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How do you ever expect something like this to gain traction when the second somebody takes the initiative to post it, a group of 5-10 posters (who actually would otherwise love to see something happen) try to make the poster feel like an idiot? All it takes is 100 or so people before the media picks it up and hundreds of people read these threads.

They fail because of people like you. I'm in.

I noticed that right after Deflategate came out. Reddit (which is a textbook example of groupthink) upvoted all the "it doesn't matter, it didn't give them an advantage" posts and downvoted all the other ones. The truth is there are very few grassroots campaigns that bring change. Whatever the media chooses to bring down, gets brought down. This is a cute little piece that ESPN released, really wordy and won't be read by most fans. But they've been just as likely to defend Brady as condemn him. When every headline in America starts screaming for Kraft, Brady, and Belichick's head, then we'll see some changes. Until then, everybody is just going to shrug and move on. To give a better example, right in the article it said that Spector had connections to Comcast who just so happened to be negotiating TV rights with the NFL. He claims it had nothing to do with it. Yeah, OK, never heard that one before. That's the kind of movement we need to bring down the evil empire. But until then, why would CBS, NBC, and FOX call for the fall of the Patriots if they're making billions in advertising with the TV deal and the NFL tells them to look the other way?

Spygate was REALLY bad. Knowing the other team's formations and calls is the biggest advantage you can have in football outside of personnel. All three of their first Super Bowls are major question marks, not to mention all the playoff games and regular season games. And then you consider their dominance over us for 10 years. Great team + Great Coach + Great QB + Major Cheating = 5 Super Bowls. It's clear now that Tyree and Manningham was karma.

I just don't get how people can read articles like the ESPN one, and not question their Patriots loyalty. There's got to be some people saying "wait a second, this isn't right". Instead they've cultivated this "us against the world" mentality based on everyone else's jealousy and envy. If anybody has been to a Pats game in Buffalo, you have seen how cocky and arrogant the Pats fans are. They expect victory and they are extremely confident trash-talkers. Their team gives them a sense of pride and confidence. It must be a hell of a contradiction as history will slowly look down on them.

Maybe it's time we start giving light to the Sharp article that showed how the Patriots have avoided fumbling at a historic rate over the last 5-7 years. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/deflate-gate-report-re-energizes-stat-geek-s-controversial-fumbling-analysis-of-patriots-225530829.html

I used to read a lot of Grantland so I'm familiar with Barnwell. He will always be the guy who tried to explain, using analytics, how momentum in football doesn't exist. That should tell you all you need to know about him. He would make a great programmer, not a scout of talent, and certainly not a people person. Ever since he joined he has avoided talking about the Bills when possible, and talks negatively when he has to. Bills have been bad, but I could find good things to say about the Jaguars and I wouldn't even be trying to "see both sides". He doesn't do that. In fact, he tends to spin positives into negatives. He's a smarty pants, radical center version of Jerry Sullivan. Both think they're smarter than everybody and know everything. I read his piece. Everything he said could be spun into a positive if he wanted to. The O-line could be seen as a positive. The defense remaining the same in the transient NFL could be seen as a positive. Tyrod Taylor's explosive abilities compared to Orton could be seen as a positive. And like you said above, the additions and minimal subtractions could be seen as positives. So everything negative he pointed out, could be spun equally as a positive. The sense I got reading the piece was of a person trying to bring down my vibe. Screw that guy. I have a couple questions for Barnwell: 1. How many entire Bills game did you watch last year? 2. How many Bills preseason games have you watched this year? Unless he's seen over 50% of each, I refuse to hear what he has to say.

I'm talking about Wawrow, what are you talking about?

Yeah, in that case that definitely gives them the right to engage in hissy fits on Twitter and message boards. Wawrow got played hard after the Steelers game when a "source" told him Cassel might be the starter. One week later and Cassel is cut. He got used and abused as a mouthpiece for a front office executive and didn't have the sense to question the report before getting it out there as quick as he could. Vic Carucci I expect it from, but from a "prestigous" journalist like him, I expect better.

You should see some of the late night posts Wawrow posted on Sabres Space targeting a specific poster just a few months ago. These guys are all thin-skinned and think they're better than us peons because they have a larger vocabulary.

I didn't mean to come off that way. I totally agree with what you said.

After the Deonte Thompson BS, why are we so quick to believe this? They can just be trying to create a market again.

