off topic Buffalo Bills 2015

[TrueBlueGED]

To play contrarian, there probably was only a hefty settlement because he is a public figure in a position of (fairly) large notoriety. If this was Joe Smith who worked 2nd shift at the Ford plant i'm guessing this is either a) settled out of court for basically nothing or b) not even brought to charges since neither party has the means to pursue a lengthy court proceeding for a late night tussle.

 

The employer for Joe Smith in the above situation probably doesn't even get wind of this and he goes on to live his life and work his job as usual.

 

Because it was Aaron Kromer who is in the spotlight as a member of the staff of an NFL team, and there are dedicated media/reporters out there to cover only NFL related news, the situation cost him more than your average guy, but no way do I think he should be fired since he's not been convicted of anything and there are no longer charges being pursued.

To play contrarian to your contrarian, it could also be that his (relative) fame and wealth are the only reasons he isn't facing a criminal proceeding. That the team finds him valuable enough to retain but his actions bad enough to punish with nearly half the season leads me to believe the incident wasn't nothing. Edited August 3, 2015 by TrueBluePhD

[Hoss]

The idea that a 4-game suspension of Brady will imperil the Patriots' playoff chances is fairly laughable. Last time that team had a true "us against the world" season? They went 16-0 and blew just about everyone out of the water. Until Brady starts to show his age, that team is a contender every season.

They went 16-0 with Brady and Moss. Defense was solid then. Their defense should be pretty terrible and they won't have Brady for games 1-4.

 

I fully expect that his suspension will be lifted or that they will start 1-3 then burn everybody on the way to a division title. I'm just hoping otherwise.

Well, the suspension is costing Kromer $127K, which means his annual salary is about $340K. If he paid the family another $100K to drop the charges, then his after-tax income for the year will be about $20K (I'm assuming the suspension hit is pre-tax but the settlement payment is after-tax).

 

So acting like a aggressive, violent buffoon for a night cost him no jail time but a big hit to his reputation and he has to work for a year for almost no income.

 

It's actually not a bad outcome.

Agreed. As somebody who wanted his head, I'll take his arm and leg and hope that he becomes a better man for this. Last chance though.

[That Aud Smell]

Just about the only sports-hate I currently have is reserved exclusively for Tom Brady. That said, I've learned not to hope too much about the Bills while he is still doing Tom-Brady-things.

[WildCard]

The idea that a 4-game suspension of Brady will imperil the Patriots' playoff chances is fairly laughable. Last time that team had a true "us against the world" season? They went 16-0 and blew just about everyone out of the water. Until Brady starts to show his age, that team is a contender every season.

Completey different teams. They aren't coming off a 16-0 season with a record setting offense and they lost Revis and Browner.

[That Aud Smell]

Completey different teams. They aren't coming off a 16-0 season with a record setting offense and they lost Revis and Browner.

Totally different teams. I'm not suggesting that Brady misses 4 games, comes back, rips of 12 wins, an humiliates everyone.

 

I've just seen the prequel to that movie, and I feel like I know how it ends. And it ends with Brady back in the gotdamm playoffs.

[shrader]

Just about the only sports-hate I currently have is reserved exclusively for Tom Brady. That said, I've learned not to hope too much about the Bills while he is still doing Tom-Brady-things.

 

I was in Boston last week.  The Brady apologists there are sickening.  The phone thing actually shook them a bit, but about a day later they had figured out the token excuse for that one and were right back to kneeling at his altar.

 

My personal favorite was when my M-I-L told me I was biased on this story and then immediately followed it up with this gem:

"Now, everything I have heard on this story comes from Boston sports radio, but I believe the league is out to get Brady."

She didn't understand my response of uncontrollable laughter.

[Samson's Flow]

To play contrarian to your contrarian, it could also be that his (relative) fame and wealth are the only reasons he isn't facing a criminal proceeding. That the team finds him valuable enough to retain but his actions bad enough to punish with nearly half the season leads me to believe the incident wasn't nothing.

The ol' double contrarian. Damn you're good.

