Maybe the Raider Nation should try this as well??
Ok folks I read a great story, and thought maybe we should all get together and try it. Probably wouldn't do much good from a changing things standpoint, but it might make us feel somewhat better to vent some frustrations. Here is the story:
Bills fans rent billboard to advertise discontent
By JOHN WAWROW, AP Sports Writer Oct 14, 8:07 pm EDT
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP)—It didn’t take long for Ryan Abshagen to discover how many Buffalo Bills fans are unhappy with their team and want owner Ralph Wilson to make sweeping changes.
In a little more than a week, Abshagen, an unemployed 18-year-old from New Freedom, Pa., raised enough money—$1,402 and counting as of Wednesday— through an Internet campaign to rent a billboard and advertise a message of discontent for everyone in Buffalo to see.
“I honestly never thought it would ever be this big,” Abshagen said. “Fans are disgruntled. It’s out there. It’s big. People are going to hear about it.”
Starting early Monday and running for a week, the message will be flashed up to 3,000 times a day on a digital billboard overlooking Interstate 190 on the south side of the city, said Abshagen after signing a contract with an advertising company.
The display will feature a message that reads, “It’s time to clean house, RALPH,” referring to Wilson. Next to that will be a checklist of three names: Jauron; the team’s chief college scout Tom Modrak; and vice president of pro personnel John Guy.
The level of fan frustration in Buffalo has been evident since the Bills missed the playoffs for a ninth straight season with their third consecutive 7-9 finish a year ago. It’s reached a boiling point again with Buffalo at 1-4 and coming off an ugly 6-3 loss to Cleveland on Sunday.
Bills fans showed their displeasure by booing the team numerous times during a game in which the team’s offense failed to score a touchdown for the second time in three weeks. Some fans were spotted wearing paper bags on their heads, while one group stood up to display matching white T-shirts with letters on them that spelled: “FIRE DICK NOW!”
Jauron, in his fourth season, is on the hot seat for the team’s dreadful start. Modrak and Guy are being blamed for failing to build a competitive roster.
The Bills declined comment when asked about the billboard.
Jauron has declined to discuss his status, but has previously acknowledged the criticism.
Bills punter Brian Moorman(notes) rallied to Jauron’s support when informed of the billboard.
“It doesn’t discourage me because I know there’s a lot more people out there that wouldn’t do something like that. But it is a free country,” Moorman said. “The important thing is that inside these walls, (Jauron) has our support. We believe in him.”
Abshagen said he first proposed the billboard idea on a Bills fan message board following the team’s 38-10 loss at Miami on Oct. 4.
A few days later, he designed a web site and began seeking donations. Abshagen said the site attracted little attention until several media outlets mentioned the campaign in stories, particularly after the loss to the Browns.
“That was the one that tilted the scales,” he said. “That was embarrassing.”
The response was so overwhelming that Abshagen said he raised the necessary $1,125 to rent the billboard for a week by Tuesday night. He’s now begun a second campaign to raise another $1,125 to extend the rental for one more week or rent a second billboard.
Any leftover money, he said, will be donated to charity.
“We don’t hate anybody,” Abshagen said, when asked about how the message might be interpreted. “The donors and myself included, we don’t mean any harm or wish to insult anyone. We simply just want to get our voice out as fans.”
And he doesn’t think it’ll make any difference among fans should the Bills win on Sunday when they travel to play the New York Jets.
“I think the fans are fed up enough that it won’t even have an effect,” Abshagen said. “We are in too deep at this point.”
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EVEN BETTER !!
Read Monte Pooles column on unhappy Warriors and Raider fans today. A guy named tahoeruss came up with the perfect solution. EVERYONE goes to the tailgate and parties their a ss es off in full view of the blimp and local news choppers. They let their feelings be known to all and any. The game starts the party remains outside with people boycotting the game in lieu of the party (sure to be a better time anyway). When the party ends a parade of horn honking screaming fans exit the parking lot. It would be awesome if the noise OUTSIDE the stadium was louder than inside. Or if the outside crew could start a chant that the inside crew would pick up on. What a message huh? If you like it pass it on in other blogs!!!!
Just read it, a great article and a great follow up idea.
by BleedssilverandBlack on Oct 15, 2009 2:26 PM PDT up reply actions
OMG
right when i started reading this post i literrally had the same exact idea =O
Been there done that
We have done this before. It was done on a MNF to protest the Raiders moving. All I can say is if people want to boycott and not use their tickets give them to a soldier or kid who would love to see an actual Raider game because they are fans good or bad.
