High stakes and bright lights in Orchard Park on Sunday night as the Baltimore Ravens travel back to where last season ended at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Of course, it’s about more than Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, and John Wawrow of The Associated Press in Buffalo returns to get Nestor ready for some football and a fresh season.
Nestor Aparicio and John Wawrow discuss the upcoming NFL season opener between the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens. Wawrow highlights the Bills’ recent success, noting their MVP Josh Allen and the team’s improved defense. Aparicio reflects on the Ravens’ history, including their recent Super Bowl wins and the current roster’s health. Both agree on the importance of the game, with Wawrow emphasizing the Bills’ potential and Aparicio focusing on the Ravens’ tough schedule. They also touch on the new Bills stadium, its impact on the franchise, and their shared interest in rock music.
Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens Season Opener
- Nestor Aparicio introduces the show and mentions the Maryland crab cake tour starting on the 16th.
- Nestor discusses the excitement around the Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens, comparing the team’s current standings.
- John Wawrow from the Associated Press in Buffalo joins the show to discuss the upcoming Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens game.
- John expresses excitement about the game but notes that it might be better to have it later in the season to get a better sense of the teams’ progress.
Historical Context and Team Dynamics
- Nestor reflects on the history of the Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens, mentioning past disappointments and parades.
- John Wawrow talks about the Bills’ recent success and their position in the AFC pecking order, noting their losses to the Chiefs and Ravens in recent playoffs.
- Nestor and John discuss the importance of winning a Super Bowl for the current generation of fans in Buffalo and Baltimore.
- John mentions the Bills’ recent acquisitions and the stability they have found, comparing it to the Ravens’ success over the years.
Player Health and Team Strength
- Nestor and John discuss the importance of player health, particularly for quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.
- John highlights the Bills’ offseason acquisitions and the stability they have built around their young core.
- Nestor mentions the Ravens’ strong roster and the importance of keeping key players healthy throughout the season.
- John notes the Bills’ easier division schedule compared to the Ravens, who face tougher divisional matchups.
Offensive and Defensive Strategies
- Nestor and John discuss the offensive strategies of both teams, with a focus on Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
- John praises Josh Allen’s efficiency and smart play last season, which led to his MVP win.
- Nestor expresses concerns about the physical toll running quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson face.
- John mentions the Bills’ defensive challenges, including the suspensions of key players and the need to figure out the secondary.
Game Expectations and Outlook
- Nestor and John discuss their expectations for the upcoming game, noting the importance of the matchup for both teams.
- John emphasizes the need to focus on the defense and how the new pieces will fit into the Bills’ strategy.
- Nestor mentions the potential for sloppy play in the early season, with officiating and player assignments being key factors.
- John believes that both teams will likely meet again in the playoffs, highlighting the importance of the game for their overall season.
Stadium and Franchise Future
- Nestor and John discuss the new stadium in Buffalo and its impact on the Bills’ long-term future.
- John explains the financial aspects of the stadium project, including the Pegulas’ investment and public funding.
- Nestor reflects on the potential for relocation and the importance of securing the team’s future in Buffalo.
- John highlights the renaissance of the Bills franchise and the positive impact on the NFL.
Personal Reflections and Rock and Roll
- Nestor and John share their personal reflections on the game and the importance of the matchup for both teams.
- John mentions his interest in new music and upcoming concerts, including the Colts’ shows.
- Nestor talks about his experiences with Canadian rock bands and his excitement for the upcoming season.
- John and Nestor conclude the conversation with a light-hearted discussion about their favorite rock bands and concerts.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, NFL season opener, football stadium, salary cap, defense, offense, MVP, preseason, injury concerns, AFC Championship, stadium construction, fan expectations.
