond is induced after the public votes on the issue there are more controls but few methods of enforcement. The best example are the IDAs that offer tax abatement through Payment in Lieu of Tax (PILOT) programs that purport to encourage new industry but have become ready sources of tax reduction and low interest funding with the promise of jobs to the host communities. The monies for the stadium finance relies on the promise of a share of the revenue from and continued presence of a single tenant who can easily depart at the end of the term. I believe that an ownership position by the taxpayers in this particular situation is the only way to insure that the interests of the taxpayers are protected for the long term, but the NFL is not and will not be willing to allow a Green Bay type ownership of the Bills. Having said that, I truly believe that the best thing is to look at the team like one would look at a luxury automobile, if you can't afford it buy it don't lease it. This community can't afford to buy it and at the end of the you still don't own it.
Ed, we often disagree, but I
Ed, we often disagree, but I have always respected your opinion and the way you present your view.
Until now.
Attacking a 93 year old man that way is inexcusable, unnecessary, and downright mean.
If you were attempting to be funny, you failed miserably.
Maybe you and Bill Mahar should get together for coffee and yuk yuk together.
I don't know guys, pretty
I don't know guys, pretty spirited conversation. Myself, I find it very hard to get excited about a team that historically is a .500 ball club.
I do however, understand the average taxpayer taking it in the shorts for stadium improvements.
Like every multi million
Like every multi million dollar business, the taxpayers eat some of the costs to have the team, or some other city will be more than happy to foot the bill.