What does that matter? That's not a boycott
A boycott would be to NOT purchase a ticket AT ALL.
They don’t care if anyone shows up once they the money for the tickets.
Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!
True but...
In this Wyoraider had said:
“The game starts the party remains outside with people boycotting the game in lieu of the party (sure to be a better time anyway). When the party ends a parade of horn honking screaming fans exit the parking lot. It would be awesome if the noise OUTSIDE the stadium was louder than inside.”
It seems as though the party still happens outside, not inside so no tickets purchased and tailgating ensues!!
I really don’t know if it matters how the message gets delivered, as long as it does…somehow.
by BleedssilverandBlack on Oct 15, 2009 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree Mike…..But some people feel if they bought a ticket and don’t show up it’s going to make a point. I have season tickets and my butt will be inmy seats like it was last “Boycott”
I am saying if you have tickets and want to boycott give them to a fan who would love a chance to be there!!
Yup I understand your point
but I never understood why people think it matters if you have the ticket and don’t show up.
Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!
Who Knows
I never understood it either. But I never understood walking around the stands dressed in a Halloween costume and posing for pictures. There are some people who dress up and watch and cheer , but many just walk around.
well yeah walking around is kinda lame
if you’re not gonna watch the game. But I always thought it was cool that our fans had so much spirit.
Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!
Been There Done That
Raider fans, Boycott all you want. Davis will not care. Older Raider Fans will remember when there was a boycott on MNF because Al was going to move team. The seats looked somewhat empty yet everyone was crowding the walk ways watching the kick off.
Al is old ! He has made decisions that appear bad. On paper they were decisions that should have bettered the team.
He is not throwing the ball! He is not missing tackles!! He is not dropping passes!!
This team needs to play team football! Look how they played against San Diego. They can do it.
This is what this season feels like to me:
Week 1: Waking up with a girl who just might rock your world! A little rough around edges but a promising future looked possible.
Week 5 : Waking up with Warren Sapp in drag!!!!
He is not throwing the ball! He is not missing tackles!! He is not dropping passes!!
But he is the guy signing and paying them.
This team needs to play team football! Look how they played against San Diego. They can do it.
Well w/ a coach that’s maybe going to jail, a QB that has too much feeling of entitlement, and just a plain mess everywhere…..it would seem they’re starting to lose their ambition.
Win, Lose, or Tie, Raiders til I die!
Lets buy the team!
What if we did what those guys are doing just instead of stopping at some kind of advertisement….we buy the team?!!! Did you guys know that Forbes ranked us last in total over wealth at something like 80 million! Right now around the world,across the U.S.,theres 81 million pissed off Raider fans.Add in things like season ticket holders.If they paid even a percetage of what their paying now it would cover the haters $1 dollar donation. Set it up as a NON-PROFIT organization! BAM! Now we can get Govt. funding! BAM! Get a little more dough from our Famous fans,i.e. Ice Cube.Hell,sell him the team. And just our luck,theres this Majestic construction guy who just got approved, pretty much ,to build a new stadium in L.A. …..Hmmm
Los Angeles
And just our luck,theres this Majestic construction guy who just got approved, pretty much ,to build a new stadium in L.A. …..Hmmm
Moving the team to Los Angeles isn’t the answer.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Oct 15, 2009 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Hmmm
Does James Garner still show up at the games? Maybe him, Ice Cube and some other celebrities could put together a consortium. Tiger Woods is a Raiders fan too.
Don't forget about
Tom Hanks.
"We're Rock Stars... We're Lakers."
-- Lamar Odom
"We had the skull-and-crossbones on our helmets, the black jerseys, and the whole bit... and we lived it."
-- George "The HitMan" Atkinson
"WE STOMPED YOU OUT!"
-- Michael Strahan
by 5_Giant_Raider_Clipper_Laker_13 on Oct 17, 2009 6:29 PM PDT up reply actions
You're gonna need more fans
The cost to buy the Raiders would be closer to $750-$800 million and that’s only if Al was selling which I don’t think he is.
Now if you can get the other $749,000,000 I’ll be happy to chip in the last thousand if you’ll keep the team in Oakland.
hahahaha
i would say have one of those changing pictures like in haunted houses
and have his picture when you look from one angle
and when you change angles it changes to the krypt keeper
(not callin him that, just goin with other peoples jokes…

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