SPEAKERS
John Wawrow, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
Welcome home. We are W, N, S T. Am 1570 task of Baltimore. We are Baltimore. Positive. Exhale, everybody. We’ve gone from last place baseball to undefeated football, at least for the time being. We’re gonna be doing the Maryland crab cake tour beginning on the 16th of this month over at the Beaumont, we skipped them last month as part of the part of the tastiness tour that we did for our 27th anniversary. Still go over, get the fried lobster. My wife still thinks I’m wrong. She thinks the lamb chops are better. And I’ll have that debate. I think I’m gonna have that with several people, including Pat Young. On the 16th over in Catonsville. Come on out. Get a free lottery ticket and get a great lunch. I don’t know if the ravens are going to be well, that point, one, one, only. Two, two, and, oh, I don’t know. This guy is up in Buffalo. Always love having him on not just his great press pass collection behind him, which you’re inspiring me, John, you’re giving me ideas here about what to do with all my press passes. So when Chad Steele checks in, he can see the pelts on the wall. John warrow is here. He is with the Associated Press that never makes any assumptions, only facts and both sides in Buffalo. And you’ve been doing this a long, long time. It’s pretty big football game on Sunday night, John, huh,
John Wawrow 01:13
and it’s a great way to kick things off for the season. You kind of wish that it would be like maybe week five or six, where, you know, you get a sense of where both teams are, but it’s an intriguing opening match, as they would put it on a Sunday night. So I’m curious to see where both teams are, but I don’t know if there’s, if there should be an overreaction after whatever the result is, because both teams, I would guess, are going to be much better come the end of the season, especially the bills. Well,
Nestor Aparicio 01:49
I mean, last year would be indicative of that, right? Like, I mean, the Ravens beat the snot out of the bills earlier. Had a chance to win. You know, we’ve been talking about that one. Not that anybody will see that on NFL Network this week, or anywhere they are, Andrew, you know, the whole deal, right? Where are you with the bills? I mean, and I think it’s different on my end, we’ve seen this incredible disappointment here this summer with the baseball team. I mean, you go back cover the sabers, back to, you know, back to when they got screwed by Dallas, you know, 27 years ago. But we’ve had, you know, parades here with the football team. That’s somebody that certainly has eluded Buffalo and has been this. I’ve told you I was there at the Art shell game back in 80 whatever it was, 8788 89 whatever. You know, I’ve been doing this a long time, too. We’ve had a little fun here, and the Orioles have been indicative of how it can be when you don’t have fun. But the bills are back in a way that for a couple decades, it got real sleepy for, you know, a couple six quarterbacks and several head coaches. But this is as good as it gets. The stadium is happening. I can’t impress upon people here. This week, I flew into buffalo. A couple months ago, I went up to Toronto. It was opening day with Luke Jones, and I saw the stadium shell happening in the shadow of what has been rich stadium all of my life. And OJ Simpson and all of that, you’re having a renaissance moment for what football is there that Bon Jovi didn’t take the team off to Toronto. This is, um, but you need to win, you know? I mean, you need to at least get to a Super Bowl for this generation and then win it. And that is, there’s only a handful of places where that Kansas City doesn’t have to happen this year, but in Buffalo and Baltimore feels like this spotlight on this game, for these communities, for Lamar, but we’ve won here. I feel for y’all, I really have her SIG on the other day. Coco’s bottom up here. I’m like, Hey, man, if it can’t happen for us, I wanted to happen for you, know?
John Wawrow 03:41
Well, I mean, this is, I mean, getting over that last hump is the last step for the bills. They’re aware of it. Let’s face it. I mean, they’ve lost the Chiefs for the last five playoffs. They’ve beaten the Ravens two in two playoff meetings over the last five years. So, I mean, this is, I mean, the ravens and the bills are have been playing second fiddle to Patrick mahomes and the chiefs. Is this the year. It might happen with Josh Allen. Anything is possible with Lamar Jackson, anything is possible. But I think the bills are positioned to be that team right now, and I know how good the ravens are. And I’m not going to take a lot out of this game, per se, because I’m sure these two teams will meet up once again in the playoffs, the Division five, the division game, perhaps the chant AFC Championship Game, wouldn’t that be something? But yes, there is an emphasis. The bills know where they are in the pecking order. The bills know where they have to get to, and I think they’re better positioned than last year. I thought last year they were ahead of schedule in beating and getting to the AFC Championship game because of how depleted their defense was, and this window of competitiveness, i. Think starts, the trajectory is back up again, given the salary cap situation, they return mostly intact on offense with a couple of new pieces, and the defense is young, but can only get better over the course of the season.
