Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills News, 7/17

Selling the Buffalo Bills every day - The Buffalo News
This is a great, must-read piece on Mary Owen. She's Ralph Wilson's niece and a team Vice President, but not in that order. Read it.

Fan shows ultimate devotion, one Lego at a time - BuffaloBills.com
"A season ticket holder since the 70’s, Hall has made a hobby out of building Lego replicas. He has crafted the Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, and next on the list was Ralph Wilson Stadium." Check this out.

#8 - Will the offense rank in the top 10? - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills took a big step forward in their second year under head coach Chan Gailey on offense. After finishing 25th in total offense and 28th in points in 2010, Buffalo’s attack jumped up to 14th in offense and 14th in points per game last season. And that’s with a significant second-half slide on the offensive side of the ball in 2011. With a focus on better consistency and some better luck on the injury front, can the Bills be a top 10 offense in 2012?"

Inside The Bills | Lee & Fitz: Mutual respect
"From what I’ve seen I think that relationship is very good and very strong," said head coach Chan Gailey. "I think they both have a great deal of respect for each other. I don’t see any reason that it should be any different as time goes on."

Marshawn Lynch trade even better now for Bills - The Buffalo News
"Any doubts the Bills made the correct choice by sticking with Fred Jackson should be erased with Lynch's latest arrest, this time for suspicion of drunk driving Saturday in the Oakland area."

10-year snapshot of how Forbes values Buffalo Bills - The Buffalo News
"After posting this afternoon's item on Forbes magazine's annual report of the 50 most valuable sports franchises, some readers asked how much the Buffalo Bills have fluctuated over the years."

Jack Kemp records you may not know - The Buffalo News
"Quick trivia question: Who rushed for more career touchdowns, Cookie Gilchrist or Jack Kemp?" You wouldn't answer the question unless you knew it was Kemp. There are a bunch of other great AFL records Kemp holds. Check it out.

Bills short-change fans with blackout - The Buffalo News
"Team officials told The News that easing the blackout could cost them as much as $500,000 in ticket take each season. That is chump change, compared to what the team already pockets - and the added bounty it will collect when the NFL's new broadcast deal kicks in."

Andre Reed celebrity golf tournament at Lehigh CC - mcall.com
"The field for the third annual Andre Reed Celebrity Golf Tournament on Monday at Lehigh Country Club included many prominent former athletes, entertainers and personalities - but no famous golfers."

Despite NFL Rule Change, More Blackouts Coming to Buffalo - Forbes
"It certainly seems that individual teams aren’t going to look out for the best interest of their fans," Frederick said, "so we’re going to have to continue to fight."

Still Talkin TV " Ch.4′s Guggenmos Makes Early Morning Impression
"As I’ve written before, the initial suggestion in early stories that the policy would help small market teams like the Bills was misguided. The rule really hurts small market teams, who don’t have the benefit of selling games out via season tickets as many large market teams do. In my view, the Bills made the right safer call. It may anger some fans and columnists in the short term, but in the long run it could prevent declining ticket sales that would threaten the ability of the franchise to stay here for seasons to come."

Dissecting the running back by committee of Spiller/Jackson | Buffalo Wins
Joe Pinzone examines the Buffalo Bills' running back conundrum.

Buffalo Bills (Who Are Asking for $200+ Million in Stadium Subsidies) Refuse to Ease Blackout Policy - Business Insider
"Only $90,000 per game less if the game sells out seems like a small price to pay to make sure that Bills fans who can’t afford to go or are physically unable to go are able to see the game. The Bills argue that easing the blackout policy will mean less ticket sales, but as economists have shown, BLACKOUTS HAVE NO SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON TICKET SALES IN THE NFL."

Poll: Which Buffalo Bills Receiver Goes If Five Wideouts Are Kept? - Buffalo Rumblings
"If the Buffalo Bills keep just five wide receivers on the active roster this season, one of three players currently competing for a starting job (Donald Jones, Derek Hagan and Marcus Easley) could find themselves on the unemployment line." I'm mildly surprised Donald Jones is only garnering 6% of the vote since people seem to like Easley so much.

Who Was The Buffalo Bills' Most Improved Player In 2011? - Buffalo Rumblings
"Buffalo Bills right guard Kraig Urbik made significant strides in his first year as a starter in 2011 - to the point that he may now be the team's most valuable interior lineman."

Forbes Values Buffalo Bills At $792 Million - Buffalo Rumblings
"Forbes values the Buffalo Bills at $792 million, three years after they were valued at $909 million. How might this figure factor into ongoing lease negotiations between the Bills and Erie County? Not much, but it gives us a number to play with."

Football Outsiders Projects 9.7 Wins For Buffalo Bills - Buffalo Rumblings
"In their annual pre-season almanac, Football Outsiders projects 9.7 wins for the Buffalo Bills - and a better than 50/50 shot at the playoffs for the team that hasn't been in since the turn of the century."