Take Any Buffalo Bills Relocation Rumour with a Pinch of Salt
January 16, 2010
by English Paul… 
Another day and yet another story linking the Buffalo Bills with a move to a new city. This time, the rumour mill has them relocating to Los Angeles.
John Semcken, managing partner of Majestic Reality Co. and the developer behind a potential new stadium in Los Angeles, has stated that Buffalo and Jacksonville are his prime candidates.
“Jacksonville and Buffalo are two teams in very, very small markets,” he told the Associated Press.
Personally, I do not see the Los Angeles scenario coming to fruition. Apart from the fact that this news is coming out of California rather than Buffalo, no stadium has actually been built yet.
Also, any potential new owner would have to meet all of the numerous strict relocation rules in place before any move could be considered. There is a lot of work to be done before it gets anywhere close to this stage.
Add to this the fact that Jacksonville is in a much worse position than Buffalo and this story is a non-starter.
Having said that, Buffalo’s residents must be sick of these constant rumours surrounding their beloved franchise. They already have enough on their plate worrying about where the Toronto experiment may eventually lead.
However—and this is easy for an outsider to say—maybe the people of Western New York do not need to worry so much. That’s because Buffalo has the backing of only the most powerful man in the NFL: Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Goodell was more than happy to approve the deal for Buffalo to play eight games over the course of five years in Toronto. However, this decision was not made with the intention of eventually moving the team north of the border full-time.
Instead, Goodell felt that having annual games played in Southern Ontario would mean enough additional revenue to help the team stay in Buffalo long-term.
“I think their step to Toronto has helped strengthen that,” Goodell said, according to the AP. “And I see the Buffalo Bills being in Western New York for a long time.”
For anyone still not convinced that Goodell has any real interest in keeping the Bills in Buffalo, it is worth noting that he was born in nearby Jamestown, and spent his early years growing up in the area.
Of course there are no guarantees in life and no one knows for sure what will happen when Ralph Wilson passes on. However, with the commissioner on board, you can be assured that he will do everything within his power to keep the team in its rightful place.
Why Brian Billick Should Be Considered for the Buffalo Bills Job
January 11, 2010
By English Paul… According to various reports, Brian Billick is the latest big name to be linked with the head coaching job in Buffalo.
However, unlike Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher, there appears to be a possibility that Billick is seriously considering the role, which is good news for any Bills fan. This is because, if history is any indication, once the former Super Bowl-winning coach sets his mind to something, it’s as good as done.
This mentality can be traced all the way back to the Ohio native’s college days when, after spending his freshman year at the United States Air Force Academy, Billick transferred to BYU.
It turns out that he made this decision after learning that his height and weight stopped him from ever becoming a fighter pilot (something which he didn’t find out until after he had enrolled).
Another example of Billick’s focused approach came when he made the decision to become a head coach in the NFL. He was considered “hot property” at the time and was apparently the top candidate for the Cleveland Browns job.
Billick was offered an interview but decided to meet with the Baltimore Ravens first. Within 24 hours of his initial interview, he had signed up for the job. Once again, Billick had made a firm decision.
One other interesting facet to Billick’s make-up is his adaptability. While with the Minnesota Vikings, he forged a reputation as an offensive genius. His crowning achievement was the 1998 season, when the Vikings set a then-NFL record for most points in a season (556).
However, once Billick was installed as the Ravens’ top man, he adapted his philosophy to suit the personnel on the team. Only two seasons after setting the offensive mark, he did the same with the defense, which allowed an NFL record 16-game low of 165 points.
Unfairly, critics state that anyone could have had a productive offense or defense when you have the likes of Randy Moss and Ray Lewis to work with. But this just proves the ignorance of people.
During the 1998 season with the Vikings, there is no doubting that Randy Moss had a spectacular rookie campaign. However, this would not have been possible without the rebirth of quarterback Randall Cunningham.
Earlier in his career, Cunningham was better known for his scrambling abilities. However, under the guidance of Billick, the former Philadelphia Eagle developed into a pocket passer and enjoyed the most productive season of his career.
Likewise, Ray Lewis and the Ravens defense had ranked no higher than 22nd before Billick’s arrival. Suddenly in 1999, Baltimore jumped all the way up to second, which was surely no coincidence. Billick can flat-out coach.
Apparently, Billick is currently putting a coaching staff together. If this is true, it shows that once again Billick has his mind set on something and will do everything within his power to make it happen.
The only question is whether this vision includes the Buffalo Bills.
Edmonton Eskimos in free-fall. Can they turn it around?
October 16, 2009
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