Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Buffalo Bills Owner Ralph Wilson Dies At 95
http://nesn.com/ ^ | 03/25/2014 | Doug Kyed

Posted on 03/25/2014 12:22:01 PM PDT by massmike

The NFL announced Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson died Tuesday. He was 95 years old.

Wilson was the last of the original AFL owners. He founded the Bills in 1959 for the start of the league.

The Bills moved to the NFL when the two leagues merged in 1970.

Wilson was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

The Bills were AFL Champions in 1964 and 1965, and they won the AFC Championship four years straight from 1990 to 1993 under Wilson. He was the longest tenured NFL owner.

(Excerpt) Read more at nesn.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: nfl; obituary
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-43 next last

1 posted on 03/25/2014 12:22:01 PM PDT by massmike
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: massmike

The passing of Mr. Wilson could lead to the Bills moving to Toronto or Los Angeles.


2 posted on 03/25/2014 12:27:31 PM PDT by Oliviaforever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oliviaforever

Rough times for Bills’ fans.


3 posted on 03/25/2014 12:28:48 PM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Oliviaforever

Jim Kelly has said he will fight to keep them in Buffalo. He is a partial owner and this may open door for larger acquisition.


4 posted on 03/25/2014 12:29:15 PM PDT by Resolute Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: massmike

Bills fans have been considering and debating the what will happen from this day forward for the last 15 years.


5 posted on 03/25/2014 12:30:52 PM PDT by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Resolute Conservative

Unfortunately, Jim Kelly is himself in poor health.


6 posted on 03/25/2014 12:31:11 PM PDT by Oliviaforever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: massmike

The announcement came as local dignitaries were being shown recent improvements to Ralph Wilson Stadium… Somewhat ironic that there have been the constant threats that the franchise would be moved without a new venue built, now with the inevitable taking place we’ll have to see what shakes out RE the Bills’ future in Buffalo.


7 posted on 03/25/2014 12:32:34 PM PDT by mikrofon (RIP, Mr. Wilson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mikrofon

Buffalo is not a large enough market to support an NFL team and there are many larger markets in the Canada, US and UK that would be more profitable for the team and the NFL.


8 posted on 03/25/2014 12:35:11 PM PDT by Oliviaforever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Oliviaforever

The won’t move to Toronto because the NFL and CFL have an agreement that would break. And nobody is ever actually going to LA because that gaping hole causes new stadiums to get built. They might move, but not to either of those places. OKC seems the most likely landing spot to me, it’s football country, there’s one major league sports team for the whole state, and they worked hard to get that one and want more.


9 posted on 03/25/2014 12:36:21 PM PDT by discostu (Call it collect, call it direct, call it TODAY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Oliviaforever; Resolute Conservative

Yes, a very aggressively occurrence of cancer in the jaw; the prognosis isn’t that great unfortunately. When they broke the announcement about Ralph Wilson on the radio here, many were thinking that Kelly had suddenly succumbed.


10 posted on 03/25/2014 12:38:19 PM PDT by mikrofon (+ Prayers Up +)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Oliviaforever

Yeah, you mean the same Los Angeles that has lost THREE professional football teams in my lifetime. Sure.


11 posted on 03/25/2014 12:39:20 PM PDT by fhayek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Oliviaforever

so you really think they will move from Buffalo? I know the NFL has been concerned about keeing teams where they are, after so many teams moved to other cities in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

But, if the NFL wants to tap new markets such as Toronto or London, the Bills are a prime franchise to want to move.


12 posted on 03/25/2014 12:40:34 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego (as)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: mikrofon

I spent some time in Buffalo in the late 80s, went to a game there....great fans. Hate to see them leave.


13 posted on 03/25/2014 12:41:46 PM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: discostu

The Bills are the only football team in the state of New York. Kind of trumps Oklahoma, doesn’t it?


14 posted on 03/25/2014 12:42:30 PM PDT by fhayek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: fhayek

The Bills are the only football team in the state of New York. Kind of trumps Oklahoma, doesn’t it?

_______________________________________________

Don’t tell the New Jersey Giants and New Jersey Jets......


15 posted on 03/25/2014 12:46:36 PM PDT by Hogblog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: fhayek

They might be the only team PHYSICALLY in New York but there are 2 teams that CLAIM New York in their title to the point where we even said the Super Bowl was there even though it wasn’t. So no trumping there, NY has teams according to the NFL.


16 posted on 03/25/2014 12:47:24 PM PDT by discostu (Call it collect, call it direct, call it TODAY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: fhayek

The NFL wants a team in the LA market but it would not have to necessarily be LA as there are at least a dozen cities in the US that are larger than Buffalo and do not have an NFL team. I would not even be surprised to see the Bills move to London.


17 posted on 03/25/2014 12:48:29 PM PDT by Oliviaforever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: discostu

But to New York POLITICIANS, the is only one who plays (and pays taxes), in New York State, and they DO have a say.


18 posted on 03/25/2014 12:53:56 PM PDT by fhayek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: fhayek

The only say NY politicians have is using public funds to build a stadium. And with as bad as RJS is it’s a small chunk of the problems the Bills have. Their biggest problem is they’re in a poor city that’s bleeding population, there simply isn’t enough there there to keep a team. They should have moved a long time ago, they stayed because Wilson is loyal, which is commendable, but eventually somebody has to make a business decision.


19 posted on 03/25/2014 12:58:18 PM PDT by discostu (Call it collect, call it direct, call it TODAY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: fhayek

Buffalo is a small city and only ranks as the 73rd most populous city in the United States.

Lincoln, Nebraska, Henderson Nevada, Toledo, Ohio, Stockton, California and Wichita, Kansas all have populations greater than Buffalo, New York.

I would not even be surprised to see the Henderson Nevada Bills in a few years.


20 posted on 03/25/2014 12:59:00 PM PDT by Oliviaforever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-43 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson