Letter From Arthur Blank

[Theyhateme : )]

You probably meant to quote the person I quoted, but the bottom line is that it makes sense for Blank to invest in the Falcons, regardless of the risks you mentioned earlier. He takes a bigger risk by not increasing the value of his investment while his competitors do just that. You cite your investment experience, so I'd be more interested to know what you think he should be investing in.

I quoted you because you bumped his quote. AB should invest in the fans and putting a better product on the field. Why a billion dollar stadium for a team that's 0-3 in the playoffs? The timing is not right. I'm happy that we get a new facility, but that facility will only mask the product on the field for a short time if the team is not successful in the post season.

[sandtrap]

0-3 in the playoffs...and a perfectly good GA Dome for starters.

You clearly do not understand what is at stake here.

0-3 actually has absolutely nothing to do with it. Well, it does but not the way you contend in your argument. 0-3 in the playoffs in the past 4 years is one of the reasons a push for a new, more profitable stadium is so important for Blank right now. As a fan since 76 can you tell me a 4-year span in which the team has been more marketable than these last few years? No way. That's why. Success, whether that includes post-season wins or not is success that can generate profit.

The "perfectly good dome" and the terrible lease the Falcons are held to is actually one of the main reasons Blank wants a new stadium. The lease agreement that Blank inherited from the Smith's (although an excellent one the time it was executed in 92) is a terrible one in terms of profit in today's NFL. As an example, the dome generated $61.9m last year. What was the Falcons share? $5m. That's roughly 8%. All the while, you (Arthur Blank and the Falcons) account for over 40% of the total attendance and use of the facilities. Does that seem like a fair share?

Citing a Forbes article on NFL team valuations....

The two teams that rose the most in value were the Minnesota Vikings (22%) and San Francisco 49ers (19%) as both teams secured financing for new stadiums.

There you have it. How in the world could you possibly think that as Arthur Blank this isn't the sure-fire next step to take?

-The team is playing better than ever before.

-The team regularly gets prime time games.

-The team has made the playoffs 3 out of the last 4 years and the division crown twice in the last 3 years.

-Best record in the NFC.

-First time since EVER to have back-to-back winning seasons and that just continues to add more -to-back-to-backs to the list.

Simply put, the team is a perennial winner. Why wouldn't you invest $600m (that's just the figure of private funding, Blank is not writing a $600m check from his personal account) into a business like the NFL that just continues to reign in the dough?

That leads to my next point, the way finance works, Blank will not be putting up the entire $600m. He will be getting a massive loan from the bank. As Blank why would you say no?

No, because the low to middle-class fan will not be able to afford PSL's (I agree 100% with this, but we are arguing Blank's position.)

Oh wait....the luxury suites account for the majority of my ticket sale profits anyways...

No, because the dome will be so quiet and the fans who buy more expensive tickets or PSLs will not be loud.

Do you REALLY think Blank is worried that fans who buy more expensive tickets or PSLs even will no be loud enough? On top of that, outside of stereotyping, absolutely nothing supports the notion that the stadium will be quieter because fans are spending more money.

No, because we can do better things with the hotel/motel tax money.

Do you think Blank honestly cares about what that money could be used for except how it can help him generate more revenue?

You are entitled to your own opinion. However, to say that it's a bad investment for Blank is just completely ignorant. If you were Blank you would push for the move and a more lucrative means of generating revenue from the stadium.

If your argument is that it sucks as a fan, I don't disagree with you but your argument was that it is a bad investment. That is an argument sir that you simple cannot support.

Sorry to go off on a rant but some people just don't understand business. They want to ramble on about money from here and there and are even saying $1b will be paid by the state of Georgia. That is simply not the case.

Edited December 10, 2012 by sandtrap

[4dabirds]

If the Falcons play the way that they have, meaning no success in the playoffs, in a new billion dollar stadium, that would be just awful.

So are you saying that the Falcons will never be any better than what they are now, and because of this there is no reason to add net worth to the team? The product on the field is not guaranteed to win all the time, and even more so has nothing to do with what this is all about. The Cowboys haven't done anything in the playoffs in years, yet they built a new stadium and the team is now worth over a billion dollars. They might not be the most perfect team, but many marquee players would gladly sign on to play for that team, because they are what a large market team looks like. Yes, there is history in Dallas, and that is just the kind of history Blank wants for his organization and the money that comes along with it.

