2022-2023 Buffalo Bills Thread

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

enabling these douchebag cretins.

i'll note here that my then 14 year old son (a sensitive sweetheart of a kid) was one of the local faithful who was bummed that, on our walk into the stadium during our first season as STH's, he couldn't see the bills mafia house that he'd heard about but that the new fence was obscuring.

so, a horde of doubebag cretins + my son. otherwise, that characterization seems spot on. 😒

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

All those billions and this is how he serves the world.

This, otoh, isn't unfair (although it's beside the point I was making).

Where is his major charitable donation? Sports shrines at ostensibly nonprofit education corporations don't count. No children's hospital bearing the name? Not even a foundation that could also serve as a tax shelter?

Edited August 10, 2022 by That Aud Smell

[Eleven]

18 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

This, otoh, isn't unfair (although it's beside the point I was making).

Where is his major charitable donation? Sports shrines at ostensibly nonprofit education corporations don't count. No children's hospital bearing the name? Not even a foundation that could also serve as a tax shelter?

Yes, he certainly owes you and PA an explanation of what he does with his wealth.

[That Aud Smell]

32 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Yes, he certainly owes you and PA an explanation of what he does with his wealth.

Nah - this ain't it, as the kids say. (Or used to say, given that I'm now saying it.)

He (and Kim) have no obligation, obviously, to explain or justify what they do with their money. I'm saying: As a common normie, I do get to wondering: WTF, dude. Move some of that money into something that unequivocally does some common good.

OTOH: From the sounds of the Pegulas' activity in wealth management ventures, etc., they're still in active empire-building, wealth-generating mode. Maybe the big donations come later. 

Yet again OTOH: They've built sports shrines at their alma maters. So they have excess cash they can throw at things. I think it would burnish their brand, if you will, if they did something major to support a beloved institution/cause.

[MattPie]

42 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Yes, he certainly owes you and PA an explanation of what he does with his wealth.

 

5 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Nah - this ain't it, as the kids say. (Or used to say, given that I'm now saying it.)

Methinks your sarcasm detector needs calibration. 🙂

[That Aud Smell]

5 minutes ago, MattPie said:

Methinks your sarcasm detector needs calibration. 🙂

[Eleven]

31 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I think it would burnish their brand, if you will, if they did something major to support a beloved institution/cause.

They have.  Those causes are Penn State athletics, Buffalo pro sports, and Buffalo COVID relief, as far as we know.  

Now someone will ask why they aren't donating publicly to a food bank or building a hospital instead.  It never ends.

I wonder whether the same questions were asked of Mary Seaton Kleinhans (who directed her funds to cultural institutions rather than hospitals) or Ralph Wilson (who wasn't exactly philanthropic while on this side of the dirt).  

Edited August 10, 2022 by Eleven

[Taro T]

30 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Nah - this ain't it, as the kids say. (Or used to say, given that I'm now saying it.)

He (and Kim) have no obligation, obviously, to explain or justify what they do with their money. I'm saying: As a common normie, I do get to wondering: WTF, dude. Move some of that money into something that unequivocally does some common good.

OTOH: From the sounds of the Pegulas' activity in wealth management ventures, etc., they're still in active empire-building, wealth-generating mode. Maybe the big donations come later. 

Yet again OTOH: They've built sports shrines at their alma maters. So they have excess cash they can throw at things. I think it would burnish their brand, if you will, if they did something major to support a beloved institution/cause.

They've been keeping their charitable donations sports related for the most part AFAIK to date.  Including putting money into youth sports that hasn't been as well reported as the Penn State one was.  Probably because those have been significantly smaller (again, AFAIK).

Also, are the Amerks & Kin-ig-hit Hawks not "beloved institutions?"  The Kin-ig-hit Hawks would be gone without the Pegulas & possibly the Amerks as well.  Didn't see a lot of people lining up to keep them in Ra-cha-cha after Styres got them because they came w/ the original Kin-ig-hit Hawks that were his real prize.

B. Thomas Golisano didn't make the huge donation to U of R Strong that changed the name of the pediatric center until 2002.  Pretty sure you're onto something when you point out a lot of those sort of donations don't happen too early in a billionaire's life. 

[nfreeman]

40 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Nah - this ain't it, as the kids say. (Or used to say, given that I'm now saying it.)

He (and Kim) have no obligation, obviously, to explain or justify what they do with their money. I'm saying: As a common normie, I do get to wondering: WTF, dude. Move some of that money into something that unequivocally does some common good.