 

I think that there is a wide range of possibilities of what could have actually happened that morning, but until I receive some form of damning physical evidence or testimony, I am not looking for anyone to lose their job. The monetary punishment and suspension is more than enough for me without being privy to the facts.

 

Let's hope the ROR saga ends with the same fizzle that this situation did.

[Hoss]

I was in Boston last week. The Brady apologists there are sickening. The phone thing actually shook them a bit, but about a day later they had figured out the token excuse for that one and were right back to kneeling at his altar.

 

My personal favorite was when my M-I-L told me I was biased on this story and then immediately followed it up with this gem:

"Now, everything I have heard on this story comes from Boston sports radio, but I believe the league is out to get Brady."

She didn't understand my response of uncontrollable laughter.

You laughed at your mother in law? RIP Shrader.

[CallawaySabres]

And then 11-1.  

I bet they will lose to Indy in Brady's first game back

[TrueBlueGED]

Assuming Brady does in fact sit for four games, I think one thing to keep in mind is the past several years he has been prone to a few total clunker efforts each season. It always offset by 13 amazing efforts, but with only 12 kicks at the can, those clunkers could the difference between division winner and wild card. As others have said, their defense also took a major hit this offseason. I'd still bet them to win the division, but I don't think a 10-6 year is especially unlikely.

[That Aud Smell]

Assuming Brady does in fact sit for four games, I think one thing to keep in mind is the past several years he has been prone to a few total clunker efforts each season. It always offset by 13 amazing efforts, but with only 12 kicks at the can, those clunkers could the difference between division winner and wild card. As others have said, their defense also took a major hit this offseason. I'd still bet them to win the division, but I don't think a 10-6 year is especially unlikely.

 

Fair.

. . . And yet, I feel like Brady returning from a 4-game suspension will be laser-focused in a way that will eliminate the clunkers seen in 2014. #ScaryBrady

[TrueBlueGED]

Fair.

 

. . . And yet, I feel like Brady returning from a 4-game suspension will be laser-focused in a way that will eliminate the clunkers seen in 2014. #ScaryBrady

He's gonna be what, 38? I don't think the focus will matter, he's gonna have a couple bad games.

[Claude_Verret]

Suspension or not, I'm not expecting the Bills to win a division title or have a realistic shot at the playoffs until Brady either retires or suffers a season ending injury early in the season.

[woods-racer]

I was in Boston last week.  The Brady apologists there are sickening.  The phone thing actually shook them a bit, but about a day later they had figured out the token excuse for that one and were right back to kneeling at his altar.

 

My personal favorite was when my M-I-L told me I was biased on this story and then immediately followed it up with this gem:

"Now, everything I have heard on this story comes from Boston sports radio, but I believe the league is out to get Brady."

She didn't understand my response of uncontrollable laughter.

 

That's a double whammy, when you go  visit THE M-I-L  you also have to go to Boston.

[Eleven]

That's a double whammy, when you go  visit THE M-I-L  you also have to go to Boston.

 

He used to have to live there.

[woods-racer]

He used to have to live there.

 

Well then, congratulations is in order to Shrader for his ability to swoop into Boston, marry the girl of his dreams, and beat feet out of Boston before their second Anniversary. 

 

Job well done!

[That Aud Smell]

With respect to whether and to what extent Whaley should take blame for our QB situation, an unnamed WGR personality (I don't want to inflame any of his haters or detractors) tweets that the Bills could've traded back in 2014, taken an excellent WR (other than Watkins), and then gotten back into bottom of 1st round so as to take Bridgewater (presumably ahead of Minnesota).

 

I think that's a fair criticism. 

[SwampD]

E.J. Manuel will be fine.

[That Aud Smell]

^

 

A useful trope. Regrettably, it doesn't extend so far as to reclamation projects like EJ.

[calti]

 Cassel will be starting. The competition is for back up.

We will have approx. the same QB level as we did last yr.-Mediocre to average.

there will be a hue and cry throughout the land as we imagine having a good QB

and going 13-3 instead of the 8&1/2- 7&1/2 we settle for.

 

Of course Cassel being 11-5 with NE will be brought up--and many different conclusions

reached.The main one being that Belichek is vastly superior to Rex Ryan.

