Buffalo Bills Attracting Potential Bidders-plus a Jim Kelly update

With the death of Buffalo Bills founder and owner Ralph Wilson at age 95 on March 25,the future of his beloved NFL franchise is up for grabs.His widow,Mary Wilson,is keeping an eye on the team until its eventual sale,which could occur as early as this summer.Interest in bidding for the team is coming from north of the border in the shape of a Toronto group which includes rock star Jon Bon Jovi,who has long been determined to become an NFL owner.His publicist confirmed Bon Jovi is still "passionately interested" Thursday,but wouldn't comment further.
A number of ideas about the team are being floated,ranging from moving them to Niagara County,closer to their growing legion of Canadian fans,to actually moving them to Toronto or even Los Angeles.It all depends on who evetually acquires the team.They will have to stay in their current home in Orchard Park,New York under the terms of a lease they have with Erie County until 2020 at the earliest.Ralph Wilson Stadium in Erie County is 41 years old and undergoing a 130 million dollar facelift to bring it up to NFL standards with structural upgrades and fan amenities.A move to Toronto,including the purchase price,new stadium and practice facilities,could cost upwards of an estimated 2.5 billion dollars.
Backing the Toronto group in a potential bid for the Bills is Maple Leaf Sports& Entertainment,the owners of a number of other franchises,including the Toronto Maple Leafs NHL team,the Toronto Raptors NBA franchise,as well as the MLS soccer team Toronto FC.Other bidders could include Rogers Communications,who are the owners of Rogers Centre in Toronto,and a Los Angeles group.
Locally,a working group of public and private community leaders is studying the Bills' future.The Bills are New York state's only NFL franchise,since the New York Giants and New York Jets are actually based in New Jersey.The Bills bring in about 20 million dollars in tax revenue annually.
About 18% of the fans at Bills home games are Canadian.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that they have worked very hard in Buffalo,and obviously Western New York and Southern Ontario to regionalise that team,to attract a broader area.Again,that's important and that's something that we want to encourage,Mr.Goodell emphasised.
For some time,the Bills have played one of thir home games in Toronto.Even further afield,there has recently been an annual NFL game in London,England,and some talk of basing a franchise there as well.*
Update:Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly completed his first of three rounds of chemotherapy on Tuesday at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.He is also to receive radiation treatments over the next six weeks.His wife,Jill Kelly,tweeted the following message:First round of chemo
DONE.Be glorified even in this Lord!
Jim has been suffering from severe headaches since his oral cancer surgery in June,which were eventually discovered to be from microscopic tumours forming from his lips up to his cheek along the infraorbital nerve.His doctor says his cancer is very treatable and possibly curable.
Before he left for the hospital,Jim had a good visit with former NFL teammates Thurman Thomas,Bruce Smith and Andre Reed.A lot of people have been tweeting their prayers and support for Jim since then.It's a lot stronger than any medicine,Jill Kelly says.

Children's Bodies Recovered;Hurricane Sandy Telethon Tomorrow

The bodies of two New York brothers who went missing during Hurricane Sandy's onslaught were recovered Friday in a Staten Island marsh.The boys,ages two and four,were swept away from their mother's arms by the storm surge.The bodies of two elderly people were found nearby.
Many people were still missing three days after the storm slammed into the East Coast.The US death toll was at 88 as of sunset Friday.
This is why the evacuation orders were issued,said FEMA director Craig Fugate.The storm surge can literally destroy homes;it's not just a matter of water flowing through the streets.
The first search was for the injured and the trapped;the next will be to go back and look for those still missing,Mr.Fugate explained.
Five million people were still off the electric grid as of sunset.Temperatures will be below normal for several days,dipping to freezing or below at night.It could be weeks before all of the power is back on.FEMA is marshaling utility equipment and crews in the West and flying them to the East using military assets,Mr.Fugate added.
Relief efforts have been bitterly criticised by frustrated victims of the disaster.They felt a sense of abandonment.Search and rescue was the first priority,Mr.Fugate stated;getting assistance in was next.Nine million dollars have already been approved for those who lack flood insurance and the resources to rebuild.
Friday at 8pm Eastern,a relief telethon will be broadcast live on the networks of NBC Universal and on NBC.com."Hurricane Sandy:Coming Together" will be carried by NBC;Bravo;CNBC;E!;G4;MSNBC;Style;Syfy;The Weather Channel;and USA.The Weather Channel will also rebroadcast the event at 11pm Eastern.
The one hour broadcast will be hosted by Matt Lauer and feature appearances by Sting;Christina Aguilera;Bruce Springsteen;Jon Bon Jovi;Billy Joel and others.It will benefit the American Red Cross efforts to provide food,water,shelter and counseling to Sandy victims.