Nestor Aparicio 05:16
Well, around this time last year, talking about losing a bunch of players, and it felt like they had an upheaval there with personnel and players, you know, decorated players, and it worked out. I mean, you know what? I mean, like, they’ve made real
John Wawrow 05:30
much decisions needed to get them to set them up for the future. But yes, there were a lot of big names that left well
Nestor Aparicio 05:37
and it and to my point, now they’ve got the team sort of situated where they sort of want it from a youth standpoint. And to your point, salary cap situation, is this their strongest team, and I can sit here in the Baltimore side and again, they don’t play in preseason game. He was looking at roster and personnel. My story this week for our fan bases, I want to see how the 30 somethings look. I want to see how Ronnie Stanley looks and Derrick Henry and Marlon Humphrey, because you and I both know we’re we’re old. Eight nine months is a long time when you’re 30 something in the NFL, that last year isn’t this year, and then where they are in week 12 and 15, when they’re along that road, the Ravens have the weirdest, hardest schedule ever, right? Like, you know, they have Flacco coming in here next week if you survive this week, right? And then they have Detroit, and they have Kansas City, and it’s out of the gate. And you’re looking at it and saying, well, on paper, they could be four and, oh, but, like, that’s not the way this league works. And certainly you don’t expect these kinds of games out of the gate that if they are even two and two the games they lose tour Kansas City and buffalo. They’re on the road in January again, and that’s the worst feeling in the world, is to enter October saying we’re playing backup. And we haven’t even seen the Steelers in the Bengals yet here.
John Wawrow 06:53
Well, and that’s the thing with I mean, okay, the bills benefit from having a weaker division. Let’s face it, the AFC East is not very good. I think the New England Patriots, with with rebel there, are probably on an upswing, whether this is their year to contend or at least push the bills, I’m not sure. The dolphins are a mess. The Jets, you just don’t know who they are. They don’t have a quarterback yet. And the bills of the bills. So whereas Baltimore, to you know, to your point, those those divisional matchups are intense, even if you’re playing the browns. I mean, the browns, you know, the Browns are competitive in Division when they play these division games. So you’re right. I mean, this should be a bills. The bills benefit from having an easier schedule. That said they played Kansas City. They’ve got Baltimore, they’ve got, oh, I don’t have the schedule in front first
Nestor Aparicio 07:53
place schedule, just, you know, in general, yeah. But they also can go six and oh. I mean, I wouldn’t get big money on them going six and oh, if you want to bet a parlay, bet the bills at six and Oh, in their own division. And yes, definitely, and at least five and one, right? I mean, but, but the Ravens aren’t going six and oh in the AFC, I don’t believe. I mean, if they do, they’re really, uh, you know, they’re going to be a 15 and two kind of team and, and, you know what I’ve been doing, this 30. It’s their 30th anniversary of the ravens, by the way, John, so as you guys go into that new stadium and this thing that you’re about to do, we took that spaceship off 30 years ago now, and I with, you know, with the Ravens coming here, and art modell and Vinnie and all of that stuff. And we’ve had good teams. We’ve had teams where I they begin the year, as long as Brady was breathing, we never had the better team on paper, right? And we always had the defense with Ray Lewis, but couldn’t figure out the offense, even with Steven there, whatever. This is the year here. Of of all the 30 years, there have been a couple, three or four in the Ravens have had great teams where you’re like, they’re a top one or two, maybe the Eagles, maybe the bills, not the chiefs in the depth department, right? But like just looking at their acquisitions in the office, this gave Kyle Hamilton $100 million let people go to new Kyle Hamilton is, oh, he’s a good player. He’s, he’s starting to mount a rush more himself for the ravens, right? I mean, he’s really good.