Edited December 10, 2012 by 4dabirds

[MilleniumFalcon]

I quoted you because you bumped his quote. AB should invest in the fans and putting a better product on the field. Why a billion dollar stadium for a team that's 0-3 in the playoffs? The timing is not right. I'm happy that we get a new facility, but that facility will only mask the product on the field for a short time if the team is not successful in the post season.

He already did a lot for the fan game day experience at the Georgia Dome, having a new stadium will only increase the fan experience. As for putting a better product on the field, there's the salary cap and TD is doing his best to field the best team possible under those constraints.

[Theyhateme : )]

You clearly do not understand what is at stake here.

0-3 actually has absolutely nothing to do with it. Well, it does but not the way you contend in your argument. 0-3 in the playoffs in the past 4 years is one of the reasons a push for a new, more profitable stadium is so important for Blank right now. As a fan since 76 can you tell me a 4-year span in which the team has been more marketable than these last few years? No way. That's why. Success, whether that includes post-season wins or not is success that can generate profit.

The "perfectly good dome" and the terrible lease the Falcons are held to is actually one of the main reasons Blank wants a new stadium. The lease agreement that Blank inherited from the Smith's (although an excellent one the time it was executed in 92) is a terrible one in terms of profit in today's NFL. As an example, the dome generated $61.9m last year. What was the Falcons share? $5m. That's roughly 8%. All the while, you (Arthur Blank and the Falcons) account for over 40% of the total attendance and use of the facilities. Does that seem like a fair share?

Citing a Forbes article on NFL team valuations....

There you have it. How in the world could you possibly think that as Arthur Blank this isn't the sure-fire next step to take?

-The team is playing better than ever before.

-The team regularly gets prime time games.

-The team has made the playoffs 3 out of the last 4 years and the division crown twice in the last 3 years.

-Best record in the NFC.

-First time since EVER to have back-to-back winning seasons and that just continues to add more -to-back-to-backs to the list.

Simply put, the team is a perennial winner. Why wouldn't you invest $600m (that's just the figure of private funding, Blank is not writing a $600m check from his personal account) into a business like the NFL that just continues to reign in the dough?

That leads to my next point, the way finance works, Blank will not be putting up the entire $600m. He will be getting a massive loan from the bank. As Blank why would you say no?

No, because the low to middle-class fan will not be able to afford PSL's (I agree 100% with this, but we are arguing Blank's position.)

Oh wait....the luxury suites account for the majority of my ticket sale profits anyways...

No, because the dome will be so quiet and the fans who buy more expensive tickets or PSLs will not be loud.

Do you REALLY think Blank is worried that fans who buy more expensive tickets or PSLs even will no be loud enough? On top of that, outside of stereotyping, absolutely nothing supports the notion that the stadium will be quieter because fans are spending more money.

No, because we can do better things with the hotel/motel tax money.

Do you think Blank honestly cares about what that money could be used for except how it can help him generate more revenue?

You are entitled to your own opinion. However, to say that it's a bad investment for Blank is just completely ignorant. If you were Blank you would push for the move and a more lucrative means of generating revenue from the stadium.

If your argument is that it sucks as a fan, I don't disagree with you but your argument was that it is a bad investment. That is an argument sir that you simple cannot support.

Sorry to go off on a rant but some people just don't understand business. They want to ramble on about money from here and there and are even saying $1b will be paid by the state of Georgia. That is simply not the case.

Do you have a shorter version? Because it's not that serious. Would you go out and invest a bunch of money in electronics that have a reputation of failing or shorting out when you need it most? Probably not. You'd probably address fixing the problem instead of repacking and rebranding your product. I'd rather had playoff success than regular season wins and one and done.

[Capitalist]

. The man is in it to win not only the SB, but make this team worth far more than what he paid for it.

Smartest statement yet noted on this thread... It is an investment...

I too hate PSL's... But despite my anger, I would remain...

[Theyhateme : )]

He already did a lot for the fan game day experience at the Georgia Dome, having a new stadium will only increase the fan experience. As for putting a better product on the field, there's the salary cap and TD is doing his best to field the best team possible under those constraints.

Managing the salary cap IS part of putting a better product on the field. Being able to evaluate talent and not overpaying for injuried FA is what I'd like to see the F.O. do. We need to find more suitable players like McClain.

[Mega Flare]

You clearly do not understand what is at stake here.

0-3 actually has absolutely nothing to do with it. Well, it does but not the way you contend in your argument. 0-3 in the playoffs in the past 4 years is one of the reasons a push for a new, more profitable stadium is so important for Blank right now. As a fan since 76 can you tell me a 4-year span in which the team has been more marketable than these last few years? No way. That's why. Success, whether that includes post-season wins or not is success that can generate profit.