[WildCard]

‏@ChrisTrapasso

Easily EJ's best practice. The #Bills QB "rankings" tonight were IMO - 1. EJ Manuel 2. Tyrod Taylor ..... 3. Matt Cassel

[darksabre]

:yawn:

[That Aud Smell]

Modern NFL fandom has evolved to a point where I feel compelled to follow my team's QB competition like a g.d. soap opera.

 

I'm not so sure I like that state of affairs.

[TrueBlueGED]

With respect to whether and to what extent Whaley should take blame for our QB situation, an unnamed WGR personality (I don't want to inflame any of his haters or detractors) tweets that the Bills could've traded back in 2014, taken an excellent WR (other than Watkins), and then gotten back into bottom of 1st round so as to take Bridgewater (presumably ahead of Minnesota).

 

I think that's a fair criticism. 

 

We probably could have traded up for Bridgewater even with the Watkins trade. To me, whoever said that is just conflating two issues to try to find another way to bash the Watkins trade.

 

That said, I do like Bridgewater, and usually forget about him when the subject of missed QBs is brought up. Probably my subconscious protecting me from pain.

‏@ChrisTrapasso

Easily EJ's best practice. The #Bills QB "rankings" tonight were IMO - 1. EJ Manuel 2. Tyrod Taylor ..... 3. Matt Cassel

 

The more I'm reading, the more I want Taylor to win the job. Why? They're all bad, so may as well take the guy who will occasionally fall backwards into a really exciting play. 

[Hoss]

I went to camp tonight.

 

A few obervations:

 

On the QBs: meh x100000000. Each one was responsible for a few atrocious throws. Tyrod started practice very poorly but picked it up with time. His legs make him more dangerous than the other two. They did a fade route drill when they had tall buckets set up in the corner of the end zone. Tyrod nailed his first two right into the bucket. EJ was a mile off (hit the bottom of the bucket once and was a ways off the rest of the time. Cassel was hitting the bucket but not that close to landing any in. Tyrod got huge cheers when they blew the whistle and he was jogging away and still landed it in the bucket while moving away from farther out.

During team drills all three had at least one deep beauty. Tyrod had two miscommunications. Seems better than the other two at leading the receiver (which can mean more YAC or more dead wide receivers). Cassel always has the veteran game mindset going. Dumped the ball off when pressure was coming moreso than the other two (they seemed to ignore the fact that they would've been sacked and held it looking for a bigger play). Cassel is the better guy in the short game, but he has no arm strength so getting the ball into tight windows or down the field will be tough with him. Tyrod does everything better than EJ, really. I could see somebody saying EJ had a better day, but I saw more from Tyrod that makes me hopeful. Tyrod had the best play of the day where he avoided the rush and dumped it over the top to Sammy for a TD.

 

Non-QB stuff:

If today is any indication then the people saying Gilmore is the league's next big corner are absolutely right. Double moves are no issue for him. He runs with guys without interfering or making contact. When Sammy faced him he got shut down but when Sammy faced others he burnt them all (Sammy looks like a superstar).

The rookie Darby looks very good. He was nearly as good as Gilmore in shutting guys down. Reminds me a bit of Cortland Finnegan in that he was giving the short stuff and in a position to make the tackle but he wasn't getting better deep or across the middle.

Bradham looks like he's ready for another great year. In on most plays.

The defensive line will need to be benched for some practices if they really want to run the offense (they disrupt every play).

McCoy did absolutely nothing today. Couldn't find him on the field most of the time.

Erin Kelly is as good looking as her dad was at playing football.

Robert Woods needs to stop trying to make every play a one-handed catch. He's a good all-around receiver but it's time to just use your hands like you're supposed to. Will be very good if he can do that.

Jerry Hughes was a humongous big steal. I will repeat that until I die.

Bryce Brown will fumble away his roster spot. Don't waste your time getting to know him - he's going to be cut.

Some really good plays from Clay out there. He's a weapon.

 

 

Oh: Matt Simms is booty. Dude couldn't hit me in the face with a football if my face was a football.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Hoss