John Wawrow 09:16
Yeah, no, I and the bills did the same thing this off season by locking up. Well, it took, took a while with James Cook, with his holding but they have locked up their young core for the future. I mean, Josh Allen is now locked in through 2030 Terrell Bernard, their middle linebackers locked in, Khalil shakirs locked in. Greg Russo, their pass rushers locked in James Cook and Christian Benford, their top cornerback, is locked in. That’s not to say they don’t have question marks, but they have a core of a team to build around for what is four or five years to come. So there is stability, unlike this like unlike the instability and the dysfunction. That that was here for that 17 year playoff route, the bills have found their groove, much like the Baltimore Ravens have really been a model of success, you know, over much of their tenure there.
Nestor Aparicio 10:12
Well, I mean, moving from Flaco to Lamar, moving from a bunch of Steve Smith, type of, you know, Matt Sure, right? And quampo, they brought in veteran players here from Woodson. You know, going back 20, it’s Shannon sharp. They’ve always been an attractive place to come, whether it’s Bill at our ball and Ozzy and all of that, the bills haven’t had that, and it feels not new and fresh anymore. Now it feels like high expectation. But do you love their roster? I mean, are you at a point where you’re like, Well, this is as good as it gets, even better than maybe two or three years ago, we had digs, and you had a couple of players, vonna come over. I mean, you had players there, prime going into their prime. That’s what kind of the ravens are. Because I feel like Lamar is in his prime. There’s still prime left and Derrick Henry, ascending players. I mean, zay flowers, ascending player you won’t see Isaiah likely this week. Ascending player, roquan Smith, I don’t know. Marlon Humphrey, I don’t know. And they’ve drafted corners, safeties, young guys to step up. But they have their ones are on the field. They’re playing, you know, their best players are playing. Everybody other than likely, is kind of healthy right now. To start a season, they had unbelievably good health last year, on a year where every, every Oriole pitchers, you know, getting Tommy John here, and it blew the season up here. It cost people jobs here. The Ravens don’t concern themselves with I’m getting fired. I got to prove myself. What this is, what that but keeping Lamar upright, obviously rule number one here. But just along the line the expectation level, when you have a best ever roster in a place where you’ve already won Super Bowls, it’s like you mentioned, how Sunday night doesn’t matter. Well, you lose, you wake up on one you’re like, Hey, man, you know that? That’s when the sky starts falling, when you believe you’re going to win 13 or 14
John Wawrow 12:09
games. I get that. I get that. I’m not sure if it’s the bill’s best roster, but it’s, it’s deeper than it was a year ago, at which point, like I said, they surprised me by making, making it to the AFC Championship Game, and they did so on offense in which Josh Allen won an MVP, and I think deservedly so. He they did it with Josh Allen not having to carry the entire load, but distribute the ball, leaning on a running attack and not having a number one receiver, but using a bunch of receivers to their strengths. I mean, they did not have a 900 yard receiver, and how So, how does Josh Allen become the MVP? Because he distributed the ball smartly. The offense worked with his everybody eats type of mentality. They had Mac Hollins catch five touchdown passes. I think Dalton can cave the tight end, who was coming off an injury plague season last year, should regain some of the promise that he had as a rookie. I think that’s a bright sign. Joshua Palmer is their big new, bright addition at receiver, who replaces who’s an upgrade, I think, over Matt Collins and Amari Cooper, who was kind of on his last legs here in Buffalo as a late, mid season edition. So, and you’ve got Khalil Shakir, who is a very who is, might be emerging as one of the best slot receivers in the NFL, and it really has a good rapport with Josh Allen so and you’ve got Keon Coleman, who will hope, who is being counted upon, to step up after having an inconsistent first season. The big question mark is on defense, where they’re young. They’ve got two defensive linemen who are serving six game suspensions and Larry Ogan job Larry Ogan Joby and Michael Hecht, who’s going to be a jack of all trades kind of defensive end, linebacker type of player, so they’re both out, and now you’ve got a bit of a young and banged up secondary with question marks about tredevious White and will he be ready for week one to play to start opposite Christian Bedford, or are they going to have to go deep into a backup because Maxwell Hairston, the number one draft pick, sprained his knees on in his opening the season on IR. They’ve also got a question mark at safety as to who plays opposite Taylor rap, so the back end still has to be figured out the pretty stout and young on the front end. So let’s see where this defense is at, especially facing the challenge of not only Derek Henry, but a mobile dual threat of quarterback of Lamar Jackson. I’ll be curious to see how this thing plays out.