The "perfectly good dome" and the terrible lease the Falcons are held to is actually one of the main reasons Blank wants a new stadium. The lease agreement that Blank inherited from the Smith's (although an excellent one the time it was executed in 92) is a terrible one in terms of profit in today's NFL. As an example, the dome generated $61.9m last year. What was the Falcons share? $5m. That's roughly 8%. All the while, you (Arthur Blank and the Falcons) account for over 40% of the total attendance and use of the facilities. Does that seem like a fair share?

Citing a Forbes article on NFL team valuations....

There you have it. How in the world could you possibly think that as Arthur Blank this isn't the sure-fire next step to take?

-The team is playing better than ever before.

-The team regularly gets prime time games.

-The team has made the playoffs 3 out of the last 4 years and the division crown twice in the last 3 years.

-Best record in the NFC.

-First time since EVER to have back-to-back winning seasons and that just continues to add more -to-back-to-backs to the list.

Simply put, the team is a perennial winner. Why wouldn't you invest $600m (that's just the figure of private funding, Blank is not writing a $600m check from his personal account) into a business like the NFL that just continues to reign in the dough?

That leads to my next point, the way finance works, Blank will not be putting up the entire $600m. He will be getting a massive loan from the bank. As Blank why would you say no?

No, because the low to middle-class fan will not be able to afford PSL's (I agree 100% with this, but we are arguing Blank's position.)

Oh wait....the luxury suites account for the majority of my ticket sale profits anyways...

No, because the dome will be so quiet and the fans who buy more expensive tickets or PSLs will not be loud.

Do you REALLY think Blank is worried that fans who buy more expensive tickets or PSLs even will no be loud enough? On top of that, outside of stereotyping, absolutely nothing supports the notion that the stadium will be quieter because fans are spending more money.

No, because we can do better things with the hotel/motel tax money.

Do you think Blank honestly cares about what that money could be used for except how it can help him generate more revenue?

You are entitled to your own opinion. However, to say that it's a bad investment for Blank is just completely ignorant. If you were Blank you would push for the move and a more lucrative means of generating revenue from the stadium.

If your argument is that it sucks as a fan, I don't disagree with you but your argument was that it is a bad investment. That is an argument sir that you simple cannot support.

Sorry to go off on a rant but some people just don't understand business. They want to ramble on about money from here and there and are even saying $1b will be paid by the state of Georgia. That is simply not the case.

Looks like someone beat me to it. BUMP

In response to theyhateme: this is a business issue, point blank. 0-3 doesn't mean a thing in the grand scheme of things, and the timing couldn't be better because the Dome lease expires in 2017, which is exactly when the new stadium is scheduled to open. Blank isn't going to forgo MILLIONS of dollars in a better stadium revenues deal because the team is 0-3 in the playoffs

Edited December 10, 2012 by Mega Flare

[Jaymadd]

I quoted you because you bumped his quote. AB should invest in the fans and putting a better product on the field. Why a billion dollar stadium for a team that's 0-3 in the playoffs? The timing is not right. I'm happy that we get a new facility, but that facility will only mask the product on the field for a short time if the team is not successful in the post season.

U know that one has nothing to do with the other. Blank will still have the resources to improve the team. The bigger obstacle to improving the team is the salary cap not the new stadium. If we didn't have a salary cap the. I could understand your point a little but this is not baseball do teams have to operate within the cap.

[crucifixz]

There are many things that this state/city could spend 1 billion dollars on.

not very good at reading and comprehension are you?

[LifetimeFalconFan]

I like the thought of having a new stadium....just hope I can afford to keep my ST.

[Theyhateme : )]

I'll make sure to periodically review this thread. McKay said himself that nothings wrong with the dome.

[sandtrap]

Do you have a shorter version? Because it's not that serious. Would you go out and invest a bunch of money in electronics that have a reputation of failing or shorting out when you need it most? Probably not. You'd probably address fixing the problem instead of repacking and rebranding your product. I'd rather had playoff success than regular season wins and one and done.

Thank God you weren't managing my 401k. My response before should have literally take you 1 minute to read through and was not that long. It is scaring me people are trusting you with their 401k or that your bosses trust you to manage 401ks.

Anyways, your scenario is like apples to oranges. If you want to make it relevant for this conversation let's say the following...