We're talking about cuts, and Cassel as a potential cut. It's relevant to the thread. QB is the most important position in football, and the position we're unsettled in. When we find a QB, I assure you the intensity of the discussions will stop. It's not a "no brainer". In terms of cutting cap space it might be. Cutting Mario Williams tomorrow is a "no-brainer" when it comes to having enough to resign Dareus. But we wouldn't do that because there are other factors involved. That's what we're arguing.

That's how I felt after the Steelers game when everybody immediately starting screaming "Cut Cassel". Where's the perspective? I feel like cutting him is the classic fool's move. He's boring, so let's cut him.

We haven't played against Luck yet, have we? I think everybody is in for a rude awakening. He's going to be one of the greatest ever, and he's just entering his prime. He's going to find our defense's weakness, whether that's Darby, or somebody else.

We're already using it as an advantage. Dropping Cassel would be closer to splitting hairs than burning up money. Do you not remember two years ago where Manuel and Lewis were injured and we had to start Tuel? Everybody was pissed at Marrone for not having good QB depth. Don't be cheap about somebody else's money. It's unclear if we even need that cap money to resign players. I just know with how the world works that if we cut Cassel, we'll be sorry we did at some point during the season.

Makes sense. There was a lot of good buzz when we drafted him. Some guys just fall on their face starting out, like Cyrus last year, then turn it around.

Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened. It's called "creating demand".

If there was a ball underneath him and on his ribs, a lineman rolling on top of him can easily break his ribs. It's not just Goodwin, I think any lean skill player can be injured that way like WR or CB. I doubt Sammy or Woods have enough cushion to counteract those physics.

Here's my concern about it: CB is the most important position behind QB for confidence levels. Darby is a rookie so he already has a million things on his mind and nerves about playing in the NFL. And now he might be one of the starters opening day going up against arguably the best QB in the NFL. After being relentlessly targeted all preseason by 2nd-tier QBs, what do you think Andrew Luck is going to do to him? OK, maybe he can stay with Hilton, but how is he going to defend a grizzled and big body receiver like Andre Johnson? Does that not sound like a disaster waiting to happen? Even if Rex wanted to throw Darby in the fire, it does not look like he's managed his confidence very well.

Is that what it was? I assumed it was appendix, but was curious why they kept it a secret.

Just two years ago our backups QBs were Thad Lewis and Jeff Tuel. Fans were screaming for improvements. Now we have solid and deep depth at the QB position, but many fans want them cut or traded for cap gains that are unclear if we actually even need. Once you dig in, the logic makes no sense. I really wish somebody would explain it to me better.

Here's how I see it. 1. Things changed the last two weeks. I believe Mayock and even Leroi were correct in saying Manuel would be cut. But nobody expected him to make the strides he made. When you look at things from the perspective of the coaching staff choosing Tyrod over a month ago, EJ really threw a wrench in their plans with his preseason performances. 2. We currently have an exciting but unproven player at QB. He could be injury prone, he could be exposed, or he could break down mentally like Trent Edwards. We just don't know what we have with Tyrod Taylor yet. We need insurance. 3. EJ has shown incredible glimpses of putting it all together the last few weeks. IF he really does put it all together, he becomes VERY valuable to the Bills. Either as the eventual starter or as 1st round pick bait if Tyrod becomes a winner. For all those clamoring to trade him now, I think they're worried that what we saw was a fluke and they're hoping to get a late round pick for it. But if what we saw was a sign of things to come, we'll have the hottest QB on the market next year for QB-needy teams. 4. Since Tyrod is unproven, and EJ is still a bit of a question mark, we know what we have with Cassel. And what we have is good enough to avoid turnovers and move the ball into field goal range. There will be no Geno Smith or Jeff Tuel pick-six meltdowns. That's why he is valuable on this team for $5M which is junk change for a QB in today's NFL.

My problem with it is, in my opinion, Fred's leadership, drive, and will to win for one year is worth 2-3 years of Dixon and Brown combined. I can't back it up with facts but I just know that there's going to come a time this year where we're going to regret letting Fred Jackson go so soon. Some 3rd and 4 in the 4th quarter where the odds are against us and everybody is losing their spirit, there won't be a Fred Jackson to carry the pile.

I see Andrew Luck make yip throws sometimes. Those are the throws separating Peyton, Rodgers, Brees, and Brady from everybody else.