Nestor Aparicio 14:55
John warrow from the Associated Press in Buffalo, New York, show. Us here, where they’re building one stadium, getting rid of another stadium. They’ve got a Netflix, dude, I can’t let you get away with what you just did there. You just gave me the whole bills thing. If you put that thing in. Josh Allen, deservedly so on the MVP, there’s certainly, you know, that conjecture here with Lamar, and Lamar getting screwed and this and that, and he’s one. They both have one, you know, I think it would rub Lamar the wrong way. And certainly there is become this. They’re the, they’re on the poster for Sunday Night Football, right? Like they are the star power. I land in the Buffalo airport. Josh Allen selling cheese. Josh Allen said it was posters everywhere to Buffalo. You just, you drive out, there’s, there’s as many Josh Allen billboards, as there are those buffaloes on the corners that they have there, you know. And he really is the toast of the town, and it’s been the best thing since Jim Kelly and all that. Here’s where I am, John. And you’re a real X’s and O’s guy, an old schooler and all that, going back to Jim Kelly and K gun and all that. Not only did Jim Kelly not run a lot because Steve Young, at that point was getting his head knocked off, but I didn’t love when Lamar was running into linebackers here eight years ago. I still don’t love it. It’s still the most awkward thing in the world to me, to have your quarterback out there, but there is a point where you’re a little more protected than Steve Young was, or Jim McMahon was, or, you know, anybody that tried to run before this era of football, but the designed runs and how it stretches the field. It’s almost like Canadian football. It’s like you’re playing, sure, you’re playing 11 on 10 in a real sense of defensive offense. If you’re Joe Flacco is your quarterback, let’s say right, and you’re playing, it feels like 11 on 15 the other way. If you’ve got a deal with a quarterback with four two speed, Josh Allen has all of that, but Josh Allen will run you over. And there is that point of the fake. I’m going down. And like all of the Lamar plays this game, when he gets to the sideline, hit me late. Hit me late. Give me 15 more. They’re all skating. The refs, they’re all skating. I’m going to get down low. You’re going to hit me in the head. Flacco had his head taken off by KIKO Alonzo here years ago by ducking into a concussive hit. So I’m always worried about the franchise. Whoever your franchise is, and the quarterbacks put them in these franchises really put themselves at risk. So does mahomes, and there’s been better fortune, but the game’s been legislated into that but I do think these quarterbacks take some risk that they don’t necessarily need to take, and it it makes me queasy, and I know it must make John Harbaugh queasy, which is why we’ve not seen Lamar even walk onto the field thus far, right?
John Wawrow 17:37
Neither is Josh Allen, which, I mean, he this is the first off season he’s not played a preseason snap, aside from, like, the covid year where all the preseason games were wiped out. I mean, but
Nestor Aparicio 17:47
I saw Michael Vick lose his career well the first time. Yeah, I was down in Atlanta for that preseason game. So yeah. I mean, it makes sense. It really does make sense, to not play these guys.
John Wawrow 17:59
And I will say this two things, I think, and this is no, I meant no disrespect towards Lamar over saying deservedly so, because I think he could flip it by making the argument that I think Josh Allen may have been the MVP in lamar’s MVP year and vice versa. In some ways, they’re both elite quarterbacks, and you can continue that debate. But why I say deservedly so is because you saw Josh Allen last year. To your point about running is I thought he played a smarter, more efficient game. His turnovers were way down, and he chose his spots to run. Yes, we saw him hurtling a couple of guys here and there, but he did that less often and allowed Josh James Cook to really run the ball in goal line situations, which led to him being the CO leader with Derrick Henry with 16 touchdowns rushing. So I thought we saw a big maturity jump. Not to say that he’s been immature, but we saw Josh Allen take the next step as a leader of his team in being efficient, smart and know and playing within the offenses limitations and potential. That was a near perfect season for Josh Allen last year.