Your electronics company was horse sh!t for the longest time. Your best product, a new gadgety cell phone that is a breakthrough for you and your company is found to have been a fraud because your partner who came to you with the idea and plans stole it from someone else (ala ron mexico fiasco - also that was major run-on sentence, but you get the idea, and now I've gone and made a run on sentence even longer with this ridiculously long explanation that the sentence was a run on). Your stock is garbage, and all of your other products and don't sell and your revenue plummets.

Then the following year you come up with a new line up of products as a last ditch effort to rebrand your tarnished company (Thomas, Smitty and Ryan). Immediately sales go through the roof and you're all over the front page of electronics magazines, celebrities are endorsing your product without pay and you're on cloud nine. Reviews come out and your new lineup of products, although single-handedly responsible for your renewed success and rise from the dead, can not beat out a single apple or android device for product of the year. Your cell phone loses to the Samsung S3. Your tablet loses to the iPad. Your earphones lose to Beats. blah blah blah. Your products are good, but maybe not the best in their respective fields. They don't break, like you tried to use as an example, but they just aren't the best.

Your sales are through the roof, you're making a ton of money but your products just aren't the best ones out there. Now you realize that you could be making a lot of more money. Do you want produce the best products in all those categories and win the best product of the year award? You're da#n skippy you do. So you have a management team of engineers and product specialist who work tirelessly to do so (ala Thomas, Rich and even Smitty). You can only control what you can control and in this situation you can't make the product yourself. You finance the venture and hope the right people in the right positions can do their job and make it work with the generous capital you give them.

Back to realizing that you can make a lot more money. Let's say the factories that you work in are outdated and don't produce as many products as you could. Let's say you have some stupid licensing agreement with the landlord of those facilities that entitled them to a large share of the money you make from the products you sell. Heck, let's say you're sick and tired of paying rent and want to invest in your own factories so that you can maximize your return and even have the possibility of renting out your factory to other non-competing companies to make their products and pay you handsomely to do so (ala bowl games, concerts, events). Let's say the international board of random electronics companies of the world (completely fabricated to make all of this as unnecessarily ridiculous as possible, just like your argument) want to reward you for the spectacular new factory and host an annual event there, pay you to do it, and also bring with it a ton of media and other revenue from concessions, parking and more that you will in NO WAY get if you stick to the outdated factory you are in now.

What would you do Mr. electronics company owner? Would you say, well my products are not as good as the apple and samsung so until I can beat them for product of the year, I'm just going to limit my revenue and stay in these outdated facilities. Or would you realize that you have absolutely no control over who votes for your product and realize that you have football (I mean electronics) people to handle football (I mean electronics) matters and all you can do is worry about things you can control, like no-brainer decisions that immediately increase your revenue and valuation?

*Maybe that was too much for you to read. If that's the case, let the grown men have grown men discussions like the value of an investment for a football club and you stick to the small brain talk like "think we can get a 1st rounder for Ryan?" This was in no way a personal attack at you (except the parts about you managing 401ks, but you set that up yourself by mentioning that) and this is just a response to the ridiculous crap you've spewed all over this thread. I hope this response was a ridiculous enough example for you.

[Theyhateme : )]

Thank God you weren't managing my 401k. My response before should have literally take you 1 minute to read through and was not that long. It is scaring me people are trusting you with their 401k or that your bosses trust you to manage 401ks.

Anyways, your scenario is like apples to oranges. If you want to make it relevant for this conversation let's say the following...

Your electronics company was horse sh!t for the longest time. Your best product, a new gadgety cell phone that is a breakthrough for you and your company is found to have been a fraud because your partner who came to you with the idea and plans stole it from someone else (ala ron mexico fiasco - also that was major run-on sentence, but you get the idea, and now I've gone and made a run on sentence even longer with this ridiculously long explanation that the sentence was a run on). Your stock is garbage, and all of your other products and don't sell and your revenue plummets.

Then the following year you come up with a new line up of products as a last ditch effort to rebrand your tarnished company (Thomas, Smitty and Ryan). Immediately sales go through the roof and you're all over the front page of electronics magazines, celebrities are endorsing your product without pay and you're on cloud nine. Reviews come out and your new lineup of products, although single-handedly responsible for your renewed success and rise from the dead, can not beat out a single apple or android device for product of the year. Your cell phone loses to the Samsung S3. Your tablet loses to the iPad. Your earphones lose to Beats. blah blah blah. Your products are good, but maybe not the best in their respective fields. They don't break, like you tried to use as an example, but they just aren't the best.

