Bills an Example of Losing Cheaply

Buffalo, 11 consecutive years out of the playoffs, just traded one of its few established performers, Lee Evans, to the Ravens for a middling draft pick. Unloading Evans and replacing him with a minimum-salary young player cuts the Bills' costs by about $3 million this season, which is more than profits would rise if every seat were sold. Trading Evans makes a winning season less likely, but the odds of a profitable season go up -- and a built-in excuse is created. How long until a Buffalo team official says, "We knew we'd have an off year when we lost Lee Evans," as if he had been swept from the practice field by helicopter-borne commandos, rather than deliberately traded away.

9 months ago dnvrBillsfan 12 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

How depressing can one week of Bills in the media get?

Maybe I should consider canceling Sunday ticket so our household cap numbers look better.

It's simple, but it aint easy. *2

by Undee on Aug 23, 2011 2:22 PM EDT reply actions

Ha, I said practically the same thing to myself this morning!

"It’s like I’ve always said, don’t tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby."
- Buddy Nix

"How can a guy with a name like Melo be such a pain in the ass?"
- George Lopez

by dnvrBillsfan on Aug 23, 2011 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I never forget watching the movie Major League the first time and watching how the owner ran the team, hoping the team loses. I swear I thought this movie was a clone of the Buffalo Bills.

"A deaf person can hear better than a ignorant person."- Unknown Comedian

by blknites on Aug 23, 2011 2:35 PM EDT reply actions

Unloading Evans and replacing him with a minimum-salary young player cuts the Bills’ costs by about $3 million this season,

It only saves them about half of that, actually. His salary for the year was something like $1.4M, not $3M.

Tweet
Buffalo Rumblings

by MattRichWarren on Aug 23, 2011 2:38 PM EDT reply actions

Darn. That’s $1.6 mil they need to dump off the roster to get those sweet profits back ;)

It's simple, but it aint easy. *2

by Undee on Aug 23, 2011 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions

In defense of the Bills, regarding the Evans trade, if it really was a salary dump, why not trade him before they paid his $1M roster bonus?

"It’s like I’ve always said, don’t tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby."
- Buddy Nix

"How can a guy with a name like Melo be such a pain in the ass?"
- George Lopez

by dnvrBillsfan on Aug 23, 2011 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

There was no time, unless you’re talking about last season. The day the season began they owed him the money, I’m pretty sure.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Aug 23, 2011 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions

oic

"It’s like I’ve always said, don’t tell me about the labor pains, just show me the baby."
- Buddy Nix

"How can a guy with a name like Melo be such a pain in the ass?"
- George Lopez

by dnvrBillsfan on Aug 23, 2011 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions

The insinuation that Wilson is orchestrating some plot to lose games but make money is ridiculous to me. He would make a lot more money if the Bills were perennial playoff contenders.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Aug 23, 2011 6:30 PM EDT reply actions

Check your facts

I don’t think anyone is insinuating that Mr. Cheap wants to lose games intentionaly, he just wants to put the cheapest product on the field. Mr. Wilson could care less about wins and losses. He will make 30-40 million more by staying that far under the salary cap.

by popey on Aug 24, 2011 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Not caring about winning is the same to me as purposefully losing. You act the same either way, because if you wanted to lose on purpose you would probably just put the cheapest product possible on the field.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Aug 24, 2011 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions