RIP Ralph Wilson

It just came out last week that Buffalo was ending the Toronto visits.

 

Not to veer too far off topic, but this was one of the best reads I've seen on the Raiders situation. Oakland must choose between Raiders or A's. And to Davis, Levi's Stadium is not an option.

Oh, and RIP Ralph Wilson ...

http://www.latimes.com/sports/football/nfl/la-sp-nfl-raiders-la-20140325,0,34534.story#axzz2x0K4AEZS

 

I'm not going to believe it until the NYP reports it.

 

First, RIP

Second, wasn't there a recent deal to renovate the stadium in Buffalo,or am I thinking of something else?

 

Yes, the Bills and Erie County just agreed to a new lease.

A $50K investment turned into an $800+-million business. I'd say Ralph's family did pretty well by WNY.

 

Wealth, honor and fame, long life, but he never won a Super Bowl. Sports can be cruel. RIP.

PS: If Wilson wanted the Bills to stay in Buffalo, I have to assume his will has some arrangement through which that is assured.

 

Or lakes.

 

Strange story in Buffalo News: Team will be placed in trust for time being (which seems standard), then sold. He did not leave it to anyone in his family (inheritance tax issue?).

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/what8217s-next-for-the-bills-for-now-the-team-will-be-controlled-by-a-trust-20140325

 

The family will inherit, but the only child who might have been interested in trying to keep the team, Linda Bogdan, predeceased him.

Other answers: Renovations on the stadium started right after the last game of the season. Pressbox is gutted (moving to corner of endzone.)

The Toronto game in 2014 was canceled, but the agreement is still in place for future years ... for now. That will most likely change once they work out a settlement (presumably involving a refund from the team to Rogers). Bills were 1-5 in regular-season games north of the border, including a galling OT loss to Atlanta last season that effectively ended any shot at a .500 record.

Today's Buffalo News A-1 and special section: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152219352008941.1073741868.105888478940&type=1

The man who presented Wilson's case for HOF enshrinement at the voters' meeting, Mark Gaughan, wrote the BN obit:
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/ralph-wilson-founder-and-owner-of-the-buffalo-bills-dies-at-95-20140325

 

Would seem like a natural that The Rich Family take over.

 

Or Golisano.

 

Or Jacobs family.