Nestor Aparicio 19:24
Well, listen, I talked to all of you in week three before the Ravens beat the snot out of them and all. Everyone’s a lot of changes. You know, fan base is up, but, but they were, you know, they were the horse that might have been losing the race the first Furlong or two, but caught up, and that’s what everyone you know as we sit here and debate all of this in absence of anything we’ve seen on the field. I mean, they don’t even tackle in practice, so how sloppy the tackling will be, how bad the officiate? I’ll make the headlines right now. The officiating will suck. Kickers will miss kicks. You know, assignments will. Be blown. Flags will be blown. There’ll be a lot of flag you know, like it’ll be sloppy, it’ll just, it’s what, it’s going to be a slog a little bit in the early going. But I do know this, these are the pedigree teams that they’re putting on the pedestal, and it will be judged, right? Like how these teams look. And I said to Luke, I just want to see Chris football. They’ve been practicing together. They’re a veteran team. They brought in veteran players. You mentioned last year that, you know, you end up with Amari Cooper. We got Hopkins here, you know, after Odell Beckham, after Steve Smith, you know, bringing in the veteran wide receivers and trying to find an impact for that in this offense where there’s one football and that, you know, and they shot Bateman wants the first round draft pick wants the ball. You know, zay flowers, bro. Bowler, wants the ball. Derek, Henry Hall of Famer wants the ball. Derek Hopkins, Deon Hopkins, Hall of Famer wants the ball. Lamar, gonna run eight or 10 times? Or, if you’re not running them eight or 10 times, we’re asking why? So there’s, it’s really a weird mix. And when I say all of this, if somehow they go out and fumble the ball twice and have an interception and the kicker, my God, after what we’ve been through with the kicker this off season, if he misses a kicker an extra point and somehow the Ravens lose 3127 the sky will be falling around here and vice versa, if it’s the other way around on your end, and the Ravens come in and somehow steamroll the bills have beaten 3713 on the opening night, because it’s just not sharp for the bills. And the Ravens come out. Like to be in the Ravens like, you know, we are going to judge it, because these are really good teams, and the league sets it up this way. I think there is this kind of part of the novella, isn’t
John Wawrow 21:42
it? Right? It is. But I still, I still reflect back to what happened in Baltimore and how the bills were that was Baltimore’s best game. From, from, from my vantage point, they came out ready, and they took advantage of a team that was bit on its heels, offensively and defensively. And they attack the bills. They they, they just, they, they ram it down their throat. It was a 30 minute game really. I mean, very impressed. Yes, that said, I I don’t think this is going to be a blowout on either side. I think it will be sloppy to a sense, but I think my big take. I’m not worried so much about the offense Famous last words, but I’m more I’m more interested in seeing how the defense shapes up with all the new pieces in place. While having Matt Milano, Milano and Terrell Bernard in the middle, there’s some new pieces on the defense. I want to see how that rotation works, and I don’t think that there’s going to be an emphasis on pressuring the quarterback a lot more this season in Buffalo, after they struggled last year. Joey Bosa is a new piece, whether they’ll get to Lamar. I doubt it as much as they want to. I doubt it, but I want to see how this defense looks, and I think that’s where the big emphasis is look going into week one after week one, I still don’t think the sky is falling, because the bills they wind up playing, they go to the Jets, they play Miami on Thursday night. And this is a team that is accustomed to playing efficient, good football, they’ll if they lose in week one, the bills will figure things out. And I know Harbaugh well enough to know that there shouldn’t be any panic on the Ravens side. Should they lose in week one? Because, you know, it’s the old cliche. I don’t want to bring it. It’s, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. But these are two elite teams in the NFL that I in the AFC, that I know will be in the playoffs, and will probably likely meet again in the playoffs, as they did last year.
