DO I HEAR THE NEW BILLS OWNER TELLING THE NFL TO “SHUT UP?

DON’T GET ME STARTED was asked about the stadium issue in Buffalo as the Bills are nearing completion of the sale. It didn’t take me more than 5 seconds to say the team should play where they are now – in Orchard Park. I cited the great amount of money the Bills generate from parking and other reasons. What I neglected to say is:

NFL OWNERS AND THE NFL COMMISSIONER SHOULD SHUT UP ABOUT A NEW STADIUM.

I want to know where Jerry Jones was toward the tail-end of 2004-2010. I’m referring to the Kansas City Chiefs renovation. They were silent and now puff up their wallets saying that “Buffalo needs a new stadium.” There was the mention of being competitive. That means “We want more money out of any upcoming project.”

Imagine the word the other day that the NFL wants half-time performers at the Super Bowl to pay for the right to perform for the huge television audience. If I were advising all performers…..I would have them telling the NFL to shove it.

Now back to the stadium situation. Where were these guys to tell the Kansas City Chiefs that they need a new stadium? After all, Arrowhead Stadium opened about a year after then Rich Stadium opened in Orchard Park. The Chiefs began play at Arrowhead in 1972.

I didn’t hear these owners telling Lamar Hunt that unless he builds a new stadium he might stand a chance of the Chiefs maybe relocating. The NFL owners didn’t threaten Kansas City the way they now are threatening the Buffalo Bills. Let’s remember, the NFL owners get many millions if a team moves to another city .

In the middle of the 80s The K.C. county Sports Authority re-evaluated a dome over Arrowhead but that went down the tube as being unnecessary and financially not practical.

When the Chiefs decided to renovate Arrowhead, I didn’t hear anything from the owners yelling that instead of renovation, build a new park.

Finally, about 5 years ago, the Chiefs came out with plans to renovate Arrowhead at a cost of $375 million. Where were the owners to scream at KC the way they are making headlines telling Buffalo to build a new stadium?

The K.C. renovation plan was finalized in 2007 and completed for the 2010 season. KC is getting much praise for the “newness” of Arrowhead just as many are praising the $135 million renovation at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

So rather than listening to those money grubbing yo yo’s sucking up the liquid in their board-rooms, the new Bills owner should take a look at what Kansas City did; take a look at the results of the current Bills renovations and then, if needed, ask for maybe up to $200 million to spruce it up making it look like a new stadium.

Then do something that will bring loud cheers from Western New Yorkers. The new Bills owners should issue a short statement to Goodell and the NFL owners yelling for a new stadium with the words – SHUT UP on Don’t Get Me Started.

Filed under: Don't Get Me Started

Tagged with: Art Wander, Buffalo Bills, ills, NFL