OTOH: From the sounds of the Pegulas' activity in wealth management ventures, etc., they're still in active empire-building, wealth-generating mode. Maybe the big donations come later. 

Yet again OTOH: They've built sports shrines at their alma maters. So they have excess cash they can throw at things. I think it would burnish their brand, if you will, if they did something major to support a beloved institution/cause.

My point here is that we have no idea what kind of non-publicized charitable donations they make — and since we don’t know, it’s awfully PA-ish to assume that they aren’t doing so.  

[That Aud Smell]

56 minutes ago, Eleven said:

They have.  Those causes are Penn State athletics, Buffalo pro sports, and Buffalo COVID relief, as far as we know.

I already told you: Those don't count.

I hear you, though. I just think it's a fair area of inquiry, grousing. FREE IT UP, TERRY AND KIM. 

44 minutes ago, Taro T said:

B. Thomas Golisano didn't make the huge donation to U of R Strong that changed the name of the pediatric center until 2002.  Pretty sure you're onto something when you point out a lot of those sort of donations don't happen too early in a billionaire's life. 

Yeah - I do think that's right. The Pegula empire is in growth mode, full speed ahead.

44 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

My point here is that we have no idea what kind of non-publicized charitable donations they make — and since we don’t know, it’s awfully PA-ish to assume that they aren’t doing so.  

Fair. In the absence of information, though, I'm left to infer that they don't do much -- beyond building sports shrines. 

[Eleven]

24 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I already told you: Those don't count.

 

Inquiries into the giving activities of the wealthy seem to inevitably result in this type of goalpost moving, which is exactly why the initial shot across the bow of the Pegula yacht (not by you) was not in good faith.

There are tons of kids who skate at HarborCenter, which I doubt is profitable.

There are tons of events at Kleinhans Music Hall, and I am certain that isn’t profitable.

Maybe someday someone will give a momentous speech at Pegula Arena or whatever it’s called at Penn State, like MLK once did at Kleinhans.  Maybe not.  Either way, I think it is doubtless that the wealthy contributing to cultural institutions—whether the culture be sport, music, visual arts, etc.—is noble. 

Sorry it’s not a hospital this time.

Edited August 10, 2022 by Eleven

[That Aud Smell]

51 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Inquiries into the giving activities of the wealthy seem to inevitably result in this type of goalpost moving

Good post. I want to be clear: I'm not moving any goal posts. Not unlike p0rnography, I'll know the dignified-golf-clap-approved form of major gift giving when I see it. Sports shrines aren't cutting it.

Jeff Gundlach has less than half the net worth that the Pegulas do and is about 10 years Terry's junior, and he's in for $60M+ to make our art museum awesome. 'Swhat I'm talkin' about.

[Eleven]

1 minute ago, That Aud Smell said:

Good post. I want to be clear: I'm not moving any goal posts. Not unlike p0rnography, I'll know the dignified-golf-clap-approved form of major gift giving when I see it. Sports shrines aren't cutting it.

Jeff Gundlach has less than half the net worth that the Pegulas do and is about 10 years Terry's junior, and he's in for $60M+ to make our art museum awesome. 'Swhat I'm talkin' about.

So art shrines, which save exactly as many lives as sports shrines, are more worthy?  Seriously, where are you going here?

[Marvin]

Just pointing out that the Pegulas put a lot of money into getting food to the families and friends of the victims of the hate crime / mass murder at Tops.

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

Fair. In the absence of information, though, I'm left to infer that they don't do much -- beyond building sports shrines. 

Well, I think you're only left to infer that inference if you're predisposed to infer that way.

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, Eleven said:

So art shrines, which save exactly as many lives as sports shrines, are more worthy?  Seriously, where are you going here?

Face it.  Ain't no donation gonna please everybody.

Not even to a hospital.  Why'd you donate to pediatrics when there's breast cancer research & treatment to support?  Why'd you donate to breast cancer when thoracic medicine can save so many more lives?  Why'd you donate to thoracic when ... ?

And IMHO a lot of the criticism they recieve is another example (like the Peace Bridge Twin Span) of people being upset with the good because they didn't get great.  Overall, are we in the greater WNY Region better off for them coming on the scene back in 2011?  Again, just MHO, but would say yes we are.  Could it be better?  Absolutely.  But from out here in the cheap seats it does seem to be getting better overall.  My 2 cents.  YMMV.

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

So art shrines, which save exactly as many lives as sports shrines, are more worthy?  Seriously, where are you going here?

Wtf with saving lives? I'm generally pointing at the arts and the culturals. It's not that complicated. Like I said: I'll know it when I see it.

