1:29 Minute Drill by Favre

[Tom Urtis]

T.O. brought all the attention to himself with the Texas Stadium star spike; the Sharpie; danding with cheerleaders' pom poms, working out on camera during a hold-out...the list goes on and on. Any team that picks up a player like that is asking for trouble. So the media will tee off on him more than another player who doesn't seek out the attention.

The Bills won't have to worry about getting taken off Monday nights, any team that loses a lot (the Bills are not in that category yet) don't get scheduled for MNF, just ask the Detroit Lions how they spend their Monday nights in the fall and they will know years in advance that they'll be in their living rooms front of the TV.

 

[Joe4]

Oh, TO was clearly being baited. I was impressed he decided to not go there, that was sound judgement - something he doesn't always excercise. I do wonder if the Bills' head coach is in trouble, though?

Most of the Bills fans wanted Jauron canned after last season. He isn't a bad coach, but he isn't a great coach either. He is the epitome of mediocrity, as is evidenced by three consecutive 7-9 season.

In a division that has Belichick and Parcells/Sparano, he has been clearly outcoached in many games. Coming into this season, the Bills have a 2-21 record against teams that finish with winning records under Jauron.

But hey, the players love playing for him, for whatever that's worth!

On another note, are you a Twins fan too? They have an important series against the Tigers here, starting with a double-header today.

 

[NateO]

I am a Twins fan, and today is huge. They're currently in the 7th inning of game 1 of a double-header, 1-1. They pretty much need to win 3/4 to have a shot at the division - so today will probably decide this.

TO has definitely brought the baiting on himself - because he's generated so many outrageous sound-bites in the past, the media can't help themselves. They're looking for the next TO nugget. So, you just have to recognize it and play it cool, which he did.

I think I agree with you on Jauron, not a bad coach, but he's not Marv Levy. Didn't he also have stints with the Bears and Lions that were pretty not-too-hot, too? Firing the Offensive Coordinator a few weeks before the season is a strange (bad) decision, too. If you're going to do that, it should have happened long before then.

 

[Joe4]

Yes, the Bills have been riddled with soem questionable decision making like firing their offensive coordinator and cutting their starting left tackle a week before the season begins. The have been known for not wanting to pay management (GM, coaches, etc), so the hire guys of questionable or little experience, and pay the price for it (their GM is a young guy who was their PR director!).

Jauron had one great season coaching the Bears where they went 13-3 and he was coach of the year. That was the only winning season he has ever had.

Good luck to the Twins. As we get to see a lot of future Twins roll through Rochester, I like to root for them. I really like the way they run things. They're a small market team that remains competitive by having a great scouting department and farm system.

It'll be a shame if they lost Mauer and Morneau when they become free agents. Mauer is something special, and looks like a Hall of Famer if he keeps it up.

 

[NateO]

The Bills are still owned by Rich? Sounds like he's pinching the wallet a bit? My dad's actually friends with him, they're both in the baking business, or were.

It's hard for me not to root for the Twins, love Gardy, and like you said, they run a nice, lean organization. They'd be crazy to let Mauer go, even if it's going to cost them major dollars. He's one of the best catchers I've ever watched play the game, and he's from St. Paul, MN.

Mauer's the face of the franchise - Minnesota would riot if he left.

 

[Joe4]

The Bills were never owned by Bob Rich, Rich just had the naming right to the stadium. The Bills have always been owned by Ralph Wilson, since their inception in 1960. A few years back, Rich lost the naming rights to the stadium, and now it is called Ralph Wilson Stadium ("The Ralph").

Ralph Wilson is a very old man, and that has many in Buffalo worried. There is no succession plan after he dies. Many people were hoping that he would leave the team to his daughter so they will stay in Buffalo, but he said he is not going to do that. The inheritance tax would be too high for her too afford. So the team will go up for sale when he passes on.

Jim Kelly has been instrumental in trying to organize a group (including himself) to make a bid for team when that happens. Unfortunately, many doubt that he will be able to round up enough people/money to compete with bids from some billionaires around the country who would love to own an NFL team (and maybe move it).

 

[NateO]

Scarier is that there's money in Toronto that's interested in the Bills, too. In fact, I know who could probably take a run at it, in terms of organizing funds - Richard Peddie, another family friend.

He runs the Maple Leafs and Raptors, the former generates a lot of cash.

 

[Joe4]

Yeah, that's one of the big issues right now. A lot of people fear that Wilson's agreement with Toronto is a pre-cursor to the team being moved there. Wilson claims he is just trying to expand the local market to help keep the team in Buffalo.

The Bills made that agreement with Ted Rogers, the owner of the Blue Jays and the Rogers Center. He has long desired an NFL team. However, there is talk of him selling the Jays and/or the stadium, which might kill that interest, which may not be a bad idea anyway. There doesn't seem to be a large interest in Toronto for an NFL team. They are having a hard time selling the tickets to the Bills games in Toronto (of course, ticket prices start at $100 a pop, which doesn't help sales - especially when you can see them in Buffalo for $50 a pop).

My cousin in Toronto says that Toronto will support a hockey team through thick and thin, but other sports, like NBA, MLB, and NFL, the teams get support when successful, but no so much when they are not. Look at the Jays now. Attendence is way down. Back when they were a playoff team, they were selling out all the time.

He says that many Canadians are also opposed to having an NFL team, preferring their CFL Argos instead.

 

[NateO]

Ted Rogers, unfortunately, passed away, about a year ago. I'm not quite sure who owns the Blue Jays right now - his family?

He says that many Canadians are also opposed to having an NFL team, preferring their CFL Argos instead.

I grew up in Toronto, and I don't agree with that. I very much preferred the NFL over the CFL. I never watched the Argos, oddly enough, I was a Vikings fan.

If there's a group in Toronto that could make a run at the Bills, it would be this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Peddie

Those dudes have some cash, should they want to go all-in, they're worth $1.5 billion.

 

[NateO]

Look at the Jays now. Attendence is way down. Back when they were a playoff team, they were selling out all the time.

That's a different issue, too. Canadians have fickle sensibilities, and the lock-out season is what killed their attendance. It put everyone off.

It's never been the same, since that.