Your sales are through the roof, you're making a ton of money but your products just aren't the best ones out there. Now you realize that you could be making a lot of more money. Do you want produce the best products in all those categories and win the best product of the year award? You're da#n skippy you do. So you have a management team of engineers and product specialist who work tirelessly to do so (ala Thomas, Rich and even Smitty). You can only control what you can control and in this situation you can't make the product yourself. You finance the venture and hope the right people in the right positions can do their job and make it work with the generous capital you give them.

Back to realizing that you can make a lot more money. Let's say the factories that you work in are outdated and don't produce as many products as you could. Let's say you have some stupid licensing agreement with the landlord of those facilities that entitled them to a large share of the money you make from the products you sell. Heck, let's say you're sick and tired of paying rent and want to invest in your own factories so that you can maximize your return and even have the possibility of renting out your factory to other non-competing companies to make their products and pay you handsomely to do so (ala bowl games, concerts, events). Let's say the international board of random electronics companies of the world (completely fabricated to make all of this as unnecessarily ridiculous as possible, just like your argument) want to reward you for the spectacular new factory and host an annual event there, pay you to do it, and also bring with it a ton of media and other revenue from concessions, parking and more that you will in NO WAY get if you stick to the outdated factory you are in now.

What would you do Mr. electronics company owner? Would you say, well my products are not as good as the apple and samsung so until I can beat them for product of the year, I'm just going to limit my revenue and stay in these outdated facilities. Or would you realize that you have absolutely no control over who votes for your product and realize that you have football (I mean electronics) people to handle football (I mean electronics) matters and all you can do is worry about things you can control, like no-brainer decisions that immediately increase your revenue and valuation?

*Maybe that was too much for you to read. If that's the case, let the grown men have grown men discussions like the value of an investment for a football club and you stick to the small brain talk like "think we can get a 1st rounder for Ryan?" This was in no way a personal attack at you (except the parts about you managing 401ks, but you set that up yourself by mentioning that) and this is just a response to the ridiculous crap you've spewed all over this thread. I hope this response was a ridiculous enough example for you.

In all of this, how will the new stadium benefit you or anyone that pays taxes in the state of Georgia? The stadium adds value to the team as a whole but thats about it. I'd be embarassed to says that I have a billion dollar stadium and a team that hasn't a clue as to how to win a playoff game.

[Jaymadd]

In all of this, how will the new stadium benefit you or anyone that pays taxes in the state of Georgia? The stadium adds value to the team as a whole but thats about it. I'd be embarassed to says that I have a billion dollar stadium and a team that hasn't a clue as to how to win a playoff game.

Yo man you are missing the key point. Blank wants a stadium where he gets majority of he revenue generated as opposed to the current deal he has. The falcons aren't in as bad a place as you think they are. Blank knows that he will have to keep the team competitive to keep the seats filled in the new stadium. Blank will have even more of a vested interest to keep butts in those seats with a new stadium because as opposed to get 10% when u generate 40%, he will get 70% and generating around the same percent. It really is a simple business decision and a no brainer for blank and probably even more of an incentive to keep these team competing at a top level.

[Theyhateme : )]

Yo man you are missing the key point. Blank wants a stadium where he gets majority of he revenue generated as opposed to the current deal he has. The falcons aren't in as bad a place as you think they are. Blank knows that he will have to keep the team competitive to keep the seats filled in the new stadium. Blank will have even more of a vested interest to keep butts in those seats with a new stadium because as opposed to get 10% when u generate 40%, he will get 70% and generating around the same percent. It really is a simple business decision and a no brainer for blank and probably even more of an incentive to keep these team competing at a top level.

Okay bro.

[sandtrap]

Yo man you are missing the key point. Blank wants a stadium where he gets majority of he revenue generated as opposed to the current deal he has. The falcons aren't in as bad a place as you think they are. Blank knows that he will have to keep the team competitive to keep the seats filled in the new stadium. Blank will have even more of a vested interest to keep butts in those seats with a new stadium because as opposed to get 10% when u generate 40%, he will get 70% and generating around the same percent. It really is a simple business decision and a no brainer for blank and probably even more of an incentive to keep these team competing at a top level.

Thank you.

[sandtrap]

In all of this, how will the new stadium benefit you or anyone that pays taxes in the state of Georgia? The stadium adds value to the team as a whole but thats about it. I'd be embarassed to says that I have a billion dollar stadium and a team that hasn't a clue as to how to win a playoff game.

Ohhhhhhh! I get it! You want Blank to invest $600m for YOUR benefit. Here I was thinking Blank purchased the team to make a profit. Silly me.