Nestor Aparicio 23:51
Yeah, and I guess when they do meet in the playoffs, I’ll say I want to see a good, crisp game, but I would expect that six or eight of these players will be hurt by then, or banged up to such a point where they’ll be on the injured list when it happens on January 20, whenever Josh was here from the Associated Press in Buffalo All right, off the game, off of Lamar, off of Josh, I won’t even out, off of Josh, but the stadium situation up there and the saving of the team, I know you’re a Canadian by birth, a buffalonian by choice. And we’ll get to the replacements and some rock and roll and some stuff before we roll out. But I flew in, saw the stadium. I’ve seen pictures of it, speak to it from a civic standpoint. There we had PSLs here 30 years ago, for suckers licenses, is what I called them then. And having held one and relinquished it, I can assure you, and you know, the league has tried all sorts of games. It’s a really weirdly small market with a really, really strangely buffalonian collegiate feel that the Baltimore Colts once had here. And it’s a different kind of franchise, but one that was in peril, one that was languishing, one that was needed a lot. Of things, including what a lot of some people thought, and you’re a Canadian, thought needed Toronto, or needed something that might look like that for the league. And it would have been very easy for the league. Say, We want a franchise in Toronto. We don’t want one in Buffalo. Let’s do whatever we need to do to pull out like, sort of like they did in St Louis or San Diego or Baltimore the first time, or, you know, places they don’t want
John Wawrow 25:24
to be the new stadium secures the bill’s long term future. And I don’t I do believe that any talk of relocation is probably moot.
Nestor Aparicio 25:34
Oh, I know that before,
John Wawrow 25:36
and it has been, but it has been moot, really, ever since the begulas bought the team from Ralph, the Ralph Wilson’s estate in 2014 and even then, even after Ralph died, immediately after, when you had John Mara saying publicly that the bills aren’t relocating, it really, I Think, solidified the franchise. And and, and, I guess, honored Ralph Wilson’s legacy in in, in what he built in Buffalo because he became a buffalonian as well, and he the last thing, despite the threats, there was never, he never had a real want to move the franchise. All that said, we’ve got a new stadium, which is really brands, which is really weird,
Nestor Aparicio 26:24
right? You waited a long time for this man. You know that’s And there goes, always peril. Every time I come up there, I’m like, they can’t continue this. It’s like going out to Oakland. It’s like, at some point, right? Yes, Toronto will come and take somebody will come and take your team if you don’t fix this man,
John Wawrow 26:40
and this was, this wasn’t necessary. It’s over budget which the pegulas are picking up. All the cost overruns. It’s at $2.1 billion now. So the pegulas will be on the hook for at least what is it, if I do the math correctly, sorry, about $1.2 billion for this thing. So public funding is at 850 million, not chump change, but there is this, and
Nestor Aparicio 27:09
every New Yorker takes that on, right? If you live in Long Island or Montauk and you’re a Mets fan, you’re taking that on, right, okay,
John Wawrow 27:15
but this is the stadium that Josh built. And it does. You mentioned the word Renaissance, we we have seen the renaissance of the bills franchise, which I think is really good for the NFL, because the NFL seemed dull when the bills were were mediocre and dysfunctional. This is they’ve built. They’ve built themselves a very good franchise from top down, and now they have the stadium to show for it. It’s going to sell out. All the PSL are mostly sold out, even though I think they’re going to be selling them for less than they expected at this point. But it’ll be I’m going to miss the Ralph, which is what we call a rich stadium. We seem to want to call it the Ralph here. I’m going to miss the Ralph because of its sight lines, because of how just, just his, his throwback configuration. I like old stadiums, but it is time for a change. I’m I’m curious and and from all accounts, I think the state, well, this stadium is going to be smaller in capacity, down to 60,060 plus 1000, down from about 74 but I think the confines are going to be even more intimate, which might make it even more difficult for visiting teams, because this place, the Ralph is loud, and this place will be it could has the potential even being
Nestor Aparicio 28:39
louder. Well, it’s designed to be louder, right? Literally, right. It is. It is