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

Face it.  Ain't no donation gonna please everybody.

Not even to a hospital.  Why'd you donate to pediatrics when there's breast cancer research & treatment to support?  Why'd you donate to breast cancer when thoracic medicine can save so many more lives?  Why'd you donate to thoracic when ... ?

Not everybody, no. Not ever. But I'll be pleased when I see them move a buttload of money -- call it a Gundlachian sum! -- into something that's directed to helping some area nonprofit secure or create a lasting legacy for the region. I promise I won't be fussy.

Also, someone made the point upthread: Our sainted Ralph Wilson didn't do much of anything like this during his life. Then his estate and foundation started dropping loads of cash on a bunch of good causes.

[Brawndo]

8 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

Just pointing out that the Pegulas put a lot of money into getting food to the families and friends of the victims of the hate crime / mass murder at Tops.

A side note regarding these donations. 
 

Most if not all of the money donated came from the Bills and Sabres Foundations, both which receive a majority of their funding from fans and local business donations. 200,000 from the Bills, 100,000 from the Sabres and 200,000 from NFL Foundation. 

The largest donation of over one million dollars, came from PSE selling Choose Love T Shirts with the Bills, Sabres or Bandits Logo. 
 

The Pegulas Generosity appears to be centered around the use of Their Team Logos for fundraising purposes and release of raised funds from the foundations. 

 

 

[inkman]

>clicks on benign looking topic<
 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

A side note regarding these donations. 
 

Most if not all of the money donated came from the Bills and Sabres Foundations, both which receive a majority of their funding from fans and local business donations. 200,000 from the Bills, 100,000 from the Sabres and 200,000 from NFL Foundation. 

The largest donation of over one million dollars, came from PSE selling Choose Love T Shirts with the Bills, Sabres or Bandits Logo. 
 

The Pegulas Generosity appears to be centered around the use of Their Team Logos for fundraising purposes and release of raised funds from the foundations. 

 

 

Didn't sell T-shirts to help the local youth hockey team my kids had grown up through.  (We didn't benefit, but a lot of my friends kids do.)  Nor to buy the Ameks nor revive the Kin-ig-hit Hawks.

Pretty sure the donation to Penn State didn't come through a foundation either.

 

Of course they use fan good will/ generosity to make themselves look better.  So does Wegmans everytime someone purchases that $1 or $5 charitable donation at the register.  Pretty much every other corporation interacting closely w/ the public does the same.

There are very few Paul Newman's that actually don't make a penny off stuff like this.  Wish there were more like him, but is what it is.  (And, sadly, he ain't here no more.)

[Brawndo]

15 hours ago, Taro T said:

Didn't sell T-shirts to help the local youth hockey team my kids had grown up through.  (We didn't benefit, but a lot of my friends kids do.)  Nor to buy the Ameks nor revive the Kin-ig-hit Hawks.

Pretty sure the donation to Penn State didn't come through a foundation either.

 

Of course they use fan good will/ generosity to make themselves look better.  So does Wegmans everytime someone purchases that $1 or $5 charitable donation at the register.  Pretty much every other corporation interacting closely w/ the public does the same.

There are very few Paul Newman's that actually don't make a penny off stuff like this.  Wish there were more like him, but is what it is.  (And, sadly, he ain't here no more.)

Of course all corporations do this with their foundations and The Pegulas can choose to do whatever they want with Their Money.

The 88 Million for Penn State and the 12 Million for Houghton College lead to them having The Pegula Name on Two Buildings at Their Alma Maters. Something Billionaires and Millionaires seem to enjoy or more importantly Their Egos do.

 

The original point of My Post was to highlight while the Pegulas did donate 300k to the Tops Funds and 1.2 Million to WNY Covid Relief, it’s important to remember where a majority of that money originated from as both donations came from the Bills and Sabres Foundations.

[Buffalonill]

Tough break for Zach Wilson but thats why you dont play your starters.

 

[Eleven]

So I just ran into the family of Indy 6th round rookie DT Curtis Brooks.  Really nice people!  Since Allen isn’t playing, I’m gonna root for the kid to get a bunch of sacks and make the team.

[JujuFish]

3 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

Tough break for Zach Wilson but thats why you dont play your starters.

 

For a seasoned vet like your boy Rodgers, sure. But Wilson was a rookie last year, and can probably use all the game time action he can get.

[Marvin]

On 8/10/2022 at 11:32 PM, inkman said:

>clicks on benign looking topic<
 

I love that gif.