Before you go on and talk about the hotel/motel tax and where else that money can go, be aware that the ga dome and the Falcons pulled in a lot of tax revenue, steady PIRATED VIDEO IS ILLEGAL that a new stadium can continue to build upon.

[Theyhateme : )]

Ohhhhhhh! I get it! You want Blank to invest $600m for YOUR benefit. Here I was thinking Blank purchased the team to make a profit. Silly me.

Before you go on and talk about the hotel/motel tax and where else that money can go, be aware that the ga dome and the Falcons pulled in a lot of tax revenue, steady PIRATED VIDEO IS ILLEGAL that a new stadium can continue to build upon.

Dude, let it go. You seem to be fairly intelligent. But you can't seem to accept that the product is directly related to revenue. So hopefully, in 2017, the product would've justified the new stadium.

[Jaymadd]

Dude, let it go. You seem to be fairly intelligent. But you can't seem to accept that the product is directly related to revenue. So hopefully, in 2017, the product would've justified the new stadium.

U still on this whole team thing. Smh lol. Dude even if this team was sorry blank would still like a new deal cause he is not making much money from the dome no matter how good the falcons get, he is getting pennies compared to what other owners are getting. Now is the best time to get a deal because the falcons are paying well. Lets say you own a party promoting business but u don't own your own venue. U host a party every week at one particular club and the place is packed but you only get 25% of the revenue generated between the door and the food and drinks. You realize that if you opened your own club u could not only host your own parties there you could also hold other events there to and you would get majority of the revenue generated from your own events and the other events held a your facility. You would probably build your own facility and make sure that that place is jumping as much as possible because u making majority of the money made from the events/parties held at the club

[sandtrap]

Double post

Edited December 11, 2012 by sandtrap

[Theyhateme : )]

U still on this whole team thing. Smh lol. Dude even if this team was sorry blank would still like a new deal cause he is not making much money from the dome no matter how good the falcons get, he is getting pennies compared to what other owners are getting. Now is the best time to get a deal because the falcons are paying well. Lets say you own a party promoting business but u don't own your own venue. U host a party every week at one particular club and the place is packed but you only get 25% of the revenue generated between the door and the food and drinks. You realize that if you opened your own club u could not only host your own parties there you could also hold other events there to and you would get majority of the revenue generated from your own events and the other events held a your facility. You would probably build your own facility and make sure that that place is jumping as much as possible because u making majority of the money made from the events/parties held at the club

Thats fine, but if my events aren't worth a darn...I wouldn't have an event to host. So, I'd turn my focus elsewhere and attract someone else to host an even in my facility. I get it. So the Falcons continue to suck in the billion dollar facility, but we host a Superbowl or two. I get it.

[Jaymadd]

Thats fine, but if my events aren't worth a darn...I wouldn't have an event to host. So, I'd turn my focus elsewhere and attract someone else to host an even in my facility. I get it. So the Falcons continue to suck in the billion dollar facility, but we host a Superbowl or two. I get it.

I get it u still mad about the panthers loss. The falcons are a good product despite what a few angry fans may think. Do u want to go back to the days were we had to worry about blackouts my friend. This is the best time for Blank to make this move.

[Theyhateme : )]

I get it u still mad about the panthers loss. The falcons are a good product despite what a few angry fans may think. Do u want to go back to the days were we had to worry about blackouts my friend. This is the best time for Blank to make this move.

I'm way pass the Pathers loss and lord knows I can't take the blackouts, but can't you see the writing on the wall? This team is NOT as good as the talent that's on the field...AGAIN and what's sad is that fact that it WILL affect getting bodies in the seats. In 2017, Ryan will be in his 10th season. How many years past that do you think he'll play at this rate, which is questionalbe at times? The losses aren't even close. The regular season wins are occassionally convincing and dominant. I'm hoping for the best and it will be very interesting to see what will happen come January.

[Jaymadd]

I'm way pass the Pathers loss and lord knows I can't take the blackouts, but can't you see the writing on the wall? This team is NOT as good as the talent that's on the field...AGAIN and what's sad is that fact that it WILL affect getting bodies in the seats. In 2017, Ryan will be in his 10th season. How many years past that do you think he'll play at this rate, which is questionalbe at times? The losses aren't even close. The regular season wins are occassionally convincing and dominant. I'm hoping for the best and it will be very interesting to see what will happen come January.

The good thing is the we have a owner that wants to win and will even more motivated to put the best product on the field because he has a greater chance to get more revenue from his investment.