John Wawrow 28:43
and less wind, which I think is good for football. It’s open air, so we’re not going to lose the snow globe. White out games that have been famous here in Buffalo, which
Nestor Aparicio 28:58
will not happen on Sunday night. We hope no. John warrow is here from the Associated Press in Buffalo, New York, one of our fun defending champions and returning champions. Okay, so some rock and roll. Where are you in the rock and roll thing? I am seriously considering flying up to your homelandia there, crossing the bridge, the Peace Bridge, or maybe I just go up north over Niagara Falls like but Brian Adams playing at St Catherine’s and playing in Toronto back to back nights, and I just like coming up there, and it’s kind of fun for me to bang around Canada for a couple of days, because I think that way. But yeah, what are you listening to? Man, give me something that that’s got you the Colts coming out and doing some shows next month. I’m excited about
John Wawrow 29:41
that. Yeah, I’m not. I mean, I’m still digging into new music and and the alternative side of it. I mean, I like the cult, but, you know, I’m not into I had a chance. We went to my wife and I went to Quebec City. We had a chance to go. The Pixies were playing a big festival, headlining a big festival. I’m not into the big shows anymore. More. I’m too old for that. I’m too old for mosh pits. It rained that day, so thank goodness we didn’t go. But I’m more into listening to new sounds. I like, I like wet legs, new, new second, second album, moisturizer, I believe it was called, I’ve been listening to that. I picked up a few new CDs lately. Haven’t given them a spin because it’s football season, but you know, replacements, the RE release of Let It Be is finally going to be out, which I’ve already put down 150 bucks to get the t shirt, the four vinyl albums and all the other paraphernalia. So looking forward to that some new songs from the mats. But yeah, what leg is the the song men get out, which is actually mons two. You gotta give that a spin. It’s a nice little rocker from that British twosome,
Nestor Aparicio 30:59
Tommy Stinson tried to steal my girlfriend backstage at hammer jacks in 1990 so, you know what I mean? Like, she was beautiful, but like, I didn’t appreciate it. So, you know, no, I
John Wawrow 31:11
as well. He was the youngest, Matt and always the cutest. Apparently,
Nestor Aparicio 31:16
John warrow is here for the Associated Press in Buffalo. You know, we don’t play buffalo every week, but I have a feeling, and I appreciate all of you. Vic Carucci is coming by this week. I’m, you know, I’m going to have salkapa. So I like coming up and mixing it up. I like beef on weck, even better, and some proper wings. But, you know, I would say I have a feeling. I’ll talk to you again. I have a feeling you’ll hear from me second, third week of January, and we’ll have to get together again and go through this. And who’s the MVP? I hope it goes that well for both of the franchises, because that’s sort of the, you know, as they meet at the state fair here and run the run the races. That’s sort of the card for me. I want to see them at the front of the race. And I want to see, you know, a great season, you know, because we lost out on here on the baseball team, just and a great season. If somebody’s going to lose on Monday morning, we just need to make sure it’s not us.
John Wawrow 32:09
I’ll be there covering the game. I get to cover the winning team, winner. So that happens. That’s the benefit of being an AP
Nestor Aparicio 32:17
writer, alright? Well, listen the minute I obtained the buffalo sabers 1969 belt buckle that I’ve been chasing on the internet. I will make sure send, send it over to you. So John warrow here from the Associated Press of Buffalo, we’re doing the me crab cake tour on the 16th we’re back out at Beaumont. We got some great guests coming by. Come by, hang out. I think was number 25 on my list that we did the fried lobster tail. Tasty Nestor brought to you by our friends at Curia wellness. And foreign daughter is out as well. The countdown continues. I’ve got cookies, I’ve got cakes, I’ve got pies, I got coconut shrimp. All sorts of good things happening. But we have football on Sunday night in Buffalo. Luke’s got us covered all of the breaking news. Lap on the W, N, S, T, tech service brought to you by coal roofing and Gordian energy. Come on out. Get a lottery ticket from me. Let’s have some fun. It’s football season. I’m Nestor. We are wnst am 1570 Towson, Baltimore, and we never stop talking Baltimore positive, even with the new sexy 27th logo. You.
